Community Calendar

Mail artists have sent in their creative post cards from 17 countries.

Snail mail has never been so creative and clever.

https://personaland.com/hut/exhibition/going-postal-2-gallery-1-of-2

Personaland is an artist-driven global village transforming the world of art by using technology to bridge time zones and cultural boundaries. Our mission is to promote humanity, creativity, and community through a mix of entertainment, enchantment, and imagination.

Since its 2018 launch, Personaland, in its global reach, has showcased over 800 visual artists, filmmakers, musicians, and poets from 68 countries in 32 group art shows and 55 individual exhibitions, many with videos of artist profiles.  https://www.personaland.com

We want your wildest image, film, music or poem. NO ENTRY FEE

Deadline for submissions - June 30

https://personaland.com/submit/wearing-wild.php

Personaland is an artist-driven global village transforming the world of art by using technology to bridge time zones and cultural boundaries. Our mission is to promote humanity, creativity, and community through a mix of entertainment, enchantment, and imagination.

Since its 2018 launch, Personaland, in its global reach, has showcased over 800 visual artists, filmmakers, musicians, and poets from 68 countries in 32 group art shows and 55 individual exhibitions, many with videos of artist profiles.  https://www.personaland.com

Are you ready to embark on an extraordinary journey through time? Introducing the Chabad of Northwest CT JLI Course: Colorful Profiles, where we will dive into the lives of twelve remarkable characters who shaped Jewish history in ways you never imagined! Over the course of four enlightening weeks, you'll meet a tapestry of personalities from courageous converts to wise royal advisors, from daring captives to inspiring philanthropists. Each story is a vibrant thread in the rich fabric of our heritage, offering you a kaleidoscope of experiences that will leave you captivated and craving more.

Discover the sacrifices that paved the way for future generations, the adventures that defied the odds, and the achievements that illuminate our collective past. This course is not just a lesson in history; its a celebration of resilience, identity, and the colorful spectrum of Jewish life. Don't miss out on this chance to enrich your understanding and appreciation of our peoples legacy come join us and let the stories unfold! After all, history is best told through the vivid colors of its characters!

Classes meet in-person on four Sunday mornings at Chabad Lubavitch Of Northwest CT. 

RSVP: chabadNW.org/JLI (zoom option available)

The Voice of Art's “Fine Art Festival" Returns on Memorial Day Weekend 2025!

• ​Spring: Sat-Sun, May 24-25, 2025 (10am-5pm) 
• 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

You are invited to Flashes & Fragments - an art exhibit that is a fusion of mixed media, artistic lettering, video & photography. New works by Debra Lill and Kathleen Borkowski combine the beauty of visual storytelling with the expressiveness of hand lettered art. We hope you will join us as we celebrate this new work, created specifically for the Whiting Mills Gallery!

Opening: Thursday, April 24th, 5-7 pm.

Show dates: April 17-June 27

Immerse yourself in Ironworks Weekend, an exciting program exploring the history of ironmaking in the Housatonic Valley at the Kent Iron Works site. The event will include special tours, exhibits, and an iron smelting demonstration, marking the second iron smelting on the site since the furnace's closure in 1892. Master blacksmiths will smelt iron with a bloomery furnace using traditional methods and techniques. Enjoy free admission to the museum and programs Saturday and Sunday from 10:00 until 4:00.

Gallery 25 Presents: Heatwaves & Hues – A Summer Art Show

Heatwaves & Hues, running from Friday, May 2 – Sunday, August 17. This vibrant exhibition will showcase works bursting with color and inspired by the warmth and energy of summer.

Plan a Fun Weekend in New Milford!

New Milford is an exciting destination, offering a variety of activities for visitors. Enjoy well-reviewed restaurants, pubs, and unique shops, take in a film at our charming Art Deco movie theater, or catch a live performance at the innovative TheatreWorks playhouse. Stroll through our beautiful historic New England Green, a perfect spot to relax and soak in the town’s charm.

Experience Gallery 25

Gallery 25 is an artist-run gallery featuring 25 members working across all genres. Along with our exciting exhibitions, we invite you to take part in our workshops, live demonstrations, artist discussions, and photography walks!

We welcome you to explore, create, and be inspired!

August 15, 2024 – August 17, 2025

Celebrating the year-long loan of three Georgia O’Keeffe paintings, this exhibition unites the Mattatuck Museum’s collection with O’Keeffe’s life and work through common themes.

