Theatre of Trees on display in capital city until October
Carleton County artist Stephen Hutchings’ exhibit, “Theatre of Trees,” opened at the Beaverbrook Art Gallery in Fredericton in July after having been displayed at the Andrew & Laura McCain Art Gallery in Florenceville-Bristol since May.
The exhibit features his hallmark piece titled Tree. While simply named, the piece was impressive in stature. Completed on a single piece of 40-foot by 10-foot canvas, it was so large that it required a construction crew to install and display. Even then, the constraints of the space meant the piece could not be displayed fully.
While the exhibit has been available for viewing in Fredericon since July 12, the official opening was celebrated on July 26 during the gallery’s “Summer Exhibitions Opening Reception.”
The opening ceremonies included a cocktail hour, a meet and greet, and opening remarks given by the Beaverbrook Art Gallery Executive Director, Bernard Doucet, and Lieutenant Governor, Louise Imbeault.
Other dignitaries attending included Premier Susan Holt, Fredericton Mayor Kate Rogers, as well as Allison and Clare McCain. The McCain family has a long history of supporting the arts in New Brunswick and is a benefactor of the Beaverbrook Art Gallery.
Hutchings told River Valley Sun that the pieces included in “Theatre of Trees” are introspective. He called Tree, his signature piece, “a document of my development as an artist,” which “reflects the interior landscape.”
The exhibit also includes a brand-new piece titled, Blur, which Hutchings said reflects a tree he knew thirty years ago. The piece illustrates what he remembers of the Tree, but also what he felt the Tree could be now, representing metaphorically the human experience of nostalgia.
For those interested in viewing Hutchings’ impressive pieces of art, his exhibit will be on display at the Beaverbrook Art Gallery until Oct. 22.
There will also be a special musical celebration of his artwork at the gallery on Aug. 24, from 3 to 4 p.m., when the Elm City String Quartet will perform selections of music inspired by Hutchings’ artwork.
Three pieces have been composed specifically for the exhibit, including two pieces by Pulitzer-prize winning composer Caroline Shaw and one piece by Hutchings’ child, Aster Hutchings. Tickets are $30 regular admission / $15 for members and may be purchased at the following website: https://bit.ly/4m2WguS.
