Community Calendar

A Talk with Owner Anthony Champalimaud

Belden House & Mews opened in early 2025 in the historic borough of Litchfield—the town’s first full-service high street hotel in over a century.

It’s set across a three-acre estate just south of the Litchfield Green and combines three historical structures: the 1888 Belden Mansion, a 1959 Modernist addition (the Mews), and the 1891 Firehouse, soon to serve as event space.

The project—led by developers behind Troutbeck in the Hudson Valley, working with Champalimaud Design, PBDW Architects, and Reed+Hilderbrand—is a masterclass in adaptive reuse. Every building was restored with painstaking attention to cultural and architectural detail.

Join us as Anthony Champalimaud, owner of the Belden House and Mews, describes how he and his design team transformed this landmark into a stunning hotel complex.

As part of the month-long art show, Pouring with Purpose at The White Silo Winery from Sept 5-28, Pour Your Heart Into Art will host a special Sip & Paint Night on Thursday, September 18 at 6:30PM. Enjoy a guided painting session, wine from The White Silo Winery, and light snacks—a perfect way to unwind and connect with friends after the back-to-school season!

Registration for the Sip & Paint night is required and can be completed at: https://square.link/u/AC38fIxI or by using the QR code on the image.

All artwork will be available for purchase, offering guests the opportunity to take home an original piece.

The exhibit is free and open to the public during winery hours: Friday through Sunday, 11 AM to 6 PM. White Silo Winery is located at 32 Route 37 East, Sherman, CT 06784.

Join us for the last run through of Faith Healer by Brian Friel, directed by Kyle Minor.

EXHIBIT TO FEATURE THREE LOCAL ARTISTS

(New Preston, Connecticut) – The Smithy Café & Market is pleased to announce an art exhibit to be displayed September 1 to October 31, 2025, titled Perception and Perspective: Three Artists-Becky Butler, Sandra Daignault and Lucy C. Pierpont.

Join us for a collaboration of three women and their varying forms of artwork, style, and perspectives.

The three artists have painted together for several years using a variety of mediums.They have formed friendships and enjoy working together while sharing ideas and support.

Becky Butler founded the not-for-profit, Arts Escape in Southbury in 2012. Arts Escape’s mission was to focus on arts education for adults. After witnessing firsthand how art created camaraderie and joy with those who participated, it was time for Becky to do the same. She retired in 2022 to follow her own art journey. She has been taking painting classes in Abstract, Pastel and Acrylics for the past two years and is excited to keep learning and exploring new mediums. Her pastel, Tethered Beauty, was accepted into a National Pastel show and she also won Best in Show for mixed media in Roxbury’s Art at the Meeting House show in 2024 for Somewhere Out There. Becky lives in Woodbury, Connecticut with her husband Paul.

“I love working in pastels – the colors are limitless and immediate. My pastel paintings are primarily painted realistically. Breaking the barriers of painting realistically has been a challenge. My love for color has recently launched my exploration in creating abstract work. Using color and mark making intuitively is exciting and challenging as well as inspiring. During my exploration I found the medium of oil and cold wax. While having no expectations as to the outcome of my work, my eyes have opened to a whole new world of creativity. I love the freedom of experimentation and the joy of playing. I want my work to reflect my emotional insight into today’s world while uncovering the beauty that still exists,”  explains Becky.

Sandra Daignault, a Woodbury resident, was the Fine Arts Director at Arts Escape, Inc in Southbury, CT and teaches classes in acrylic painting. Her artwork has been shown in galleries and organizations across CT (Stamford, Litchfield, Washington, New Milford, Brookfield, Bantam, Ridgefield, West Hartford, Southbury, Rowayton, Newtown), as well as having a permanent piece at the US Headquarters of Jägermeister in Westchester County. In addition, she has published two books of poetry with illustrations and has recently published a climate change fiction novel. Visit her website at sdaignaultfineart.com.

“My painting process is all about creating an open mind and letting go. While I often do not have a predetermined subject I am always influenced by my fascination with our place in the universe. Letting go of preconceived forms allows for the mystery and essence that makes up everything around us. While my influences are abstract artists such as Richard Diebenkorn, contemporary Peter Wileman as well as English romantic artist (JW Turner) I strive to create from the words of favorite poets (Pablo Neruda, Wislawa Szymborska, Mary Oliver). It will please me if viewers respond with wonder and wanting( not knowing what),” states Sandra.

Woodbury resident, Lucy C. Pierpont has worked in the marketing/graphic design field ever since graduating from Hartwick College as an art major. She has created art her whole life and has had her photographs and paintings displayed in exhibits at the Mattatuck Museum, Majors Inn, Hartwick College, Oneonta Art Association, Kent Art Association, Washington Art Association, Burnham Library, Kent Memorial Library Art at the Meetinghouse, Ridgefield Art Walk, Flanders Nature Center and now, The Smithy. She currently works part-time with the Kent Memorial Library and the Washington Depot Office of Klemm Real Estate doing graphic design & public relations. Her artwork can be viewed at lucypierpont.carrd.co. Her graphic designs for the Kent Memorial Library have been the recipient of eight Connecticut Library Association Publicity Awards in recognition of design, marketing, and publicity created to promote a Library service or event.

“From my earliest recollections, art has always been in the forefront. I chose the graphic design route and spent my career in it. Now art embodies my life- through friends, work, play, and travel!” claims Lucy.

Please join us for a reception on Saturday, October 11 from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. For more information, please call the Smithy at (860) 868-9003 or go to their website at thesmithymarket.com.

10 Main Street New Preston CT 06777

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caption: Heat by Lucy C. Pierpont, Parade by Sandra Daignault, and Opening Night by Becky Butler are a few of many paintings in an exhibit titled Perception and Perspective: Three Artists-Becky Butler, Sandra Daignault and Lucy C. Pierpont. The show will be on display from September 1 to October 31, 2025.

The Judy Black Memorial Park and Gardens is pleased to present an art exhibition, “A Frayed Edge,” featuring the works of Stace Dillard. This show is on view beginning Friday, August 29.

An opening reception will be held at the park on Saturday, August 30 from 3 to 5 p.m. This event is free and open to the public.

Dillard’s collage work is composed of vibrant, abstract mixed-media compositions characterized by geometric structures, overlapping elements, and a layering of colors, patterns, and textures. 

This show will remain on view through Sunday, September 21. Check our social media for weekly open hours: @judyblackpark on Instagram and Facebook.

The Gunn Memorial Library is pleased to present the captivating floral photography of Nina McKitty, on view in the Stairwell Gallery from August 9th to October 4th.

Drawing inspiration from nature, travel, and the artistic traditions of both East and West, Nina McKitty brings a joyful and thoughtful lens to her digital photography. Her work explores the delicate beauty of flowers—each image carefully composed, captured, and refined in her studio to evoke both surprise and delight in the viewer.

Originally gifted a digital camera by her husband, McKitty transformed a curiosity into a profound creative journey. Over the past 15 years, she has immersed herself in the art and craft of digital photography, studying under acclaimed artists and continuously evolving her techniques. Her photographs are printed and framed by hand using archival materials, merging technical precision with artistic expression.

A former nurse practitioner and consultant, McKitty turned to photography in retirement, channeling her lifelong passions for nature and visual storytelling into a rich new chapter as a digital artist. Since 2019, her work has been featured in numerous exhibitions, including shows at the Metropolitan Museum of Art Employee Gallery, Kent Art Association, and Washington Art Association.

Online exhibition curated by Lani Ming Holloway with artwork by Maya Tihtiyas Attean, Laura Barr, Jordann McKenna, and Benoît Trimborn

exhibition dates:  August 1 – September 30, 2025, on www.kbfa.com

Stories told in light and silence

Poetry will make me violent

Violets outside our yard…

Why does the world have to be so hard?

Encompassing the hidden truths

 Of things unseen in what we view.

-       LMH

Kenise Barnes Fine Art is pleased to present the online exhibition Stories told in light and silence curated by Lani Ming Holloway featuring Maya Tihtiyas Attean, Laura Barr, Jordann McKenna, and Benoît Trimborn.

Maya Tihtiyas Attean is a Wabanaki artist raised on the Penobscot Reservation in Maine. Excerpted from her artist statement: “Through the lens of Wabanaki history and culture, my photographs intertwine forgotten truths within the landscape of what is now called Maine. My work explores the deep, complex relationships between the land, its people, and the lasting impact of colonization. The energy embedded in the landscape reverberates through my creations and reveals the scars left on both the earth and our bodies. My work invites contemplation on occupation and ownership, prompting reflection on who exploits the land and how systems of oppression have disrupted its balance.”

Maya’s work expresses the dichotomy the artist exists within, marrying mediums and different cultural techniques. “Does the Land Remember?” is an ongoing series photographing landscapes that hold the history of devastating events of colonization. The power of that residuum is felt in the images in a supernatural way, as the dualism of her lived experience is pronounced in the contrast of light and dark. Sunlight shimmers through the leaves as bright stars overhead look down upon the land, a fire burns. Maya’s work calls us to remember that nature feels the spirits.

Maya Tihtiyas Attean lives and works in Portland, Maine or Machigonne. She earned a BFA in Photography from Maine College of Art & Design, Portland. Her work is in the permanent collection of the Portland Museum of Art, Portland, ME and the Abbe Museum, Bar Harbor, ME.

Laura Barr’s work explores impermanence through oil paintings and oil pastel drawings on paper capturing passing moments in color, reflection on water, and light. Simplifying forms and illuminating the scale of special glimmers, her work considers the preservation of water and the protection of our environment. In Laura’s paintings in the exhibition, fireflies gleam in a starlit field and remind us that fireflies may not continue to glow on our planet, while a surfer catches the last evening wave the ocean offers, an Aurora Borealis dances in the night sky.

Laura Barr lives by the Thimble Islands in Branford, Connecticut. She earned her BFA from the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, MA and a BA in Fine Arts from Tufts University in Medford, MA and has studied at Tyler School of Art in Rome, Italy.

From Ithaca, NY, Jordann McKenna paints and photographs the quiet beauty in everyday life in work that contemplates mundanity and the softly fleeting feeling within light and shadows around her. In lushly applied oil paint, flames flicker and shadows play across the scene. Jordann’s work in this exhibition reflects the peaceful, ephemeral moods of interiors and intimate still lifes, either staged or spontaneous. Jordann McKenna works from photographs and from memory to create images that serve to process rather than recreate, expressing not only what is seen but what is felt, and celebrating the beauty in the ordinary.

Jordann McKenna earned a BS in Visual Arts from State University of New York at New Paltz, New Paltz, NY, and an MFA from Maine College of Art & Design in Portland, ME. She lives and works in Portland, ME.

Born in Strasbourg, France, and trained as an architect, Benoît Trimborn describes his work as “contemporary impressionism”. Viewing the world as an architect, Benoît’s large-scale oil paintings evoke what his artist statement calls the “morphology of the landscapes… like an architect, I see in it a breath, a light, a rhythm, which alone can constitute a principle of beauty. The elements represented compose atmospheres of which I try to faithfully convey the impression, as the musician faithfully follows the score. In this process, the contemplative attitude prevails, much more than the adventurous attitude. No message, no story should disturb the projection of the viewer...”

