Horned Clubtail Dragonfly, detail (© Barbara Vater)

“Unexpected Journeys,” paintings by Barbara Vater, will be on view in the Steinhauer Trust Gallery in January and February.

The exhibit features acrylic paintings made during the pandemic. Each began with a photo of a bird, insect, amphibian, or prairie plant, and a section was selected as the starting point for an abstract painting. The goal of Vater’s work is to celebrate remarkable places and inspire others to enjoy and protect the Earth now and for future generations.