The local landscape draws in Linda Goldman, Prospect Ridge Academy art teacher. As she soaks in nature during her hikes, she captures interesting scenes in photographs that inspire her painting. One of those paintings was exhibited in August as part of the Art Inspired by the Land Exhibit at the Canyon Gallery, the Boulder Library Main Branch. The community art exhibit ran from Aug. 5 through Sept. 18 and was sponsored by the City of Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks.

Goldman’s piece, titled “A Break in Reality,” features a scene inspired by one of her daily hikes during the height of the pandemic. As with many of her works, this one highlights the unique details of nature that she captured in a photograph.

“When I’m hiking, I look at the texture, color, and light of the scene around me,” she said. “That is what inspires my landscape paintings.”

Painting fills Goldman’s summer days. She spends about five hours a day during the summer painting, a process she continues on the weekends during school. Goldman said she feels it is essential for her to be creating and exhibiting as an example to her students.

“I ask my students to paint every day, so it is important for me to remain creative too,” she said. “I also encourage them to enter contests and exhibits, and to be able to advise them about these processes; I need to experience doing them as well.”

Goldman has been exhibiting for over 20 years and said that she was honored to be chosen for the Art Inspired by the Land Exhibit.

“I was really honored to have a piece chosen for this show,” she said. “A lot of professional artists entered this show, which was juried. I entered three pieces, and one was chosen.”

Prospect Ridge Academy

Goldman Inspired by Nature