In Benoît’s meticulously painted large-scale landscapes, the absence of the figure instills a quietude in the story while light is the present form in all its magic. Reflections play like a musical score on the surface of the water and golden glimmers illuminate the forest and emanate from a sunset sky.

Benoît Trimborn’s work is in the permanent collection of Galerie Ariel Sibony in Paris, France, Absolute Art Gallery in Bruges, Belgium, and Galerie Bertrand Gillig in Strasbourg, France. He lives and works in Strasbourg, France.

Please contact Lani@kbfa.com, 860 560 3085 with inquiries.

Shipping is available worldwide throughout the exhibition.  

This solo exhibition marks Brewster’s return to public exhibition after a significant studio hiatus, shaped by the pandemic and the arrival of his two young children.

Spanning two to six feet in width, Brewster’s latest works are immersive and meditative, exploring vast, perhaps virtual, landscapes. These meticulously layered oil paintings hint at human presence through subtle traces—a balanced stone, a resting stick—evoking a haunting stillness. In his signature style, Brewster uses old-master techniques and translucent glazes to explore the tension between presence and absence, clarity and ambiguity. “Some of these paintings verge on the apocalyptic while others suggest eerie calm or quiet hope,” Brewster notes. “They balance loneliness and community, action and avoidance. They are tightly tied to the physicality and geometry of the canvas itself.”

Brewster studied at Yale University and received his MFA from the Hoffberger School of Painting at the Maryland Institute College of Art. He has held solo exhibitions in New York City, North Carolina, and Newfoundland, and has participated in numerous curated group shows including Icons of the 21st Century in New York and Academy 2003 at Conner Contemporary in Washington, D.C. His work has been featured in New American Paintings and reviewed in publications such as ForbesLife and The National Post.

Enjoy the works of

Photographer Sarah Blodgett & Basket Weaver Tina Puckett

About the Artists 

Sarah Blodgett

Sarah Blodgett is a photographer from the Hudson Valley in New York. Born in New York City, daughter of a professional advertising photographer, she bought her first camera at the age of ten and has been shooting ever since. A commercial & portrait photographer professionally since 1993, her passion now lies with creating images of wildlife and natural areas. Her primary focus is on birds as well as landscapes, seascapes, still lives and florals. She also offers speaking programs to accompany her work with a focus on ecology and preservation of the natural world around us.

 https://westernconnecticut.blogspot.com/2025/07/art-lovers-covered-bridge-woven-hand_30.html

Tina Puckett

American Master Weaver Tina Puckett is a self-taught Artist. who has been weaving since 1981. For over 40 years the woven arts have been evolving and each one is indescribably dynamic and colorful. The character of each piece is an expression of Tina's imagination and her sense of color that she applies to the weaving and structural form. Throughout Tina’s career she has exhibited her woven arts at museums, art galleries, libraries and art shows. Also, has been featured in magazines, books, newspapers, TV and on different platforms on the web.

Artist Statement

My woven pieces from baskets to wall sculptures, ceiling hangers, to furniture has evolved and is the way I define myself as an artist, and as a woman. I am fulfilling my dreams that started out with my imagination as a set designer. My creative path took a turn. It was not set design—but the woven arts with its many forms and functions where I found the passion for my life’s work.

The natural beauty of Bittersweet always sparks my imagination and is at the heart of the many pieces I weave. My imagination guides all that I do and it has become very attuned to the harmony of shapes, forms, and colors of the vines and reeds. I am also influenced by the beauty of our natural world and wonder how to weave it.

My palette for color is very much influenced by this experience of growing up in South America. I mix my own dyes and enjoy building a palette for the reeds that will shape textures and forms with color into a

​ one of a kind woven art!

🎨 Art Show @ White Silo Winery in Sherman, CT

🗓 On view: September 5–28

🥂 Opening Reception: Sunday, September 7 | 2–4 PM

Get ready for a burst of bold color and creative energy in “Pouring with a Purpose”—a showcase of abstract acrylic art and photography by Christy Bonaiuto.

Christy’s work is all about movement, mood, and vibrant spontaneity, using poured acrylics, resin, and layered textures to create immersive, one-of-a-kind pieces that flow with emotion. Her abstract photography adds another dynamic layer to the show—capturing moments that feel both fleeting and timeless.

Stop by White Silo Winery, enjoy a glass of wine, and explore a diverse art show featuring local artist, Christy Bonaiuto. Come for the view—and leave with something beautiful.

✨ Free & open to the public

🛍️ Artwork available for purchase

Come for the pour. Stay for the art.

White Silo Winery

32 Rt. 37 East

Sherman, CT 06784

860.355.0271

Friday 11-6 PM | Saturday 11-6 PM | Sunday 11-6 PM

Enjoy a tasty lunch, wonderful music and lots of dancing!

Menu: Bill's Mobile Pizza

Band: Northeast Country

Reservations are required by Wednesday Sept 17th!

Birds of prey are on the move! Hawks, vultures, falcons, and eagles will be heading south to their wintering grounds. Join us anytime between 1:00 and 4:00 PM as we watch the skies for migrating raptors at Deer Pond Farm! Our main campus at 1,200 feet elevation is the perfect perch to catch the action. Lori Lichtenauer, Sanctuary Manager/Naturalist, will be set up on our teaching terrace with a spotting scope, extra binoculars and raptor ID resources. Come enjoy the view with us! This program meets at 57 Wakeman Hill Rd., Sherman, CT 06784 

September 19, Open House from 1-4 p.m. 

FREE 

To register for the Raptor Migration Watch, visit https://www.ctaudubon.org/2025/07/register-raptor-migration-watch-2/

Fridays from end of May through mid-October. 3:00 TO 6:00 PM Rain* or Shine!

Held at the KENT LAND TRUST FIELD, 37 South Main Street (Route 7 just south of the traffic light) and across the road from Kent Greenhouse & Gardens

Fresh produce, baked goods, homemade preserves, fresh poultry, gourmet mushrooms, herbal teas & products, honey, maple syrup, salsa, guacamole & chips, and more!!

*In case of heavy rains or storms we will be located at CT Antique Machinery Association, 31 Kent Cornwall Rd (Route 7 North) - advance notice will be given.

The Fantasy Book Club will meet at the Morris Public Library on Friday, September 19, at 6:30 PM. The group will discuss “Heartless Hunter” by Kristen Ciccarelli.

On the night Rune’s life changed forever, blood ran in the streets. Now, in the aftermath of a devastating revolution, witches have been diminished from powerful rulers to outcasts ruthlessly hunted due to their waning magic, and Rune must hide what she is.

Spending her days pretending to be nothing more than a vapid young socialite, Rune spends her nights as the Crimson Moth, a witch vigilante who rescues her kind from being purged. When a rescue goes wrong, she decides to throw the witch hunters off her scent and gain the intel she desperately needs by courting the handsome Gideon Sharpe – a notorious and unforgiving witch hunter loyal to the revolution – who she can’t help but find herself falling for.

Gideon loathes the decadence and superficiality Rune represents, but when he learns the Crimson Moth has been using Rune’s merchant ships to smuggle renegade witches out of the republic, he inserts himself into her social circles by pretending to court her right back. He soon realizes that beneath her beauty and shallow façade, is someone fiercely intelligent and tender who feels like his perfect match. Except, what if she’s the very villain he’s been hunting?

New registrations and book requests: 860-567-7440 or https://morrispubliclibrary.net/library-calendar-event-registration/

Free outdoor family movie nights are back at The Judy Black Memorial Park and Gardens on the third Friday of each month June through September, this time with an exciting new twist. Each screening will be part of a themed evening experience, featuring pre-movie fun which might include trivia, games, live music, sing-alongs and interactive audience activities.

On September 19, we'll be screening the 2012 animated Tim Burton film, "Frankenweenie." Young Victor Frankenstein (Charlie Tahan) is a science nerd and outsider at school, but he does have one good friend: his dog, Sparky. But then, tragedy strikes, and Sparky shuffles off this mortal coil. Victor is heartbroken, but his science teacher (Martin Landau) gives him an idea of how to jolt old Sparky back to life. The experiment is successful, and all goes well, until Victor's fellow students steal his secret and use it to resurrect other dead animals—with monstrous consequences.

Movie rolls at dusk. Check our website, Instagram or Facebook accounts for any changes or updates.

Friday, September 19th, at 7PM, West Hill Two returns to 2nd Home. West Hill Two is an acoustic duo based in New Hartford, CT. They cover a range of music featuring Joe Nerney on Sax/Keys/Vocals/Harmonica/Recorder and Eric Budney on Guitar/Vocals. They are a fun duo with a great sense of humor. Great music, food, drinks, and fun. Come down and enjoy!

For reservations (encouraged but not required) call 860-238-4500 or email us at momanddad@2ndhomelounge.com

See our complete event list - https://2ndhomelounge.com/events/

2nd Home Lounge

524 Main Street, Winsted

2ndhomelounge.com

Join our mailing list - https://2ndhomelounge.com/email-sign-up/

Presented by The Warner Theatre and The Connecticut Forum.

Elizabeth Gilbert is a bestselling author best known for her memoir Eat, Pray, Love (2006), which became a global phenomenon and was later adapted into a film starring Julia Roberts. Before that breakthrough, she worked as a journalist, writing for publications like GQ and The New York Times Magazine. Her career spans multiple genres, including fiction, memoir, and self-help, with works like The Signature of All Things (2013), a historical novel, and Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear (2015), which explores creativity and inspiration. Gilbert’s writing often delves into themes of self-discovery, love, and personal transformation, making her a beloved voice in contemporary literature.

In fall 2025, Elizabeth Gilbert will release her highly anticipated memoir, All the Way to the River, chronicling her profound relationship with her late partner, Rayya Elias. Their bond began as an unexpected spark between two seeming opposites—Rayya, a fearless East Village icon who lived unapologetically but wrestled with self-doubt as an artist, and Liz, a married people-pleaser with an uninhibited creative spirit.

Over time, their connection deepened—from friends to best friends to soulmates. When tragedy struck, the undeniable truth surfaced: they were in love. Yet beneath it all lay another unspoken reality—they were both addicts, hurtling toward inevitable turmoil.

All the Way to the River is set for release in September 2025.

The Sherman Players present Faith Healer by Brian Friel, directed by Kyle Minor.

Join us at 7:00 for a pre-show Irish music session in the Green Room. Refreshments available.

Adam Birnbaum is recognized as one of today’s leading jazz pianists. A Juilliard-trained artist, he has performed at top New York venues including the Village Vanguard, Blue Note, Birdland, and Dizzy’s Club, as well as international stages like the Montreal and Cape Town Jazz Festivals. As a leader, he has released acclaimed albums including Three of a Mind, praised by The New York Times and Downbeat.

Catch Adam Birnbaum live in Waterbury, CT at the Palace Theater’s Poli Club for two shows on Friday, September 19 at 7:00 & 9:00 PM. Tickets are $37, with convenient parking available across the street from the theater.

