Award-winning photographer and beekeeper brings buzzy new art to Austin's Waterloo Park
BEE-AUTIFUL ART
If there’s one thing Austinites can agree on, it's our love for local art and honeybees. A local organization is combining both for a free, immersive experience at a cherished Austin park beginning April 23.
“Seeing Bees” is a new educational art installation at Waterloo Park that will display a series of anatomical, microscopic honey bee works by Dan Winters, a distinguished and award-winning photographer. Land conservation nonprofit Wild Spirit Wild Places (WSWP) is partnering with local honeymaker Round Rock Honey and Waterloo Greenway for the exhibit, with additional support from H-E-B and perfume designer Guerlain.
The installation will feature large format images of honey bees that were captured with a field emissions scanning electron microscope. Winters is best known for his celebrity portraits, so this latest project is entirely new territory for him. Luckily he is well-versed in the art of beekeeping; He started keeping his own bees at just nine-years-old.
Winters said in a press release that the images will provide attendees with a never-before-seen view of the insects.
“These images magnify bees to an unprecedented level with every hair in focus, allowing for a view into the complexity of the honeybee first hand,” said Winters.
“Seeing Bees” is free to the public, and there will be several free public programs and events in conjunction with the exhibit at Waterloo Park. Austinites of all ages will have the opportunity to get educated about the importance of conservation, biodiversity, and pollinators in our local communities.
WSWP and Round Rock Honey have joined forces before to raise awareness about native bees in Austin and Round Rock; In 2022 they helped pass resolutions to designate both cities as Bee City USA affiliates, joining the neighboring city of Bee Cave on the Central Texas roster.
WSWP CEO Dr. Karen Looby said in the release that her organization is proud to support the exhibit, calling it a “one-of-a-kind experience celebrating bees.”
“This exhibit provides an amazing look at the intricacies of our bees and provides insight on how they are uniquely equipped to support the health of our environment,” Dr. Looby said. “With the help of the community, we look forward to ensuring that our pollinators across Texas are supported for generations to come.”