light, color, texture, joy.

Gregory Blue is a West Chester-based painter, but he considers himself an observer first and foremost. “When we take the time to look closely, to look with the awe and wonder of a child, we come to understand our connection to the world,” he offers.

Born and raised in Pennsylvania and lifelong lover of outdoor exploration, Gregory began to paint “plein air” in 1985. When he discovered Natural Lands’ Stroud Preserve at the recommendation of his daughter, he was inspired. “It has become a sanctuary, a reconnection to the natural world that has always been the haven for my imagination, a place where I can think, the place where I feel most at home.”

The connection to this particular landscape compelled Gregory to donate 10 percent of the proceeds from his work inspired by Stroud Preserve to Natural Lands.

“In a world turned upside down by a pandemic, divided by political turmoil, and racked with extreme weather and natural disasters, many of us have returned to nature as a remedy. Spending time under the open sky and among the trees is grounding and helps us live mindfully in each moment. I hope my work will inspire the same awareness and appreciation for our world and the natural beauty that surrounds us all.”