For more than five decades, Meta Strick has been making mixed-media art in the backwoods of Fairfield. The turquoise-haired 82-year-old invites visitors to open houses and workshops at her gallery next to her log cabin home. Both spaces are chockablock with art and eclectic collections. Strick's color-coded gallery is filled with paintings and cards, as well as dolls representing Santas, witches and mystical creatures. In the latest episode of "Stuck in Vermont," Seven Days senior multimedia producer Eva Sollberger spent a lighthearted afternoon with Strick and participated in a collage workshop. Strick's next open house dates are Friday, December 20, through Sunday, December 22, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; email [email protected] for details. Snow tires are recommended if you want to make it up her steep driveway. Sollberger spoke with Seven Days about filming the episode. How did you hear about Strick? In 2013 I filmed an episode at the Vermont Hand Crafters show, and one of the artists gave me Strick's card. She was the president of the organization for many years, though it dissolved last year, sadly. I added Strick to my list of possible subjects and finally got around to calling her! How did you connect? Strick and I hit it off immediately. We had an epic phone chat and made a date to meet up at her home in Fairfield. It was snowing that day, and I was driving a borrowed car that struggled on the unplowed back roads. When I reached the turnoff for Strick's road, I gulped — it is long and treacherous in winter. Her driveway is steep, and I got stuck halfway up. Yes, I was literally stuck in Vermont. What were your first impressions of the property? It reminds me of a psychedelic fairyland. A band saw spray-painted fluorescent green sat next to a rusted tractor in Strick's garden. The gently falling snow was the perfect backdrop to her cozy home nestled in the woods. A colorful porch peeked out from a layer of powder, and a trio of life-size painted characters greeted me on the front door. Kola, a neighbor's dog, was the first creature I met, and I almost expected him to start speaking English. I also enjoyed meeting Strick's tuxedo cat, Dot, who tried to steal the show. Strick is a collector, and her house is a treasure trove of buttons, baskets, art, dolls, metal bits,…