Carolyn Bates

UPDATE: For a while we worked on stopping the mall from redeveloping to 160 ft, but decided that our fight should instead be redirected to the overal permanent zoning change that the city requested. You can still stay in the loop on Facebook, at the Stop the 14-Story Mall Page where can join in the discussion to find out news news, facts, strategy for demanding public process, due diligence, and sanity in evaluating the mall project in Burlington. Also visit The Burlington Free Press for the latest coverage! What would a 14-story mall-apartment complex bring to Burlington? WOULD IT EXPAND … [Read more...]

I just came back from NYC. The High Line was top on my list to see. It was raining. Drats. So What. I took the subway, and walked around construction until I found 10th and 28th st. Looked up high, and there it was. Finding stairs next door, I took them up and up and up. My umbrella went inside out, so I put up the hood on my rain coat, and my iphone in a pocket and out I went. I had visited the archtiects site before going, so I knew what to look for. It was simply wonderful. The old RR tracks, grasses, crocus, plants, whispy wind blown trees, lounge chairs. Huge spaces between or inside of … [Read more...]

I am really excited to share this with you all. My cousin’s husband has found the protein for Parkinson's Disease!!!!!!! Structure of protein that forms fibrils in Parkinson's patients could lead to new diagnostic and treatment options CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Chemists have identified the complex chemical structure of the protein that stacks together to form fibrils in the brains of Parkinson’s disease patients. Armed with this knowledge, researchers can identify specific targets for diagnosis and treatment. University of Illinois chemists, collaborating with peers at the University of Pennsylvania, … [Read more...]

The other day I was able to join the Sacred Harp Community of Vermont and take some photos. The experience was so great that I wanted to share with you the photos from that day and a note that I recieved. "Wow, these are amazing photos!! It was so nice you were able to come to the singing yesterday! I saw you taking a few photos, but I had no idea you were hard at work doing such an incredible documentation of the day! Our style of singing is usually really hard to capture in photos since the hands move so fast and there are usually big windows all around the room, turning people into … [Read more...]

A Tour of Sequoia Salon “rooted in history, surrounded  by wood, beauty and light…” As you pull up to the exterior of Sequoia Salon, you will notice a smokestack at the end of the block-long building with the date 1858 on its facade. This building was originally Kilburn and Gates Furniture Factory, a company that would ship its product to New York and Boston via Lake Champlain and its canal systems.  Many of the original architectural features are still in place today as witnessed in the post and beam structure.  The name of my business, Sequoia, is from a nickname given to me … [Read more...]

On February 26th, the Shelburne Museum had a Snow Day! It was such an absolutely awesome day that I got to spend there with Nan Patrick and Cindy Knauf. One of the exhibits we were able to see was the ARCTICtecture: The Ice Shanty Project featuring top Vermont Architecture firms. The participating firms include TruexCullins, Peregrine Design Build, Pill- Maharam Architects, S2 Architecture, and Selin and Selin Architecture. These will be on view until April 11. Read more Architects Go Arctic: Ice Shanties at Shelburne Museum  By Amy Lilly Setting aside last weekend's subzero … [Read more...]

What can be better than capturing some fun images with my iPhone while walking down Church St, Burlington, VT at night! … [Read more...]

Have a Nominee for the 2016 Preservation Awards? The Preservation Trust of Vermont is pleased to announce that we are now accepting nominations for our 2016 Preservation Awards. Since 1982, PTV has recognized outstanding contributions in the field of historic preservation. Awards are presented to the individuals and organizations who have made special contributions in preserving Vermont's historic architecture. The deadline for nominations submissions is Tuesday, April 5th.  All awards will be presented at our annual conference on June 10, 2016 in Waterbury, Vermont. Download an … [Read more...]

  Here is how to go from a DULL daytime to a GLORIOUS DUSK interior.Day time, dull...lacks color....but keep it because it has a glorious fire. Return at dusk, when the sun shines directly into the living room and reshoot the same angle. Add fire from daytime shot. Take a darker version at dusk to capture the lampshade detail. Add in the lampshades. Tweak colors, contrast, light/dark, sharpen. … [Read more...]

Architect: Haynes and Garthwaite architects, Norwich, VT • Builder: Naylor & Breen Builders Inc., Brandon Vermont Take a look at this amazing new farmhouse with all the charm of one that has been there for decades!   Located in the Upper Valley, this 4 bedroom home was designed to capture the character of a New England farmhouse and was sited to preserve as much farmland as possible while providing views up and down the valley from the principal rooms.  The house and barn define an outdoor room that frames a visitor’s view across the valley into Vermont.  The barn contains … [Read more...]

Do you know Where the Bears Are? Sculptor, Charlie O’Brien, is a master at creating the most amazing carved wooden bears. These sculptures are so much fun and truly adorable representations. Some of them even have names! He carves these wooden bears from sections of huge trees using a chain saw and any other tools that are needed. You can have the artist make them to order or simply purchase one that he has carved using his own creativity. In fact, if you want to, you can even watch him carve and see the chips fly.  So if you are heading up to Vermont and want to stop by, he is on the … [Read more...]

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This year's Christmas card is going to be something a little different. Not only will it be a Special Edition, but there will be an amazing poem from Jerry Johnson on the inside. Creating the card was a lot of fun and here is how I did it.Step One: I took the original photo from my iPhone. Step Two: Now is where the fun part starts. I isolated the house and the tree to play around with the lights. I added lights, took them away, and then added them again. In the end, I took out the tree completely and moved on to the background. There were different gradients and color combinations added … [Read more...]

As soon as I got this in my email inbox from Louis Postel of Postelink, I knew that I had to share this with all of you. Enjoy! This tip concerns our profile photos elicited by Facebook, LinkedIn and other social media platforms. I personally hate being photographed. More precisely, my body hates it. My eyes just automatically shut. Photographers need duct tape to keep them open. I am not alone in that department. All the same, everyone needs a good head shot. But why? Isn't our culture already chocking to death on narcissism and conventional ideas of beauty? Adding to it just adds to … [Read more...]

Take a look at the hottest new hair salon in Burlington! Shari Powers, the owner of Sequoia Salon, and her two Fantastic stylists Sarah Jean and Tabitha Fuller are excited to unveil the revitalized salon. They artistically blend new colors into your hair and style it so you feel great about yourself and your new “do”. Over the past year, Shari and her team powered on while they were renovating her new space in the Lane Press Building.    But now that all is said and done, don’t you think it is worth it? This stunning space used recycled barn wood, old water pipes for … [Read more...]