 These unique spotlight exhibitions celebrate the year-long loan of three Georgia O’Keeffe paintings and will unite the Mattatuck Museum’s collection with O’Keeffe’s life and work through common themes, creating a unique dialogue between her work and other celebrated artists. Each unique pairing will be curated and narrated by a different member of the Museum’s curatorial department and offer a distinctive perspective on the Mattatuck Collection in relation to the works and story of Georgia O’Keeffe.

The Souterrain Gallery invites you to view and pruchase the current works by Ken Krug .

Open Th-Su 11-5 and by appointment

more info at www.souterraingallery.net

About the Artist

Ken Krug is a fine artist, illustrator, and author. He illustrated Michele Obama’s book about the

White House Garden and wrote and illustrated the children’s book, No, Silly! which was on the

Bank Street College Best Books of 2016 list. His paintings have been exhibited in numerous art

shows and were featured on the set of the movie “You Can Count on Me.” Ken Krug is also an

Adjunct Assistant Professor, Fashion Institute of Technology, SUNY

www.kenkrug.com

Ken spends much of his weekends , summers and other times with his wife Liz Van Doren in Cornwall where the family is deeply rooted .

Kenise Barnes Fine Art is honored to present an exhibition featuring hand-painted cyanotypes by Julia Whitney Barnes and drawings by Sarah Morejohn.

Julia Whitney Barnes is well known for her innovations in Cyanotype (camera-less photographic printing process) paintings. Whitney Barnes’ multi-step process includes harvesting flora (flowers and weeds being equally important) and combining several species into a single composition on photo sensitive cotton paper. After exposing the work to UV light, the resulting blue and white image is carefully hand-painted in many layers of watercolor, gouache, and ink, reanimating the vitality to the ghost of the objects. The artist is most interested in creating work that feels both beautiful and mysterious. Her artwork symbolizes resilience and are the records of the historical moment in which they were made, the process, and the artist’s will and interest in reasserting the presence of the image.

Whitney Barnes recently completed permanent public installations in The Botanist’s Mural, Vassar College/Frances Lehman Loeb Art Center, Poughkeepsie, NY, Brooklyn Botanical: PS 253 (glass commission), Public Art in Public Schools/Percent for Art, Brooklyn, NY, Planting Utopia (interior installation), Albany International Airport, Albany, NY, Planting Utopia (interior and exterior installation), Shaker Heritage Society, Albany, NY. The artist has received the following honors and awards; Maker-Creator Research Fellowship, Winterthur Museum, Library & Garden (2024-25), Individual Artist Grant, (partnering with Shaker Heritage Society), New York State Council on the Arts (2018), Individual Artist Commission, NY State Decentralization Grant, Arts Mid-Hudson, Poughkeepsie, NY (2015), Gowanus Public Arts Initiative Grant (ArtsGowanus, The Old Stone House & District 39), Brooklyn, NY, Residency with Site-Specific Installation & Fellowship, Fjellerup I Bund I Grund, Fjellerup, Denmark, to name a few. Her work has been featured in Architectural Record, Times Union, The B Magazine, The Jealous Curator, Create Magazine, American Art Collector Magazine and many other publications and podcasts. Julia Whitney Barnes earned her BFA Fine Arts, Painting, Parsons the New School for Design, New York, NY and her MFA Fine Arts, Painting & Combined Media, Hunter College, CUNY, New York, NY. The artist lives and works in NY.

Sarah Morejohn’s fascination with non-linear patterns in nature drives her work. Through drawing, she considers how the relationship to nature is mediated both by objective understanding and subjective imagining of it. Considering the symbolic connections between nature, the body, and climate change Morejohn draws partial six-fold symmetries. By building a drawing line by line, sharp angles soften and wiggle, cell-like shapes minnow along while branches and flowers become a part of the flotsam disconnected from the earth. Figurative snow crystals become interlaced with one another and their environment, jumbling towards their own future transformations. Morejohn’s drawing process is intuitive and organic, artifacts of the process, drips, spills, flaws and mistakes are embraced. By collaging the imperfect pieces of her drawings together the work becomes a metaphor for the ever-changing uncertainties of life.

Sarah Morejohn’s work in in the collections of Heustis Hall, 1% for Art Oregon Arts Commission, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, Echo Laboratory, Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY, Ursell Laboratory, Physics Department, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, Project Art & Medical Museum, University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics, Iowa City, IA. She was awarded residencies at Jentel Artist Residency, Banner, WY and Playa Art and Science Residency, Summer Lake, OR. Morejohn earned her BFA in Painting and Drawing, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR. The artist lives and works in CA.

