The Land Trust of North Alabama is teaming up with Australian-born contemporary artist Charlotte Marie Isbell for CANOPY, a multi-day art experience that places her oil paintings in conversation with the region’s natural landscapes.
The event runs Oct. 15-18 and includes an invitation-only preview, a free public indoor exhibition and a one-day outdoor installation at Hickory Cove Nature Preserve.
The outdoor installation on Oct. 18 features the largest work from the CANOPY series – a 20-foot painting – set within the protected landscape at Hickory Cove Nature Preserve for one day only. Reservations include a private 15-minute sitting. Ticket options range from $20 for a standard private sitting to $40 for an artist sitting that includes 10 quiet minutes with Isbell. Tickets remain available through Oct. 16.
“Conservation is about more than protecting land. It’s about helping people understand why these places matter and inspiring them to care for them,” said Marie Bostick, executive director of the Land Trust of North Alabama. “CANOPY creates a new way for people to experience the beauty of our natural landscapes and discover a deeper connection to the places we work every day to protect.”
Isbell’s oil paintings explore the relationship between memory, emotion and the natural world. She works intuitively, building canvases through expressive gestures rather than defined outlines and drawing inspiration from nature as both subject and collaborator.
“CANOPY began with a simple idea: to create a sanctuary where we could sit amongst the irregularity of nature and experience the calm it can offer,” Isbell said. “Over time, it became an exploration of how we encounter the natural world, and what happens when we give ourselves permission to simply be present within it.”
Isbell, who is based in North Alabama, previously collaborated on projects that brought fine art into nontraditional settings, including a 2023 exhibition at The Vessel at Stovehouse. The seeds of CANOPY were planted in early 2025 when she approached Land Trust board leadership with the concept of pairing her work with conserved land.
The free public exhibition takes place from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Oct. 17 at the Huntsville City Lifestyle Magazine Gallery, 107 North Side Square, Suite 200. No reservation is required. A selection of artwork will be available for purchase. The gallery is on the second floor above Del Chuco. Visitors should use the North Square Street entrance to the right of Del Chuco’s. Metered street parking is free on weekends.
Proceeds support the Land Trust’s conservation mission across 10 North Alabama counties and Isbell’s studio practice. The organization protects natural lands, water resources and wildlife habitat while maintaining more than 100 miles of free public trails on its nature preserves.
Zachary Austin is a writer for 256 Today. You can contact him at [email protected].
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