Butternut Enters 8th Year

This past weekend I visited Montrose , PA for my mother's memorial service. I stopped in at the Butternut Gallery where one of my recent pastel paintings, Vermont Garden Triptych looks good on the wall. As usual, I was in good company...some old friends,  excellent painters and intriguing work in many media. The graphite artist, Zoe Tilley Poster has some of her charming "beasts" on exhibit, too.

Unfortunately the photo I took at the gallery was of unacceptable quality so I'll post a pen and ink drawing I did on March 12.

and a pencil wash sketch I did last week during our weekly cafe sketch gathering.

Happy Solstice and I got a gift!

My favorite holiday is here again...dark and gloomy, as usual. The sun, on it's rare and brief appearances here in Vermont,  has barely been able to peer over the distant tree tops during the last week. But what I like about winter solstice is that it is the turning point; ever so slowly the days will lengthen and light will strengthen.  May there be some bright cold sunny days right around the corner?

photograph by Michael Poster

Look who I found at Windham County Humane Society...what a lucky day for me! He's 16 pounds of cuddles. And he is obviously a painter's cat...look at the bold black brush stroke under his nose. He has not been named yet...any suggestions? He's a laid back guy, only slightly perturbed at a rambunctious cattle dog who is monitoring his very move.

In 2012 our two old cats, Harley (19) & Norton (13) left us six months apart. Many knew Harley who loved an Open Studio for all the attention she would garner from visitors. She never tired of guests. Norton was her exact opposite. At the first sign of a stranger at our door Norton would run and hide, a very private fellow.