Lanesboro Arts is thrilled to present “Traces of a Prairie,“ an exhibition of drawings by Lois Peterson. This series of large-scale works in graphite preserves the imagery of native prairie plants and woodland trees in exquisite detail. Her work ruminates on the impacts of crop farming on local ecosystems while honoring the beauty of a vanishing native landscape.
“Traces of a Prairie” will run from August 17th to October 20th. Celebrate the Opening Reception with us on Saturday, August 17th from 6:00 – 8:00 pm. The first 100 guests will receive native plant seedlings courtesy of the artist, and all guests may also take home free seeds and instructions from Prairie Moon Nursery in Winona.
Through creating detailed, large-scale drawings of dormant, native prairie plants, as well as fallen segments of trees, Lois Peterson recognizes the vital role they hold in maintaining a critical balance in our natural environment. Creating the series of drawings in “Traces of a Prairie” has allowed her to mourn these native plants’ diminishing existence. Through both the act of drawing and the act of restoring land, she is acquiring an understanding of her place and identity as a rural artist, as a person with an agricultural history, and as a person aware of an ecosystem in need of help.
The imagery found in Lois Peterson’s art comes to her slowly over the course of several years, or perhaps more accurately, over the course of a lifetime. Peterson grew up in a fourth-generation farming family and now recognizes her family’s history regarding the devastation inflicted on prairies and woodlands. She grew up in a time when slight consideration was given to what had existed on the land before her family’s own personal fields of corn, hay, and oats. She was already deep into adulthood when she realized that her family, including herself, had financially gained roots through the plowing under of prairies and the cutting down of woodlands. Recognizing the negative impacts of farming practices was inevitable.
Over the years, Peterson has alternated between abstract/formal pieces and the mostly representational work found in the “Traces of a Prairie” series. Through the act of drawing, she tries to find a current of meaning, frequently encountering the limits of her understanding in the process.
For the past ten years, Peterson has been engaged with reintroducing a small prairie and planting native trees on her land in Dakota, Minnesota along the banks of the Mississippi River. The value of natural prairies for our ecosystems is always in her thoughts when she is engaged with drawing.
Always free and open to the public, the Lanesboro Arts Exhibition Gallery is open Tuesday – Saturday, 10 am – 5 pm.
Featured Image: Traces by Lois Peterson
Lois Peterson is a fiscal year 2024 recipient of a Creative Individuals grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board. This activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board.