*Spring Forest,* acrylic on wood, 48x48” ©Anne Hempel

Featuring an idyllic nature scene of swampy vegetation, an oak tree, hummingbirds, climbing morning glory, mossy log, trout lilies, saxifrage, phlox, larkspur.

Joining the Hickory Preserve Board

A little over a year ago, I joined the effort to protect the 96 acre forest next to our home by becoming a board member of the Hickory Preserve. This was a stretch for me. I wasn’t sure where I would find the time with work, family, and my existing community volunteer work. But the fear of losing this land to development was very motivating! My art is deeply rooted in the natural world. I started imagining life on Imaginary Road without the songs of birds, the ever changing light dappling through the trees, the lush maple swamp, the dark skies…and I couldn’t breathe thinking of how vastly it would all change.

My husband Todd, daughter Evelyn, and I have developed family traditions over the years. Each spring we lightly tromp around near the edge of our property searching for the first Rain Lilies and Wild Azaleas to bloom. We look up and listen out for the return of the swallow tail kites that circle the sky every spring. We keep the binoculars nearby so when we hear the familiar calls of owls, hawks or pileated woodpeckers, we stop what we are doing and go outside to hopefully catch a glimpse.

Volunteering with the board to conserve this woodland is a way to ensure the beauty and inspiration that fuels my paintings continues for generations to come.