The Last Rose of Summer

Curated by Amelia Biewald

Exhibition Dates | October 10th - November 15th

Opening Reception | October 17th

Army of Frogs Studio hosts an exhilarating collection of accomplished artists exhibiting contemporary paintings, sculptures and installations both inside the galleries and outdoors in it’s sculpture gardens.

Nature reveals its raw, untamed essence, often cloaked in shadows and mystery. Its dark chambers hold secrets, echoing with the faint whispers of ancient life and the ever-present hum of existence. Spider webs glisten with morning dew, delicate yet sinister in their predatory purpose. The last rose of summer stands as a fragile testament to fleeting beauty amidst encroaching decay—its petals vibrant and defiant against the withering landscape, a symbol of both resilience and inevitable decline.

Evidence of wilderness erupts in unexpected places: cracks in concrete, gnarled roots breaking through soil, and the haunting calls of nocturnal creatures. It is in these overlooked corners that nature's darker facets thrive, unbound by human order.

Amidst this dark tapestry, Amelia Biewald, Kate Clark, John DeSousa, Valerie Hammond, Karsen Heagle, and Karen Marston capture and interpret the wilderness through varied lenses, each revealing a different facet of nature's captivating and often unsettling splendor. Clark's hybrid creatures blur the boundary between human and animal; DeSousa transforms images and materials through tactile processes of collage, sewing, dyeing, and embroidery; Hammond explores the intersections of nature, memory, the body, and time; Heagle's vividly charged animals become vessels for desire, mortality, identity, and survival; and Marston's landscapes reveal both the sublime beauty and volatile power of a changing natural world.

Together, these artists create a contemporary wilderness populated by hybrid creatures, mysterious bodies, fragile botanical traces, and landscapes on the edge of transformation. Through their work, they not only reflect nature's raw and mysterious beauty but delve into its darker, more enigmatic aspects, inviting us to consider the complex interplay between wilderness and human perception.

The Last Rose of Summer is an exhibition about beauty and decay, growth and disappearance, the familiar and the uncanny. It asks us to look beyond the cultivated garden and into the wild places where nature persists—beautiful, unpredictable, and beyond our control.

Army of Frogs Studio is directed and curated by artist Amelia Biewald, whose own multidisciplinary practice moves between sculpture, drawing, and large-scale installation. Her work explores the intersections of myth, history, science, and the natural and artificial worlds. Through Army of Frogs, Biewald brings together artists whose practices challenge conventional boundaries and create an immersive dialogue between contemporary art, landscape, and the unexpected.

Located in the historic hamlet of High Falls, New York, Army of Frogs Studio encompasses both gallery and sculpture garden, creating a setting where art and the surrounding landscape become part of the same conversation.

Hours: Open Saturdays 11 AM to 5 PM and by appointment.