While we all practice our safe social distancing there’s no reason to shy away from art, especially when you can view galleries (near and far) online. Here’s a round up of local galleries’ digital options.
Deborah Holmes, Bristol
Commission a piece from Deborah Holmes or take a tour of her home-gallery. Get in touch by visiting her website, emailing [email protected] or call (802) 453-8511. You can also follow her on Facebook @DeborahHolmes.
Edgewater Galleries, Middlebury
Edgewater plans to stick to its spring schedule with its April (or possibly April and May shows) exhibited entirely online. Going up now is “Sight Seeing,” a group show with Elizabeth Hoag, Kathryn Milillo, and Julia Purinton. Coming in May is “Perspectives,” a  group show with Jane Davies, Jon Olsen, and Alexis Serio. By June, the gallery hopes to have its doors open again for two shows: “Reflections,” a group show with Kathleen Kolb, Lori Mehta, and Karen O’Neil; as well as “3 Solos: One Gallery,” featuring Hannah Bureau, Sara Katz, and Jill Matthews. 
More info online.
Middlebury Studio School, Middlebury
Alphabet Illuminated: Flowers and fairies art project
Make your own illuminated manuscript — a manuscript in which the text is enhanced with decoration such as initials, borders and miniature illustrations — take a picture, and send it to Barb Nelson at Middlebury Studio School ([email protected]). She’ll post all the creations in a gallery on their website.
Town Hall Theater, Middlebury
The Quarantine Sessions, a series of short videos showcasing THT all-stars, are continuing. Check the THT’s social media channels, Facebook @townhalltheatervt; Instagram @thtmidd and compiled on their website. MCTV will also be broadcasting these mini shows.
Here’s the line up from this week (you can watch performances from earlier in the week online too):
Monday, April 6: Lindsay Pontius, THT Education Director
Tuesday, April 7: Glendon Ingalls, Master Trumpeter & Music Educator
Wednesday, April 8: Bill Bickford, Star of MCP and THT Musicals
Thursday, April 9: Lisa Mitchell, THT General Manager
Friday, April 10: Christal Brown, Middlebury College Dance Professor 
Saturday, April 11: Nathaniel Rothrock, 12 THT productions, with Ray Rothrock, his dad
Sunday, April 12: John Riesen, OCM’s “Cendrillon” and next year’s “Maid of Orleans”
THT is also hosting Met Opera Nightly Streams, National Theatre programming and the upcoming screening of “Vincent Van Gogh: A New Way of Seeing.” 
World Collage Day, International
Happy World Collage Day. Never heard of it? Not too surprising, it was started just two years ago by Ric Kasini Kadour, an artist who lives and works in Montreal and Louisiana. Anyway, it’s World Collage Day today, May 9, and Kadour is inviting all artists to come together and create collage. 
“Collage is magic,” said Kadour, who is also the editor of Kolaj Magazine. “This year World Collage Day will take place during a time when artists need to practice social distancing. World Collage Day will be a kind of magic trick that shows how, in spite of this, we can still come together as a community and celebrate collage.”
In 2018 Kadour saw 50 events in 25 countries, and thousands of posts on social media using the hashtag, #worldcollageday. The following year, the event continued to grow. Today, artists need to get even more creative to stay safe amid the coronavirus pandemic. Ideas include making and sharing Collage Starter Kits with their neighbors, installing collage exhibitions in street facing windows, and hosting online collage making events. Artists are invited to submit their projects before May 1 online here.
Free Online Art Lessons with Lillian Kennedy, Vergennes
Refresh your spirit with fearless drawing and painting. Learn how online here.
Vergennes artist Lillian Kennedy puts up a new Staycation Art Lesson on the website each week. The older lessons remain available for everyone to access. All levels of experience welcome. All you need is a pencil and paper.
The lessons are designed to bring mindfulness and pleasure into your life through seeing and expressing.