Reflections of Nature
April 9–12, 2026
Nature has deep meaning and connection for most people. Signs in Central Park celebrate the healing effect of the Park to reduce stress. It is impossible not to think of life's cycles as the seasons change and leaves turn golden. During the pandemic many New Yorkers sought refuge in the Park for the quiet and peace offered by paths among trees and flowers and verdant hills. The refreshment of being in and surrounded by nature was an undeniable gift that helped heal many and provided inspiration for artists.
Many of NHG’s artists delve into different aspects of nature: Don Eddy into the four seasons and flowing water; Joseph Raffael into the magic and mystery of plants, flowers, and animals; Michael Gregory into the vastness of the land as he invents landscape and skyscape with a barn nestled into the hills. We are all alone in this world, small in the midst of nature. Rupert Deese’s abstract paintings created by joining triangles are about the flow of a river between two mountains in the Sierras; and Lucy Mackenzie’s An Italian visit frames the C.S. Lewis book that is perched on a turquoise blue chair with lush greenery, presumably a wall of bushes behind the chair, a Spring green backdrop.
Symbolism abides in the natural world in plants, animals, and landscapes, invitations to shared universal human experiences. Examples include mountains symbolizing endurance, rivers representing life’s flow and change, and trees symbolizing growth and resilience. A landscape is not merely a landscape, it speaks to the universality of human experiences.