BEACON ROOM In Dialogue With Wood: The secret life of trees, Ilse Schreiber-Noll

Wood has always been more than just a medium to me. It is a living connection to nature, history, and craft.

Each piece of wood has a story to tell written in the rings, patterns shaped by seasons, and textures formed over years. Working with wood is an intimate dialogue, where I am both artist and collaborator, guided by the natural grain and contours. As I carve, I find both resistance and softness, a dynamic push and pull that reveals the essence of each block. The process of creating a woodcut is both meditative and challenging, demanding precision, patience, and respect for the material.

This exhibition is a celebration of my love for wood and its unique ability to hold and transform human expression. My hope is that as you view these works, you feel the organic pulse of the material itself—its rawness, resilience, and beauty—and that you, too, sense the connection to the natural world that wood brings into each piece.

ABOUT THE ARTIST

Ilse Schreiber-Noll was born in Germany. After coming to the United States, she received her MFA at Purchase College SUNY, NY 
Here she studied and taught with the late Uruguayan- American visual artist, Antonio Frasconi, renowned for his politically charged woodcuts. In collaboration with poets, she made limited edition artist books.

Among the poets and musicians she has worked with are Joseph Brodsky, Dennis Brutus, Galway Kinnell, Octavio Paz, John Cage, and Robert Kelly.

Schreiber-Noll’s work captures the raw duality of human existence, portraying the deep struggles of society and the devastating impacts of war alongside the profound beauty of our world. Through contrasting elements, she speaks of conflict, division, and societal issues, revealing the scars that mark both people and places. 
Yet, amid the darkness, her work also celebrates the resilience of life and the breathtaking splendor of our planet, reminding us of the harmony and beauty that persist. This juxtaposition invites reflection on our choices, urging a vision for peace and a more compassionate relationship with each other and our Earth.

The artist presently lives in the Hudson Valley.