Dumbarton Oaks Park Conservancy

Presents

April 2nd, 2020, 6:30-8:30pm to open the exhibit Ferns of Dumbarton at The Writer’s Center, 4504 Walsh St, Bethesda MD. The Ferns of Dumbarton is a collection of sculptural ferns created by artist Sophia McCrocklin, the Conservancy’s Artist in Residence. The collection represents ferns Beatrix Farrand included in her design of Dumbarton Oaks Estate for Mildred and Robert Bliss in Georgetown, DC. Each piece is made of Dacron and copper wire which is sewn, cut, painted and meticulously detailed; each fern takes about six months to complete. McCrocklin’s collection highlights the elegance and tenacity of these plants, which have endured as a species over the past 300 million years. It explores the role of art in enhancing human relationships with the environment.

April 23rd, 2020 for a symposium If Ferns Could Talk to explore what we can learn from these ancient plants today.  Speakers include: Julia Washburn, Superintendent of Rock Creek Park; Eric Schuettpelz, research botanist, Acting Chair of Botany, Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian; Josh Tolkin, Sierra Club Director for the State of MD; Jeanne Braha, Executive Director for Rock Creek Conservancy; Sophia McCrocklin, Artist in Residence, Lindsey Milstein, President, and Board Co-Chair and Liza Gilbert, Co-Chair of the Board of Dumbarton Oaks Park Conservancy. The symposium will be held at at The Writer’s Center, 4504 Walsh St, Bethesda MD.

Registration opens March 1st for both events. For more information please contact: info@dopark.org