Come join us for a Saturday on the Arethusa Farm. Enjoy the animals, be creative with a farm related craft/game, and story time with author & illustrator Ms. Parmelee! 

Saturday's starting 7/19

9:00 - 11:00 AM

Ages 5 & under

$35 per family

For questions, email: erikae@arethusafarmfoundation.org

To register and pay, please visit: www.arethasatarmcoamdation.org

EXHIBIT TO FEATURE THREE LOCAL ARTISTS

(New Preston, Connecticut) – The Smithy Café & Market is pleased to announce an art exhibit to be displayed September 1 to October 31, 2025, titled Perception and Perspective: Three Artists-Becky Butler, Sandra Daignault and Lucy C. Pierpont.

Join us for a collaboration of three women and their varying forms of artwork, style, and perspectives.

The three artists have painted together for several years using a variety of mediums.They have formed friendships and enjoy working together while sharing ideas and support.

Becky Butler founded the not-for-profit, Arts Escape in Southbury in 2012. Arts Escape’s mission was to focus on arts education for adults. After witnessing firsthand how art created camaraderie and joy with those who participated, it was time for Becky to do the same. She retired in 2022 to follow her own art journey. She has been taking painting classes in Abstract, Pastel and Acrylics for the past two years and is excited to keep learning and exploring new mediums. Her pastel, Tethered Beauty, was accepted into a National Pastel show and she also won Best in Show for mixed media in Roxbury’s Art at the Meeting House show in 2024 for Somewhere Out There. Becky lives in Woodbury, Connecticut with her husband Paul.

“I love working in pastels – the colors are limitless and immediate. My pastel paintings are primarily painted realistically. Breaking the barriers of painting realistically has been a challenge. My love for color has recently launched my exploration in creating abstract work. Using color and mark making intuitively is exciting and challenging as well as inspiring. During my exploration I found the medium of oil and cold wax. While having no expectations as to the outcome of my work, my eyes have opened to a whole new world of creativity. I love the freedom of experimentation and the joy of playing. I want my work to reflect my emotional insight into today’s world while uncovering the beauty that still exists,”  explains Becky.

Sandra Daignault, a Woodbury resident, was the Fine Arts Director at Arts Escape, Inc in Southbury, CT and teaches classes in acrylic painting. Her artwork has been shown in galleries and organizations across CT (Stamford, Litchfield, Washington, New Milford, Brookfield, Bantam, Ridgefield, West Hartford, Southbury, Rowayton, Newtown), as well as having a permanent piece at the US Headquarters of Jägermeister in Westchester County. In addition, she has published two books of poetry with illustrations and has recently published a climate change fiction novel. Visit her website at sdaignaultfineart.com.

“My painting process is all about creating an open mind and letting go. While I often do not have a predetermined subject I am always influenced by my fascination with our place in the universe. Letting go of preconceived forms allows for the mystery and essence that makes up everything around us. While my influences are abstract artists such as Richard Diebenkorn, contemporary Peter Wileman as well as English romantic artist (JW Turner) I strive to create from the words of favorite poets (Pablo Neruda, Wislawa Szymborska, Mary Oliver). It will please me if viewers respond with wonder and wanting( not knowing what),” states Sandra.

Woodbury resident, Lucy C. Pierpont has worked in the marketing/graphic design field ever since graduating from Hartwick College as an art major. She has created art her whole life and has had her photographs and paintings displayed in exhibits at the Mattatuck Museum, Majors Inn, Hartwick College, Oneonta Art Association, Kent Art Association, Washington Art Association, Burnham Library, Kent Memorial Library Art at the Meetinghouse, Ridgefield Art Walk, Flanders Nature Center and now, The Smithy. She currently works part-time with the Kent Memorial Library and the Washington Depot Office of Klemm Real Estate doing graphic design & public relations. Her artwork can be viewed at lucypierpont.carrd.co. Her graphic designs for the Kent Memorial Library have been the recipient of eight Connecticut Library Association Publicity Awards in recognition of design, marketing, and publicity created to promote a Library service or event.

“From my earliest recollections, art has always been in the forefront. I chose the graphic design route and spent my career in it. Now art embodies my life- through friends, work, play, and travel!” claims Lucy.

Please join us for a reception on Saturday, October 11 from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. For more information, please call the Smithy at (860) 868-9003 or go to their website at thesmithymarket.com.

10 Main Street New Preston CT 06777

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caption: Heat by Lucy C. Pierpont, Parade by Sandra Daignault, and Opening Night by Becky Butler are a few of many paintings in an exhibit titled Perception and Perspective: Three Artists-Becky Butler, Sandra Daignault and Lucy C. Pierpont. The show will be on display from September 1 to October 31, 2025.

The Judy Black Memorial Park and Gardens is pleased to present an art exhibition, “A Frayed Edge,” featuring the works of Stace Dillard. This show is on view beginning Friday, August 29.

An opening reception will be held at the park on Saturday, August 30 from 3 to 5 p.m. This event is free and open to the public.

Dillard’s collage work is composed of vibrant, abstract mixed-media compositions characterized by geometric structures, overlapping elements, and a layering of colors, patterns, and textures. 

This show will remain on view through Sunday, September 21. Check our social media for weekly open hours: @judyblackpark on Instagram and Facebook.

September 20th - Jan11th, 2026

The delicious adventures of Willy Wonka's chocolate factory light up the stage in this captivating adaptation of Roald Dahl's fantastical tale. Featuring the enchanting songs from the 1971 film, in addition to a host of fun new songs, Roald Dahl's Willy Wonka JR, is a scrumdidilyumptious musical guaranteed to delight everyone's sweet tooth. 4 performances weekend of January 9, 10, and 11.

Join us each Saturday and Sunday for UPicks in the flower fields! Walk through 50+ rows of colorful blooms and cut your own bouquet. Enjoy the scenic views and peaceful sounds of nature while you're here and discover your new favorite place to be.

The Gunn Memorial Library is pleased to present the captivating floral photography of Nina McKitty, on view in the Stairwell Gallery from August 9th to October 4th.

Drawing inspiration from nature, travel, and the artistic traditions of both East and West, Nina McKitty brings a joyful and thoughtful lens to her digital photography. Her work explores the delicate beauty of flowers—each image carefully composed, captured, and refined in her studio to evoke both surprise and delight in the viewer.

Originally gifted a digital camera by her husband, McKitty transformed a curiosity into a profound creative journey. Over the past 15 years, she has immersed herself in the art and craft of digital photography, studying under acclaimed artists and continuously evolving her techniques. Her photographs are printed and framed by hand using archival materials, merging technical precision with artistic expression.

A former nurse practitioner and consultant, McKitty turned to photography in retirement, channeling her lifelong passions for nature and visual storytelling into a rich new chapter as a digital artist. Since 2019, her work has been featured in numerous exhibitions, including shows at the Metropolitan Museum of Art Employee Gallery, Kent Art Association, and Washington Art Association.

The Voice of Art's “Fine Art Festival" 2025!

• ​Fall: Sat-Sun, Sept 20-21, 2025 (10am-5pm) 
• @Sharon Town Green, CT
• Free and Open to the Public
• Fine Art & Functional Art

The Voice of Art is thrilled to invite you to its fifth annual outdoor juried fine art show, “Fine Art Festival" in Sharon on the Green (formerly, Litchfield Art Festival)!  This show will be a highlight for collectors and residents from the Tri-State region, New England and beyond. The Litchfield Hills have a history and reputation of featuring top fine artists from across the country, and also many well-known and beloved New England and CT artists who are widely admired by art enthusiasts. 

Fine Non-Functional Art:

• Painting 
• Sculpture 
• Mixed Media     
• Digital Art
• Graphics/Drawing
• Printmaking
• Photography

Fine Functional Art:

• Ceramics 
• Glass
• Leather
• Fiber/Paper Art
• Wood Works 
• Metal
• Jewelry

Food Corner:

• Crepe Royal 
• The Tasty Empanada
• Repicci’s Italian Ice & Gelato
• Hoffman Bread

The Litchfield Farmers Market is one of the few year-round markets in the Connecticut. The weekly Saturday market offers fresh seasonal produce, fruit, berries, herbs, sustainably sourced fish; artisanal cheeses, breads and baked goods, local honey, maple syrup and gifts - all raised, grown or crafted by 15+ local vendors. 

The market occasionally hosts live music and supports non-profits from throughout the Litchfield area.

INDOOR MARKET - November through mid-June (intermittent Saturdays through the winter months -- check the website for dates.) Open Saturdays 10am - 1pm at the Litchfield Community Center located at 421 Litchfield Road, Litchfield, CT.

OUTDOOR MARKET - mid- June through October located at Center School, Litchfield.

Litchfield Health & Wellness Resources and Litchfield Park & Rec

Community Tag Sale

In the event of rain, the tag sale will move inside the Annex.

Online exhibition curated by Lani Ming Holloway with artwork by Maya Tihtiyas Attean, Laura Barr, Jordann McKenna, and Benoît Trimborn

exhibition dates:  August 1 – September 30, 2025, on www.kbfa.com

Stories told in light and silence

Poetry will make me violent

Violets outside our yard…

Why does the world have to be so hard?

Encompassing the hidden truths

 Of things unseen in what we view.

-       LMH

Kenise Barnes Fine Art is pleased to present the online exhibition Stories told in light and silence curated by Lani Ming Holloway featuring Maya Tihtiyas Attean, Laura Barr, Jordann McKenna, and Benoît Trimborn.

Maya Tihtiyas Attean is a Wabanaki artist raised on the Penobscot Reservation in Maine. Excerpted from her artist statement: “Through the lens of Wabanaki history and culture, my photographs intertwine forgotten truths within the landscape of what is now called Maine. My work explores the deep, complex relationships between the land, its people, and the lasting impact of colonization. The energy embedded in the landscape reverberates through my creations and reveals the scars left on both the earth and our bodies. My work invites contemplation on occupation and ownership, prompting reflection on who exploits the land and how systems of oppression have disrupted its balance.”

Maya’s work expresses the dichotomy the artist exists within, marrying mediums and different cultural techniques. “Does the Land Remember?” is an ongoing series photographing landscapes that hold the history of devastating events of colonization. The power of that residuum is felt in the images in a supernatural way, as the dualism of her lived experience is pronounced in the contrast of light and dark. Sunlight shimmers through the leaves as bright stars overhead look down upon the land, a fire burns. Maya’s work calls us to remember that nature feels the spirits.

Maya Tihtiyas Attean lives and works in Portland, Maine or Machigonne. She earned a BFA in Photography from Maine College of Art & Design, Portland. Her work is in the permanent collection of the Portland Museum of Art, Portland, ME and the Abbe Museum, Bar Harbor, ME.

Laura Barr’s work explores impermanence through oil paintings and oil pastel drawings on paper capturing passing moments in color, reflection on water, and light. Simplifying forms and illuminating the scale of special glimmers, her work considers the preservation of water and the protection of our environment. In Laura’s paintings in the exhibition, fireflies gleam in a starlit field and remind us that fireflies may not continue to glow on our planet, while a surfer catches the last evening wave the ocean offers, an Aurora Borealis dances in the night sky.