Please contact Lani Ming Holloway, Associate Director, Lani@kbfa.com, 860 560 3085 with inquires or to arrange a preview of the exhibition.

on display at the Souterrain Gallery through July :

“Frank Rosen a nontraditional woodworker who also uses wood for painting and sculpture. His work moves in different directions: geometric to flowing, flat to textural, colorful to subdued. Surprise and humor are also media in which he dabbles.”   

more info at www.souterraingallery.net

open Th-Su 11-5

Embellished Notifications by British textile designer and fiber artist Kate Lewis offers an analog interpretation of the messages and notifications we receive digitally from various apps, brands and the outside world in general.

Conceived as an “antidote to the news” this series of work aims to capture the good feelings and happiness these digital messages offer, carrying those emotions and momentary dopamine triggers into the future.

“I thought about the relationship our phones have with brands, how we receive information digitally and which brands and phrases exactly gave me that hit of dopamine,” Kate says. “These notifications have become integral to our modern lives, with food deliveries, take out, online dating, transport...”

With a nod to traditional cross-stitch samplers, these colorful and slightly subversive hand made works aim to lift your spirits, and will look great in your kitchen.

For more information about the opening and exhibit email hithere@peggymercury.com or send us a DM on Instagram

@itspeggymercury

For more information about Kate Lewis:

@katelewisstudio

katelewisstudio.com

The Cornwall Library is delighted to present Traces, Places, and Faces, an intriguing exhibition of photography and watercolor painting by Sari Goodfriend and Eddie Watkins. They are life partners, and exhibit their shared passion for people, nature, and art in this joint show.

From an early age, New Yorker Sari Goodfriend happily spent her childhood summers in Cornwall with her sister Jenny and her art dealer parents, Carol and Jim. For a few years after college she lived in East Cornwall, photographing for local newspapers from New Milford to Salisbury. Todd Piker (of Cornwall Bridge Pottery) provided her a first opportunity to exhibit (and sell!) her personal photos in a show he curated at the Silo Gallery in New Milford. 

Moving back to New York, Sari has since worked as a commercial photographer, shooting assignments for corporations, magazines, non-profits, universities, and private individuals. She now does mostly portraits and events, but her youthful Cornwall summers are apparent in the landscape and nature-inspired images she is exhibiting at the library. Her part of the show also features some abstract photographs inspired by what she terms “bleak winter beauty” and “the wild, chaotic, post-tornado woods”. Many of her photographs are in frames that once held old master prints from her parents’ art dealership, C&J Goodfriend, Drawings and Prints.

Eddie Watkins is from Pittsburgh. After four years in the Navy stationed in Cuba and Newfoundland as a proud member of the Seabees (Construction Battalion), he moved to New York City and became a photographer of fine artwork. His clientele includes museums such as The Frick Collection, The Museum of Arts and Design, private art dealers, well known artists, and collectors. He also photographed the permanent collection of The Art Students League.

Eddie has been the drummer for many rock and blues bands, a sideline that provides subjects for personal photography seen in this show. When on the move, from 1980s city streets to rural landscapes, Eddie always carries either a camera or a set of watercolors. His painting style ranges from loose and interpretive to detailed and exacting, inspired by his naval engineering background. This show includes both his photography and watercolors. 

Traces, Places, and Faces runs from April 19 to June 7. The artists’ reception is on Saturday, April 19, from 5 to 7 pm. Registration on the library website is requested for the reception.

Kent Chamber of Commerce will sponsor; Art & Design: A Kent CT Art Exhibition and Sale on May 24 and 25 and the Kent Community Center. The show hours are 11am-5pm on Saturday, May 24th and 12 pm - 5 pm on Sunday, May 25th. There will be 20 plus artisans selling their goods over the weekend. The sale features ceramics, jewelry, fine art, and leather work. The event is free and open to the public. 

HOTCHKISS-FYLER HOUSE MUSEUM

Torrington Historical Society 

192 Main Street, Torrington, CT

2025 hours: Wednesday through Saturdays, April 16 - October 31, 2025

Guided tours at 1, 2 and 3 pm 

Phone: (860) 482-8260   info@torringtonhistoricalsociety.org

Admission: Adults $10 per person; children under 8 free

The Hotchkiss-Fyler House Museum (b. 1900) will open for the season Wednesday April 16th. The Hotchkiss-Fyler House Museum is a Victorian mansion that was home to two generations of Torrington residents. Gertrude F. Hotchkiss, the last family member to occupy the home, bequeathed the house and contents to the Society in 1956.  The interior of this grand house features mahogany paneling, ornate carvings, stenciled walls, murals, parquet floors and ornamental plaster treatments. Original family furnishings collections of fine and decorative arts. Artists represented are: Ammi Phillips, E.I. Couse, Winfield Scott Clime and George Lawrence Nelson.

