Andrea Bonfils to Contribute “Pear Tree Views” to Tree Conservancy Photo Contest

It is a perfect fit for the Tree Conservancy of Darien photo contest and Andrea Bonfils; a great blend of local creativity, generosity and a love of nature. Darien artist Bonfils, who likes to use what Van Gogh called the “language of nature” in her artwork, is donating her Limited Edition Photograph “Pear Tree Views” to the silent auction of the 2nd annual “Celebration of Trees” photo contest reception.

Bonfils, who works from studios in Connecticut and New Mexico, is represented in private and corporate collections worldwide. Nature is a big part of her life and she has a true appreciation for the exceptional trees and birds in Darien. According to Bonfils, her particular affection for the trees and wildlife near Gorham’s Pond comes from her daily walks to Pear Tree Beach over the past 16 years. “I am a big fan of the conservancy and preserving our natural beauty.” Her striking photograph, taken at Pear Tree beach in Darien captures the beauty of the majestic, historic, attractive and unusual trees in Darien that the conservancy promotes in its second annual photo contest.

Tree Conservancy of Darien, established to preserve and enhance wooded resources works to raise awareness of the value of trees in the community. The complimentary cocktail reception for “Celebration of Trees” will take place from 6-8pm on March 7th at the Darien Nature Center at 120 Brookside Road and is open to all. All submitted entries will be matted and displayed for the reception and will remain up for view until April 25th.

Residents or those who work in Darien are encouraged to submit photos of Darien trees taken within the past two years. Photos can be in black and white or color, and must be 8X10 in size. Photographs can be submitted for the contest at the Darien Nature Center from Monday, February 24th to Saturday, March 1st during their normal hours of operation (M-F 9-4, Sat. 9-1). Registration fee is $15 for adults and $10 for students, with a limit of three entries per person. Registration forms can be found at www.treeconservancyofdarien.org.

 A panel of tree and photography experts will judge the photos and prizes will be awarded in several categories. The juried show will include ribbons for adults, elementary, middle and high school participants, color and black and white photography, winter landscapes, fall foliage, and spring flowering trees. New this year is a category for images of bark.

For more information, visit the tree conservancy at www.treeconservancyofdarien.org or email them at info@treeconservancyofdarien.org. For more information about the artist, Andrea Bonfils, go to www.andreaartstudio.com

The Tree Conservancy of Darien (treeconservancyofdarien.org) is a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving and enhancing the tree and forest resources for the benefit of the community, its health and its quality of life. Its goals are to educate the community about the value of trees and their care, to identify and revitalize significant (heritage) trees in town, to maintain a stewardship program for the care and maintenance of existing trees, and to build partnerships to achieve Tree Conservancy of Darien goals. TCD can be reached at info@treeconservancyofdarien.org.