Who among us does not love wildlife and the opportunity to watch animals go about their business? Eagles soaring overhead, alligators basking in the sun, dragonflies dancing among the cornflowers, graceful gazelles leaping across the African savannah – all of these creatures inspire wonder and awe.

For many artists, wildlife offers rich artistic opportunities. They choose to paint animals for all sorts of reasons. They are fascinated with their shapes, colors and unique abilities that are so different from our own – like flying or living under water. They love to capture the intricate beauty of feathers, fur, scales or leathery hides. They appreciate the chance to lose themselves in the natural world. Whatever the reason, artists who paint animals give the rest of us the chance to experience the same joy and wonder.

The 225 artists who are accepted to participate in the 25th Annual Paradise City Arts Festival in Northampton are the “best-of-the-best” of America’s independent painters, sculptors and craft makers from every corner of America. Each season, Paradise City introduces dozens of exciting new artists who will exhibit their work in the Northampton show for the first time.

This show’s Directors’ Picks include an artist from Florida whose oil paintings capture enthralled art lovers in museums, a Brooklyn jeweler who explores her urban edge, a North Carolina glassblower inspired by the sea and a mask-maker of endangered animals from New York State.

Paradise City events have often been described as “designed and curated from an artist’s perspective”. Meet Linda H. Post, Founding Director and artist, at her exhibition “The Willing Suspension of Disbelief”.

One thing it means is a whole lot of work recently for Founding Director Linda Post, whose show of recent paintings, “The Willing Suspension of Disbelief”, just opened at R. Michelson Galleries in Northampton, MA. Post’s paintings are of women, the sea, mysterious encounters and uncommon places.

Open studios have increasingly become an available and entertaining way for fine arts and craft aficionados to find and collect work from their favorite artists. Patrons can visit artists in their studios, see how they work and select from the broadest collection of their works.

Here are upcoming open studios dates for some of our exhibitors.

Choosing a ring for a loved one can be a nerve-wracking experience, and the endless variety of choices can make it even more of an endurance test. How to pick from the hundreds and hundreds of rings on display at your local jewelers?

But there’s another option to the mass market ring, which is to have a jeweler design a custom ring just for your loved one. Custom rings give you the opportunity to create a dream ring, one that will have greater meaning and importance to the wearer for a lifetime.