About

The Dartmouth Natural Resources Trust (DNRT),  The Trustees of Reservations, the Gustin Gallery, and UMass-Dartmouth’s College of Visual and Performing Arts are collaborating to display six large site-specific outdoor sculptures on the “Slocum’s River Reserve” natural area in Dartmouth, Massachusetts from June 2012 through May 2013. The overall goals of the project are to provide an inspirational and enjoyable free outdoor experience for people of all ages; increase public interest in and support for art & natural areas; and stimulate a dialogue about art and nature and the connections between them.  Project events will include a series of lectures by the artists, an opening event, an exhibition models and drawings at the nearby Gustin Gallery, a “Family Day” with music and activities, field-trips for local university, high school and grade school students, and several artist-led walks.  All project events will be free and open to the public.

History of The River Project

In 2008, the Project Partners first joined together in a project to display six large site-specific outdoor sculptures on the Slocum’s River Reserve in Dartmouth, Massachusetts from August 2009 to March 2010.  The resulting project, simply known as “The River Project,” was a resounding success, attracting many hundreds of adults, families and students during the course of the exhibit and receiving accolades like these from those who saw it:

• “Magical, creative and spiritual surprise at every turn!
• “Extraordinary!”
• “An amazing juxtaposition of nature and art!”
• “Just the best!”
• “Beautiful – what a great place to walk and see sculpture.”
• “Magical place!  The sculptures are breathtaking.”
• “Stunning integration of material and landscape.”

Photographs of the 2009 River Project can be viewed here. 

Based on the success of the first River Project, the project partners decided to present “The River Project” again, and formed an Organizing Committee in August 2010.

Organizing Committee for the 2012 River Project

Chris Gustin, Co-Chair

Stacy Latt Savage, Co-Chair

Dexter Mead, DNRT

Sarah F. Storer-Rickson, DNRT

Deborah Cunha, DNRT

Stasia Powers, DNRT

John Vasconcellos, The Trustees of Reservations

Sam Phin, The Trustees of Reservations

Rick Creighton

Pam Donnelly

Kathryn Gollub

Jane Reynolds

Richard Shepard

Nancy Train Smith

Ellen Lewis Watson

Frankie Whelan

Katie White

Honorary Committee  for the 2012 River Project

Roger and Gayle Mandle, Co-Chairs

Alan & Julie Boegehold

Pam Donnelly

John & Tally Garfield

Tom & Gail Gidwitz

Chris Gustin & Nancy Train Smith

Jocelin Hamblett

Nancy Hemenway & Ellen Langer

Karen Quigley & Russell Hensel

Robert & Sally Truslow

Russell Weigel & Jane Reynolds

Katherine & Chris White

John & Lynn Wylde