The Sturt Haaga Gallery at Descanso Gardens Presents “Farewell Eden”

The Sturt Haaga Gallery at Descanso Gardens will offer a new view of the natural world when it presents “Farewell, Eden,” an exhibition opening Jan. 19, 2016. The exhibit is presented in collaboration with “Urbanature” at the Alyce de Roulet Williamson Gallery at Art Center College of Design in Pasadena. “Farewell, Eden” runs Jan. 19 through April 3. “Urbanature” is presented Feb. 22 through May 8. The two galleries will share a reception on Sunday, Feb. 21 from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. at Descanso Gardens and 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. at Art Center.

“Farewell, Eden” invites the viewer to think of nature as a force of life in an increasingly urban world that is densely populated and running low on resources. “Nature may have existed as pristine and untouched at one time, but the

arrival of humans as the dominant component of life on earth has changed the old vision of nature forever,” said David R. Brown, Descanso Gardens executive director. “Humans and the byproducts of their population growth, the introduction of agriculture, the industrial revolution, the rise of great cities connected by infrastructure, carbon-induced climate change, apparent global warming, the melting of the polar ice and the threat to millions of people posed by rising seas have made it impossible to find any place on earth that has not been affected by humans. Nature isn’t what it used to be. Yet nature persists, always adapting, changing, appearing in new forms and unexpected ways.”

“Farewell, Eden” will feature works by artists Lynn Aldrich, Nadege Monchera Baer, Jennifer Gunlock, Dee Hibbert-Jones, Carmine Iannaccone, Aline Mare, Mark Steven Greenfield, Amir Zaki, Jane Brucker, Devon Tsuno, Carlee Fernandez, Elizabeth Saveri and Gloria Kondrup.

“Farewell, Eden” is funded in part by Heather and Paul Haaga. Additional support for Sturt Haaga Gallery exhibitions is provided by Wells Fargo and Richard Carlson and Erin Maclean Culley.

The Sturt Haaga Gallery is located in Descanso Gardens, 1418 Descanso Drive, La Cañada Flintridge. The gallery is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. every day except Monday, when the gallery is closed. The Williamson Gallery is located at 1700 Lida St, Pasadena. Gallery hours are noon to 5 p.m. daily (closed Mondays), except Friday, when the gallery is open noon to 9 p.m.

Admission to Descanso Gardens is $9 for adults; $6 for seniors and students with a school I.D.; $4 for children 5 to 12, and free for age 4 and younger. Join Descanso Gardens and enjoy free admission and early entry year-round. Descanso Gardens is open daily (closed Christmas) from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Founded as a public garden in 1953, Descanso Gardens is a member-supported garden accredited by the American Association of Museums. For information, call (818) 949-4200 or visit descansogardens.org.