BENNINGTON -- Southern Vermont College’s Burgdorff Gallery in the Everett Mansion is currently hosting an exhibit of paintings by Stanley Brostoski, a long-time Shaftsbury resident who passed away in June, through Sept. 25.

The exhibit is free and open to the public when the building is open.

The artist’s wife and life partner, Mary, will be present at a reception for the artist scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 22, from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. The reception is free and open to the public.

Fifteen works on both canvas and paper show the artist’s interest in the natural scene as painted landscape and in the human figure as well. Brostoski last exhibited his photography at Southern Vermont College in 2005. According to supplied material, "Brostoski’s contributions to art and his sharp dry wit in this ephemeral memorial to him will be recognized."

After attending and receiving a bachelor’s and master’s degree from Rutgers University and the State University of New York at New Paltz, Brostoski spent his life making art and photography, teaching art in Hoosick Falls, N.Y., and practicing a wide range of interests that utilized his manual skills and focused intelligence.

The artist’s work is described as dynamic and fluid and communicates what Brostoski called "the essential gesture." The use of an earthy palette to express the visual essence of the human figure, nature forms, and the overall nuances of the landscape, signifies the artist’s passion for the colors found in nature: umber, sienna, earthy green, blue grays, black and white predominate here in harmony with visual structure and asymmetrical balance. Brostoski’s work calls attention to the physical forces that permeate the human and natural realities, which through his unique artistic process, merge with physical form and the properties of the painting medium.

Brostoski’s work has been shown throughout the northeast and he was long associated with several regional organizations committed to art, artists, and their respective communities. The paintings in this exhibit are for sale.

Additionally, Brostoski was a recognized equine photographer with many published photographs including several covers for the "Morgan Horse Association Magazine" and the "Yankee Horsetrader" publication. The Burgdorff Gallery is open weekdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. For more information call 802-447-6388 or e-mail communications@svc.edu.