Laura Barr lives by the Thimble Islands in Branford, Connecticut. She earned her BFA from the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, MA and a BA in Fine Arts from Tufts University in Medford, MA and has studied at Tyler School of Art in Rome, Italy.

From Ithaca, NY, Jordann McKenna paints and photographs the quiet beauty in everyday life in work that contemplates mundanity and the softly fleeting feeling within light and shadows around her. In lushly applied oil paint, flames flicker and shadows play across the scene. Jordann’s work in this exhibition reflects the peaceful, ephemeral moods of interiors and intimate still lifes, either staged or spontaneous. Jordann McKenna works from photographs and from memory to create images that serve to process rather than recreate, expressing not only what is seen but what is felt, and celebrating the beauty in the ordinary.

Jordann McKenna earned a BS in Visual Arts from State University of New York at New Paltz, New Paltz, NY, and an MFA from Maine College of Art & Design in Portland, ME. She lives and works in Portland, ME.

Born in Strasbourg, France, and trained as an architect, Benoît Trimborn describes his work as “contemporary impressionism”. Viewing the world as an architect, Benoît’s large-scale oil paintings evoke what his artist statement calls the “morphology of the landscapes… like an architect, I see in it a breath, a light, a rhythm, which alone can constitute a principle of beauty. The elements represented compose atmospheres of which I try to faithfully convey the impression, as the musician faithfully follows the score. In this process, the contemplative attitude prevails, much more than the adventurous attitude. No message, no story should disturb the projection of the viewer...”

In Benoît’s meticulously painted large-scale landscapes, the absence of the figure instills a quietude in the story while light is the present form in all its magic. Reflections play like a musical score on the surface of the water and golden glimmers illuminate the forest and emanate from a sunset sky.

Benoît Trimborn’s work is in the permanent collection of Galerie Ariel Sibony in Paris, France, Absolute Art Gallery in Bruges, Belgium, and Galerie Bertrand Gillig in Strasbourg, France. He lives and works in Strasbourg, France.

Please contact Lani@kbfa.com, 860 560 3085 with inquiries.

Shipping is available worldwide throughout the exhibition.  

This solo exhibition marks Brewster’s return to public exhibition after a significant studio hiatus, shaped by the pandemic and the arrival of his two young children.

Spanning two to six feet in width, Brewster’s latest works are immersive and meditative, exploring vast, perhaps virtual, landscapes. These meticulously layered oil paintings hint at human presence through subtle traces—a balanced stone, a resting stick—evoking a haunting stillness. In his signature style, Brewster uses old-master techniques and translucent glazes to explore the tension between presence and absence, clarity and ambiguity. “Some of these paintings verge on the apocalyptic while others suggest eerie calm or quiet hope,” Brewster notes. “They balance loneliness and community, action and avoidance. They are tightly tied to the physicality and geometry of the canvas itself.”

Brewster studied at Yale University and received his MFA from the Hoffberger School of Painting at the Maryland Institute College of Art. He has held solo exhibitions in New York City, North Carolina, and Newfoundland, and has participated in numerous curated group shows including Icons of the 21st Century in New York and Academy 2003 at Conner Contemporary in Washington, D.C. His work has been featured in New American Paintings and reviewed in publications such as ForbesLife and The National Post.

Embroidered Mini Owl Keychains: A Sewing Workshop for Grades 4-5 | September 20, 10:00-11:30am

Learn some sewing magic and create an adorable plushie pal in this workshop! Participants will unlock the hidden power of the Makerspace’s embroidery machine as they use this one maker tool (and a bit of hand sewing) to decorate and assemble a tiny stuffed owl keychain. All supplies provided. Grades 4-5. Registration Required.

https://www.gunnlibrary.org/calendar/embroidered-mini-owl-keychains-grades-4-5/

A compelling dual exhibition showcasing the artistic explorations of two distinguished contemporary artists. The show will run from Saturday September 20 through Friday October 17, with a public reception for the artists on Saturday September 20 from 5 to 7 PM. An art talk featuring both artists in conversation will be held on Thursday October 16 at 5:30 PM, offering deeper insights into their creative processes and the thematic undercurrents of their work.

The Secret Belgian Binding is a method of bookbinding that uses a primary and a secondary sewing, resulting in a distinct thread pattern on the cover and spine of the finished book. Learn to cut, fold, glue and sew the body of a book. As a functional art form, this book makes a great gift, sketchbook, journal or scrapbook.

Instructor: Sydney Samele

Saturday, September 20, 2025

10 AM - 4 PM

Members: $108 / Non-Members: $120

MORE INFO & REGISTER

Saturday mornings 10-1 in West Cornwall

Locally grown , foraged , produced artisanal products , French and other baked goods , Lindera Farm Native Plants , Mother Tree Remedies, Jams and Preserves , Knife sharpening by Nick the Knife , Goat milk products by Cabra Farm , Produce by Church Farm , Coffee - Tea -Etc. Coffee and more

www.cornwallfarmmarket.org

Saturdays at 10:30 AM - Beginning September 6

Storytime & Stay to Play

All ages welcome!

Come to OWL for an all ages storytime in the children's room every Saturday at 10:30 then stay to play. In addition to our puppet theater, wooden blocks, and train set, we now have a dollhouse! We also have our ongoing Bluey BINGO with a fidget prize for winners. During September our craft table is home to model magic clay, as well as coloring sheets for younger children. And most importantly come in to browse our collection of print books, Nutmeg nominees, and Wonderbooks!

Enjoy the works of

Photographer Sarah Blodgett & Basket Weaver Tina Puckett

About the Artists 

Sarah Blodgett

Sarah Blodgett is a photographer from the Hudson Valley in New York. Born in New York City, daughter of a professional advertising photographer, she bought her first camera at the age of ten and has been shooting ever since. A commercial & portrait photographer professionally since 1993, her passion now lies with creating images of wildlife and natural areas. Her primary focus is on birds as well as landscapes, seascapes, still lives and florals. She also offers speaking programs to accompany her work with a focus on ecology and preservation of the natural world around us.

 https://westernconnecticut.blogspot.com/2025/07/art-lovers-covered-bridge-woven-hand_30.html

Tina Puckett

American Master Weaver Tina Puckett is a self-taught Artist. who has been weaving since 1981. For over 40 years the woven arts have been evolving and each one is indescribably dynamic and colorful. The character of each piece is an expression of Tina's imagination and her sense of color that she applies to the weaving and structural form. Throughout Tina’s career she has exhibited her woven arts at museums, art galleries, libraries and art shows. Also, has been featured in magazines, books, newspapers, TV and on different platforms on the web.

Artist Statement

My woven pieces from baskets to wall sculptures, ceiling hangers, to furniture has evolved and is the way I define myself as an artist, and as a woman. I am fulfilling my dreams that started out with my imagination as a set designer. My creative path took a turn. It was not set design—but the woven arts with its many forms and functions where I found the passion for my life’s work.

The natural beauty of Bittersweet always sparks my imagination and is at the heart of the many pieces I weave. My imagination guides all that I do and it has become very attuned to the harmony of shapes, forms, and colors of the vines and reeds. I am also influenced by the beauty of our natural world and wonder how to weave it.

My palette for color is very much influenced by this experience of growing up in South America. I mix my own dyes and enjoy building a palette for the reeds that will shape textures and forms with color into a

​ one of a kind woven art!

Join us for an hour of story time hosted in our Children's Section at Honeybee Books & Tea!

Our story selection is thoughtfully curated including Caldecott Honor books and Newberry Medal winners. Our staff brings excitement to reading through their storytelling, and all books that are read are available for purchase for you to bring the magic home. The readings can be curated by age group, offering an assortment of reading-level material.

For more information, visit our website or speak to an associate in-store.

🎨 Art Show @ White Silo Winery in Sherman, CT

🗓 On view: September 5–28

🥂 Opening Reception: Sunday, September 7 | 2–4 PM

Get ready for a burst of bold color and creative energy in “Pouring with a Purpose”—a showcase of abstract acrylic art and photography by Christy Bonaiuto.

Christy’s work is all about movement, mood, and vibrant spontaneity, using poured acrylics, resin, and layered textures to create immersive, one-of-a-kind pieces that flow with emotion. Her abstract photography adds another dynamic layer to the show—capturing moments that feel both fleeting and timeless.

Stop by White Silo Winery, enjoy a glass of wine, and explore a diverse art show featuring local artist, Christy Bonaiuto. Come for the view—and leave with something beautiful.

✨ Free & open to the public

🛍️ Artwork available for purchase

Come for the pour. Stay for the art.

White Silo Winery

32 Rt. 37 East

Sherman, CT 06784

860.355.0271

Friday 11-6 PM | Saturday 11-6 PM | Sunday 11-6 PM

Bismuth is a Boston-based artist known for her self-portrait photographs. Her work explores and challenges ideas surrounding identity and its fragile nature, politics and trans expression through a satirical and spontaneous approach. 

Recently, Bismuth has taken up oil painting as her primary medium, in which she creates numeric and interactive landscapes. 

Dismembered, showing at Peggy Mercury, will be her debut solo exhibit and will showcase her self-portrait images alongside painted works. Co-curated with James Boehmer and Gregory Fricke, the show will display Bismuth's current fascination with fragmentation and isolation, and so much more.

Peggy Mercury

Kent Barns

9 Maple Street, Unit 2

Kent, CT 06757

IG @itspeggymercury

For more information email us at hithere@peggymercury.com

Join us in welcoming the brand new L.A. Rick's food truck at the winery! Serving all of your favorites from the west coast!

Docent led house tours of Miss Edith's Cottage at Topsmead run the second & fourth weekends of the month through October 12th, 2025. First Come, first served. Tours start at noon and run for approximately 30 minutes; last tour at 4:30 p.m. Free but donations are appreciated to support maintenance of cottage interior/exterior including gardens, the scholarship fund, and educational programming. Meet at the front door of the cottage. For GPS directions, designate Buell Road as your destination. We look forward to seeing you!

Like to play chess? Join us at the New Milford Chess Tournament--for everyone ages 8 and up! When you register, you'll be asked your age and your rating, if you have one. (No worries if you don't have a rating!) Sign up today!

Participants will experience essential tools and techniques in the creation of a small-scale relief sculpture in wood. No power tools are involved! The instructor will guide an exploration of relief sculpture in all media including his own work.

Instructor: David Holzman

Saturday, September 20, 2025

1:00 - 4:00 PM

Members: $72 / Non-Members: $80

MORE INFO & REGISTER

James Romm, author of Plato and the Tyrant: The Fall of Greece’s Greatest Dynasty and the Making of a Philosophic Masterpiece, in conversation with Frederic Hof, author of Reaching for the Heights: The Inside Story of a Secret Attempt to Reach a Syrian-Israeli Peace.

Richard Hornik sits down with Mark Clifford, author of The Troublemaker: How Jimmy Lai Became a Billionaire, Hong Kong’s Greatest Dissident, and China’s Most Feared Critic, in conversation with Jerome Cohen, author of Eastward, Westward: A Life in Law.

A compelling dual exhibition showcasing the artistic explorations from two distinguished contemporary artists. The show will run from September 20 through October 17. An artists talk will take place on Thursday, October 16 @ 5:30PM.

