Life in Brattleboro through the lens of Robert George

As part of its 50th anniversary celebration, the River Gallery School of Art, 34 Main Street, presents “Shared Histories: Bob George Photographs Through the Decades,” a retrospective exhibition spanning four decades of life in Brattleboro. The exhibition will be on display in July and August, Mondays through Fridays, 10 am to 4 pm. There will be an opening reception on Friday, July 3, from 5 to 8 pm, and a second reception during the August Gallery Walk, on Friday, August 7, from 5 to 8 pm.

This body of work features photographs from the 1980s onward that offer a record of life in Brattleboro. A familiar figure on the town’s streets, camera in hand, George has quietly recorded the people, places, and moments that shape community life. George’s photographs capture snowstorms that brought Main Street to a halt, changing storefronts and landmarks, local events, businesses opening and closing, buildings being constructed, renovated, and demolished, and generations of people who have gathered downtown over the years.

A longtime Brattleboro resident, George has witnessed the town evolve in both subtle and dramatic ways, while also revealing the enduring qualities of community: the friendships, curiosity, humor, and shared experiences that connect community across time. These photographs celebrate the everyday and encourage the viewer to look more closely at Brattleboro and its people. Together, these images create a collective portrait of the town: continually changing, yet remarkably familiar.

Particularly moving are George’s photographs of people. These images capture residents as they gather, socialize, come of age, work, celebrate, and inhabit Brattleboro through the decades. Many of those pictured have since passed away, moved elsewhere or built lives far from Vermont. Yet viewers will find much that remains familiar. The fashion, gestures, expressions, and quiet moments captured in these photographs reveal the timeless experience of finding one’s place in a community.

For those connected to the River Gallery School, George has long been a steady presence, having documented not only the life of Brattleboro but also the life of the school, capturing students and teaching artists as well as the attention, wonder, and creative spark nurtured in the studio. In many ways, George’s photographs have become part of the River Gallery School’s visual history, preserving elusive moments of artistic discovery and human connection.

This exhibition offers a rare opportunity for longtime residents to revisit Brattleboro’s recent history through the eyes of one of its most dedicated observers. Visitors may recognize former classmates, neighbors, family members, beloved local landmarks, and storefronts that have changed over time. Current business owners may even discover historic photographs of the buildings housing the businesses today, providing a unique glimpse into the evolving story of downtown Brattleboro. Whether someone has lived here for 50 years or arrived more recently, the exhibition offers a chance to remember what has changed, celebrate what has endured, and reconnect with the people and places that make Brattleboro home.

In honor of the River Gallery School’s 50th anniversary, every exhibited print will be available for purchase for $50. George is generously donating all proceeds to support River Gallery School’s programming. The exhibition offers community members a rare opportunity to take home a piece of Brattleboro’s history while supporting arts education for future generations.

Visitors may access Gallery 34 by stopping in the River Gallery School office upstairs and asking to be shown into the gallery. For more information contact RGS executive director Kimberly Carmody by going to www.rivergalleryschool.org, calling (802) 257-1577 or emailing office@rivergalleryschool.org.