If you  have not yet had a chance to view the exhibit “Flora & Fauna,” featuring paintings by Amy Denny and Kevin Veara, it is on display in LLCC’s James S. Murray Gallery through April 11. The public is invited to view the exhibit weekdays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

A statement by the artists about this exhibit says, “Flora and fauna are a beautiful distraction from our crisis-prone times. The ephemeral makes you stop and notice, or the moment is gone … Beauty of these moments should be treasured, absorbed with the eyes, inhaled deeply.”

Denny was born in Springfield and earned an associate degree from LLCC and a bachelor’s degree from Sangamon State University. She has worked in graphic design in both Illinois and California. Her painting skill has been recognized most recently in the 2018 Illinois State Fair Exhibition and the 2017 Lincoln Memorial Garden Exhibit at the Hoogland Center for the Arts.

Veara is a bird guide for Lincoln Memorial Gardens and has been leading hikes for nearly 20 years. He is currently restoring seven acres of land on the banks of the South Fork of the Sangamon River to create a haven for birds and animals. Living out in the country has allowed him to immerse himself in his subject’s habitat — seeing the arrival of birds in the spring and migration in the fall.