MARCELLUS — The wondrous variety that nature in New York has to offer is illustrated in an exhibit by local artist Millie Schmidt at Baltimore Woods Nature Center. Divergent Paths, a collection of Schmidt’s recent work in oils, watercolor, pastels, and ceramics, is on display from March 5 through April 23 in the John A. Weeks Interpretive Center at 4007 Bishop Hill Road, Marcellus.
The public is invited to attend the reception on Saturday, March 5 from 2:30 until 4 p.m. In addition, the exhibit may be seen when the Interpretive Center is open on Saturdays (10 – 4). Those interested in viewing the gallery Monday through Friday (9-4) are asked to call the office at 315-673-1350 in advance to arrange a viewing time. There are no admission or parking fees, and all the artwork is for sale.
Schmidt’s enthusiasm for the diversity that is experienced in nature is evident in Divergent Paths.
Indeed, she has no absolute favorite subject matter; there is so much that catches her attention. One day her work may be sourced from a place close to home and on another day, she might find herself painting in the Adirondacks. Her subjects range from colorful flowers to familiar landscapes to water playing over rocks in a stream. The result is an exhibit in which viewers are likely to find their own particular source of joy.
During the last two years, with outside activities preferred for social gathering, she has joined other painters to paint on site, or in “plein air,” an activity that she considers to be “meditation in nature.”
“I don’t always make the decision of where I will paint,” she said. “The place is only the destination; the painting and subject matter are the journey.”
After a few minutes of observation Schmidt often finds her subject. It might be the curve of the path or the reflection in the water, or perhaps the hidden spaces and the patterns in the rocks will catch her eye. If it’s the fleeting light she is chasing, then a sketch to record the light source and shadows is required. Many times, a subject presents itself and the time flies by; other times the subject does not cooperate and the time is spent in mixing greens. In any case, reference photos are often helpful when painting back in the studio, and often a gem is later found that she had not seen the first time around.
Schmidt’s creative journey has also taken “divergent paths.” Her home for many years was Lake Placid in the Adirondack Mountains, where she pursued her career as a ceramic artist. The influence of the Adirondacks can be seen in much of her work, including a landscape motif on mugs, a design that she has reprised for this exhibit.
For 14 years Schmidt managed her own studio, St. John Pottery and Fine Crafts in Baldwinsville.
In 2011 many of her students followed her to Clayscapes Pottery Inc. where she continued in her ceramic pursuits for over a decade – teaching classes and creating functional ware as well as an occasional sculpture.
In the meantime, the world of two-dimensional art was calling to her and she returned to school at SUNY Oswego to finish her bachelor of fine arts in painting in 2007. Since that time, she has striven to create a balance between her two artistic endeavors, and painting in both watercolors and oil has become part of her regular practice, most often scenes involving nature.
This exhibit, Divergent Paths, will be enjoyed by many, but those who are familiar with Schmidt through her work in ceramics, will find her two-dimensional work to be a special surprise.