“In Praise of Cities”, by Merrill French,

“Ongoing”, by Patricia Weise

& “ For Real”, featuring Peter Christ, Kathy Hodge, Brian McClear

Five Points Gallery presents three new exhibitions. In the Torrington Savings Bank Gallery, Merrill French paints intricate cityscapes from around the world. The Torrington Downtown Partners Gallery features gouache paintings by Patricia Weise that depict domesticity and daily life. For Real, a group exhibition in the West Gallery features three artists (Peter Christ, Kathy Hodge & Brian McClear) each of whom portray elements from the man-made world.

One week a year, six local artists get together and paint at Onadune, a sprawling family house in Rhode Island. A giant porch, surrounded on three sides by the Atlantic, serves as their studio. The painters ( insert names or list above?) met fifteen years ago at the Washington Art Association, in Ira Barkoff’s class, and have continued sharing their work and ideas ever since.

While the artists have very different styles, interpretations, and backgrounds in the arts, the artwork created at Onadune shares a singular flavor of salt air and light. This special place has given the artists the rare opportunity to paint from dawn to dusk, follow their instincts while supported by each other, and has cemented the bond forged at the Washington Art Association.

The exhibit brings the viewer to Onadune and shows how six different artists have used

the same place for inspiration and personal artistic growth.The artists:

Joanne Conant

A jeweler and recognized enamellist, Joanne brought her talent to seascapes fifteen years ago and never looked back. A resident of Newtown and a former teacher at Brookfield Craft center, she is well known for her cloisonné enamels and jewelry and brings much of that sensibility to her paintings.

Elizabeth MacDonald

After Elizabeth worked as an actor in Seattle, she moved to her Bridgewater residence and started her journey with clay. She is known for her vessels, large scale mosaics, sculptures, and paintings on clay. Her time at Onadune has expanded her paintings on slate as well as canvas.

Ronnie Maddalena

A graphic designer living in Warren, Ronnie contributes her graphics skills to many important corporate and local causes, including The Farmer’sTable. Ronnie creates brilliant and exuberant still lifes, both found and arranged.

Kathleen Love Mooney

A resident of West Cornwall, Kathleen started her career as a fashion designer in NYC designing clothing on silk that she hand-painted. Her focus is painting landscapes; she continues to paint everything she sees.

Karen Simmons

Was an architect in NYC, and in France, and joined WAA when she moved to Woodbury, CT. Her paintings, landscapes and still-lifes, reflect both her architectural and European background.

Wendy Walker

Has previously worked as both an illustrator and a scenic artist /designer in NYC. When she moved to Roxbury Ct, she started painting “a little smaller” and paints landscapes and subjects that inspire her emotionally.

Exhibition at the Five Points Annex Gallery in Torrington Ct 06790

Mail artists have sent in their creative post cards from 17 countries.

Snail mail has never been so creative and clever.

https://personaland.com/hut/exhibition/going-postal-2-gallery-1-of-2

Personaland is an artist-driven global village transforming the world of art by using technology to bridge time zones and cultural boundaries. Our mission is to promote humanity, creativity, and community through a mix of entertainment, enchantment, and imagination.

Since its 2018 launch, Personaland, in its global reach, has showcased over 800 visual artists, filmmakers, musicians, and poets from 68 countries in 32 group art shows and 55 individual exhibitions, many with videos of artist profiles.  https://www.personaland.com

We want your wildest image, film, music or poem. NO ENTRY FEE

Deadline for submissions - June 30

https://personaland.com/submit/wearing-wild.php

Personaland is an artist-driven global village transforming the world of art by using technology to bridge time zones and cultural boundaries. Our mission is to promote humanity, creativity, and community through a mix of entertainment, enchantment, and imagination.

Since its 2018 launch, Personaland, in its global reach, has showcased over 800 visual artists, filmmakers, musicians, and poets from 68 countries in 32 group art shows and 55 individual exhibitions, many with videos of artist profiles.  https://www.personaland.com

starts at 8 a.m.

Kicks off at 9:00 AM along Main Street

The Gunn Memorial Library Stairwell Gallery is pleased to present Restoration: Landscapes & Botanical Abstracts in Gouache, an exhibition of beautiful landscapes and botanicals by artist Susan Newbury, on view from April 5 through May 31.

