The Conservancy for Cuyahoga Valley National Park (CVNP) is showcasing the work of five Northeast Ohio artists who explore the healing qualities of the natural world in the “Tender Roots” exhibit at The Gallery at CVNP. The exhibit, which runs through Sunday, Aug. 18, features Sequoia Bostick, Tecia Delores, Avery Mags Duff, Eva Kwong, and James Quarles.

“When I cross the threshold into the park grounds, I immediately feel calmer,” says “Tender Roots” curator Thea Spittle. “I smell the fresh and clean air, and I’m overtaken by green trees and the sunlight coming through them. So, I started thinking about artists with work connected to nature and that led me to this group exhibition.”

Tender Roots Exhibition OpeningThe Gallery is in an historic building that the Conservancy recently repurposed to connect art with the park's natural beauty. Its proximity to trails like the Boston trailhead, Stanford to Brandywine Falls, and Blue Hen Falls makes it an ideal stop for hikers.

“Most people come to the exhibition after they've been in nature so they're coming into the space already flooded with imagery and sense and sounds from their experience outside,” observes Spittle. “Then, when they come inside, they’ll start to identify something that they recognize in the artwork, or they'll find something new.”

“Tender Roots” is part of The Arts in the Park Initiative, a partnership between the Conservancy for CVNP, a nonprofit organization that plays a crucial role in supporting and preserving CVNP, and the Museum of Creative Human Art (MOCHA).

Spittle, an Akron resident and independent curator who has worked with MOCHA in the past, has an extensive art history and curatorial studies background. Her journey in the art world began with a childhood love for museums and historical sites that she credits her father for fostering.

Her career includes roles at the Museum of Contemporary Art (moCa Cleveland) and independent projects like The Sunroom.

Spittle says the curation of “Tender Roots” stems from her belief in nature's healing properties.

“I started doing more research about nature and healing, even our mental health,” Spittle recalls of her preparation for “Tender Roots.”

“I came across a lot of different studies that show bird song has a direct impact on decreasing our anxiety and stress levels, and our well-being in general,” she continues. “Birds only sing when there are no predators around. We understand that’s a signal of safety—that we’re okay.”

Spittle says the Japanese practice of shinrin-yoku, or forest bathing, also inspired her to create this exhibit. Developed in 1982, forest bathing involves immersing oneself in the natural environment to experience and appreciate nature's sensory and emotional benefits.

“It’s another way to feel connected with the greater world that we’re a part of,” she shares. “We become aware through forest bathing of different elements like how the light trickles in through the leaves, how maybe a branch is broken, but like what is the beauty in that branch or there's a hole in the tree and what does that allow us to see on the other side?”

Tender Roots Exhibition OpeningThe artists

Spittle says chose artists who she felt would bring the Tender Roots concept to life with unique approaches.

• Kent-based Kwong works with ceramics, photography, and 3D printing. Her project, “Birds of Ohio,” features hand-made porcelain ceramic plates with glazed images of local birds.

“It's so special because even if we can't hear [the birds] in the gallery, you look at [Kwong’s work] and you're immediately flooded with this sense of what they sound like and what they are,” Spittle explains. “She represents them with so much care and consideration.”

• Quarles, known for his surreal illustrations and public murals, contributed a piece depicting monkeys grooming each other—symbolizing mutual support and community.

“It’s really charming and lovely, and I like the commentary on how monkeys literally have each other's backs,” Spittle observes, “and how we can learn from our animal comrades to best support and present one another in a well and healthy way.”

• Akron artist Duff adds a personal touch with wood drawings capturing moments from their life as a farmer and artist.

“They have this incredible smaller drawing on wood of their partner through the perspective of a hole in a tree and they're foraging for mushrooms,” Spittle says. “It’s a beautiful image.”

• Bostick’s work portrays botanical forms and women intertwined with nature.

“She’s just an incredible artist, so thoughtful,” Spittle says. “We have women figures in the presence of plants. There's just this beautiful, fulfilling quality from being around plants that she represents so well,”

• Delores, with a theater and performance background, bridges the gap between performance and visual art with a video installation dedicated to her grandmother.

“There's a beautiful looping short video with imagery of Tecia and her family and embroidery hoops with imagery of her grandmother and trees,” describes Spittle. “There’s a soundtrack that plays that visitors can hear throughout the galleries. It’s pretty immersive, and there’s a lot to see.”

Tender Roots Exhibition OpeningSpittle says she finds curating in a nontraditional gallery setting like CVNP’s The Gallery rewarding. She says the location allows visitors to engage personally with art.

“I’ve heard really positive feedback so far,” she shares. “People were very moved by the personal qualities of the exhibition. I think people weren't expecting to identify with the work in such a personal way.”

Spittle encourages everyone, whether they have a relationship with art or not, to visit the free exhibit.

“Art is relatable to anyone,” she says. “It's about finding that connection and appreciating the beauty of the natural world.”

"Tender Roots" is open from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Fridays through Sundays through Sunday, August 18 at Cuyahoga Valley National Park’s The Gallery, 1565 Boston Mills Road, Peninsula.