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COMMUNITY NEWS
The Hidden Chautauqua
FREE PAINTING AND NATURE JOURNALING CLASSES BEING OFFERED
According to Annear,
he has three main
Star News Writer
goals he would like to
see accomplished with
A regional landscape
artist is offering local "The Hidden Chautauqua" project:
residents a unique
opportunity to view
1) To encourage a
his paintings and take deeper appreciation
free lessons that will
and preservation of
help to explore some
rare and sometimes
of the hidden gems of endangered landscapes
the scenic landscapes
2) To engage commulocated throughout
nity members through
Chautauqua County.
artist talks, guided
“The Hidden Chauhikes and plein-air
tauqua” is a project
painting classes
that Thomas An3) To record the
near is using to offer
endeavors through his
a series of plein air
collaborative journalpainting and nature
ing and book project
journaling classes this
spring and summer on Annear believes that
the campus of SUNY our region’s beautiful landscapes are
Fredonia College
sometimes “hidden in
Lodge in Brocton.
plain sight” and that
Annear’s exhibition
it is unfortunate that
and art classes will
Chautauqua’s scenic
be free and open to
beauty is not highthe public, with the
lighted enough.
artist looking forward
“I’m looking to get
to using the college
artists of all levels
campus as the site for
to participate, from
the project because of
what he points out is its the beginning level
of say probably high
“rich biodiversity, exceptional beauty, rare school-aged kids on
up for the painting
wildflowers and safe,
classes,” said Annear.
easily accessible train
“Parents can bring
system and facilities.”
their children for the
journaling classes and
experience the opporWe are all
tunity to connect with
so busy with
nature together. I reour lives that
ally want to be joined
sometimes we by a wide spectrum of
simply overlook people who will make
the commitment to
and do not
observing the natural
take the time
state of their environto spend some ment and capture the
quality time in essence of what they
see and experience.”
the woods. Thomas Annear The plein air painting
classes will be held as
By Daniel Meyer
CHAUTAUQUA STAR
FRIDAY, APRIL 18, 2014
two-week sessions on
Saturdays over the
next three months,
with journaling classes
set to take place on
Tuesday, April 22
in conjunction with
SUNY Fredonia’s annual Earth Day programming and again
on Saturday, July
19 as part of what is
known as the “College
Lodge Bio Blitz.”
Each painting and
journaling session
will begin with a brief
guided hike to help
all of the participants
understand the difference between what is
defi ned as a “managed
forest” (which is approximately 99 percent of all the land in
Chautauqua County)
and what is considered
a “natural landscape.”
In addition, the short
hike will highlight the
important role wildflowers play in the
mature forest ecosystem. Participants will
be asked to focus on
different ephemerals as
they are coming into
bloom this spring, with
the goal of recording
those wildflowers and
their extremely delicate habitats.
Annear, who grew up
in Alexandria, Virginia and has lived in
Chautauqua County
since 2000, is hopeful
the classes represent a
unique opportunity to
embrace all that our
region has to offer.
“My real goal is to get
people out into the
woods and experience
and appreciate the
beauty of nature,” said
Annear.