I'm looking for any information on an artist that signs, Vlasta Byrtus. He or she may have died in Erie, Pennsylvania, in May of 1999. The name Ann Landergott may be connected in some way. The work that I have is done in oil and would be considered a landscape

Hi my mother was a friend of Vlasta's. I believe they met in the 1970s while taking art classes at Edinboro college. I remember being probably being 6 or 7 when my mother was helping John and Vlasta set up for one of her first art shows at the Gannon library in Erie and John showed me how to hang a painting. Vlasta used to bring us bags of corn husks from her dairy farm that my mom would use in her craft projects. She would come by our house often and I think I visited her farm at least once. My mother would rave about Vlasta's skill as a watercolor artist and wanted her to exhibit more. My mother also didn't like that Vlasta would sign in pencil. Vlasta didn't want her signature to take away from her paintings. I have three watercolor paintings from Vlasta, all signed in pencil, that my mother has since given me. My mother and Vlasta were friends for years and I believe they kept in touch even after my mother moved away from Pennsylvania.

I know your post is from 2006 but if you have any questions, please feel free to ask and If I can help, I will.