“Mount Baldy, Philmont Scout Ranch” by Thomas Annear.

North Shore Arts Alliance is a not-for-profit cooperative marketing, promotional, and membership organization working on behalf of artists in Chautauqua County. The organization seeks to foster an environment where art strengthens the county’s image, economic vitality, and quality of life.

To that end, the North Shore Arts Alliance offers juried membership to local artists as well as membership opportunities for individuals and businesses who want to support its efforts to promote and integrate the arts into everyday life in the community.

Its signature event is the Chautauqua-Lake Erie Art Trail, a free open-studio tour in northern Chautauqua County. The Open Studio Tour is Saturday and Sunday. To see the specific stops, visit http://northshoreartsalliance.com/. The art trail incorporates 22 professional artists whose work represents a variety of media: painting, photography, sculpture, pottery, jewelry, fiber arts, wood, and mixed media.

One of the artists participating is Thomas Annear. Originally from Alexandria, Virginia, Annear and his wife moved to Fredonia in 2000. His studio is located at 43 Central. Thomas is one of the founding members for the North Shore Arts Alliance and the Chautauqua-Lake Erie Art Trail.

Over the past 15 years, Annear has been completing a series of Plein Air paintings that celebrate the beauty and history of local agricultural communities. Through these works he has sought to capture the unique geography, weather patterns, and natural resources of Western New York. Increasingly, conservation and sustainability issues have become central to his work.

Every spring, Annear heads off into the garden to create a series of paintings that focus on the formal and natural gardens in the community with locations ranging from his wife’s Iris and poppy garden on Central Avenue to the old growth forest gardens of the College Lodge in Brocton and Zoar Valley.

You can follow the adventure as it happens on his Facebook page: Thomas Annear Art. Or visit the works live at his Fredonia studio, 43 Central Ave., open by appointment and during the Chautauqua-Lake Erie Art Trail Saturday and Sunday of Memorial Weekend.

Veteran CLEAT artist, photographer and painter Trenton Lutes will be displaying works at Annear’s studio during this years open studio tour. More information is at www.facebook.com/toastedwafflestudios.

If you are interested in learning more about painting, Annear offers weekly Plein air and studio oil painting classes. For beginner and intermediate level artists, as well as Home School art classes for more information visit his website, ThomasAnnear.com.