Wandering Through Trees

Sue LeBlanc

Wandering Through Trees
Curated by Doug Pope and Sue LeBlanc

April 18 – May 30, 2026
Opening Reception: April 18, 12 – 2pm
Artist Talk: April 18, 1pm
ARTSPLACE Gallery, Annapolis Royal, NS

ARTSPLACE Gallery is pleased to present the group exhibition Wandering Through Trees. When artists were invited to create work on the theme of trees, the response was overwhelming, reflecting the strong feelings these enduring presences inspire in our landscapes and lives.

Trees evoke childhood memories, a sense of place, and a deep connection with nature. They provide fuel, food, oxygen, and shelter. They protect soil, circulate water, and support diverse ecosystems. Artists reflect on these relationships while also considering the threats trees face, both natural and human, and the need for care, stewardship, and action, such as reforestation efforts and policies to protect natural habitats.

For many artists, trees also serve as a point of identification. Trees are diverse, deeply rooted, vibrant, and adaptable, continually shaped by cycles of change and growth. Participating artists explore parallels in structure and anatomy, while playful uses of colour and form evoke fashion, seasonal change, and movement.

The idea of wandering, to move and observe without a fixed destination, also proved compelling for the artists, offering a way to refresh perspective and reorient ourselves within the natural and cultural environments we inhabit.

“Visitors are invited to wander through a wide range of media and artistic approaches, including wood and fabric sculpture, ceramics, photography, installation art, handmade books, painting, printmaking, and digital media,” said Ted Lind, ARTSPLACE Board Member.

Human figures interact directly with trees and forests in some of the works, finding a precarious balance with the surrounding landscape. At other times, a subject stands quietly beneath a tree whose scale and form evoke the ancient symbol of the world tree, a reminder of life, continuity, and sacred connection.

Trees inhabit stories, dreams, and myths, inspiring the expression of mystical visions, dense forests, and imagined pathways. Some works map physical spaces, while others suggest journeys into memory, the unconscious, and the unknown. In many of these works, trees appear as places of refuge and renewal, offering signs of endurance, cooperation, and hope.

About the Project

Wandering Through Trees is the second environment-themed project sponsored by the Robert Pope Foundation, a Nova Scotia–based charity led by President Doug Pope, whose work supports projects connecting art, wellness, and the environment. Presented in partnership with the Chester Art Centre and Ross Farm Museum, the exhibition reflects a collaborative approach shaped in part by Sue LeBlanc’s background which spans education, community programming and arts leadership as Executive Director of the Chester Art Centre.

Featured Artists

Luca Jesse Apel | Elise Campbell | Frank Forrestall | Sara Harley | Linda Johns | Katherine Knight & Barbara Lounder | Debra Kuzyk | Alex Livingston | Ann Manuel | Mindy Moore | Mary Morey | Belinda Muller | Lorna Mulligan | Duane Nickerson | Drew Quon | Julia Redgrave | Lee Richard | Heather Gabriel Smith | Runa | Anna Syperek | Yawen Zhou | Melanie Zurba.

Also On View

Afterburn: Group Show
April 18 – May 30, 2026

Ross Reynolds: Colour Interconnected
April 18 – May 30, 2026

Frank Forrestall: Pilgrimage Through Uncertain Worlds
April 18 – May 9, 2026

About ARTSPLACE

ARTSPLACE is a public Art Gallery that is operated by the Annapolis Region Community Arts Council, a registered charitable, community organization dedicated to encouraging and promoting the arts. Supported through the Province of Nova Scotia and the Canada Council for the Arts.

ARTSPLACE Gallery
396 St. George Street, Box 534
Annapolis Royal, NS B0S 1A0
www.arcac.ca
admin@arcac.ca
(902) 532-7069

Facebook @ARTSPLACEGallery
Instagram @arcac.artsplace

Accessibility:
ARTSPLACE Gallery has one accessible parking space at the front of the building and a ramped entrance. The Main, Library, and Mym Galleries, as well as the washroom, are all wheelchair accessible on one level. The Chapel Gallery is wheelchair accessible via an external ramp and is located on a lower level than the main galleries. The upstairs programming space is accessible by stairs only.

We acknowledge the support of the Canada Council for the Arts, and the Province of Nova Scotia through the Department of Communities, Culture, Tourism and Heritage.