Saturday, September 20th, at 7:00 PM, Katherine Winston returns to 2nd Home, and we can't wait to have her back!

Katherine Winston is a Singer/Songwriter from Massachusetts. She began singing as a young child and soon was performing throughout the Northeast. By the time she was 15, she was already pursuing music full time. In 2015, after making it to the Top 24 on Season 14 of American Idol, she toured and traveled to Los Angeles where she continued recording and releasing music.

Throughout her musical journey, she has been inspired by classic artists such as Stevie Nicks, Johnny Cash, and Dolly Parton as well as current artists such as Kacey Musgraves, Brandi Carlile, and Taylor Swift. All of whom have contributed to Katherine's desire to write relatable, honest lyrics driven by emotion and delivered with a catchy melody that gets stuck in your head. Pair that with Katherine's sweet, yet powerful vocals and you will be sure to want to follow along.

For reservations (encouraged but not required) call 860-238-4500 or email us at momanddad@2ndhomelounge.com

See our complete event list - https://2ndhomelounge.com/events/

2nd Home Lounge

524 Main Street, Winsted

2dhomelounge.com

Join our mailing list - https://2ndhomelounge.com/email-sign-up/

Featuring CT performance artists Summer Orlando, Bonnie Petite, and Miranda Miranda as the Sanderson Sisters!

This ninety-minute family friendly production is based on the popular Disney films Hocus Pocus and Hocus Pocus 2 and includes some of the most memorable characters and scenes from the Halloween cult classics.

The spellbinding event will include a Meet and Greet with the performers after the show, and a Sanderson sister costume contest for a chance to win prizes!

Easy listening, fun covers. Covering all genres and decades!

Madeline has been singing for as long as she can remember. She grew up in Kells, Co. Meath, Ireland in a pub, listening to all sorts of musicians. Her father loved performing in theatre and choir and her mother was a classical piano player, partial to jazz music. Her grandma taught her piano from an early age and she can't ever remember a day not singing! She has spent years in a choir, which is great training and most memorably, taken lessons from professors at Sacred Heart University, which was so meaningful to her. Currently, MADZ enjoys a jazz acoustic sound with the amazing Phil Forbes on guitar. 

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 20TH - 7PM

Grab a blanket & your favorite movie snacks and join us for an outdoor movie event! Watch the movie “Migration” - a fun, animated film about a Mallard families adventure-filled journey!

Bring your own chairs, blankets, snacks and drinks. Popcorn will be available. This is an outdoor event, please plan accordingly for the chilly fall weather!

*Screening is available through special conservancy admission*

https://www.ripleyconservancy.org/events

Admission:

$10/person

Ages 5 & under are free!

Killer Queen – A Tribute To Queen featuring Patrick Myers as Freddie Mercury!

Killer Queen has sold out venues worldwide, earning acclaim as the kings of musical impersonation delivering spot-on vocals, exceptional musicianship, and an electrifying stage presence.

Recognized as “Worldwide Best Tribute Band,” they even recreated Queen’s harmonies for a number one hit with Fatboy Slim. Killer Queen brings you classics like “Bohemian Rhapsody,” “We Will Rock You,” and “Somebody to Love” in a thrilling, unforgettable performance that captures the magic and power of a live Queen concert.

Laurie MacAllister co-founded the beloved Americana trio Red Molly, which released seven acclaimed albums and toured both the U.S. and internationally, including appearances at MerleFest, Cayamo, and Boston Symphony Hall. jingle for a national TV commercial.

In 2024 Laurie MacAllister embarked on an exciting new chapter, launching a solo career with a sold-out performance at the legendary Club Passim.

Her 2018 solo album "The Lies the Poets Tell" is a heartfelt tribute to the contemporary folk music scene, celebrating a handful of its best songs and songwriters. It features duets with six male artists, including the late Americana master Jimmy LaFave. SiriusXM praised the album as “Defining. A curated collection packed with emotional vibrancy.” 

New England’s #1 Pink Floyd Experience, Floydian Trip aims to recreate some of the spectacular and moving live performances that Pink Floyd became known for in the 1970s and 1980s. This era is sometimes known as the “Roger Waters Years.” Floydian Trip recreates the sound in both the performance and tone of how Floyd would have been heard if you were seeing them live on stage during the Dark Side of the Moon Tour, Wish You Were Here Tour, In the Flesh (Pink Floyd) Tour, or The Wall Tour. Floydian Trip painstakingly recreates the classic Pink Floyd live experience. The band has poured over thousands of hours of official, unofficial, and bootleg audio and video of Pink Floyd between 1973 and 1981 in order to create the most authentic live Pink Floyd experience you can witness.

Saturday, September 20th @ 8:00 pm

Admission $35 (plus fees)

Box Office 860-283-6250

www.LandmarkCommunityTheatre.org

Seattle Grunge—Unplugged... The ultimate Grunge tribute band concert in an industrial artspace.

LIVE @AMP Presents One-Night Tribute to the Seattle Sound

Relive the raw energy, gritty riffs, and soul-baring lyrics that made the Seattle Sound unforgettable. This is your chance to experience the live music that defined the 1990s—stripped down to its essence.

For one night only, Gryme will take the stage and transform the American Mural Project’s renovated former factory building into a throwback club that captures the intense atmosphere and adrenaline of the grunge glory days—but with lots of space to move.

You’ll hear fresh takes and heartfelt tributes to the legendary MTV Unplugged sessions of Nirvana, Alice in Chains, Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, and more.

Members of One Time Weekend Reimagine Grunge Unplugged for LIVE @AMP

Gryme —featuring members of One Time Weekend:

Adam Eytan - guitar and vocals

Sam McGarrity - guitar and vocals

Ian D'Arcangelo - bass and vocals

Alex Giosa - drums

LIVE @AMP Transforms Industrial Space for Grunge Tribute—For One Night Only: Saturday, September 20

• Doors 7pm I Music 8pm
• Cash/credit bar (ID required)
• Three levels—accessible to all
• Balcony seating
• Some shared seating throughout the venue for when you need to sit one out.
• AMP's giant indoor mural is the backdrop to the performance

The Venue

AMP offers a one-of-a-kind experience for concertgoers, providing tickets with access to all levels to mingle, dance, and take in the entire sweep of the grand art of work mural—plus balcony seating. The venue’s innovative approach bridges music and visual art, making it a standout destination in Northwestern Connecticut.

Grab your tickets now!

The Sherman Players present Faith Healer by Brian Friel, directed by Kyle Minor.

Join us at 7:00 for a pre-show Irish music session in the Green Room. Refreshments available.

The Judy Black Memorial Park and Gardens is pleased to present an art exhibition, “A Frayed Edge,” featuring the works of Stace Dillard. This show is on view beginning Friday, August 29.

An opening reception will be held at the park on Saturday, August 30 from 3 to 5 p.m. This event is free and open to the public.

Dillard’s collage work is composed of vibrant, abstract mixed-media compositions characterized by geometric structures, overlapping elements, and a layering of colors, patterns, and textures. 

This show will remain on view through Sunday, September 21. Check our social media for weekly open hours: @judyblackpark on Instagram and Facebook.

EXHIBIT TO FEATURE THREE LOCAL ARTISTS

(New Preston, Connecticut) – The Smithy Café & Market is pleased to announce an art exhibit to be displayed September 1 to October 31, 2025, titled Perception and Perspective: Three Artists-Becky Butler, Sandra Daignault and Lucy C. Pierpont.

Join us for a collaboration of three women and their varying forms of artwork, style, and perspectives.

The three artists have painted together for several years using a variety of mediums.They have formed friendships and enjoy working together while sharing ideas and support.

Becky Butler founded the not-for-profit, Arts Escape in Southbury in 2012. Arts Escape’s mission was to focus on arts education for adults. After witnessing firsthand how art created camaraderie and joy with those who participated, it was time for Becky to do the same. She retired in 2022 to follow her own art journey. She has been taking painting classes in Abstract, Pastel and Acrylics for the past two years and is excited to keep learning and exploring new mediums. Her pastel, Tethered Beauty, was accepted into a National Pastel show and she also won Best in Show for mixed media in Roxbury’s Art at the Meeting House show in 2024 for Somewhere Out There. Becky lives in Woodbury, Connecticut with her husband Paul.

“I love working in pastels – the colors are limitless and immediate. My pastel paintings are primarily painted realistically. Breaking the barriers of painting realistically has been a challenge. My love for color has recently launched my exploration in creating abstract work. Using color and mark making intuitively is exciting and challenging as well as inspiring. During my exploration I found the medium of oil and cold wax. While having no expectations as to the outcome of my work, my eyes have opened to a whole new world of creativity. I love the freedom of experimentation and the joy of playing. I want my work to reflect my emotional insight into today’s world while uncovering the beauty that still exists,”  explains Becky.

Sandra Daignault, a Woodbury resident, was the Fine Arts Director at Arts Escape, Inc in Southbury, CT and teaches classes in acrylic painting. Her artwork has been shown in galleries and organizations across CT (Stamford, Litchfield, Washington, New Milford, Brookfield, Bantam, Ridgefield, West Hartford, Southbury, Rowayton, Newtown), as well as having a permanent piece at the US Headquarters of Jägermeister in Westchester County. In addition, she has published two books of poetry with illustrations and has recently published a climate change fiction novel. Visit her website at sdaignaultfineart.com.

“My painting process is all about creating an open mind and letting go. While I often do not have a predetermined subject I am always influenced by my fascination with our place in the universe. Letting go of preconceived forms allows for the mystery and essence that makes up everything around us. While my influences are abstract artists such as Richard Diebenkorn, contemporary Peter Wileman as well as English romantic artist (JW Turner) I strive to create from the words of favorite poets (Pablo Neruda, Wislawa Szymborska, Mary Oliver). It will please me if viewers respond with wonder and wanting( not knowing what),” states Sandra.

Woodbury resident, Lucy C. Pierpont has worked in the marketing/graphic design field ever since graduating from Hartwick College as an art major. She has created art her whole life and has had her photographs and paintings displayed in exhibits at the Mattatuck Museum, Majors Inn, Hartwick College, Oneonta Art Association, Kent Art Association, Washington Art Association, Burnham Library, Kent Memorial Library Art at the Meetinghouse, Ridgefield Art Walk, Flanders Nature Center and now, The Smithy. She currently works part-time with the Kent Memorial Library and the Washington Depot Office of Klemm Real Estate doing graphic design & public relations. Her artwork can be viewed at lucypierpont.carrd.co. Her graphic designs for the Kent Memorial Library have been the recipient of eight Connecticut Library Association Publicity Awards in recognition of design, marketing, and publicity created to promote a Library service or event.

“From my earliest recollections, art has always been in the forefront. I chose the graphic design route and spent my career in it. Now art embodies my life- through friends, work, play, and travel!” claims Lucy.

Please join us for a reception on Saturday, October 11 from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. For more information, please call the Smithy at (860) 868-9003 or go to their website at thesmithymarket.com.

