“Flights of Fancy” Exhibit

“Flights of Fancy” features oil and mixed media paintings by Astrid Paustian and woodcarving and pyrography by Jim Sneary.  This exhibit runs July 19 – August 26 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Art Center of Estes Park.

After 36 years in the aerospace industry, Jim Sneary decided to try his hand at bird carving. Very quickly it became apparent that classes, practice and lots of patience were all required. Now he is having fun with his bird carvings and gourd art.  Jim is always looking for new and fun things to try and has added woodburning on wood and paper as well as carving and woodburning on gourds to his list.  He finds the work very relaxing, and it is a special bonus when others enjoy the results.

“I want to paint the way the bird sings,” Claude Monet once said. This quote captures the joy and spontaneity Astrid Paustian aims to express in her art. Living in Colorado, she is inspired by its stunning scenery and skies.  Astrid works in oil, pastel, mixed media, and on silk, enjoying the vivid colors and textures these mediums offer. Her art has become increasingly abstract, seeking to capture a sense of place and fleeting moments in time. Through abstract paintings, abstracted landscapes, and plein air works, she uses vivid colors intuitively to create pieces that are peaceful and uplifting.