Roberta’s Art Gallery Presents “For the Love of Trees” by Wendy C. Crone
Featuring pastel paintings of individual trees and forests, “For the Love of Trees” by Wendy C. Crone will be at Roberta’s Art Gallery from November 11 through December 18, 2026.
A reception will take place on Tuesday, November 17, from 5 to 7 p.m., giving guests the chance to meet Crone and learn more about her work. An open house with a short program begins at 5:30 p.m., with light refreshments served throughout. Complimentary parking is available for reception guests. Please visit our website and check the Visitor Parking link to register. Guests are strongly encouraged to attend, meet the artist, and enjoy the exhibit.
Crone integrates her love of nature and fascination with light to explore how trees serve as living witnesses to time, history, and human experience. Her pieces in this exhibit portray trees as symbols of memory, resilience, and connection, from a solitary tree braving the elements alone to a forest thriving on collaboration.
Crone expresses that “Whether the main character or a supporting cast member, each tree is a critical part of the story being told…These stories tell the history of the place and speak to the travels of those who pass by as they appreciate the natural world around them.”
Hikes in Wisconsin parks, neighborhood walks, and outings on lakes and rivers inspired Crone’s collection. Her work reminds viewers of the sun’s fundamental beauty as it shines through the trees or washes across the water.
“For the Love of Trees” showcases Crone’s use of soft pastels, which she combines with various sanded papers and textured supports to portray everyday observations with energy and vitality. Over months and years, Crone revisits favorite trees in person and in painting, capturing each tree and its surroundings in different light and different seasons. In her compositions, the trunks build the structure, the branches frame the sky, and the leaves bask in the sun and flit in the wind, with each tree supporting the larger web of life.
To learn more about Crone’s artistic journey, visit her website at wccrone.com or check out her Instagram at @wccrone.
We’re also offering a free workshop with Ms. Crone in collaboration with UC Live & The Involvement Office: “Pastel Workshop” on Wednesday, December 2, 5 to 7 p.m., in The Intersection, located in the James R. Connor University Center at UW-Whitewater. Crone will teach her soft pastel techniques and guide attendees in creating a mini landscape painting to take home. For information or registration please call (262) 472-3193.
About Roberta’s Art Gallery
Roberta’s Art Gallery is located on the first floor of the James R. Connor University Center (UC) at UW-Whitewater. The gallery hosts multiple exhibits each semester by collaborating with local and regional artists. For Thanksgiving week, the gallery will keep its regular hours Monday through Tuesday, Nov. 23-24, and close early at 2 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 25, and will be closed Thursday through Friday, Nov. 26-27.
Regular hours are Monday-Thursday: 10:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. and Friday: 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. University Center Room 158, 190 Hamilton Green Way, Whitewater, WI. For parking except for the reception, see this information regarding fees.
Roberta’s Art Gallery strives to make art accessible to all, offering free exhibits and receptions for everyone to enjoy. Whether you’re a student, a Whitewater community member, or someone who wants to support the artist, feel free to stop by. For questions or further information, contact Roberta’s Art Gallery at (262) 472-3193 or ucart@uww.edu, or visit our website.
Editor’s note: This press release was provided by Roberta’s Art Gallery.
