Local art on display

Westport, Mass. (WPRI) - Oak, maples, pine, birch; we see all of these trees in our everyday lives, but as many of us pass by them without a second glance, one artist is using trees as inspiration for her work. Her exhibit is currently on display at two local galleries.

For Joan Backes, her love of nature is much more than a passion, it's a career. "I knew that I actually wanted to be an artist since I was about five," Backes said.

Her exhibit: 'Joan Backes: Home' can be seen at the Dedee Shattuck Gallery in Westport, Massachusetts and at the Newport Art Museum.

"I grew up in Wisconsin and my parents emphasized the importance in value of nature to us and each holiday or vacation we would go to the north woods so it’s very much in my background,” said Backes.

But it's not just her hometown that she gathers inspiration from, her life in Massachusetts has attributed to her work too.

"Three of the paintings that are sort of the focal point on one of the walls are ‘Tree New England’. Each one is a different kind of tree of at least a different width and I’ve tried to work with those trees so that they’re coming up from the floor," she said.

Her use of raw materials can be seen throughout many pieces in the collection, but one that stands apart from the rest is made from bamboo.

“I worked on it this year, rebuilding it in the studio and I’m very happy to being showing it for the first time here,” Backes said, referring to her work on ‘Bamboo House’.

The house is making its debut in the Dedee Shattuck Gallery as well as it's premiere in the United States.

"I fashioned this house with three walls that sort of match each roof line and on the inside in sort of cages that go up vertically in the third part in are threatened and endangered species,” added Backes.

Backes’ works includes those on the wall standing alone, hung from the ceiling, and even a piece that is based on participation from others: a chalkboard where guests are asked to draw their favorite home. "I hope that they maybe in part at least view nature in a new way after they see this work” said Backes.

Joan Backes: Home can be seen through August 12 at the Dedee Shattuck Gallery in Westport, Massachusetts  http://www.dedeeshattuckgallery.com/dedeeshattuckgallery.com/Home_1.html and at the Newport Art Museum  http://www.newportartmuseum.org/splash/index.html through September 3.