The art exhibition with the name “Earth Laughs in Flowers,” recalling a quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson, opens at Live 4 Art Gallery on Friday afternoon, September 5th, 2025. A reception for the artists will be held on Saturday September 6th, from 5 to 7 pm and is open to the public.
The work of three artists will be shown in this exhibit, curated by Dorian Winslow. The artists are Lori Adams, Michael Garland and Cynthia MacCollum. In addition, a special one-of-a-kind, plant-based art piece is being created by Deb Parrino of Parrino’s Greenhouse and Florist in Pawling as a living centerpiece for the show.
“While each artist in the show draws on floral imagery, their artistic approaches are very distinct,” says Dorian. “And beautiful,” she adds. None of these artists, all of whom work within a 50 mile radius of Pawling, has exhibited work at Live 4 Art Gallery before.
Lori Adams –For this show Dorian has selected several large-format flower portraits that magnify intricate details far beyond life-size, infusing her work with an almost abstract quality. Her photographs exquisitely capture both the fragility and resilience of her subject matter.
Michael Garland – Dorian has selected several charming images, printed on canvas, from Michael Garland’s children’s book A Season of Flowers, and five masterfully rendered oil paintings with botanical themes. Several of the paintings combine classical portraiture of goddess-like women overlaid with gears and other symbols of the industrial age. Think “Steam Punk.” Michael Garland is a Patterson resident and New York Times best-selling author and illustrator.
Cynthia MacCollum-- Cynthia MacCollum is an artist based in New Canaan, Connecticut, whose practice spans painting, printmaking, and photography. For this exhibition Dorian has selected a collection of monotypes, mixed media and water colors.
MacCollum’s deep appreciation for the natural world can be traced back to her childhood, when she spent much of her time outdoors, especially near the creek that ran through the ravine behind her house. Her work has been exhibited at the Hudson Valley MOCA, the Katonah Museum of Art, and internationally in Spain, Germany, France and Hong Kong. Her work can also be found in the Fine Art collection of the Montefiore Health system and Memorial Sloan Kettering.
Deb Parrino—For this exhibition Deb Parrino of Parrino’s Greenhouse and Florist, has accepted our invitation to create a plant-based living art installation for the show space.
Through the month of September the Gallery will be open on Friday’s from 3-7 pm, on Saturday’s from 10am to 6pm, and on Sunday’s from 12 noon to 3 pm. Additional hours may be added. The show will close on Sunday September 28th at 3 pm.
