With the sweep of a brush or the click of a camera, a moment and place in time is preserved. It is through art that we understand the past and inspire the future, and it is through conservation that the natural areas around us are preserved for future generations to visit and enjoy in perpetuity.
This year, to celebrate 50 years of conservation in West Michigan, the Land Conservancy is collaborating with local artists to capture the places we have protected together and support continued conservation for the next 50 years and beyond. Join us this fall for Preserved! Capturing West Michigan’s Enduring Places.
Throughout the year, 15 artists have been visiting and creating art en plein air at Land Conservancy-protected natural lands. On October 2, 2026, their works will be displayed in a gallery exhibition and fundraiser and made available to purchase. Proceeds from artwork sales and donations made at the event will benefit the continued protection of West Michigan's ecologically critical land.
Join us on Friday, October 2, 2026
5:30pm – Friends of Nature Reception & Gallery Access
6:30pm – Presentation
7:00pm – General Admission/Afterparty Gallery Access
The Preserved! exhibition is an opportunity for artists, nature lovers, and the greater community to celebrate the scenic land that surrounds us in West Michigan, while coming together in community to support land protection into the future.
Reserve your ticket and learn more at: https://donate.naturenearby.org/preserved-2026