Wild Trees
In a new exhibit, visual artist Lynda Frese constructs haunting images of wilderness at home and elsewhere
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Teche Center for the Arts 210 East Bridge Street, Breaux Bridge, Louisiana 70517

Photo courtesy of Teche Center for the Arts
"Ned and the Mushroom," from Wild Trees: Photo Etchings and Paintings by Lynda Frese
In this exhibition of new work, Breaux Bridge artist Lynda Frese presents photographs and photo etchings of trees that capture the undeniable wildness of those deep-rooted, bark-encased bodies in nature. The show includes portraits of trees from the dense jungles of Costa Rica, the ancient woods of northern Italy, the Grand Tetons of Wyoming, and the old-growth redwood forests of California. But the most frequent subject that appears in Wild Trees is a habitat that has captivated Frese for over three decades: the cypress groves of Lake Martin.
Frese produced the photo etchings using the solar plate process, in which a negative of the photo collage is etched onto a metal plate, then inked and printed onto cotton rag paper. The black-and-white etching process offers a particularly rich tonal range for photographs.
Alongside the etchings is a selection of photo collage paintings which draw on religious and mythological themes and recast them as environmental devotions. The color is derived from the egg tempera process, a medieval painting technique originating from the Italian Renaissance.
The exhibition will be on view from February 15 to April 4, with an opening reception on February 15. 6-8 pm. The artist will also present a free lecture on her work on April 2. 6-7:30 pm. artsatteche.com