D&R Greenway Land Trust to host first indoor exhibit at Johnson Education Center since the pandemic began

Cottage on Lewis Island by Carol Sanzalone.

The D&R Greenway will open the Marie L. Matthews Art Gallery at the Johnson Education Center in Princeton for the first time since the pandemic began almost a year and a half ago.

The fire exhibit to kick off the reopening will be the Garden State Watercolor Society’s 51st annual juried art show, “Recovery.” The river-focused exhibition will be available for reserved, timed viewings from Aug. 11 through Oct. 17. The exhibit portrays the landscape, recreation, birds, fish, flora, and fauna of the Delaware River. The river, considered to be a comeback success story by many, was celebrated in 2020 when American Rivers named the Delaware River the “American River of the Year”.  The river landscape has long been a place of reflection, beauty, and recreation for area residents and artists. 

“This exhibit celebrates what we at D&R Greenway have learned over the past year and a half, that nature heals and helps us recover from isolation and trauma,” said D&R Greenway CEO and President Linda Mead. “Our founding mission to preserve water quality by saving land along our region’s waterways is reflected in the focus on the Delaware River.”

The “Recovery” exhibit recognizes the importance of preserving the source that supplies water to 15 million people. Wildlife and vegetation benefit from stewardship of the Delaware River in local communities like Lambertville and Bordentown, and in cities that include Trenton, Camden, Philadelphia, and Wilmington. The Delaware remains the longest free-flowing river in the eastern U.S.

Along with the juried exhibit, visitors to the lobby of the Johnson Education Center can view the Garden State Watercolor Society’s third annual art installation of more than 100 mini-paintings illustrating aspects of the Delaware River, displayed among river stones.

In-person viewings of the Recovery exhibit are by appointment only, and can be made by calling 609 558-0207.  Reserved, timed entries will be available three days a week through the run of the show, with monthly Saturday hours offered as well. Visitors will be asked to follow CDC guidelines for masks and social distancing when they enter the Johnson Education Center to view the exhibit. Entries will be timed so that each visitor and their guests remain separated from others viewing the exhibit.  

The D&R Greenway will host a virtual art opening cocktail hour on Tuesday, Aug. 17 from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. RSVP to rsvp@drgreenway.org, by noon on Aug. 17 to receive the zoom link to the virtual happy hour.  An in-person reception and awards ceremony will take place on Friday, Sept. 10 outdoors at the Johnson Education Center. For more information and to reserve a space, visit www.gswcs.org. The D&R Greenway’s Johnson Education Center is located at One Preservation Place in Princeton.

I’m Back! By Jill Crouch.