Meet Carin Wagner: Artist and tree advocate

We had the good fortune of connecting with Carin Wagner and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Carin, what principle do you value most?
I value love and care for our earthly home. If we treat our fellow beings, human and human adjacent,with respect and dignity, not as commodities, then future generations will be allowed to enjoy the clean air, clean water and natural beauty that we rely upon.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
The natural world fascinates me and my work reflects that fascination. Trees and their role in creating a healthy ecosystem for all of earth’s creatures deserve particular reverence. Once I learned that many of the trees that we rely on were in peril of extinction, I felt the need to act. From there, I reached out to the experts for help locating the trees. So many of them gave time and energy to help me. So far I have managed to photograph ten of the endangered trees and have spent 20 months painting the first three. My blog Vulnerable and Vanishing tells about the journey to find each of the trees. https://carinwagnerfineartblog.com/ I would like to honor each of these trees with a detailed, large scale painting. In this way, I can show others the beauty, and inspire a protective spirit.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
We have a number of beautiful natural areas to explore, including Riverbend Park, the Loxahatchee Slough and Cypress Creek. After we have recharged in nature, my first stop would be the Cornell Museum in Delray. Melanie Johannsen is an amazing curator. She manages to find extraordinary and thought provoking artists and with the wonderful staff at the museum, displays it beautifully. The Boca Raton Museum of Art would be next. I was fortunate enough to see Carol Prusa’s exhibit there before the pandemic, and it was stunning. The Norton Museum has been recently renovated and is gorgeous. The Society of the Four Arts also has excellent exhibits. If my friend wanted more local art, the Cultural Council for Palm Beach always has a top notch show. Some of my favorite restaurants are Christopher’s Kitchen in Palm Beach Gardens, Coolinary Cafe, and Loic Bakery in West Palm Beach.Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
There are a great number of people that I owe thanks to for helping me find my path. Locally, Karla Walter has lovingly pushed me out of my reclusive ways, and introduced me to many wonderful people who in turn have also shown me care and support. Carol Prusa has shown great kindness and generosity, and Amy Gross has been there for me in many ways. I have so many people to thank. Richard Powers book The Overstory has influenced me greatly, and the science writer Gabriel Popkin guided me in my search for the endangered trees.

Website: https://www.carinwagnerfineart.com/

Instagram: www.instagram.com/carinwagnerfineart

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carin-wagner-b0125b19

Facebook: www.facebook.com/carinwagnerfineart

Other: https://carinwagnerfineartblog.com/

Image Credits
David Brown Cuyla Brown