'Trees and Other Place Marks' Come to SU April-May

SALISBURY, MD---Artists Harold and Mary McCoy take art outside and make exhibits al-fresco using the environment itself. From April 4-June 30 Salisbury University hosts an exhibition by the husband-and-wife team, titled “Trees and Other Place Marks.” The site-specific sculptures, dispersed throughout the main campus, are designed to enhance and focus on SU’s natural environment. This approach is similar to Robert Smithson’s “Spiral Jetty.” The McCoys use trees, stones, branches and other media in arrangements that convey their meanings taken from myriad folk tales and belief systems. Past works include “Zen Stump,” a crumbling stump surrounded by stones similar to those found in a Zen garden, “Pebble Pool,” a collection of rose-colored stones tucked under a tree root, and “Nested Cairn,” which consisted of a small tumble of stones in the hollowed base of a tree. “Nested Cairn,” according to Howard McCoy, was, “inspired by folklore, as well as by the tree” since the inspiration for the work stemmed from the ancient belief that doors to fairy kingdoms could be found under the roots of trees. He described “Zen Stump” as simply “a small, gentle piece of art.” The McCoys, who spend a lot of time outdoors, are inspired by how their observations interact with others’ perceptions of the natural environment at different places and times. Mary McCoy is a freelance art critic for publications such as The Washington Post, New Art Examiner and American Craft. Howard taught at Northern Virgina Community College in Annandale, VA. Collectively, the McCoys have been featured in exhibitions at Loyola College, Gallery 10 Ltd. in Washington, D.C., and the International Conference on Sculptures in Dublin, Ireland. The exhibit is free and the public is invited. For more information call 410-543-6030 or visit the SU Web site at www.salisbury.edu.