Artist paints a year at Wheaton's Lincoln Marsh
Lincoln Marsh in Wheaton is a place of quiet, wonder and beauty, valued by residents for its solitude in the heart of the suburbs.
Local artist and art professor Joel Sheesley has spent hundreds of hours capturing those attributes and transferring them to canvas.
In a partnership between Wheaton Park District and Wheaton College, Sheesley's work will be on display in an exhibit titled "Landscape, the Knowable Mystery" for the community to appreciate and enjoy.
Beginning Wednesday, April 29, some of the paintings will be on exhibit at parks facilities, including the DuPage County Historical Museum, Cosley Zoo and the Wheaton Park District Community Center. Various other locations in Wheaton also will feature the paintings, including Wheaton Public Library, Wheaton Chamber of Commerce, First Trust Portfolios, Glen Ellyn Bank and Trust, and Wheaton Bank and Trust.
The paintings are for sale; a portion of the proceeds will benefit future conservation efforts at the Lincoln Marsh.
An art professor at Wheaton College, Sheesley did the paintings after deciding to spend his 2014 sabbatical year depicting the varied landscape of the Lincoln Marsh, where he runs or walks almost every day.
"When I first started thinking about this project, I didn't know if it would keep me busy or stimulated and I didn't fully appreciate the artistic complexities of landscape painting," Sheesley said. "But now I feel like I don't have enough time in my life to cover the marsh, and my appreciation for landscape painting has grown tremendously."
Sheesley was in the marsh almost every day, even during the Polar Vortex of winter 2014.
"I thought my temperature cutoff was 25 degrees, but it turns out I could go out in 15 degrees if I bundled properly," he said.
"We are grateful that Joel chose to dedicate his sabbatical to document the Lincoln Marsh through his artistic work," said Terra Johnson, Lincoln Marsh program manager. "I am excited about the awareness that it will bring of the beauty and wonder that Lincoln Marsh holds and that so many people will be exposed to Joel's amazing work."
Sheesley has published a catalog titled "Lincoln Marsh Journal" that will accompany the paintings. This journal chronicles his journey over those 12 months and features sketches and essays by Sheesley. The journal, $24.95, is available at the Wheaton College Bookstore, the gift shop at the Billy Graham Center Museum, and the DuPage County Historical Museum gift shop.