Poetic License

We think Mary Bryan anticipated what it would be to pull together a retrospective of her work!  After all, she was the most prolific, vibrant and versatile of artists, and every painting leads to another and another and another.  We found this logging scene amidst her watercolors - the only one of its kind.  Mary had a fascination for the efforts of the worker, which she captures in her paintings.  You can tell, it's time to go home! 

Mary, Mary

This oil painting by Mary Bryan looks just about like the scene out the window today.  Though almost 50 years have passed since Mary Bryan painted this scene of Stowe Village, her angular vision crystalized movement through the mountain village town, and her colors glistened through the ice of the season.

Here at Bryan Memorial Gallery today, we're in the midst of culling through over 1,000 of her works to select about 100 for the Gallery's 30th anniversary exhibition "In the Studio with Mary Bryan."  We're learning quickly that Mary's versatility brought vibrancy to every subject she touched, from still lifes, animals, east coast landscapes, western landscapes, to her totally unexpected foray into advertising art.  The range is wide and the explorations are deep.

Come along with us while we select the works for the show, back here often over the next few months. 

Pictured below

(Left)Gallery Assistant Longina Smolinski with(right)exhibit curator Fiona Cooper Fenwick in the midst of installing the show. They are standing next to Shaun Phillips installation of his Pre-WWII Lionel Train Set.

All Aboard Rolls into Bryan Station

There're a couple hundred people in the gallery from which I'm stealing a moment to say, "What an opening!" The enthusiasm is infectious; many are discovering artists new to them, and historical facts about Vermont and the country, through the lore of the railroads. What a key culture in our history - no wonder the image of the train has captured the imaginations of all ages for generations.

The gallery is open Friday - Sunday, 11 - 4 and by appointment at any time. 802-644-5100

ALL ABOARD ARRIVING AT BRYAN MEMORIAL JUNCTION

The doors opened this morning on All Aboard, Bryan Memorial Gallery's winter exhibition. In our glee, curator Fiona Cooper Fenwick, data manager Marcie Vallette and Executive Director Mickey Myers stood at the gallery's front door, mimicking train sounds. Then it was back to work to continue fine tuning over 500 historical objects, paintings, trains, toys, posters and videos that offer delight and information about railroad culture. Join us this weekend, Sunday, February 5 at 1 for the Artists Roundtable, and 2 - 4 for a reception in honor of the artists and lenders. We'll have you home in time for the Super Bowl.

All Aboard

"Do you hear that whistle down the line?" TRAINS are coming to Bryan Memorial Gallery - model trains, toy trains, paintings of trains, historical train artifacts, hooked rug trains, videos, you name it - an abundance of train imagery, celebrating railroad culture.

Plan to join us for ALL ABOARD, February 3 - April 1 at Bryan Memorial Gallery, Jeffersonville VT, and stay tuned for more information about this exhibit.

New England Plein Air Painters Paint Vermont

No sooner did we open our exhibition NEW ENGLAND PLEIN AIR PAINTERS PAINT VERMONT, than two of our NEPAP guests, Barbara Lussier (CT)and Mike Graves (MA), were back at their easels. This was the scene along Route 15 in Jeffersonville yesterday around 5:30.