The Coutts Memorial Museum of Art is unveiling its newest exhibit, “The County Life...the art of Maleta Forsberg.”

The exhibit opens Friday, when a public reception will be held from 6 to 8 p.m., with an “Art Talk” at 7 p.m. by the artist.

Her landscapes are what stands out to Rhoda Hodges, Coutts co-director.

“She does beautiful skies,” Hodges said. “One of my favorite in the exhibit is called ‘Burning Pasture’ and it has this pasture burning below this blue sky with white clouds.

“She just does such beautiful landscapes.”

But her paintings, which are mostly watercolor, with a few oils, go beyond just landscapes, and include wildlife as well.

Forsberg, a native Kansan, has her studio in the perfect setting for inspiration.

Her home and studio are located in the country, 10 miles southeast of Lindsborg and adjacent to Olive Springs School House. The old school house was built in 1885 and has been restored as an art gallery to display Forsberg’s paintings, prints and memorabilia of the country school era. The public is welcome by appointment. She and her husband also own the Forsberg Art Gallery in Lindsborg.

The paintings exhibited in this show at the Coutts are examples of the special pleasure she derives from paintings.

“Painting is always an adventure and I am fortunate that I don’t have to go far to experience the adventure of discovery,” Forsberg said. “I am blessed to live in Kansas where there is a diverse landscape and the changing seasons always bring new beauty and challenges. What we previously took for granted can suddenly be transformed by the sunlight or blanket of snow.”

Her plein air paintings are mostly watercolor. They dry quickly and the supplies are easy to transport. She usually puts on the finishing touches in the studio where she also works with oil and acrylics.

Over the years, Forsberg and her family have raised a number of animals, everything from buffalo to cats, along with peacocks, chickens, ducks and geese. Deer, wild turkey, pheasants and quail also inhabit the place and her bird feeders are always popular. She has spent many enjoyable hours of sketching and hopes her paintings reflect these observations.

Forsberg received her art training from the Kansas City Art Institute, The Wichita Center for the Arts and workshops with Edgar Whitney, Robert Wood, Mildford Zornes and Georg Shook. Her paintings have been selected for exhibit in numerous juried shows including, Watercolor USA, Louisiana Watercolor Society national Exhibition, Wichita Centennial National Watercolor Exhibition, The Kansas Watercolor Society Shows, The National Wildlife Exhibitions in Kansas City, “Watercolors” 1993 and 1994 shows at the Coutts, “A Taste of the Heartland” from the Land of Kansas Art Exhibition sponsored by the Kansas Department of Agriculture and the Kansas Artists’ Postcard Series XVII, sponsored by the Association of Community Arts Agencies of Kansas.

Her paintings have been featured in the Kansas Magazine, Kansas Wildlife Magazine, Kansas Country Living, Women’s Household, Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association and The High Plains Journal.

The exhibit will be on display at the Coutts through April 25. The reception is free and open to the public. The museum is open Monday through Saturday. For more information, call 321-1212.