Carolyn Bates

Christo and Jeanne-Claude The Floating Piers, Lake Iseo, Italy, 2014-16 Photo: Wolfgang Volz © 2016 Christo For sixteen days – June 18 through July 3, 2016 – Italy’s Lake Iseo was reimagined. 100,000 square meters of shimmering yellow fabric, carried by a modular floating dock system of 220,000 high-density polyethylene cubes, undulated with the movement of the waves as The Floating Piers rose just above the surface of the water. Visitors were able to experience the work of art by walking on it from Sulzano to Monte Isola and to the island of San Paolo, which was framed by The Floating Piers. … [Read more...]

When my four brothers and I were kids, our parents would take us on vacations to Cape Cod. Invariably, we would rent a cottage at Grand Cove in West Dennis. Just up the road from the cottage was an artist who painted seascapes and old clipper ships. His name was Alfred Gabali. I would say to him, “Sir, your paintings are incredible. It’s as if one can look right down through the waves. Your clipper ships are amazing.” Alfred would reply, “I sailed the seas for twenty years. I know every wave!” I loved watching him paint and, even as a kid, yearned to own one of his clipper ship paintings. A … [Read more...]

An 1869 Barn Receives an Authentic Restoration Story by Marisa Crumb • Photos by Carolyn BatesVERMONT HOMES AND GARDEN • March 2017 THE STATELY ITALIANATE HOUSE THAT SITS on a secluded double lot in the historic south side of Burlington has a delightful companion in the form of a lovingly restored carriage house just steps away. The cheerful dwellers in the carriage barn, Jack and Peggy Mentes, collaborated with their daughter Amy and son-in-law Ron Wanamaker, who reside in the Italianate front house. All four own the two-building parcel that, even though it is located in town, feels private … [Read more...]

Douglas Keister is Featured in Dailymail.com Dignity in the face of oppression: Incredible pictures capture the everyday life of African Americans in Jim Crow-era Nebraska   By Ann Schmidt For Dailymail.comPublished: 10:48 EST, 20 February 2017 | Updated: 14:40 EST, 20 February 2017 • Amateur photographer John Johnson took hundreds of pictures of the African American and immigrant communities in Lincoln, Nebraska, in the early 1900s • The pictures were taken during the New Negro Movement, which preceded the Harlem Renaissance, as a way to give a voice to African Americans in a time … [Read more...]

ONCE THE HUB OF A DAIRY FARM, LARGELY UNCHANGED, SIMPLE AND TRADITIONAL, THIS FARMHOUSE IN RURAL VERMONT HAPPILY EMBRACES COLOR USED WITHOUT INHIBITION. BY REGINA COLE | PHOTOS BY CAROLYN BATES Artist and interior designer Jenny Blanchard has an uninhibited aesthetic that developed in the far-flung places she has lived. Rooms in her old Vermont farmhouse show her penchant for creat-ing spaces that grow and change over time. The new takes its place alongside the historic, without regard for what is “proper” or “in good taste.” Jenny calls the result The Aesthetic of Joy. “As an interior … [Read more...]

I hope that you are all able to take a little time an do something you enjoy this holiday season whether it is fly fishing on the Mad River like Jerry Johnson or spending time with friends and family. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!- Carolyn Bates How to Make a Holiday Card ?❄️??❄️??❄️??❄️??❄️ Want to know how the card was made? See what I did to make this year's Christmas mailer. ?❄️??❄️??❄️??❄️??❄️ Step One: Find an image that you want to use. I chose this great photo of Jerry Johnson, Creek Road Poet (vtpoet.com), fishing on Mad River. Step Two: Look for some holiday elements that … [Read more...]

Congratulations to Cynthia Knauf on celebrating 25 years of offering Landscape Architectural Services! Here are some of her highlights... VERMONT photos: Jim Westphalen "PERFECT HARMONY - Knauf's deft mix of a variety of stone and plant materials enhances the architecture at every turn." -New England Home magazine??? photos: Carolyn Bates "GOOD FOR THE NEXT CENTURY - Burlington landscape architect Cynthia Knauf transformed the backyard into a garden sanctuary." -Old House Journal ??? photos: Carolyn Bates "INTO THE WOODS – The landscape features layer upon layer of outdoor spaces, some … [Read more...]

