MIDDLEBURY — Elaine Ittleman paints large abstract landscapes. Bold and colorful, they have an improvisational feel and apparent joie de vivre. Ittleman is passionate about art and has been painting for over 20 years in various media including oil, watercolor and pastel. Her work has evolved through impressionistic landscapes to a more abstract approach. She will exhibit 14 recent oil paintings in the Jackson Gallery from May 19-June 25. An artist’s reception will be held this Friday, from 5-7 p.m. in the gallery.
Ittleman creates art “simply for the joy of it” and has taken classes at the Arts League in New York City, Community College of Vermont and other workshops. Her paintings have been included in numerous regional exhibits.
“We all approach art as individuals with all the experiences that make us who we are,” said Ittleman, who is a practicing labor and delivery nurse at the University of Vermont Medical Center. “We all react to art differently. Therefore, I prefer to create rather than interpret my work.”
When she is not working or painting, Ittleman and her husband Frank welcome the public to their Lemon Fair Sculpture Park in Shoreham during the summer and fall months. The magnificent pastoral setting is home to their collection of outdoor works by several sculptors. The self-guided mile long path is the realization of their vision  — to share the beauty of the land and the sculpture with everyone.            
The Jackson Gallery is located in the lower level of Town Hall Theater in Middlebury. Gallery hours are Monday through Saturday 12-5 p.m., and an hour before any public events in the building. For more info, call (802) 382-9222 or visit  www.townhalltheater.org.