Indiana Glacial Lakes: The Art of Conservation

Indiana Glacial Lakes: The Art Of Conservation is a unique synthesis of art and science featuring the work of five Indiana artists, John Kelty, Kristina Knowski, Carol Strock Wasson, Avon Waters, and Rick Wilson. Each of these artists created 10 paintings of Indiana glacial lakes, among the southernmost glacial lakes in the world, to bring awareness to the ecological threats to these bucolic and treasured natural features. The paintings art part of a traveling exhibition that will debut at the Fort Wayne Museum of Art January 9-March 21, 2027 and then travel the state, concluding at Minnetrista in 2028.

With this exhibition the talent and vision of Indiana artists will bring to light the treasures of our Indiana natural environment and to encourage their conservation. The issue of water quality in the study of these lakes is a nationwide issue, and solutions found here are a blueprint for other communities. The paintings will captivate audiences with their beauty by mirroring the natural beauty of the Indiana landscape, and they are also the draw to the accompanying educational coffee table book, researched and written by Dr. Jerry Sweeten, a retired biology professor at Manchester University. The book is supported by the Art Nature Consortium, an Indiana non-profit dedicated to supporting projects that combine art and nature. Additionally, a made-for-public-television documentary will be made by Ball State Public Media, supported by the Knight Foundation, and will explore the intersection of art and the science of conservation.

This exhibition is supported by the Edward D. and Ione Auer Foundation and sponsored by The Fort Wayne Art League. Art Nature Consortium is the non-profit funding the project through donations and grants.