Far Flung Sketchers

This week found only two of us to sketch together at Southern Vermont Natural History Museum at Hogback Mountain on RT9. We had so much fun we hardly missed our friend who is in Italy for three weeks, and another who is cruising on the Danube, and a third who could not leave home for fear of missing the internet repairman's call. Such is life... ups and downs, isn't it. 

There are many stuffed creatures in display cases at the museum; collected at a time when that was fashionable, even legal. The live birds are there for educational purposes because they are unable to live in the wild. The bald eagle was hit by a truck in Wyoming and subsequently guarded by the truck driver until the wildlife rehabilitator could get there. The kestrel had been hand-raised by a human and preferred visitors to her "mate". I picked the saw-whet owl to sketch because she was just about the cutest thing I ever saw. She was trying to sleep in the darkest corner of her large, woodsy cage. So I missed a few fascinating details, I'm sure. It was a special hour spent face to face with her. She had a calm attitude and knew she was cool.

My friend and I were pleasantly distracted from our sketching by the assistant director who was training and feeding the birds and there were many things to learn from him.

What's going on here?

Hint: Only 7! states left in my 50 State Plein Air Painting Project. I'm not quite ready to book that Alaska trip, but getting close. Read all the exciting Michigan details there.

Plus; the moon has briefly re-appeared...and I did some sketching in the dark last night....much closer to home...outside my front door...coming soon...more moon mini pastels.

Tuesday Painters Exhibit at Latchis 4 Gallery

For the month of September the Tuesday Painters are exhibiting their recent oils and pastel paintings at Latchis 4 Gallery. All 5 of us will be at the artists' reception First Friday Gallery Walk...5-8:30...September 6. At other times the gallery will be open whenever the Latchis Movie Theater is open; enter the theater lobby and turn left through the first door. It's all on Main Street, downtown Brattleboro, VT.

Tuesday Painters is a group of 5 women who like to hang out together while painting outdoors. Charlotte Fischer, Basha Freudenberg, Cicely Carroll, Deedee Jones and Rodrica Tilley all work independently, but the experience of painting together at one location can be creatively inspiring....and Eye Opening! It has been a joy for me to get to know these artists in my new community...as well as the places they have taken me to. 

My painting above, upper left, Boxwoods and Bench was inspired by a friend's lovely garden in fall.

So hoof it on down to Latchis 4 --- meet me and my friends --- check out our awesome paintings.

Then, just around the corner on Flat St. at Vermont Center for Photography, my husband, Michael Poster has an exhibit: Dreamland - pictures about the effects of natural gas development and production on a small rural community in northeast Pennsylvania, that used to be our home. 

That same Friday night, our daughter, Zoe Tilley Poster,  is part of the Enormous Tiny Art Show in Portsmouth, New Hampshire at Nahcotta 110 Congress St. Three simultaneous openings! You can purchase Zoe's framed original drawings online....or you can go in and have a look now. 603.433.1705