WHAT: Artists in residence at the University of Illinois Springfield’s Therkildsen Field Station at Emiquon will debut original works inspired by the Emiquon Preserve during “Summer Projects Unveiled.” The event is free and open to the public.

WHEN: 1 to 4 p.m. Aug. 24

WHERE: UIS Therkildsen Field Station, 11316 N. Prairie Road, Lewistown, Illinois

DETAILS: Visitors will experience a variety of original works inspired by the Emiquon Preserve, including ceramics, paintings and a live performance of improvised music. The event will also feature a multi-media digital project that incorporates music and environmental sounds recorded on-site.

Artists Jessica Brewer, Natalie Zelman, Adam Larison and Richard Gilman-Opalsky will present their work and discuss how the landscape influenced their creative process. Brewer’s ceramic series draws on her memories of rivers and wetlands to create functional tableware. Zelman’s paintings and mixed media works reflect the atmosphere of the wetlands and explore the cultural history of Emiquon. Larison and Gilman-Opalsky, co-founders of the Freedom Therapy music collective, will perform a live improvisation that responds to the natural soundscape of the preserve.

The Artist in Residence (AIR) program at the Therkildsen Field Station connects science and art at Emiquon, one of the Midwest’s largest floodplain restoration projects and a designated Ramsar Wetland of International Importance. The AIR program is supported by the UIS Visionary Giving Circle, with additional funding from the Illinois Arts Council Agency and the Two Rivers Arts Council.

Attendees are encouraged to dress for the weather, as parts of the event may take place outdoors.

About the UIS Therkildsen Field Station at Emiquon

The Therkildsen Field Station at Emiquon is located within The Nature Conservancy’s Emiquon Preserve and provides researchers and students of all ages with the opportunity to explore, discover and learn from this unique floodplain restoration project.