Botanic Gardens hosts ‘what lies beneath’ woodwork exhibition

By Eric Banford
Tompkins Weekly

ITHACA – From now through August, the Cornell Botanic Gardens will be hosting local wood artist Lisa Narloch in an exhibit that features gorgeous bowls and wood art, much of it from trees that were once part of CBG.
The art installation, titled “what lies beneath,” explores the many layers of texture, color and patterns exposed during Narloch’s process of making art. An opening reception at the Nevin Welcome Center will take place from 4:30-6:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 15.

Narloch’s work is born from wood she has collected from her own property and around Central New York, most of it gifted to her from damaged or newly cut-down trees. Most of the trees have storm, rot or ant damage, while some were removed due to their location.
“The title of the show reflects the different layers of my work and why I create art,” said Narloch. “You don’t really know what the wood looks like until you’re inside of it, that’s the physical part of it.
“And then the other parts are the layers of not using endangered wood, using natural finishing products, donating to causes that I believe in; these are layers of myself as an artist,” she added. “It is all about discovering the mysteries of ‘what lies beneath’ the surface of not just a tree or a piece of wood, but to show the beauty and uniqueness in each piece, and to serve as a reminder of the importance of seeking depth in all that surrounds us in order to better understand our natural world, ourselves and others.”
An interesting aspect of Narloch’s work is her use of gems and precious stones inset in some of her bowls.
“I only do it in some pieces, and it depends on the wood and on the stone,” she said. “I like to use turquoise because it’s a healing stone, and I like amber because it feels ancient. People seem really attracted to these pieces.”
Narloch has been working with Daniel Weitoish, who is an assistant arborist at CBG. As he prunes branches or takes down damaged trees, he has made some of them available for Narloch to work with.
“I got some of a Big Leaf Magnolia that came down a couple of years ago, and also this damaged Northern Catalpa in 2015,” she said. “People who knew these trees and then see that I was able to give them new life, that’s a cool part of the work that I do.”
Arborists have to be aware of public safety issues, and sometimes are forced to take down valuable or sentimental trees, which can upset members of the public.
“People form personal connections with trees in the same way that they come to love their pets, they get really upset,” said Weitoish, who is a graduate fellow in Cornell’s Public Garden Leadership Program. “So it’s great to have someone like Lisa who can extend the life of that tree, and in death bring something beautiful out of it.”
Getting to see some of the color in the wood exposed by Narloch’s work surprised even Weitoish, who regularly gets to cut into trees and expose their inner workings.
“The Magnolia macrophylla had these incredible colors in the wood that I never would have anticipated,” he said. “Or the rarest wood that I shared with her, the Chinese Wingnut, was really surprising what was inside that tree.
“And it couldn’t have been seen until she did what she did, where you see the wood on cross sectional planes,” Weitoish added.
Much of Narloch’s inspiration stems from a near-death experience in 2012, when she fell from a ladder and hit her head, resulting in two brain aneurysms. Doctors were able to fix one, but the other remains, making life a precarious adventure for her, and giving her a deep desire to live every day to its fullest.
“When I get a piece that is damaged or has issues, it feels like I’m getting a piece of myself,” she shared. “Since I nearly died, I can do something for these trees and coax out something beautiful from something that’s damaged or broken.
“It’s like giving it a second life, which I can closely relate to,” Narloch added. “It’s trying to change the world in some small way, making it more about love and collaboration.”
Diane Misker, a research aide at Cornell Botanic Gardens, is organizing the show.
“We’re really looking forward to Lisa’s show,” she said. “She has wood from our beloved Catalpa that was taken down, and from the Big Leaf Magnolia, that will be part of the show.
“And over the six months of the show we’ll change some things out as things are sold or Lisa finishes new piece,” Miske added.
Narloch’s artist’s statement includes “I create. You buy. We donate.” which means a portion of her sales is donated to various organizations. From this show, 10 percent of sales will be given to the Botanic Garden. Other groups that have benefitted from from the sale of Narloch’s works include Ithaca Welcomes Refugees, The Advocacy Center, Wild Things Sanctuary, Suicide Prevention, and various pet rescue networks.
The Botanic Garden project was made possible, in part, with the funding from The Community Arts Partnership of Tompkins County.