10 Main Street New Preston CT 06777

#         #         #         #

caption: Heat by Lucy C. Pierpont, Parade by Sandra Daignault, and Opening Night by Becky Butler are a few of many paintings in an exhibit titled Perception and Perspective: Three Artists-Becky Butler, Sandra Daignault and Lucy C. Pierpont. The show will be on display from September 1 to October 31, 2025.

Join us each Saturday and Sunday for UPicks in the flower fields! Walk through 50+ rows of colorful blooms and cut your own bouquet. Enjoy the scenic views and peaceful sounds of nature while you're here and discover your new favorite place to be.

The Voice of Art's “Fine Art Festival" 2025!

• ​Fall: Sat-Sun, Sept 20-21, 2025 (10am-5pm) 
• @Sharon Town Green, CT
• Free and Open to the Public
• Fine Art & Functional Art

The Voice of Art is thrilled to invite you to its fifth annual outdoor juried fine art show, “Fine Art Festival" in Sharon on the Green (formerly, Litchfield Art Festival)!  This show will be a highlight for collectors and residents from the Tri-State region, New England and beyond. The Litchfield Hills have a history and reputation of featuring top fine artists from across the country, and also many well-known and beloved New England and CT artists who are widely admired by art enthusiasts. 

Fine Non-Functional Art:

• Painting 
• Sculpture 
• Mixed Media     
• Digital Art
• Graphics/Drawing
• Printmaking
• Photography

Fine Functional Art:

• Ceramics 
• Glass
• Leather
• Fiber/Paper Art
• Wood Works 
• Metal
• Jewelry

Food Corner:

• Crepe Royal 
• The Tasty Empanada
• Repicci’s Italian Ice & Gelato
• Hoffman Bread

Online exhibition curated by Lani Ming Holloway with artwork by Maya Tihtiyas Attean, Laura Barr, Jordann McKenna, and Benoît Trimborn

exhibition dates:  August 1 – September 30, 2025, on www.kbfa.com

Stories told in light and silence

Poetry will make me violent

Violets outside our yard…

Why does the world have to be so hard?

Encompassing the hidden truths

 Of things unseen in what we view.

-       LMH

Kenise Barnes Fine Art is pleased to present the online exhibition Stories told in light and silence curated by Lani Ming Holloway featuring Maya Tihtiyas Attean, Laura Barr, Jordann McKenna, and Benoît Trimborn.

Maya Tihtiyas Attean is a Wabanaki artist raised on the Penobscot Reservation in Maine. Excerpted from her artist statement: “Through the lens of Wabanaki history and culture, my photographs intertwine forgotten truths within the landscape of what is now called Maine. My work explores the deep, complex relationships between the land, its people, and the lasting impact of colonization. The energy embedded in the landscape reverberates through my creations and reveals the scars left on both the earth and our bodies. My work invites contemplation on occupation and ownership, prompting reflection on who exploits the land and how systems of oppression have disrupted its balance.”

Maya’s work expresses the dichotomy the artist exists within, marrying mediums and different cultural techniques. “Does the Land Remember?” is an ongoing series photographing landscapes that hold the history of devastating events of colonization. The power of that residuum is felt in the images in a supernatural way, as the dualism of her lived experience is pronounced in the contrast of light and dark. Sunlight shimmers through the leaves as bright stars overhead look down upon the land, a fire burns. Maya’s work calls us to remember that nature feels the spirits.

Maya Tihtiyas Attean lives and works in Portland, Maine or Machigonne. She earned a BFA in Photography from Maine College of Art & Design, Portland. Her work is in the permanent collection of the Portland Museum of Art, Portland, ME and the Abbe Museum, Bar Harbor, ME.

Laura Barr’s work explores impermanence through oil paintings and oil pastel drawings on paper capturing passing moments in color, reflection on water, and light. Simplifying forms and illuminating the scale of special glimmers, her work considers the preservation of water and the protection of our environment. In Laura’s paintings in the exhibition, fireflies gleam in a starlit field and remind us that fireflies may not continue to glow on our planet, while a surfer catches the last evening wave the ocean offers, an Aurora Borealis dances in the night sky.

Laura Barr lives by the Thimble Islands in Branford, Connecticut. She earned her BFA from the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, MA and a BA in Fine Arts from Tufts University in Medford, MA and has studied at Tyler School of Art in Rome, Italy.

From Ithaca, NY, Jordann McKenna paints and photographs the quiet beauty in everyday life in work that contemplates mundanity and the softly fleeting feeling within light and shadows around her. In lushly applied oil paint, flames flicker and shadows play across the scene. Jordann’s work in this exhibition reflects the peaceful, ephemeral moods of interiors and intimate still lifes, either staged or spontaneous. Jordann McKenna works from photographs and from memory to create images that serve to process rather than recreate, expressing not only what is seen but what is felt, and celebrating the beauty in the ordinary.

Jordann McKenna earned a BS in Visual Arts from State University of New York at New Paltz, New Paltz, NY, and an MFA from Maine College of Art & Design in Portland, ME. She lives and works in Portland, ME.

Born in Strasbourg, France, and trained as an architect, Benoît Trimborn describes his work as “contemporary impressionism”. Viewing the world as an architect, Benoît’s large-scale oil paintings evoke what his artist statement calls the “morphology of the landscapes… like an architect, I see in it a breath, a light, a rhythm, which alone can constitute a principle of beauty. The elements represented compose atmospheres of which I try to faithfully convey the impression, as the musician faithfully follows the score. In this process, the contemplative attitude prevails, much more than the adventurous attitude. No message, no story should disturb the projection of the viewer...”

In Benoît’s meticulously painted large-scale landscapes, the absence of the figure instills a quietude in the story while light is the present form in all its magic. Reflections play like a musical score on the surface of the water and golden glimmers illuminate the forest and emanate from a sunset sky.

Benoît Trimborn’s work is in the permanent collection of Galerie Ariel Sibony in Paris, France, Absolute Art Gallery in Bruges, Belgium, and Galerie Bertrand Gillig in Strasbourg, France. He lives and works in Strasbourg, France.

Please contact Lani@kbfa.com, 860 560 3085 with inquiries.

Shipping is available worldwide throughout the exhibition.  

Enjoy the works of

Photographer Sarah Blodgett & Basket Weaver Tina Puckett

About the Artists 

Sarah Blodgett

Sarah Blodgett is a photographer from the Hudson Valley in New York. Born in New York City, daughter of a professional advertising photographer, she bought her first camera at the age of ten and has been shooting ever since. A commercial & portrait photographer professionally since 1993, her passion now lies with creating images of wildlife and natural areas. Her primary focus is on birds as well as landscapes, seascapes, still lives and florals. She also offers speaking programs to accompany her work with a focus on ecology and preservation of the natural world around us.

 https://westernconnecticut.blogspot.com/2025/07/art-lovers-covered-bridge-woven-hand_30.html

Tina Puckett

American Master Weaver Tina Puckett is a self-taught Artist. who has been weaving since 1981. For over 40 years the woven arts have been evolving and each one is indescribably dynamic and colorful. The character of each piece is an expression of Tina's imagination and her sense of color that she applies to the weaving and structural form. Throughout Tina’s career she has exhibited her woven arts at museums, art galleries, libraries and art shows. Also, has been featured in magazines, books, newspapers, TV and on different platforms on the web.

Artist Statement

My woven pieces from baskets to wall sculptures, ceiling hangers, to furniture has evolved and is the way I define myself as an artist, and as a woman. I am fulfilling my dreams that started out with my imagination as a set designer. My creative path took a turn. It was not set design—but the woven arts with its many forms and functions where I found the passion for my life’s work.

The natural beauty of Bittersweet always sparks my imagination and is at the heart of the many pieces I weave. My imagination guides all that I do and it has become very attuned to the harmony of shapes, forms, and colors of the vines and reeds. I am also influenced by the beauty of our natural world and wonder how to weave it.

My palette for color is very much influenced by this experience of growing up in South America. I mix my own dyes and enjoy building a palette for the reeds that will shape textures and forms with color into a

​ one of a kind woven art!

Bismuth is a Boston-based artist known for her self-portrait photographs. Her work explores and challenges ideas surrounding identity and its fragile nature, politics and trans expression through a satirical and spontaneous approach. 

Recently, Bismuth has taken up oil painting as her primary medium, in which she creates numeric and interactive landscapes. 

Dismembered, showing at Peggy Mercury, will be her debut solo exhibit and will showcase her self-portrait images alongside painted works. Co-curated with James Boehmer and Gregory Fricke, the show will display Bismuth's current fascination with fragmentation and isolation, and so much more.

Peggy Mercury

Kent Barns

9 Maple Street, Unit 2

Kent, CT 06757

IG @itspeggymercury

For more information email us at hithere@peggymercury.com

Join us for a fun day at Burlington Tavern Day on Sunday, September 21 from 11 AM to 4 PM!

Explore a variety of unique, handmade goods—perfect for every member of the family. From jewelry and pottery to paintings and home décor, you’ll discover one-of-a-kind treasures, support local makers, and maybe even find the perfect gift (or treat for yourself!).

Enjoy live music, delicious bites from food trucks and vendors, local beer, a car show, two fun zones, and so much more—it’s a full day of community, creativity, and celebration.

📍Makers Market location: 700 George Washington Turnpike, Burlington, CT

🎟️ Admission: $2 (ages 12 and up)

🎨 Art Show @ White Silo Winery in Sherman, CT

🗓 On view: September 5–28

🥂 Opening Reception: Sunday, September 7 | 2–4 PM

Get ready for a burst of bold color and creative energy in “Pouring with a Purpose”—a showcase of abstract acrylic art and photography by Christy Bonaiuto.

Christy’s work is all about movement, mood, and vibrant spontaneity, using poured acrylics, resin, and layered textures to create immersive, one-of-a-kind pieces that flow with emotion. Her abstract photography adds another dynamic layer to the show—capturing moments that feel both fleeting and timeless.

Stop by White Silo Winery, enjoy a glass of wine, and explore a diverse art show featuring local artist, Christy Bonaiuto. Come for the view—and leave with something beautiful.

✨ Free & open to the public

🛍️ Artwork available for purchase

Come for the pour. Stay for the art.

White Silo Winery

32 Rt. 37 East

Sherman, CT 06784

860.355.0271

Friday 11-6 PM | Saturday 11-6 PM | Sunday 11-6 PM

Join us in welcoming the brand new L.A. Rick's food truck at the winery! Serving all of your favorites from the west coast!

Join Ripley Waterfowl Conservancy for a read-along series event featuring nature inspired authors!

This week we are welcoming author Erin Dubuque reading her book "Every Bird is Beautiful"!

Available to all with admission to the conservancy:

Members & children under 5- Free

13 & up -$10

Docent led house tours of Miss Edith's Cottage at Topsmead run the second & fourth weekends of the month through October 12th, 2025. First Come, first served. Tours start at noon and run for approximately 30 minutes; last tour at 4:30 p.m. Free but donations are appreciated to support maintenance of cottage interior/exterior including gardens, the scholarship fund, and educational programming. Meet at the front door of the cottage. For GPS directions, designate Buell Road as your destination. We look forward to seeing you!

