Electrical boxes, parking lot walls, skate ramps: These have been some of the “canvases” for Clark Derbes, whose bold, geometric works enliven the public art landscape of downtown Burlington. For a project at Johnson State College last month, Derbes chose a different surface: pavement. That is, on a courtyard and walkway near the Visual Art Center. With the help of “students from a smattering of different art classes,” he created a painting you can walk on.... Read more

In 1969, Joe Edley went to San Francisco to find himself. Today Edley claims that, unlike many young people drawn to California in the ’60s, he never once took a drink or smoked a joint. Instead, he says, “I got high on the things I did.”... Read more

The nude calendar phenomenon in Vermont can be traced back to one enterprising and unabashed group of men from Calais. In 2002, the average Joes of Maple Corner dropped trou to raise money for their community center. They called it quits after two calendars and $500,000 in sales and in doing so passed the nekkid torch.... Read more

At last Friday’s opening reception for the Burlington Book Festival, two young authors — poet Christopher Lawless and playwright and humorist Alison Wisch — signed copies of their first published books.... Read more

When season brochures and newsletters arrive from our favorite arts organizations, most of us look at the pictures and read what interests us, but we don’t necessarily think: Wow, what a beautiful brochure! Nope, we pretty much take these printed pieces for granted. And that must be a source of chagrin to the graphic designers who apply talent and many hours to make them attractive, readable, easy to navigate and typo-free.... Read more

Another week, another art gallery. Seriously, it seems we’re always hearing about a new visual art venue popping up, and with the requisite “economy be damned” attitude. Then again, there’s never been a particularly great time to launch a gallery in Vermont, so why not now?... Read more

Turning Japanese? Not so much, but four artists from Vermont are certainly turning their sights toward Japan this winter.... Read more

Faubourg Tremé is a documentary steeped in the music and atmosphere of New Orleans. And it has an unlikely Vermont connection, as Venice, Calif., filmmaker Todd Darling discovered after he arranged to bring his brand-new Burning Fuse Film Festival to Merrill’s Roxy Cinema in Burlington.... Read more

Denise Davine, 47, has fond memories of growing up in the Wilson Castle in Proctor. She and her friends played hide and seek for hours in the 32 rooms on the 115-acre hillside estate overlooking Killington and Pico. The game wouldn’t be as much fun today, however, when the floors in some of the rooms are sagging dangerously and the intricate elegance of the hand-stenciled ceilings, marble verandas and brick turrets is peeling, fading and crumbling at an alarming rate.... Read more

We noted in early August that Steve Conant of Burlington’s Conant Metal & Light had called on artists to create chairs for a Design/Build Challenge benefiting the South End Art Hop and ReCycle North. And, boy, did they.... Read more