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Art opening salutes Earth Day: A collection of local environmental inspirations by Katie Roberts

Friday, April 22 at 6:30 p.m.—BRIDGEWATER—A solo exhibit of paintings by Katie Roberts will open at the Bridgewater Mill Marketplace, second floor, in Bridgewater on April 22, and be displayed through May 1.

By Katie Roberts

“A Salute to Earth Day” is a solo exhibit of paintings by Katie Roberts, a local nature artist. The exhibit will be open to the public, on the second floor of the Bridgewater Mill Marketplace starting Friday.

The opening reception to meet the artist will be held on Friday, April 22, 6:30-8 p.m. Viewing hours are: Wednesday-Friday 10 a.m.- 4 p.m.; Saturday 11 a.m.-3 p.m.; and by appointment.

In this exhibit, Katie Roberts presents local paintings she created based on the native forest areas that have inspired her since her youth. She stated, “The wild environment has fueled my creativity for decades, resulting in the diversity of this exhibit.”

Roberts explained, “As a regular runner, hiker, nature explorer and wildlife lover, I frequent remote places that others aren’t able to see or experience. Those places and wildlife are the subjects that I like to create in paint the most, knowing they are not supposed to be for my eyes alone; they should be shared for all. I also have a special place in me that knows that my pieces will be enjoyed for many years to come, not just seen in a brief moment of time locked away in my memory — which will be gone with me one day.

“This exhibit includes many pieces that are housed in my live-edge frames, which I design and craft myself with rescued slab wood directly from the saw mill, pieces that would be burned for sugaring wood or bonfires. In this way, my pieces are sustainable as well, which along with the painting subjects, aligns with opening on Earth Day.”

This is the first exhibit presented at the Bridgewater Mill Marketplace, though Roberts has created numerous murals and commissioned paintings through New England over the years. Chef Andrew of Drewski’s on the River stated, “Her amazing talent and imagination can be seen in her magnificent artwork.”

All paintings from “A Salute to Earth Day” will be available for sale. Roberts will donate a percentage of each sale to wildlife conservation. She stated, “Nature can’t communicate its needs; I feel as though my artwork visually speaks for it, that I just pass on the message.”

Roberts is a member of the Artists for Conservation, the world’s leading artist group supporting the environment. The AFC has members in 30 countries, and its mission is to support conservation and environmental education through art that celebrates nature. Roberts regularly donates worldwide to such wildlife conservation organizations as the Endangered Wildlife Trust, the Peregrine Fund, the Born Free Foundation and the American Bird Conservancy.

This exhibition continues Roberts’ ongoing inspirations and mission for endangered species recovery. Viewers can see paintings on exhibit in advance of the opening on her website: katiejroberts.com.

The Bridgewater Mill Mall is located on Mill Road in Bridgewater village, adjacent to Route 4.

About the artist

Katie Roberts is a full-time artist who lives in Bridgewater. As a nature artist, she has exhibited in the twin states at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Hanover, Equinox Village and Artistree and received the second place award from the Beaver Brook Association, N.H. as well as the People’s Choice and Best Riparian awards from the Vermont Institute of Natural Science. Her work has appeared several times in the Vermont Standard and is found in numerous private and public collections.

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