Exhibit Info
This Exhibition Is No Longer Showing
Title:
Wild Princeton: Photographs by Leigh Faden
Dates:
January 12 – February 25 2022
Location:
Technology Center, 2nd floor
About:
All the wild creatures in this exhibition have a surprising and miraculous thing in common: they were all photographed in the Princeton area, right in our own backyard. From majestic bald eagles with their six foot wingspan to tiny, walnut-sized blue grey gnatcatchers, from black squirrels to minks (yes, minks!), they all live among us, frequently unknown, unseen. This exhibition gives a hint of our own extraordinary wildlife. It is just a fraction of the plethora and diversity of wildlife we actually live with.
And the wildlife we live with changes with the seasons, specifically the birds. Some species do stay in the Princeton area throughout the year, such as American robins. Others, like swallows, herald the return of Spring, frequently building nests and raising their young. Others mark the return of Winter, like dark eyed juncos from the north, which delight in the snow. Some birds change their feather coloring during breeding season, from drab to vivid, for example many male ducks. Some birds just visit us as they pass through during Spring and Fall migration, such as many warblers. There is always something to look forward to, to marvel in, in our Princeton backyard.
If you are seeking a way to connect to the larger world around us, or simply a way to engage in active meditation, consider visiting one of the Princeton area parks, or perhaps even putting up a bird feeder in your own backyard. The secret to seeing the wildlife that lives with us is to slow down, be patient, and watch quietly. You may be greatly rewarded with the miracle of our nature!
Artist Statement
Artist: Leigh Faden
Leigh Faden moved to Princeton from overseas in 1974, and has mostly lived in this area ever since. While her career was in computer analysis, photography has always been a part of her life, initially focusing on diverse subjects. In 2006, she returned from a vacation and discovered that, rather than classic holiday photos, all her photos were of local birds! Since then, the focus of her photography turned to wildlife, and it quickly became a passion. If you ask her why she would spend hours waiting and watching in the field in all weather, she might suggest that you read Mary Oliver’s poem “The Swan”, which ends:
“And did you feel it, in your heart, how it pertained to everything?
And have you too finally figured out what beauty is for?
And have you changed your life?”
All the wild creatures in this exhibition have a surprising and miraculous thing in common: they were all photographed in the Princeton area, right in our own backyard.