20 ART NEW ENGLAND J a n u a r y / F e b r u a r y 2 0 1 2

FOCUS ON: Southern VTSS pp ee cc ii aa ll AA dd vv ee rr tt ii ss ii nn gg SS ee cc tt ii oo nn

Above a hill jacketed with maplesand birch, wood smoke stirs in thewinter air. This is Southern

Vermont, a New England retreat of smallvillages, red covered bridges, and invitingcountry stores. Its exceptional beautyismatched only by the quality of art blos-soming from the wide range of artists whocall it home. This art has become all themore vital in the aftermath of HurricaneIrene, which flooded much of SouthernVermont’s architecture and infrastructure.Since, the area has rebounded with anunparalleled display of community as wellas an astonishing creative output.

Arriving from the south on I-91, begin yoursojourn in the handsome town of Brattleboro,just over the Massachusetts border. On MainStreet, peppered with coffee shops and elegantturn-of-the-century architecture, sits theGallery in the Woods. Begun in 1998 as home

for Visionary Artists, the gallery shows excep-tional pieces featuring surreal and sacredimagery. Recent paintings by Wendy Cross arelyrical and primitive by turns. The gallery alsodisplays world folk art, ceramics, glass, jewel-ry, sculpture, furniture and fine craft work—all remaining true to the transcendental impe-tus of this unique space.

Further up Main, visitors will find one ofthe leading groups for arts advocacy inSouthern Vermont, the Brattleboro ArtsInitiative or B.A.I. The Initiative’s valuedstewardship centers around their project ofrestoring the Latchis Hotel and Theatre, amasterpiece of art deco craftsmanship housinga thirty-room boutique hotel and four theatres.Since acquiring the space in 2003, the B.A.I.has transformed the Latchis into the town’sleading cultural nexus.

Begun in 1973 as an importer of qualityhandcrafts, A Candle in the Night features

11,000 square feet of home furnishings and anarray of natural-dyed oriental rugs made withhandspun yarn. Along with complete com-mercial and residential interior design servic-es, this Brattleboro institution exhibits fine artfrom local and world-renowned artists duringthe spring, summer, and fall months. Stop byany time of year, however, for some of themost exceptional furnishings and home décorin New England.

The River Gallery School of Art, one ofthe finest arts schools in Vermont, has, forthirty-seven years, provided year-round stu-dio space and superb classes. From lateJanuary through June, students take classes insuch subjects as ink on paper and origami.The school also offers outreach opportunities,including scholarships, student exhibitions,and a wealth of collaborations with individu-als and organizations. The school’s trips toItaly are extremely popular.

Before leaving Brattleboro’s active artsscene, visitors should stop by Josh and MartaBernbaum’s glassblowing studio. World-classpieces of glass art are produced here, includ-ing avant-garde fused glass, blown glassreceptacles, beads, and sumptuous glasssculpture. Josh’s fused glass creations resem-ble Zulu shields with their sloping, ovularshape and complex, inlaid detail. Marta’s glasssculptures of delicate and vibrant flora areboth stunning in their complexity and star-tling in their attention to detail.

Those continuing north must stop at the

!

!4716B Main St. Manchester Ctr, VT 05255 Gandergallery@gmail.com 802.768.8396

www.Gandergallery.net

Exhibiting established

& emerging artists from Vermont and

beyond

Ann Coleman, Wilmington, VT: Autumn, 2001.

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J a n u a r y / F e b r u a r y 2 0 1 2 ART NEW ENGLAND 21

Southern VTHunter Gallery, a Grafton staple that displaysan array of masterful watercolor paintings byartist Peter Jeziorski as well as oil paintings,pastels, and blown glass works by variousartists from May through October. The quietbeauty of Maine seacoasts and the charm ofsnow-lined barns are all captured byJeziorski’s brush. Robert Sydorowich’s impres-sionist oil paintings and Robert O’Brien’s cele-brated watercolors are also often on show.

Manchester, a populous township east ofGrafton, is host to a thriving arts scene. One ofthe bright stars in this cultural constellation isthe Gander Gallery, aptly named by ownerAdria Schozer after a vision of sudden tran-scendence by mythologist Joseph Campbell.Transcendence is exactly what this gallery

strives for and achieves with its impressivecollection of paintings, including Sabra Field’sstarling geometric landscapes and the linearmeditations of Rich Gombar. Tim Allen’sevocative realist studies of intertwining treesare yet another reason to head east toward thistop-notch gallery.

Along West Road in Manchester lies one ofthe state’s most notable creative hubs, theSouthern Vermont Arts Center. Striving tobring visual and performing arts to the greatercommunity, the S.V.A.C. provides arts instruc-tion and education, exhibition and perform-ance space, as well as numerous opportunitiesfor community service. This January, theCenter holds its 20th Annual Winter Member’sExhibition, and will open an “Off The Hill”

pop-up gallery. The Yester House, a twenty-eight-room Georgian Revival Mansion pur-chased by the S.V.A.C. in 1959, holds ten gal-leries open year-round with works for salefrom more than 600 artists.