Susan’s work is a celebration of nature’s depth and detail, drawing inspiration from the stunning landscapes, waterscapes, and gardens of her rural New York State roots and her home in Litchfield County. With a background in graphic and fashion design, her artistic practice has evolved into a dynamic exploration of color, pattern, and movement. She works primarily in gouache, acrylic, and mixed media on paper, canvas, and wood panel, using a bright, rich palette to create layered compositions that blend natural elements with abstract forms.

“Nature not only provides the subject matter but the solitude, joy, and purpose for my paintings, creating a place of quiet introspection and restoration,” she says. Her work reflects this philosophy, infusing familiar landscapes with energy and emotion while maintaining a sense of tranquility and balance. Inspired by both the botanical world and interior design elements such as fabric, wallpaper, and tilework, her paintings feature repeating shapes and striking color contrasts for an unexpected visual experience.

Her instinctive approach to painting allows her to let go of the rules, creating compositions that are both structured and free-flowing. She paints in her Litchfield County studio and accepts commission work.

Gunn Memorial Library is located at 5 Wykeham Road at the juncture of Route 47 opposite the Green in Washington, CT. Library hours may be found at gunnlibrary.org.

For more information call (860)868-7586 or email, adoerwald@gunnlibrary.org.

You are invited to Flashes & Fragments - an art exhibit that is a fusion of mixed media, artistic lettering, video & photography. New works by Debra Lill and Kathleen Borkowski combine the beauty of visual storytelling with the expressiveness of hand lettered art. We hope you will join us as we celebrate this new work, created specifically for the Whiting Mills Gallery!

Opening: Thursday, April 24th, 5-7 pm.

Show dates: April 17-June 27

10 a.m. start by library

August 15, 2024 – August 17, 2025

Celebrating the year-long loan of three Georgia O’Keeffe paintings, this exhibition unites the Mattatuck Museum’s collection with O’Keeffe’s life and work through common themes. The first pairing, Flowers and Landscapes, showcases artists who tackled similar subject matter to O’Keeffe and participated in emerging art movements, yet also occupied marginalized spaces in society. These unique spotlight exhibitions celebrate the year-long loan of three Georgia O’Keeffe paintings and will unite the Mattatuck Museum’s collection with O’Keeffe’s life and work through common themes, creating a unique dialogue between her work and other celebrated artists. Each unique pairing will be curated and narrated by a different member of the Museum’s curatorial department and offer a distinctive perspective on the Mattatuck Collection in relation to the works and story of Georgia O’Keeffe.

BBQ Lunch | Live music by the Joint Chiefs | Summer crafts and games | Discover Kent's wildlife | Help save our pollinators

RAIN OR SHINE!

Food & Fun for all ages.

Free admission for Kent residents.

Your donations will protect nature in Kent.

Join us in paying tribute to those who gave the ultimate sacrifice to our Country.

Morris' good old fashioned hometown parade begins our Memorial Day Celebration with a 12:30 pm step-off. Followed by our Memorial Day Ceremonies held in Memorial Park.

Following the Ceremonies, please join us on the Morris Town Green with LIVE music from West Hill Groove! (@1:30 pm).

We're kicking off our 2025 Summer Concert Series with West Hill Groove!

West Hill Groove playing all of your favorite rock, soul and rhythm and blues tunes!

Please bring your own folding lawn chair and / or blanket and join us!

We look forward to remembering our fallen Veterans with you. Please do join us and bring your family and friends!

______________________________________________________________________

**PLEASE NOTE:

In case of inclement weather, our Memorial Day Ceremony will be moved into the JMS gym beginning at 12:30 pm. Parade would be cancelled and our Concert, postponed. Please visit our Facebook page for updates on the morning of Monday, May 26.**

HOTCHKISS-FYLER HOUSE MUSEUM

Torrington Historical Society 

192 Main Street, Torrington, CT

2025 hours: Wednesday through Saturdays, April 16 - October 31, 2025

Guided tours at 1, 2 and 3 pm 

Phone: (860) 482-8260   info@torringtonhistoricalsociety.org

Admission: Adults $10 per person; children under 8 free

The Hotchkiss-Fyler House Museum (b. 1900) will open for the season Wednesday April 16th. The Hotchkiss-Fyler House Museum is a Victorian mansion that was home to two generations of Torrington residents. Gertrude F. Hotchkiss, the last family member to occupy the home, bequeathed the house and contents to the Society in 1956.  The interior of this grand house features mahogany paneling, ornate carvings, stenciled walls, murals, parquet floors and ornamental plaster treatments. Original family furnishings collections of fine and decorative arts. Artists represented are: Ammi Phillips, E.I. Couse, Winfield Scott Clime and George Lawrence Nelson.

