When Syracuse resident Dee De Rosa got home from the Stone Quarry Hill Art Park treasure hunt, she set to looking for a place to hang her newly won painting. But then she realized she didn’t have a wall large enough for the artwork.
Dee De Rosa won Barry Darling’s “Cadmium Winter” after finding a medallion during the May 22 Nature Treasure Hunt at the park. When she discovered the 76-by-55.25-inch canvas artwork would not fit on her wall, she contacted Darling.
Darling, of Tully, offered to paint for her a new piece, one that would better fit in her home.
The Art Park is now returning the original artwork to Darling as a thank you for his original donation to the exhibition and event.
Darling was not the only participant in the contest feeling charitable.
An individual who wanted to remain anonymous and who won Dorothy Riester’s “Wood Spirit” (valued at $15,000) in the treasure hunt decided, after meeting Riester, that he would like to return the piece to the park.
“This past weekend I became a member of Stone Quarry Hill Art Park and attended ‘Finding Art in Nature.’ First of all I am ashamed to say that this was my first visit to the park, but as the old saying goes, ‘better late than never.’ I want to congratulate you and the board for a thoughtfully planned event with every detail painstakingly executed. The park is more beautiful than I had imagined and I look forward to spending more time there at a less frantic pace.
“As you are aware I found the matching medallion for Dorothy Riester’s magnificent Wood Spirit sculpture. To be totally honest I did not know much about the legacy of Dorothy Riester nor her immense connection to the park, but within moments of finding the medallion I was introduced to Dorothy and spent a few private moments with her touring Hill Top House while she told me about her founding involvement with Stone Quarry Hill Art Park and her lifelong dedication to the arts. I knew that this meeting was one of those seldom ‘once-in-a lifetime’ moments that I will carry with me forever.
“Having met Dorothy, and in the spirit of keeping her body of work in one place, I want to formally let you and the board of directors of Stone Quarry Hill Art Park know that I am giving Wood Spirit back to the park with the stipulation that it is not sold and remains on the property for all to enjoy.
“While speaking with [Dylan] Otts I came to understand that Wood Spirit originally had a mate that was damaged during the winter months. If I may suggest, a new display space could be in the Hill Top House’s screened courtyard, but ultimately that would be up to you.
“I look forward to using and supporting Stone Quarry Hill Art Park in any way that I can. Please let me know if I can ever be of any assistance.”
