About Ben Thurber

A native Vermonter, born in Island Pond and raised in Burlington, Benjamin Waitt Thurber brings an appreciation of Vermont’s rugged beauty to his sketches. Named after his great, great grandfather Green Mountain Boy General Benjamin Waitt, Thurber especially enjoys sketching the Waitsfield Covered Bridge in the town named after his forebear.  After attending college and seminary in California and enjoying a career as a clergyman and college chaplain, Thurber returned to Vermont in 1984 and pursued his passion for art.

A past president of the Vermont Hand Crafters, Inc., Thurber exhibits his work at various shows and shops throughout Vermont and has taught art classes to multi-age students, including a class at the Church Street Center.  He publishes an annual calendar of Vermont pen and ink sketches and produces his line art on a variety of surfaces, including tree mushrooms, note cards, Christmas cards, birthday calendars, This Week note pads, wrapping paper, gift tote bags, coasters and mugs.  Thurber credits his Island Pond elementary teacher, Eugenia Roby, for encouraging him as an artist.  He would hand in spelling and arithmetic with pictures all over the paper, and instead of scolding him, she would encourage his artwork and even gave him one of her own paintings.