Exhibition at the Five Points Annex Gallery in Torrington Ct 06790

Our 2025 Summer Concert Series kicks off on Memorial Day - Monday, May 26 at the Morris Town Green with West Hill Groove beginning immediately following our Memorial Day Ceremonies!

(@2:00 pm)

West Hill Groove will entertain us with their repertoire of rock / soul - rhythm and blues!

The Morris Town Green is located at the intersections of routes 63 and 109. Convenient parking either at the Morris Town Hall or at James Morris School.

Our concert will begin immediately following our Memorial Day ceremonies in Memorial Park. (Which follows our Memorial Day Parade with a kick off at 12:30 pm!)

Grab your lawn chair and blanket and join us for some LIVE music!

(In case of inclement weather, please visit this Facebook page and our website (www.morrisct.gov) for updates.)

Mail artists have sent in their creative post cards from 17 countries.

Snail mail has never been so creative and clever.

https://personaland.com/hut/exhibition/going-postal-2-gallery-1-of-2

Personaland is an artist-driven global village transforming the world of art by using technology to bridge time zones and cultural boundaries. Our mission is to promote humanity, creativity, and community through a mix of entertainment, enchantment, and imagination.

Since its 2018 launch, Personaland, in its global reach, has showcased over 800 visual artists, filmmakers, musicians, and poets from 68 countries in 32 group art shows and 55 individual exhibitions, many with videos of artist profiles.  https://www.personaland.com

We want your wildest image, film, music or poem. NO ENTRY FEE

Deadline for submissions - June 30

https://personaland.com/submit/wearing-wild.php

Personaland is an artist-driven global village transforming the world of art by using technology to bridge time zones and cultural boundaries. Our mission is to promote humanity, creativity, and community through a mix of entertainment, enchantment, and imagination.

Since its 2018 launch, Personaland, in its global reach, has showcased over 800 visual artists, filmmakers, musicians, and poets from 68 countries in 32 group art shows and 55 individual exhibitions, many with videos of artist profiles.  https://www.personaland.com

The Gunn Memorial Library Stairwell Gallery is pleased to present Restoration: Landscapes & Botanical Abstracts in Gouache, an exhibition of beautiful landscapes and botanicals by artist Susan Newbury, on view from April 5 through May 31.

Susan’s work is a celebration of nature’s depth and detail, drawing inspiration from the stunning landscapes, waterscapes, and gardens of her rural New York State roots and her home in Litchfield County. With a background in graphic and fashion design, her artistic practice has evolved into a dynamic exploration of color, pattern, and movement. She works primarily in gouache, acrylic, and mixed media on paper, canvas, and wood panel, using a bright, rich palette to create layered compositions that blend natural elements with abstract forms.

“Nature not only provides the subject matter but the solitude, joy, and purpose for my paintings, creating a place of quiet introspection and restoration,” she says. Her work reflects this philosophy, infusing familiar landscapes with energy and emotion while maintaining a sense of tranquility and balance. Inspired by both the botanical world and interior design elements such as fabric, wallpaper, and tilework, her paintings feature repeating shapes and striking color contrasts for an unexpected visual experience.

Her instinctive approach to painting allows her to let go of the rules, creating compositions that are both structured and free-flowing. She paints in her Litchfield County studio and accepts commission work.

Gunn Memorial Library is located at 5 Wykeham Road at the juncture of Route 47 opposite the Green in Washington, CT. Library hours may be found at gunnlibrary.org.

For more information call (860)868-7586 or email, adoerwald@gunnlibrary.org.

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!

The Cornwall Library is delighted to present Traces, Places, and Faces, an intriguing exhibition of photography and watercolor painting by Sari Goodfriend and Eddie Watkins. They are life partners, and exhibit their shared passion for people, nature, and art in this joint show.

From an early age, New Yorker Sari Goodfriend happily spent her childhood summers in Cornwall with her sister Jenny and her art dealer parents, Carol and Jim. For a few years after college she lived in East Cornwall, photographing for local newspapers from New Milford to Salisbury. Todd Piker (of Cornwall Bridge Pottery) provided her a first opportunity to exhibit (and sell!) her personal photos in a show he curated at the Silo Gallery in New Milford. 

