The Society of Creative Arts of Newtown (SCAN) will host Melody Asbury demonstrating still life in oil on Wednesday, September 23, at 1:30 pm, at Newtown Senior Center, 8 Simpson Street. The demonstration is open to the public and admission is free.

Asbury was primarily a figurative painter for years, first as a portrait artist and a courtroom sketch artist for TV. Along the way, a trip out west to the Navajo reservation resulted in a series of paintings of Native Americans.

After 9/11 and with a son deploying with the National Guard, Asbury started going out on fire calls with her local fire department to experience a little of “putting your life on the line,” according to the artist, which resulted in some paintings of firefighters.

Meanwhile, having always painted animals, that subject gradually took over and is now predominantly what Asbury paints.

She became a member of The Society of Animal Artists and pursues depicting the wonder of animal companions, whether pets, livestock, or more lately wildlife, as in wolves, birds of prey, and buffalo.

Her work is in numerous collections throughout the United States, Europe, and the Caribbean.

Last year she had two solo shows and was included in a group show on printmaking. Next year she will have a two-artist show, sharing space with work by her mother, who was also an artist and her first teacher.

Reservations are not needed for SCAN programs but additional information may be available at SCANart.org.