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Anita Purves Nature Center »
Address: 1505 N. Broadway Ave. Urbana, IL 61801
Phone: (217) 384-4062
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The Anita Purves Nature Center is currently running a photographic exhibit by an Urbana photographer, Cheri Manrique. Entitled “My Perspective of Busey Woods,” Manrique’s exhibit contains scenes from the Busey Woods and tells a story of the woods as they change throughout the seasons.

Busey Woods is a nature preserve that expands over 50 acres and contains a boardwalk that serves as an entry point into the woods. Manrique’s photos reflect the abundance of trees, animals and plant life in the woods. Manrique explains that her visits to the Busey Woods initially inspired her to become a photographer.

“I’ve had chronic back problems for 12 years now, and for several of those years I didn’t even leave the house,” explains Manrique. “The boardwalk makes Busey Woods very accessible – I’ve even seen people out there in wheelchairs. It makes it easy for people that aren’t woodsy hiking-type people.”

Manrique’s favorite season to photograph is the spring. “In spring everything is changing so quickly. There’s a lot to capture and it doesn’t last very long. Everything goes from bud to bloom,” she says. Manrique has photographed animals in all seasons. Her exhibit contains a still of a fawn hidden behind leaves in the summer as well as a large buck covered in snow in the winter.

Many of Manrique’s photos, especially her close-ups of plants, are similar to those in books on nature and animals in the wild. These photos are clear, bright and in-focus, offering an intimate and detailed view of veins in leaves and dew on plants.

Some of the more unique photos include images of colored mushrooms at ground level. Manrique uses a pocket-sized tripod to capture these shots, and explains that it reveals, “…something you wouldn’t necessarily see without that view.”

The picture “Red Mushroom” is very close-up from ground level and has a vibe reminiscent of Alice in Wonderland and giant, human-sized plants. Another picture, “Turquoise Mushroom,” is a picture Manrique likes for its coloring. “I don’t photo-shop anything, so the mushroom really did have that aqua color,” says Manrique. “I was really happy with how that came out.”

Manrique has also gotten into landscapes and concert photography. “I’ve definitely branched out from Busey but that was a great starting point,” says Manrique. Some of Manrique’s landscapes are currently on display at Blues BBQ, and there will be a reception for these photos on Saturday, Oct. 17 from 3-5 p.m.

Manrique’s exhibit on Busey Woods will be on display through Nov. 30. Her photography is available for purchase.