Until a few years ago, Darlene Miklos of Murrysville only pulled out her easel and paintbrushes once a year to make the cover for her annual Christmas card despite a lifelong love of painting.

“I worked downtown for 14 years,” Miklos said. “Between the bus commute and the job, I just didn’t have the energy to come home and start painting.”

Since her retirement, however, the brushes are back, and Miklos has 18 pieces on display at the East Suburban Artists League gallery at the Murrysville Community Library. She has been a member of the artists’ league for the past two years.

From flowers and winter scenes to a landscape portrait of her son’s property, Miklos’s gallery is focused primarily on the outdoors.

“If I had to give it a theme, it would be ‘Through the Seasons,’” she said. “The photograph my son sent me was of sunset at his property, and it was so easy to paint. It has a special meaning for me because he took the photograph.”

The gallery also includes a painted version of a flower photo sent by Miklos’s daughter.

Finding places to showcase the artwork of its members has been a challenge during the covid-19 pandemic.

“It’s been difficult,” said President Arlene Holtz, of Pittsburgh’s East Liberty neighborhood. “Even as places are opening up, so many people are hesitant to go out and potentially expose themselves.”

The ESAL has only recently restarted its monthly meetings, using the Zoom platform.

“We have guest presenters at those meetings, so we’re trying to keep our artists engaged in that way,” Holtz said.

With the cancellation of outdoor events such as the Three Rivers Arts Festival and the Westmoreland Arts & Heritage Festival, groups like ESAL are even limited in their ability to showcase art in a safer outdoor setting.

“I think those opportunities, at least for 2020, are past,” Holtz said.

In the meantime, many ESAL artists are finding themselves with extra time to hone their craft.

Miklos said she is trying to keep up the same pace, artistically, and is enjoying working with the softness of watercolor paint.

“I used to use oil paint but, once I started using watercolors, I was hooked,” she said. “I like the way they look and how they’re translucent.”

Her gallery will be available to view at the library through the end of October. Library patrons must call in advance to make an appointment during the library’s public hours from noon to 3 p.m. on weekdays.

For more, call the library at 724-327-1102. For more on East Suburban Artists League, see ESALart.org.

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