Verdant Hills - Tarrywile Park Plein Air Festival 2011

8"x8" oil on gessoed masonite archival artboard

"In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks." - John Muir

My last painting at Tarrywile Park. It felt so great to have all these rolling hils stretch out before me, with the tall grasses waving in the breeze. What a wonderful gem we have in our state. It is so rare to have that huge amount of greenspace available, open for hiking, painting- true recreation!

This Saturday (tomorrow, June 4th) is CT Trails Day, and also the Art Exhibit & Sale in the afternoon, from 2pm-6pm. If you're in driving distance, come on over. For more information, and directions, check out the web-site to the park, here. The exhibit will be held inside the mansion on the grounds- a great opportunity to see inside this architectural marvel (as it's not usually open to the public) as well as the works of art done on the grounds this week!

Rolling Hills of Tarrywile - Plein Air Festival 2011

“If the sight of the blue skies fills you with joy, if a blade of grass springing up in the fields has power to move you, if the simple things in nature have a message you understand, Rejoice, for your soul is alive.”


Eleanora Duse

8"x10" oil on linen mounted on archival board

This week I have the good fortune to spend some time exploring on the other side of Connecticut. There is a wonderful place right in the middle of Danbury called Tarrywile Park. It consists of a magnificent Victorian mansion built in 1896 and over 700 acres of pristine open space. Artists will be painting through out the park from May 31st through June 4th. On Saturday there is a plein air exhibit and sale in the mansion from 2pm - 6pm. For more information about the park & events, click here!

Looks like it's going to be a super week out there! My first spot to paint was this one behind the red barns, looking out across some of the rolling fields there. It's truly wonderful to have access to this kind of open space. Lots of hiking trails, it's a great place to get yourself "one with nature".