Moving back to New York, Sari has since worked as a commercial photographer, shooting assignments for corporations, magazines, non-profits, universities, and private individuals. She now does mostly portraits and events, but her youthful Cornwall summers are apparent in the landscape and nature-inspired images she is exhibiting at the library. Her part of the show also features some abstract photographs inspired by what she terms “bleak winter beauty” and “the wild, chaotic, post-tornado woods”. Many of her photographs are in frames that once held old master prints from her parents’ art dealership, C&J Goodfriend, Drawings and Prints.

Eddie Watkins is from Pittsburgh. After four years in the Navy stationed in Cuba and Newfoundland as a proud member of the Seabees (Construction Battalion), he moved to New York City and became a photographer of fine artwork. His clientele includes museums such as The Frick Collection, The Museum of Arts and Design, private art dealers, well known artists, and collectors. He also photographed the permanent collection of The Art Students League.

Eddie has been the drummer for many rock and blues bands, a sideline that provides subjects for personal photography seen in this show. When on the move, from 1980s city streets to rural landscapes, Eddie always carries either a camera or a set of watercolors. His painting style ranges from loose and interpretive to detailed and exacting, inspired by his naval engineering background. This show includes both his photography and watercolors. 

Traces, Places, and Faces runs from April 19 to June 7. The artists’ reception is on Saturday, April 19, from 5 to 7 pm. Registration on the library website is requested for the reception.

In Ann Kraus’s new exhibition of paintings at David M. Hunt Library, vibrant skyscapes capture the feelings evoked by a specific time and place, constantly evolving as they are buffeted by the wind, adding drama and clarity to our world at sunrise and sunset. The artist said of her paintings, "While some may be serene, others may be electrifying and chaotic."

A reception for the artist will take place on Sat May 3, 5-7PM. In addition, Kraus will host an Art Talk on Thursday, May 22, from 5:30 PM to 7:00 PM. Attendees will have the opportunity to hear directly from the artist about her inspirations, techniques, and the thought-provoking themes behind her collection.

I Collect Clouds will be on display from May 2 through May 30,

You are invited to Flashes & Fragments - an art exhibit that is a fusion of mixed media, artistic lettering, video & photography. New works by Debra Lill and Kathleen Borkowski combine the beauty of visual storytelling with the expressiveness of hand lettered art. We hope you will join us as we celebrate this new work, created specifically for the Whiting Mills Gallery!

Opening: Thursday, April 24th, 5-7 pm.

Show dates: April 17-June 27

Join us for Story Time on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 10:30 for new books, free play, and fun crafts!

Tuesdays in May at 10:30 AM

Perfect for 0 - 12 months, but fun for everyone!

Meet us in the Children’s Room for Baby Time! This calm, cozy program is designed for pre-walkers who aren't quite ready for the high energy of Rhyme Time. We will focus on nursery rhymes, lullabies, and bonding with your baby.

Music and Rhyme for Children from Birth to 3s! A program for babies and their caretakers that incorporates music, rhythm, stories, and nursery rhymes to spur language development, body awareness, pre-reading skills, self-confidence, and cooperation. Gathering at 10:15, the program begins at 10:30.

Registration appreciated, drop-ins welcome!

HOTCHKISS-FYLER HOUSE MUSEUM

Torrington Historical Society 

192 Main Street, Torrington, CT

2025 hours: Wednesday through Saturdays, April 16 - October 31, 2025

Guided tours at 1, 2 and 3 pm 

Phone: (860) 482-8260   info@torringtonhistoricalsociety.org

Admission: Adults $10 per person; children under 8 free

The Hotchkiss-Fyler House Museum (b. 1900) will open for the season Wednesday April 16th. The Hotchkiss-Fyler House Museum is a Victorian mansion that was home to two generations of Torrington residents. Gertrude F. Hotchkiss, the last family member to occupy the home, bequeathed the house and contents to the Society in 1956.  The interior of this grand house features mahogany paneling, ornate carvings, stenciled walls, murals, parquet floors and ornamental plaster treatments. Original family furnishings collections of fine and decorative arts. Artists represented are: Ammi Phillips, E.I. Couse, Winfield Scott Clime and George Lawrence Nelson.

“In Praise of Cities”, by Merrill French,

“Ongoing”, by Patricia Weise

& “ For Real”, featuring Peter Christ, Kathy Hodge, Brian McClear

Five Points Gallery presents three new exhibitions. In the Torrington Savings Bank Gallery, Merrill French paints intricate cityscapes from around the world. The Torrington Downtown Partners Gallery features gouache paintings by Patricia Weise that depict domesticity and daily life. For Real, a group exhibition in the West Gallery features three artists (Peter Christ, Kathy Hodge & Brian McClear) each of whom portray elements from the man-made world.

