Vermont Standard
KILLINGTON — Even though local artist Peter Gould doesn’t consider himself to be a good artist, members of the Sherburne Memorial Library would strongly disagree – so much so that they just renamed their children’s department the Peter Gould Children’s Library with a plaque that reads, “In honor of a man who captures the wonder of childhood.”
The recent honor was part of the library’s third annual Ann Wallen Day celebration. Wallen was a commercial artist in New York City and came to the Rutland-Killington area and used her talents and energy to support the arts and develop a diversified community atmosphere.
“She was instrumental in the formation of the Killington Art Guild and in helping raise funds to furnish the Sherburne Memorial Library when the current building was built in 1999,” said Library Director Jane Ramos. “Ann was a wonderful teacher, mentor and community supporter and built a legacy of compassion and caring.”
Now joining the likes of Wallen, Gould has worked on a number of murals for the children’s department at Sherburne Library since December 2014.
“Much like Ann, he has a warm and generous spirit and is a phenomenal artist who has been able to capture the wonder of childhood in each and every brush stroke,” said Ramos. “People who have stopped in to see his work leave in awe using words like enchanting and magical.”
Festivities began late morning last Saturday with local award winning quartet Bullseye followed by a potluck community lunch and an open house in the children’s department to honor Gould and his work.
“I never expected that,” said Gould. “I don’t know what to say. I just wanted to create a place where people could come, get lost in the art and not want to leave.”
Arriving in the Killington area in the 1970s, Gould spent most of his life bartending. He has always dabbled with paint but started making a living selling art a few years ago. He works mostly with acrylics but loves pen and ink and pencil drawings as well.
In 2005, Gould painted a room in the library’s children department, turning the children’s bathroom into a Tiki hut complete with beach scene, bright jungle animals, and glow-in-the-dark stars on the ceiling.
Last year, the artist worked on a project to turn an office into a usable children’s space.
“We paid him what we could but no amount of money could come close to what his art is worth,” Ramos said.
Gould chose to paint shelving with windows in between to make the space look more like a children’s room. Visitors brought in stuffed animals for him to paint on the shelves. Each window looks out to a different season.
“The room detail is hard to describe,” said Ramos. “It is breathtaking and something you really have to see in person to appreciate. Peter is very humble an unassuming but he is an outstanding talent who has a eye for seeing the wonder and whimsy of things. Patrons walk into the room and don’t ever want to leave.”
Each of Gould’s murals contains a story in which children become enthralled, Ramos said.
“You can get lost in the detail he paints into every piece,” Ramos said. “Patrons use terms like awesome, beautiful, or extraordinary when they see what he has created for us.”
Gould also has other pieces of his works on display at the library and often displays his art at such local places as the Liquid Art coffeehouse and gallery that has a loyal local following for its signature martinis and unique restaurant menus.
“We hope folks will take some time to stop in and see the wondrous world he has created here at the Sherburne Library and encourage folks to purchase his paintings,” said Ramos. “Each one is a masterpiece. We’re very lucky to have such a talent here in Killington.”
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