POOLESVILLE, Md. — From the breathtaking grace of forests to the primal vastness of the ever shining ocean, Wib Middleton’s new exhibition implores us to find inner calm by seeing beyond ourselves—and to welcome the peace and contemplation that nature can provide.

Featuring photographs of the natural world that celebrate the extraordinary beauty all around us, “Momentary Mediations” hints at truths not easily put into words, with Middleton using treescapes and ocean views to draw the viewer deep into thoughtful abstraction.

Although Middleton’s photographs of oceans and trees reflect an eye for nature honed over decades, the work in “Momentary Meditations” was inspired, in part, by a sort of homecoming. In 2018, after 19 years in Sedona, Arizona, Middleton and his family returned to the East Coast, where he reconnected with aspects of nature that have resonated with him since childhood. “As a kid, I got to spend summer in the Adirondacks,” he explains.  “A few feet from our back door, a magical pine forest carpeted with the greenest ferns seemed to go on forever. It was my go-to place to explore, imagine, and play. The trees, imperturbable, were like giant sacred guardians.”

“Momentary Meditations” will be on display from Wednesday, April 10, 2024, through Sunday, June 9, 2024, at Locals Farm Market, 19929 Fisher Avenue, Poolesville, Md. This show is the twelfth Riverworks “Artist in the House” exhibition to be featured on the second floor of the historic Veirs-Stevens House at Locals.

The opening reception will be held at Locals on Sunday, April 21, 2024, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. The reception is free and the public is invited to attend.