St. Michael's Farm Preservation Celebration and Art Exhibit

"St. Alphonsus From St. Michael's"
6x8 oil on canvas

"St Michael's Creek"
6x8 oil on board

The D&R Greenway Land Trust recently preserved the 340 acre Saint Michael property just outside of Hopewell Borough and this weekend they're having a celebration to mark the occasion, featuring:

• live music
• food and beverage vendors
• the First Annual Hopewell Valley Trail Run
• information about the Preserve
• an exhibition & sale of plein-air art of the St. Michaels Farm Preserve (which is how I fit in)

"Hopewell Valley"
8x10 oil on board

The Land Trust invited artists to paint and photograph the Preserve last weekend. It was my first visit to the property, and I was amazed at what an absolutely gorgeous piece of land it is - 200 acres of farmland, 140 acres of mature forest, creeks and streams, views overlooking Hopewell and Hopewell Valley. I am so thankful that this was preserved! If it were developed, it could have been covered with up to 1,020 homes plus commercial space.

Last weekend I did the 4 small paintings shown here and they'll all be exhibited at the celebration being held this Saturday, June 12 from 11:30 to 2:30. (Rain date June 13.) Park at the Hopewell Elementary School on Princeton Ave, and shuttles will be taking people to the park entrance on Aunt Molly Road. It's recommended to bring a blanket or lawn chair with you. Visit the D&R Greenway website for more information.

35% of the proceeds from all artwork sold will go to the D&R Greenway, so your purchases will help support a good cause!

"St Michael's Barn"
8x10 oil on linen

The Preserve takes it's name from the St. Michael's Orphanage and Industrial School built there in 1896 by the Diocese of Trenton. The orphanage closed in 1973 and the land remained undeveloped until the Diocese approached the Greenway in 2004 and set the wheels in motion for preserving the property. Fortunately for us, that came to pass, and the land was officially preserved as of Jan 19, 2010. I hope you can attend the celebration and see St. Michael's for yourself.

By the way, I painted inside the barn one day because it was so hot and windy outside. The barn provided some nice relief, and a group of barn swallows provided some nice entertainment while I painted.

Artsbridge 16

"On Cider Mill Road"
18x24"  oil on canvas

My painting "On Cider Mill Road" was accepted into the Artsbridge 16th Annual Juried Show.  Artsbridge is the area's premier arts organization and this annual show always includes some of the region's finest artists.  The show opens June 5 and runs through June 27, 2009 at:

Riverrun Gallery
287 South Main Street (Rt 29)
Lambertville, NJ 08530
609-397-3349

Opening reception is Saturday June 5, from 6 to 9 pm.

Cider Mill Road is on one of my regular cycling routes and I go by this farm often.  I'm always intrigued by the little group of farm building surrounded by wide open fields and not much else in sight.   But on this day it was they sky that really grabbed my attention.   The sky was was doing that a lot to me last year.   Lately my attention is shifting to something else, but more on that later.   I hope you get a chance to see the show.