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’Tis the Season
F
or two days only, Kristen Thies of West
Wind Fine Art will present a holiday
showcase featuring new paintings by some
of today’s leading artists. The holiday show,
which will take place at the historic Bruder
House in Keene, New Hampshire, happens
December 14 and 15 and not only includes
fresh artwork but has special events for
collectors and art enthusiasts alike to enjoy.
Paintings in the show, which kicks off
December 14 with an artist reception and
opening from 4 to 7 p.m., are by artists
Richard Schmid, Nancy Guzik, Kathy
Anderson, Carol Arnold, Stephanie
Birdsall, Maggie Cahoon, Josh Clare,
Cynthia Feustel, Daniel J. Keys and Judy
Stach. There also will be a new limited-
edition print by Timothy R. Thies available.
Among Keys’ paintings for the exhi-
bition is Cup, Carnations, & Rosehips.
Describing the painting, he says, “I often
try combining several elements to create
an interesting composition, even on a
small-scale piece such as this. I’ve had a
fascination with rose hips as of late, and
found these while plein air painting with
a friend. I’m always apprehensive about
taking things from nature (trying to be
as respectful as possible), but these weregrowing in abundance over a fence and
nearly sprawling out into the roadway, and
I loved them instantly! They add beauty
long after the blooms have faded, and
I think that’s special in and of itself. The
cup was a gift from an artist friend, and
has showed up in several works over the
years—it’s antique and has a beautiful and
delicate Asian pattern. The carnations are
a nod to my mentor, Richard Schmid, as
I don’t think anyone in the art world paid
much attention to the ‘common’ speciesuntil they saw how he handled them in
paint. Combined, these objects create a
unique composition that’s loose and casual
in design, intimating what nature does so
well but is so easily missed.”
The Window Box, by Stach, is the artist’s
observation of what can appear in a flower
window box throughout the year. “A
window box by itself is merely a container,
an empty space, which when filled with
seeds can become something to celebrate
as the flowers and other plants springUPCOMING SHOW PREVIEW / WEST WIND FINE ART
12/14 -12/15 Keene, NH12 3