Also operating out of the S.V.A.C., IreneCole produces stunning abstract oil paintingsas well as pieces in everything from papier-mâché and collage to photography and metal-work. Her Beach Stone Series is perhaps Cole’smost impressive oeuvre, with abstract circularforms and expansive gradations instantly rem-iniscent of Gustav Klimt’s flattened, floralexplosions. The series will be hanging throughJanuary and is a body of work no art enthusi-ast should miss.

Continue onto Ludlow, home of the

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in the Garden Arts Building47 Highland Avenue, Manchester Depot, VT

802.233-1850

CONTEMPORARY ART GALLERYfeaturing artists

Irene Cole Jeremy Kraft

Jessica Phillips Erika Schmidtwith guest artists each month

Open Fridays & Saturdays12–5pm and by appointment

FLETCHER FARM SCHOOLFOR THE ARTS AND CRAFTS

Over 200 Arts and Crafts Courses Year Roundfor Adults and Young Artists 1 to 5 Day ClassesTaught by the finest instructors in the country!

LUDLOW, VERMONT

802.228.8770 WWW.FLETCHERFARM.ORG

20th Annual Winter Members’ ExhibitionJanuary 14 – February 3, 2012Opening Reception: January 14, 2–4pmFeaturing paintings, sculpture, photographs, and mixed media pieces. A juried show open to Arts Center Artist members from throughout the Northeast.

February Solo ShowsFebruary 18 – March 19, 2012Opening Reception: February 18, 2–4pmFeaturing the art of Brad Guarino, Marta Johansen, Mary Jean Kenton, Marla Korr, Dan Mosheim, Harry Rich, Eric Tobin, Thomas Torak, and Oscar Trugler.

930 SVAC Drive, West RoadManchester, Vermont 05254

The Heart of the Arts in Southern Vermont

exhibits performance education

Marla Korr Harry Rich

Eric Tobin

Come visit us in Grafton,VT for discriminating fine art.

74 Main Street,next to The Old Tavern Inn802-843-1440 hunterartworks@aol.com

Open May-October

22 ART NEW ENGLAND J a n u a r y / F e b r u a r y 2 0 1 2

Southern VTFletcher Farm School and its array of excel-lent classes, workshops, and festivals.Operated by the Society of Vermont Artistsand Craftsmen Inc., the school maintainsenduring artistic traditions while fosteringnew techniques in an idyllic Vermont setting.Classes range from decorative arts and paint-ing, needle arts, and jewelry to woodcarving,fiber arts, and fine art photography. A roster ofworld-class artists, including Louise Minksand Chester Kasnowski head the workshops.

Begun by artist Ian Baldwin, Two RiversPrintmaking Studio in White River Junctionoffers lectures, exhibitions, workshops, andfield trips to teach working artists about theworld of print. After spending time at an atel-ier print shop where artists could come and

go, Baldwin decided to bring this informalmodel to Vermont by offering tutelage andwork space for an extremely low fee.Upcoming classes include Intro Etching,Monoprint Madness, and The ContemporaryWoodcut. Next August, Two Rivers will holdtheir celebrated bi-annual juried show,Momenta, open to New England printmakers.

Next, it’s onto Woodstock, Vermont’squirky, quintessential New England gem,home to a multitude of artistic and culturalvenues—one of the finest of which is theWoodstock Gallery, featuring an array of jew-elry, painting, photography, metalwork, andpottery. Bonnie Acker’s sublime landscapes;Anne Cady’s surrealist-inspired paintings; andstately images of homes and barns painted by

Peter Batchelder, are all on view. Offering artconsulting and a superb roster of local artistsfor over fifteen years, this gallery is a fittingfinale for anyone visiting this laid-back locale.

Stay the weekend! Just fifteen minutesnorth of Woodstock, Twin Farms offers aregal country hideaway tucked amidst 300-acres of unspoiled woodlands. This elegantretreat, adorned with museum-quality paint-ings and American folk-art peppered through-out the gracious dining room, cabana, pub,and barn room, offers twenty unique lodgingsthat boast sitting areas with wood-burningfireplaces and king-size feather beds. Winterguests enjoy skiing, ice skating, sleigh rides,and much more at this exceptional accommo-dation. —Paul Adler

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The Woodstock Galleryfrom folk art to fine art

featuring a great selection of New England artists

6 Elm St, historic Woodstock, VT 802/457-2012www.woodstockgalleryVT.com

AN ART LOVER’S PARADISE

452 Royalton Turnpike Barnard, VT 05031 800-894-6327 www.twinfarms.com

Donald Roller Wilson www.donaldrollerwilson.com