Join local jewelry artist and Mattatuck Gift Shop vendor, Jan Hasenjager, in this class for jewelry design. All participants will choose from semi-precious stones to create original and one-of-a-kind earrings and pendants. All participants will make two pieces of jewelry.

Member: $25

Non-Member: $30

Support provided by the George and Grace Long Foundation and the Linford and Mildred White Charitable Fund

Featuring CT performance artists Summer Orlando, Bonnie Petite, and Miranda Miranda as the Sanderson Sisters!

This ninety-minute family friendly production is based on the popular Disney films Hocus Pocus and Hocus Pocus 2 and includes some of the most memorable characters and scenes from the Halloween cult classics.

The spellbinding event will include a Meet and Greet with the performers after the show, and a Sanderson sister costume contest for a chance to win prizes!

You’ve seen them on display at Town Hall, the Bank, the Library, and the Fair. The Harwinton Woman’s Club has been making and raffling quilts every year since 1978 to fund the good work they do in our community. Join speaker Pat Green for a look back at 48 years of fundraiser quilts. Who organized the first quilt? How is each year’s theme chosen? How long does it take to make each quilt? Pat will share pictures, stories, and memories from nearly a half century of quilting with the Woman’s Club. This free program is presented by the Harwinton Historical Society and the Harwinton Public Library and will be held in the Town Hall Assembly Room. No registration is required. We hope to see you there!

The Sherman Players present Faith Healer by Brian Friel, directed by Kyle Minor.

EXHIBIT TO FEATURE THREE LOCAL ARTISTS

(New Preston, Connecticut) – The Smithy Café & Market is pleased to announce an art exhibit to be displayed September 1 to October 31, 2025, titled Perception and Perspective: Three Artists-Becky Butler, Sandra Daignault and Lucy C. Pierpont.

Join us for a collaboration of three women and their varying forms of artwork, style, and perspectives.

The three artists have painted together for several years using a variety of mediums.They have formed friendships and enjoy working together while sharing ideas and support.

Becky Butler founded the not-for-profit, Arts Escape in Southbury in 2012. Arts Escape’s mission was to focus on arts education for adults. After witnessing firsthand how art created camaraderie and joy with those who participated, it was time for Becky to do the same. She retired in 2022 to follow her own art journey. She has been taking painting classes in Abstract, Pastel and Acrylics for the past two years and is excited to keep learning and exploring new mediums. Her pastel, Tethered Beauty, was accepted into a National Pastel show and she also won Best in Show for mixed media in Roxbury’s Art at the Meeting House show in 2024 for Somewhere Out There. Becky lives in Woodbury, Connecticut with her husband Paul.

“I love working in pastels – the colors are limitless and immediate. My pastel paintings are primarily painted realistically. Breaking the barriers of painting realistically has been a challenge. My love for color has recently launched my exploration in creating abstract work. Using color and mark making intuitively is exciting and challenging as well as inspiring. During my exploration I found the medium of oil and cold wax. While having no expectations as to the outcome of my work, my eyes have opened to a whole new world of creativity. I love the freedom of experimentation and the joy of playing. I want my work to reflect my emotional insight into today’s world while uncovering the beauty that still exists,”  explains Becky.

Sandra Daignault, a Woodbury resident, was the Fine Arts Director at Arts Escape, Inc in Southbury, CT and teaches classes in acrylic painting. Her artwork has been shown in galleries and organizations across CT (Stamford, Litchfield, Washington, New Milford, Brookfield, Bantam, Ridgefield, West Hartford, Southbury, Rowayton, Newtown), as well as having a permanent piece at the US Headquarters of Jägermeister in Westchester County. In addition, she has published two books of poetry with illustrations and has recently published a climate change fiction novel. Visit her website at sdaignaultfineart.com.

“My painting process is all about creating an open mind and letting go. While I often do not have a predetermined subject I am always influenced by my fascination with our place in the universe. Letting go of preconceived forms allows for the mystery and essence that makes up everything around us. While my influences are abstract artists such as Richard Diebenkorn, contemporary Peter Wileman as well as English romantic artist (JW Turner) I strive to create from the words of favorite poets (Pablo Neruda, Wislawa Szymborska, Mary Oliver). It will please me if viewers respond with wonder and wanting( not knowing what),” states Sandra.

Woodbury resident, Lucy C. Pierpont has worked in the marketing/graphic design field ever since graduating from Hartwick College as an art major. She has created art her whole life and has had her photographs and paintings displayed in exhibits at the Mattatuck Museum, Majors Inn, Hartwick College, Oneonta Art Association, Kent Art Association, Washington Art Association, Burnham Library, Kent Memorial Library Art at the Meetinghouse, Ridgefield Art Walk, Flanders Nature Center and now, The Smithy. She currently works part-time with the Kent Memorial Library and the Washington Depot Office of Klemm Real Estate doing graphic design & public relations. Her artwork can be viewed at lucypierpont.carrd.co. Her graphic designs for the Kent Memorial Library have been the recipient of eight Connecticut Library Association Publicity Awards in recognition of design, marketing, and publicity created to promote a Library service or event.

“From my earliest recollections, art has always been in the forefront. I chose the graphic design route and spent my career in it. Now art embodies my life- through friends, work, play, and travel!” claims Lucy.

Please join us for a reception on Saturday, October 11 from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. For more information, please call the Smithy at (860) 868-9003 or go to their website at thesmithymarket.com.

10 Main Street New Preston CT 06777

#         #         #         #

caption: Heat by Lucy C. Pierpont, Parade by Sandra Daignault, and Opening Night by Becky Butler are a few of many paintings in an exhibit titled Perception and Perspective: Three Artists-Becky Butler, Sandra Daignault and Lucy C. Pierpont. The show will be on display from September 1 to October 31, 2025.

Come and dance to the music of fairy tale princesses while learning the fundamentals of basic ballet and ballet terminology. Parents are invited to stay and watch their "princesses" perform! Feel free to dress up in ballet attire and/or your favorite character, or comfy clothes are ok.  

Classes:

Parent & Tot 2-2.5 years: 9:00-9:30 AM

2.5-3 Years: 9:30-10:00 AM

3 Years: 10:00-10:45 AM

4 Years: 10:45-11:30 AM

Requirements:

A water bottle, ballet shoes are encouraged.

For more information or to register, visit newmilfordct.myrec.com

The "Life at Sea" photo exhibition offers a powerful and intimate look at the lives of seafarers — those unsung heroes who work tirelessly to keep the global trade economy afloat. Through a series of poignant images taken by seafarers themselves, the exhibition presents an insider’s view of daily life on board ships, shedding light on the often-overlooked human side of this essential workforce.

Through these images, the exhibition highlights the resilience, isolation, camaraderie, and pride that define life at sea. Whether capturing moments of profound solitude, the joy of small victories, or the sacrifices made to ensure global supply chains run smoothly, each photograph tells a story of hardship and hope. For many, this exhibition is a powerful reminder of the seafarers’ vital contributions —often invisible to the wider public.

At CT State Northwestern, we are incredibly proud to host this exhibition and bring attention to the spectacular photography that captures the essence of life at sea. This collection offers a rare opportunity for those outside the maritime world to connect with the human lives behind the shipping containers, cargo holds, and vast oceans. It is our hope that by showcasing these images, we can bridge the gap between the shoreline and the ships, fostering greater appreciation for the sacrifices made by this dedicated workforce.

This exhibition serves not only as a tribute to seafarers but as an educational tool, giving non-maritime audiences an unprecedented insight into the complex realities of life on board. We invite you to take a moment to reflect on the power of these images and the lives they represent. The stories shared here are not just about the challenges of the past, but also the ongoing realities that seafarers face every day—sacrifices that continue to shape our global economy.

All images are sourced from the ITF Seafarers' Trust's digital photo gallery www.lifeatsea.co.uk

The Gunn Memorial Library is pleased to present the captivating floral photography of Nina McKitty, on view in the Stairwell Gallery from August 9th to October 4th.

Drawing inspiration from nature, travel, and the artistic traditions of both East and West, Nina McKitty brings a joyful and thoughtful lens to her digital photography. Her work explores the delicate beauty of flowers—each image carefully composed, captured, and refined in her studio to evoke both surprise and delight in the viewer.

Originally gifted a digital camera by her husband, McKitty transformed a curiosity into a profound creative journey. Over the past 15 years, she has immersed herself in the art and craft of digital photography, studying under acclaimed artists and continuously evolving her techniques. Her photographs are printed and framed by hand using archival materials, merging technical precision with artistic expression.

A former nurse practitioner and consultant, McKitty turned to photography in retirement, channeling her lifelong passions for nature and visual storytelling into a rich new chapter as a digital artist. Since 2019, her work has been featured in numerous exhibitions, including shows at the Metropolitan Museum of Art Employee Gallery, Kent Art Association, and Washington Art Association.

Tikes will have a great time playing with friends in a safe environment designed to promote social, physical, intellectual and creative growth. During this 2 hour class, the children will sing, paint, listen to stories and have gym time, all while learning to respect and share with others, as well as follow directions.

Ages 3-4: 9:30 - 11:30 am

Ages 4-5.5: 12:00 - 2:00 pm

Requirements:

All "Tikes" MUST be potty trained

Please Bring: A peanut free snack and drink

Please Wear: Sneakers and clothes you don't mind getting paint on 

For more information or to register, visit newmilfordct.myrec.com

Online exhibition curated by Lani Ming Holloway with artwork by Maya Tihtiyas Attean, Laura Barr, Jordann McKenna, and Benoît Trimborn

exhibition dates:  August 1 – September 30, 2025, on www.kbfa.com

Stories told in light and silence

Poetry will make me violent

Violets outside our yard…

Why does the world have to be so hard?

Encompassing the hidden truths

 Of things unseen in what we view.

-       LMH

Kenise Barnes Fine Art is pleased to present the online exhibition Stories told in light and silence curated by Lani Ming Holloway featuring Maya Tihtiyas Attean, Laura Barr, Jordann McKenna, and Benoît Trimborn.

Maya Tihtiyas Attean is a Wabanaki artist raised on the Penobscot Reservation in Maine. Excerpted from her artist statement: “Through the lens of Wabanaki history and culture, my photographs intertwine forgotten truths within the landscape of what is now called Maine. My work explores the deep, complex relationships between the land, its people, and the lasting impact of colonization. The energy embedded in the landscape reverberates through my creations and reveals the scars left on both the earth and our bodies. My work invites contemplation on occupation and ownership, prompting reflection on who exploits the land and how systems of oppression have disrupted its balance.”

Maya’s work expresses the dichotomy the artist exists within, marrying mediums and different cultural techniques. “Does the Land Remember?” is an ongoing series photographing landscapes that hold the history of devastating events of colonization. The power of that residuum is felt in the images in a supernatural way, as the dualism of her lived experience is pronounced in the contrast of light and dark. Sunlight shimmers through the leaves as bright stars overhead look down upon the land, a fire burns. Maya’s work calls us to remember that nature feels the spirits.

Maya Tihtiyas Attean lives and works in Portland, Maine or Machigonne. She earned a BFA in Photography from Maine College of Art & Design, Portland. Her work is in the permanent collection of the Portland Museum of Art, Portland, ME and the Abbe Museum, Bar Harbor, ME.

