Foxborough Bringing Art And Nature Together

FOXBOROUGH, MA — Foxborough is giving nature enthusiasts and art fans a new way to enjoy both simultaneously.

The Foxborough Art and Nature Conservation Passport will have its kickoff event at Lane Homestead and Learning Center on North Street in Foxborough this Saturday, June 26.

The public is invited to visit from 10:00 a.m. to noon, to meet the artists, enjoy activities at the Lane Learning Center, and explore the Lane property using the passport feature developed by Nicole Vachon-Hanlon, the Foxborough Cultural Council and the New England Patriots nonprofit, Partners in Patriotism.

The Passport features scenic watercolors of each location, observational and trivia questions to answer, and a place for the budding conservation enthusiast to make field notes about their time visiting one of Foxborough's great conservation areas.

During the pandemic, Vachon-Hanlon, began looking for more places to hike and explore in nature. As an artist, she said she found inspiration and solace in the outdoors. She discovered Foxborough has more than 2,000 acres of conservation lands and open space. This inspired the idea that created the Foxborough Art and Nature Conservation Passport.

"The FANCP is a way to show you are a fan of conservation. With a creative twist, the project is increasing awareness of both the conservation areas of Foxborough and the artists who are inspired to create in these natural spaces," town officials said in a statement.

Using the print or electronic versions the public can independently explore the five areas and after completing all sites, they will receive a "Fans of Conservation" certificate from the Foxborough Conservation Commission.

Town officials said they will thank the artists who contributed to the project with a video. Artists include The Elite Dance Company, Simba Simdaca, Alison Kellom, Lizanne Donegan, Brian Doherty, Krisanthi Pappas, Courtney Robertson and Teddy Jouret.

The Boyden Library is also joining the passport effort by providing outdoor guided scavenger hunt hikes on the following days:

• Tuesday, July 6 - 11 a.m. at Kersey Point
• Tuesday, July 13 - 11 a.m. at Sallie Property
• Tuesday, August 3- 11 am at Greeley Pond
• Tuesday, August 10 - 11 a.m. at Harold B Clark

For more information, reach out to Vachon-Hanlon at Nicole_Vachon@yahoo.com or via phone at 276-698-9999.