“IT’S TIME FOR SCHOOL”: This work by Kristen Birdsey has been named Best in Show at the Garden State Watercolor Society’s annual juried exhibition, “Migration: Movement for Survival,” on view through September 24 at D&R Greenway Land Trust’s Johnson Education Center.

D&R Greenway Land Trust is hosting the Garden State Watercolor Society (GSWS) for its 53rd Annual Open Juried Exhibition, “Migration: Movement for Survival.” GSWS artists created their art to contemplate migration and change — a growing phenomenon in today’s world. Whether figurative or abstract, realistic or fanciful, this art will inspire and cause the viewer to think and reflect on the state of the world’s people, wildlife, and climate.

The exhibition is on display through September 24, as well as online at gswcs.org.

GSWS will host two Zoom Happy Hours with D&R Greenway Land Trust and the Conserve Wildlife Foundation of New Jersey which are open to the public with preregistration, on May 25 and June 22, 5 to 6 p.m. Each will be a mashup of art and science highlighting migratory bats and birds as well as artists discussing their work. Data will be included on bats and birds observed during early data-gathering at D&R Greenway’s newest Hillside Farm Preserve in Hopewell.

The exhibition’s Opening Reception and Awards Ceremony will be held on June 11 from 2 to 4 p.m. The juror for acceptance and awards is Michael Kowbuz. This year’s Best in Show – Dagmar Tribble Award went to Kristen Birdsey for her painting It’s Time for School.

An artist demonstration by award-winning GSWS artist Ann Greene will take place as a culmination of the exhibition on September 24, from 2 to 4 p.m. New awards donated by the New Jersey Audubon Society will be added to the Awards Ceremony on June 11. For more information and a list of recipients, visit gswcs.org.

For “Migration: Movement for Survival,” artists researched and learned about the phenomenon of migration to create work that is meaningful to the exhibition theme.

Linda Mead, president and CEO of D&R Greenway, said, “Among the most electrifying movements of our time is the migration of plants due to climate change and the effect on birds and wildlife that have evolved with these plants for their very survival. Likewise, human populations are migrating in great numbers. All of this has an impact, from what we see today on D&R Greenway preserves, to the survival of many species of the Earth. Remember, we are the top of the food chain and if we don’t do something to care for our natural and social climates, our own survival is at stake too.”

A new display upon entering the Johnson Education Center lobby is the GSWS’ fifth annual art installation, “Going, Going, Gone…” For this display, “Fifty-three GSWS artists created 123 beautiful small works that call attention to New Jersey species identified by NJDEP as in greatest need of our conservation efforts,” said Tess Fields, president of GSWS. “Artists submitted paintings of animals using a designated color scheme. GSWS is proud to partner with the D&R Greenway Land Trust to inform and inspire people into action.”

D&R Greenway Land Trust’s Johnson Education Center is at One Preservation Place. The public is invited to visit the art galleries on weekdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and on select weekends, hosted by GSWS artists, on July 8-9 and August 5-6 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information, visit drgreenway.org or call (609) 924-4646.