Patterns of the Forest

Patterns of the Forest on Exhibit in July

Rachel Loeffler brings the spirit of the boreal forests of Finland to Gallery A3, with paintings and three-

dimensional interactive works celebrating the beauty of Norway spruces, Scots pines, and silver birches,

along with abstract patterns based on the interplay of light, shadow, and leaves.

The healing power of nature and the wonder of light shifting through the seasons inspire Rachel, who

invites us to step into the landscape with her. Her artworks emphasize the September golden light

dappling against vertical trunks of native trees, with thick carpets of moss and ferns under foot. “The

experience of the Finnish forest is otherworldly; the moss acts like snow—muting the movement and

sounds that surround you, bathing you in light and movement of the trees,” Rachel says. “The trees

grow tall and narrow with great density due to the climate, and the dense woods are backlit and full of

magical light.”

The show is organized into groupings by “pattern” with original paintings, interactive three-dimensional

abstractions, and an invitation for the community to become part of the exhibit by adding their own

color selections to some of forest mosaic patterns on the walls. It also includes two kinetic landscape

mosaic sculptures, composed of rotatable, removable, and re-arrangeable individual squares. These

unique creations playfully invite viewers to move back and forth between a representative and an

abstract awareness of the forest patterns.

“I want to bring people into the process of making, arranging, and playing with composition and color,”

she continues. “Creativity takes many forms. I am hoping that the diversity of interaction with the art

might spark curiosity and creativity in others and help them internalize the healing patterns of the

forest.”

During coloring exercises with family and friends, Rachel realized that freely coloring in a mosaic pattern

as a group has the potential to cultivate individual agency and autonomy, while strengthening a sense of

group cohesion. This led Rachel to produce additional forest pattern kits for sale, expanding the show

and allowing others to continue this experience beyond the gallery as part of their own meditative or

creative practice, or to share with others in a group setting of their choosing.

Rachel Loeffler is an artist with a studio in South Amherst and a landscape architect at Berkshire Design

Group in Northampton.

OPENING RECEPTION

Friday, July 3, 5:00-7:00pm

ART FORUM ONLINE

In an Art Forum on Zoom on Thursday, July 16 at 7:30 pm, Rachel will share information about the craft

and process of her current work. Register on the gallery website www.gallerya3.com for this online

event. This Art for Community II program is supported in part by a grant from the Amherst Cultural

Council, a local agency, which is supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency.

ABOUT GALLERY A3

A cooperative, contemporary fine arts gallery located in downtown Amherst, Gallery A3 is celebrating its

24th anniversary this year. Current members include painters, sculptors, photographers, printmakers,

and mixed media artists. Over its two-decade history, A3 has been home to over 60 member-artists,

mounting monthly exhibits and offering cultural events and community collaborations. The Gallery hosts

opening receptions for exhibits the first Friday of every month and outreach programs are scheduled on

the third Thursday. The gallery space and all its events are free and open to the public.