Laura Barr’s work explores impermanence through oil paintings and oil pastel drawings on paper capturing passing moments in color, reflection on water, and light. Simplifying forms and illuminating the scale of special glimmers, her work considers the preservation of water and the protection of our environment. In Laura’s paintings in the exhibition, fireflies gleam in a starlit field and remind us that fireflies may not continue to glow on our planet, while a surfer catches the last evening wave the ocean offers, an Aurora Borealis dances in the night sky.

Laura Barr lives by the Thimble Islands in Branford, Connecticut. She earned her BFA from the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, MA and a BA in Fine Arts from Tufts University in Medford, MA and has studied at Tyler School of Art in Rome, Italy.

From Ithaca, NY, Jordann McKenna paints and photographs the quiet beauty in everyday life in work that contemplates mundanity and the softly fleeting feeling within light and shadows around her. In lushly applied oil paint, flames flicker and shadows play across the scene. Jordann’s work in this exhibition reflects the peaceful, ephemeral moods of interiors and intimate still lifes, either staged or spontaneous. Jordann McKenna works from photographs and from memory to create images that serve to process rather than recreate, expressing not only what is seen but what is felt, and celebrating the beauty in the ordinary.

Jordann McKenna earned a BS in Visual Arts from State University of New York at New Paltz, New Paltz, NY, and an MFA from Maine College of Art & Design in Portland, ME. She lives and works in Portland, ME.

Born in Strasbourg, France, and trained as an architect, Benoît Trimborn describes his work as “contemporary impressionism”. Viewing the world as an architect, Benoît’s large-scale oil paintings evoke what his artist statement calls the “morphology of the landscapes… like an architect, I see in it a breath, a light, a rhythm, which alone can constitute a principle of beauty. The elements represented compose atmospheres of which I try to faithfully convey the impression, as the musician faithfully follows the score. In this process, the contemplative attitude prevails, much more than the adventurous attitude. No message, no story should disturb the projection of the viewer...”

In Benoît’s meticulously painted large-scale landscapes, the absence of the figure instills a quietude in the story while light is the present form in all its magic. Reflections play like a musical score on the surface of the water and golden glimmers illuminate the forest and emanate from a sunset sky.

Benoît Trimborn’s work is in the permanent collection of Galerie Ariel Sibony in Paris, France, Absolute Art Gallery in Bruges, Belgium, and Galerie Bertrand Gillig in Strasbourg, France. He lives and works in Strasbourg, France.

Please contact Lani@kbfa.com, 860 560 3085 with inquiries.

Shipping is available worldwide throughout the exhibition.  

This program is open to children up to age 5 and their caregivers and offers an hour of engaging indoor play and creative fun. It is a perfect way to start the week with joy, movement, and social interaction.

This solo exhibition marks Brewster’s return to public exhibition after a significant studio hiatus, shaped by the pandemic and the arrival of his two young children.

Spanning two to six feet in width, Brewster’s latest works are immersive and meditative, exploring vast, perhaps virtual, landscapes. These meticulously layered oil paintings hint at human presence through subtle traces—a balanced stone, a resting stick—evoking a haunting stillness. In his signature style, Brewster uses old-master techniques and translucent glazes to explore the tension between presence and absence, clarity and ambiguity. “Some of these paintings verge on the apocalyptic while others suggest eerie calm or quiet hope,” Brewster notes. “They balance loneliness and community, action and avoidance. They are tightly tied to the physicality and geometry of the canvas itself.”

Brewster studied at Yale University and received his MFA from the Hoffberger School of Painting at the Maryland Institute College of Art. He has held solo exhibitions in New York City, North Carolina, and Newfoundland, and has participated in numerous curated group shows including Icons of the 21st Century in New York and Academy 2003 at Conner Contemporary in Washington, D.C. His work has been featured in New American Paintings and reviewed in publications such as ForbesLife and The National Post.

The Gunn Junior Library invites 4th and 5th-grade readers to join Fall Book Explorers, a youth book club held on Mondays from September 22 through November 18.

*There will be no meeting on Monday, October 13.*

Participants will explore a variety of books spanning mystery, fantasy, humor, and adventure. Each session begins with a creative activity inspired by the week’s selection, followed by a group reading through the first chapter and an open discussion. Every week offers a fresh journey into a new story, and the chance to discover books they’ll treasure.

This program is designed to spark curiosity, build discussion skills, and help readers find new favorites in a supportive setting.

Registration required. When you RSVP for one session, you may check a box to automatically register for all remaining sessions this season. 

The "Life at Sea" photo exhibition offers a powerful and intimate look at the lives of seafarers — those unsung heroes who work tirelessly to keep the global trade economy afloat. Through a series of poignant images taken by seafarers themselves, the exhibition presents an insider’s view of daily life on board ships, shedding light on the often-overlooked human side of this essential workforce.

Through these images, the exhibition highlights the resilience, isolation, camaraderie, and pride that define life at sea. Whether capturing moments of profound solitude, the joy of small victories, or the sacrifices made to ensure global supply chains run smoothly, each photograph tells a story of hardship and hope. For many, this exhibition is a powerful reminder of the seafarers’ vital contributions —often invisible to the wider public.

At CT State Northwestern, we are incredibly proud to host this exhibition and bring attention to the spectacular photography that captures the essence of life at sea. This collection offers a rare opportunity for those outside the maritime world to connect with the human lives behind the shipping containers, cargo holds, and vast oceans. It is our hope that by showcasing these images, we can bridge the gap between the shoreline and the ships, fostering greater appreciation for the sacrifices made by this dedicated workforce.

This exhibition serves not only as a tribute to seafarers but as an educational tool, giving non-maritime audiences an unprecedented insight into the complex realities of life on board. We invite you to take a moment to reflect on the power of these images and the lives they represent. The stories shared here are not just about the challenges of the past, but also the ongoing realities that seafarers face every day—sacrifices that continue to shape our global economy.

All images are sourced from the ITF Seafarers' Trust's digital photo gallery www.lifeatsea.co.uk

The Gunn Memorial Library is pleased to present the captivating floral photography of Nina McKitty, on view in the Stairwell Gallery from August 9th to October 4th.

Drawing inspiration from nature, travel, and the artistic traditions of both East and West, Nina McKitty brings a joyful and thoughtful lens to her digital photography. Her work explores the delicate beauty of flowers—each image carefully composed, captured, and refined in her studio to evoke both surprise and delight in the viewer.

Originally gifted a digital camera by her husband, McKitty transformed a curiosity into a profound creative journey. Over the past 15 years, she has immersed herself in the art and craft of digital photography, studying under acclaimed artists and continuously evolving her techniques. Her photographs are printed and framed by hand using archival materials, merging technical precision with artistic expression.

A former nurse practitioner and consultant, McKitty turned to photography in retirement, channeling her lifelong passions for nature and visual storytelling into a rich new chapter as a digital artist. Since 2019, her work has been featured in numerous exhibitions, including shows at the Metropolitan Museum of Art Employee Gallery, Kent Art Association, and Washington Art Association.

The Morris Public Library offers Story and Music Time for participants ages 9 mo. - 5 y.o every Tuesday at 10 am.

Please call to ask if a spot is available: 860-567-7440.

Sing songs, read a story, do a craft!

Online exhibition curated by Lani Ming Holloway with artwork by Maya Tihtiyas Attean, Laura Barr, Jordann McKenna, and Benoît Trimborn

exhibition dates:  August 1 – September 30, 2025, on www.kbfa.com

Stories told in light and silence

Poetry will make me violent

Violets outside our yard…

Why does the world have to be so hard?

Encompassing the hidden truths

 Of things unseen in what we view.

-       LMH

Kenise Barnes Fine Art is pleased to present the online exhibition Stories told in light and silence curated by Lani Ming Holloway featuring Maya Tihtiyas Attean, Laura Barr, Jordann McKenna, and Benoît Trimborn.

Maya Tihtiyas Attean is a Wabanaki artist raised on the Penobscot Reservation in Maine. Excerpted from her artist statement: “Through the lens of Wabanaki history and culture, my photographs intertwine forgotten truths within the landscape of what is now called Maine. My work explores the deep, complex relationships between the land, its people, and the lasting impact of colonization. The energy embedded in the landscape reverberates through my creations and reveals the scars left on both the earth and our bodies. My work invites contemplation on occupation and ownership, prompting reflection on who exploits the land and how systems of oppression have disrupted its balance.”

Maya’s work expresses the dichotomy the artist exists within, marrying mediums and different cultural techniques. “Does the Land Remember?” is an ongoing series photographing landscapes that hold the history of devastating events of colonization. The power of that residuum is felt in the images in a supernatural way, as the dualism of her lived experience is pronounced in the contrast of light and dark. Sunlight shimmers through the leaves as bright stars overhead look down upon the land, a fire burns. Maya’s work calls us to remember that nature feels the spirits.

Maya Tihtiyas Attean lives and works in Portland, Maine or Machigonne. She earned a BFA in Photography from Maine College of Art & Design, Portland. Her work is in the permanent collection of the Portland Museum of Art, Portland, ME and the Abbe Museum, Bar Harbor, ME.

Laura Barr’s work explores impermanence through oil paintings and oil pastel drawings on paper capturing passing moments in color, reflection on water, and light. Simplifying forms and illuminating the scale of special glimmers, her work considers the preservation of water and the protection of our environment. In Laura’s paintings in the exhibition, fireflies gleam in a starlit field and remind us that fireflies may not continue to glow on our planet, while a surfer catches the last evening wave the ocean offers, an Aurora Borealis dances in the night sky.

Laura Barr lives by the Thimble Islands in Branford, Connecticut. She earned her BFA from the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, MA and a BA in Fine Arts from Tufts University in Medford, MA and has studied at Tyler School of Art in Rome, Italy.

From Ithaca, NY, Jordann McKenna paints and photographs the quiet beauty in everyday life in work that contemplates mundanity and the softly fleeting feeling within light and shadows around her. In lushly applied oil paint, flames flicker and shadows play across the scene. Jordann’s work in this exhibition reflects the peaceful, ephemeral moods of interiors and intimate still lifes, either staged or spontaneous. Jordann McKenna works from photographs and from memory to create images that serve to process rather than recreate, expressing not only what is seen but what is felt, and celebrating the beauty in the ordinary.

Jordann McKenna earned a BS in Visual Arts from State University of New York at New Paltz, New Paltz, NY, and an MFA from Maine College of Art & Design in Portland, ME. She lives and works in Portland, ME.

Born in Strasbourg, France, and trained as an architect, Benoît Trimborn describes his work as “contemporary impressionism”. Viewing the world as an architect, Benoît’s large-scale oil paintings evoke what his artist statement calls the “morphology of the landscapes… like an architect, I see in it a breath, a light, a rhythm, which alone can constitute a principle of beauty. The elements represented compose atmospheres of which I try to faithfully convey the impression, as the musician faithfully follows the score. In this process, the contemplative attitude prevails, much more than the adventurous attitude. No message, no story should disturb the projection of the viewer...”