A delightful Stowe house is the epitome of all details considered. Story by Marisa Crumb  • Photos by Carolyn BatesVERMONT MAGAZINE • Winter 2016 THE CONTENTMENT AND ENTHUSIASM COME through clearly and immediately. Judy and Matt Beech-er are without a doubt very pleased with the results of their one-and-a-half-year collaboration with John Steel, owner and president of Steel Construction, also in Stowe, on the couple’s gorgeous, custom home. Completed in November 2014, the 6,000-square-foot house sits on eight “amazing acres with views of a beautiful pond,” which is what first attracted … [Read more...]

My mom, she set out a course for her life, and did it right. She died perfectly. Before anything really dire set in. My sister, Cindy Koster, my mom and I are all lucky… I am not sure I have it all together yet, as when I wander into a book shop or card shop, I stop and say “I should buy one for my mom,”…and then I stop. I used to be her foil when she wanted to make patterns from ready made dresses. While she had dresses turned inside out in the dressing room, to figure out the intricacies of bound button holes, I was moving new dresses in and out of the room, to make it appear that she was … [Read more...]

  You know that old derelict on the Waterfront called the MORAN plant or the NEW MORAN. Well you should take a cruise around INSIDE. An art exhibit modeled itself within its interior, adding lights for the month of August.  Cruising around with Kath Montstream, I decided to use "square" on my iphone. Yummy colors and shadows and shapes. Thank you Kath Montstream for being my guide. I am just so EXCITED about what I found. Won’t this be a dynamic “MassMoca” in Vermont, along with a “Chelsea Market” like atmosphere. People will come from miles around to see this. Anything is … [Read more...]

As we watch the construction progress at the new McClure Miller VNA Respite House, we have been busy making plans to welcome our community to the new space.  One of the most common questions we hear is, “What is going to be different at the new house?” Great care and thought has gone into the planning of the new space. While the physical appearance of the building will be different, the warmth, homelike feeling, and personalized care will remain the same. The staff and volunteers who welcome families and provide the direct support and care for residents are the heart and soul of Respite … [Read more...]

On Sunday September 11th, Gun Sense VT supported the LGBT community while marching at the Gay Pride Parade parade in Burlington, VT. This grassroots organization is getting the word out about preforming background checks for all. This important gun control issue is one that the Democratic party in Vermont supports including Sue Minter, running for Governor, and Dave Zuckerman, running for Lieutenant  Governor.Photo by Karen Pike Gun Sense VT: Independent. Successful. Growing. Gun Sense Vermont is an independent, grassroots organization of Vermonters who support stronger laws to ensure … [Read more...]

The historic Lamoille County Courthouse was built in the early 1900’s and is the centerpiece of the Village of Hyde Park. The Courthouse is on the Vermont and National Historic Registers. By 2012, the building was inadequate to meet the needs of the community. SAS Architects were hired to expand and renovate the Courthouse and improve accessibility. After study, they recommended two additions that were harmonious with the character and scale of the historic building. The additions contain a second courtroom, administrative space, a detention facility with Sallyport, Judges’ Suite and … [Read more...]

FOR SALE: AWESOME FLY FISHING LOCATION with two unique homes and this river front on the Mad River. About the property: MAD RIVER RETREAT This magical property sits at the confluence of the Mad and Winooski Rivers and combines the amenities of a world class spa, with a comfortable living environment. This two home complex includes the River House with 2 large bedrooms opening onto patios that cascade to the river and 2 bunk bedrooms. Living room, dining and kitchen all open to patios as well. Outdoor living at its finest, patios host hot tub and natural soaking pool. The Caretakers Cottage is … [Read more...]

The month of May stands out as a very special time of year for the Charles A. and Anne Morrow Lindbergh Foundation, as we pay tribute to Charles Lindbergh on this 89th anniversary of his solo “First Flight” across the Atlantic! On 20 May 1927, “The Spirit of St. Louis” took to the skies from a small airfield in New York, and landed 32 hours later in Paris, thereby launching a new era in the world of aviation forever.  On this notable occasion, we are delighted to share recollections from Charles and Anne’s youngest daughter, Reeve, with you:  The Spirit of St. Louis feels to me like … [Read more...]