On Wednesday evening, September 8, the Society of Creative Arts of Newtown (SCAN) will present guest artist Gary Eckhart, who will offer a demonstration on using watercolors to create a still life.

The program will begin at 7:30 pm in the lower level of Newtown Meeting House, 31 Main Street.

There is no charge.

Note, however, that the event is only open to fully vaccinated participants.

Of his work, Eckhart says, “I consider my work to be representational, not photorealistic; however, I do try to remain true to the shapes, textures, and patterns that initially inspired me. My work always starts with a small value sketch before placing a carefully executed drawing of the subject on archival watercolor paper.

“I prefer working on 300-pound paper because it eliminates any buckling of the paper during the painting process and allows me to use various techniques that would damage lighter weight papers.

“I often rely on numerous, but delicate, applications of layers of glazes of both staining and non-staining permanent pigments to develop the textures and subtle tones of color,” he added.

A resident of Warren, Vt., and the co-owner of Moosewalk Studios and Gallery there, Eckhart is particularly interested in capturing the rural beauty and rustic quality of the New England scene and picturing it in a way that others will look at it with a new vision.

“I want my work to be visually soothing and comforting while creating strong emotional responses of a simpler, more bucolic life,” he said.

Eckhart’s work is represented by the Artisans’ Gallery in Waitsfield, Vt.; Art Hound Gallery in Essex, Vt,; and Art In the Village, Warren, Vt.

He is a signature member of the Whiskey Painters of America, Niagara Frontier Watercolor Society, Illinois Watercolor Society, Northeast Watercolor Society, and Vermont Watercolor Society. He is on the advisory board of Mad River Valley Arts and serves as the curator of the annual Green Mountain Watercolor Exhibition.

His work has received awards at numerous national watercolor shows and is in collections in North and South America and Europe. He serves on the national board of directors of the American Artists’ Professional League.

Reservations are not required for SCAN programs. Additional information is available at scanart.org.