Art at Audubon

Art at Audubon is a public art space at Grange Insurance Audubon Center offering opportunities and experiences to inspire an appreciation for nature by making it more accessible and relatable, evoking emotions that foster connection, and encouraging a sense of stewardship. By highlighting intricate details, displaying beauty, or depicting environmental issues, art encourages viewers to see the natural world with new eyes, leading to greater curiosity, awe, and a desire to protect it.  

Art can be a powerful tool for raising awareness about environmental issues, from showcasing the beauty of endangered species to depicting the destruction caused by climate change.  By inspiring an emotional connection and sense of awe, art motivates people to protect the natural world they have come to appreciate. Art can encourage a sense of responsibility and a desire to ensure that these natural wonders are preserved for future generations to experience and enjoy.  

Art Exhibition Now on Display 

August 6th - September 24th

HOMING 

• SQUARE FOOT GARDENING an outdoor installation

• WEAVING BETWEEN THE BRANCHES an indoor installation

By Marcia Armstrong

ABOUT THE EXHIBIT AND THE PROCESS 

In the natural world, the act of ‘homing’ is instinctual – returning to a point of origin, a home site, nest, or birthplace. Some species rely on the Earth’s magnetic field, celestial cues, sight and smell or a combination of these mechanisms. As species evolve, homing becomes a survival strategy, because returning to that place of origin has already proven to support life.

The concept of homing can also be seen in a much broader context – through generations of families, ancestors, and the preservation of cultures.

The science and art in Marcia’s practice are equal partners. Projects are mostly site-specific, chosen for specific ecological features. These projects change over time, reacting to weather, seasonal changes and natural plant life cycles. Projects begin with a series of questions: What is the role of a specific ecosystem? How does it contribute or diminish the overall health of the environment? How do I mobilize this information into a visual art form? Materials for the project align with the ecological features of the local landscape. Much of the end product is determined by the capabilities of these materials.

A great deal of engineering also goes into each of Armstrong’s projects. How does an object remain buoyant if it needs to float yet hold a substantial amount of weight? How can you make a natural, degradable material sustainable? Meeting these challenges is perhaps one of the things Marcia enjoys most about her practice. Each project is unlike the previous project, and each project inherently brings about a unique set of circumstances and challenges.

“HOMING”  is a site-specific outdoor installation (“Square Foot Gardening”) located in the wetland-prairie area of Scioto Audubon Metro Park featuring twelve floating gardens representing foraging stations for local birds. “HOMING” is also an additional three-piece indoor installation (“Weaving Between the Branches”) of large, suspended nests containing artifacts of nest-building materials will be on display at the Grange Insurance Audubon Center.

Homing’s indoor installation is exhibited in conjunction with a selection of Char Norman’s Whispering Out Loud, a series of weaving and sculptures that speak to the importance of a protective relationship with our environment that will remain on display through September 24.

ABOUT THE ARTIST

After working as a studio artist throughout Marcia's entire adulthood, her work has evolved into a hybrid practice: an interdisciplinary approach that blends visual arts, science, environmental studies and the use of technology to communicate and to illustrate the natural world around us. 

Building blocks for her current practice can be traced to the many years she worked as a ceramic artist and later joining the Franklin County Master Gardener Program. Merging these two experiences opened a pathway to explore environmental issues and to find ways to translate them into visual expressions. Most recently, Marcia have staged installations at Chadwick Arboretum North, Schiller Park, The Ohio Craft Museum and Northwest Kiwanis Park in Upper Arlington. 

She is a recipient of the Greater Columbus Arts Council individual grants program and is currently serving as a Board member for the Ohio Craft Museum

Art Exhibitions and Installations 

Call for Artists: Reserve your space for the 3^rd Annual Big Studio Art Sale

Show date: Sunday November 15, 2026, 11am-5pm

Show location: Grange Insurance Audubon Center

How to participate: Click HERE for more information and registration

Contact Sandy Libertini for more information on Art at Audubon.

2028 Art at Audubon Exhibition Application

We are now accepting applications for 2028 indoor exhibitions. If interested in exhibiting email the following items to sandy.libertini@audubon.org:

• Artist bio/statement 

• Medium 

• Desired Exhibition Dates  

• Quantity of Work to Display 

• Five images of your work