Featured Stories

Vermont Art Guide Editor Ric Kasini Kadour: "Vermont Art Guide started Artists to Watch last year as a way of taking the pulse of the state’s art scene. This year, we refined the project a little and recruited ten curators to each select one artist and tell us why they were on their radar. Some reached far and identified an artist who they would like to work with but haven’t yet had the opportunity to do so. Others went for an artist from their own organization or gallery who they felt deserved special recognition. Some chose artists for what they have accomplished and others chose artists they felt had great potential and the were on the cusp of doing something great. The ten artists featured here are making remarkable contributions to Vermont art. It is by no means an exhaustive list but a wonderful place to start." Read More

During her sophomore year in college, then eighteen-year-old Rebecca Nase Chomyn showed up to her first welding class in a skirt and flip flops. That was the day they were doing a demo of plasma cutting. “Basically you’re shooting fire toward the ground as you cut metal,” said Chomyn, who graduated from Pratt Institute, in Brooklyn, NY, with a Bachelor of Fine Arts majoring in sculpture. “And I had flip flops on! I never did that again.” Although her wardrobe choices weren’t great, her metal work was awesome. Read More

THRIVE! was a unique community art celebration presented by Burlington High School students taking part in the new Burlington City & Lake Semester program (BCL) in collaboration with Vermont artist Mary Lacy. The opening on December 12 exceeded all expectations. The students' work was looped, then projected in giant scale on the North facade of the Old North End (O.N.E.) Community Center. The result was striking and beautiful. Or as one student, Isabel, put it in her journal the next day, “It was majestic.” Subsequent showings were hosted at Burlington High School (outdoors), Arts Riot (indoors) and Burlington’s Highlight New Year's Eve celebration (indoors). Read More

Artist in residence Mary Lacy led an immersive, semester-long exploration of art and community for high schoolers in the Burlington City & Lake Semester program (BCL). Near the end of the semester, each student made an original piece of art in response to the question, "What makes community thrive?" Read More

“It’s really a blessing when you get to love what you do.” Heather Geoffrey, the new managing director at Main Street Arts in Saxtons River said that about her job. Few people are as qualified as she to make that statement. Heather teaches people to uncover self-expression through art and through the shaping of their life. She has decades of experience in nonprofits; having served as education and outreach coordinator, executive administrator, assistant director, and director in different organizations. She is also an artist, painter, poet, and photographer. She is a teacher. How about mystic or healer? "All of those are accurate," she says. Read More

In response to an increase in hate crimes in Vermont, nearly 60 cultural organizations in the state have signed this statement promoting inclusion, respect, and change in their communities: Last month, the FBI reported that hate crimes in Vermont increased for the second year in a row, and are now at their highest level since 1995. The evidence of escalating hatred and bigotry is right here in Vermont. There are dozens of examples from Burlington to Brattleboro, St. Johnsbury to Bennington. As cultural leaders, we stand against hate and violence and we will take action. Read More