By
Noel Hefele
Piece description from the artist
Camperdown Elm is a landscape painting that captures the beauty and resilience of an old tree in Prospect Park, Brooklyn. This tree, which was planted in 1872, has stood witness to significant events in human history, including the Dutch Elm disease that decimated the elm tree population. As a cultivar, it relies on human intervention to reproduce, making it a unique symbol of our relationship with nature.
The painting also reflects my philosophy on landscape painting as a collaborative, ongoing process that involves both the artist and the viewer. By depicting the landscape without human figures, I aim to invite the viewer into the painting and to encourage them to bring their own experiences and interpretations to the work. In this way, the painting becomes a reflection of the collective experience of the community that produced it.
This year, as we have all spent more time in our local landscapes due to the pandemic, the Camperdown Elm and other landscapes in Prospect Park have taken on new meaning for many of us. They have become a source of comfort, escape, joy, and recreation as we navigate the challenges and uncertainties of the present moment. By depicting these landscapes in my paintings, I hope to celebrate the continuity and resilience of the natural world and to inspire viewers to think more deeply about their own relationship to the environment.
Through the use of vibrant colors and expressive brushstrokes, I also aim to convey the majesty and complexity of the natural world, and to inspire viewers to see the world with fresh eyes. By exploring the theme of eco-innovation through art, I hope to inspire viewers to consider the creative solutions being developed to nurture and preserve our planet for future generations.
Ultimately, Camperdown Elm is a tribute to the interdependence of humans and the natural world. It invites viewers to be Environmental Visionaries in their own right, working to protect and preserve the earth for future generations.
Noel Hefele is a talented landscape painter with a diverse background in the arts. Born and raised in Norwalk, Connecticut, he received his BFA from Carnegie Mellon University in 2002 and later earned a MA in Arts and Ecology from a school in England. Throughout his career, Noel has had the opportunity to exhibit his work internationally and has pieces in numerous private collections. He has also served on the board of the non-profit community arts organization PLGarts in Brooklyn, New York and co-teaches a graduate course at Brooklyn College called Human Tracks in the Urban Landscape. In 2013 and 2014, Noel was the Artist in Residence at the Barbuda Archeological Research center in the Caribbean.
Currently, Noel resides and works in the Bronx, New York where he is in the process of exploring Van Cortlandt Park and creating a new body of work. As an artist, Noel believes in the power of art to help us move towards a more responsible and holistic understanding of the environment. He sees the landscape as an entangled field of relationships that includes humans, animals, plants, minerals, and more, and believes that by viewing the non-human world as more than just objects, we can take responsibility for our impact on the planet and recognize that we are not the sole subjects of the Earth's narrative. Through his art, Noel aims to collaborate with the landscape in order to produce effects in himself and others, aesthetically and emotionally reconfiguring the way we see the world.
For more information and to see more of Noel's work, visit www.facebook.com/NoelHefeleStudios.
An Art Advisor will get in touch with you today to schedule a free consultation to discuss your artwork needs.
Get Started