Exhibition at the Five Points Annex Gallery in Torrington Ct 06790

Join local historical costuming enthusiast Abigail Yanaway to...

• Ask questions about 18th century sewing Access resources related to 18th century sewing
• Get help with your own 18th century projects
• Meet other people interested in historical sewing
• Join other historical sewing enthusiasts to work on projects together

Young students will learn theatre basics, as well as music and choreography. This class is highly recommended before participating in other TW Kids’ Programs.

Showcase Performance on June 7th.

This class will give students the fun of playing the guitar, and with Musical Associates’ methods, a beginner learns how to play a tune in the very first lesson! Students will have the opportunity to perform for each other and for their parents in a recital at the end of the year.

All genres of music will be included as part of the program so that students get a well-rounded artistic experience. The music club will pick up where school music programs leave off, a chance for students to get that extra attention and increased opportunity to perform. 

Instruments: K-2 children will need a half sized (30”-34”), nylon-strung acoustic guitar for the program, such as this: 

ADM 30” Classical or a 

Music Alley 34" one or

one of these by Best Choice Products 

Older children may need a three-quarter sized (36”-39”) nylon-strung acoustic guitar for the program such as this one: Pyle Beginner Acoustic Guitar 

Please retain your receipts in the unfortunate case that the class does not meet our 4 student minimum.

Instrument rental for use during class is available. Rental fee is $20 for the 6 week session.

The Next in this Three Part Series to Promote Positive Screen Use and Play-based Childhood

Gain the tools and support to navigate the turbulent waters of screen use and addiction.

How do parents/caregivers get help with managing screen use? Who can we turn to when things are feeling out of balance or out of control? Is screen use really an issue to be concerned about or is it overblown? Are there trends that we should be aware of happening in our community? All of these questions and more will be addressed by a panel which includes pediatricians, school social workers and other experts. Come with your questions/concerns and we will work toward solutions together.

Meet our Panelists:

Kate Litwin has practiced as a general pediatrician at Rocky Hill Pediatrics for more than 18 years. At work, she routinely counsels parents and patients regarding digital media use. At home, she is the mother of two teenagers and has, like most parents, struggled to set and enforce boundaries at the various stages of child and adolescent development. She has a particular interest in teen mental health and cares for many patients with anxiety, depression, ADHD and eating disorders.

Dr. Lucia Benzoni works in Bristol as a Pediatrician and has 34 years of experience. She lives in Litchfield and is married with five children. A lover of the outdoors, Dr. Benzoni finds joy in engaging in activities like gardening, hiking, and biking. “The struggle is real .... I went from having children that are older that did not have constant access to screens to my youngest child who had constant access.”

Sarah Bolton was born and raised in Woodbury. After graduating from Villanova University, she served a year in the Americorps program in Washington D.C., working for a non-profit agency that encourages adults experiencing homelessness to identify and achieve next steps in their lives. She then lived in New York City and New Haven, continuing her career in public service working for the City of New York and then the State of CT. She eventually made her way back to Litchfield County, settling in Litchfield ten years ago. She obtained her master's degree in social work from UConn in 2012 and has been working as a school social worker since 2013. Sarah, her husband Jay, and their two children enjoy being involved in the community.

Pizza will be served and activities will be available for kids guided by Miss Tricia!

Registration is required.

Join us in the Community Room for our monthly Fun Fiction Book Club! Refreshments and Ice Breaker Game from 6:30 pm - 7:00 pm. 7:00 pm we start chatting about the book! This program is free and open to the public. No registration required! The book is available at the Library Circulation Desk. Refreshments provided by The Friends of The Thomaston Public Library. This month we will be reading and discussing The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood. 

The Popular Book Club will meet at the Morris Public Library on Tuesday, May 27 to discuss "Booth" by Karen Joy Fowler.

In 1822, a secret family moves into a secret cabin some thirty miles northeast of Baltimore, to farm, to hide, and to bear ten children over the course of the next sixteen years. Junius Booth—breadwinner, celebrated Shakespearean actor, and master of the house in more ways than one—is at once a mesmerizing talent and a man of terrifying instability. One by one the children arrive, as year by year, the country draws frighteningly closer to the boiling point of secession and civil war.

As the tenor of the world shifts, the Booths emerge from their hidden lives to cement their place as one of the country’s leading theatrical families. But behind the curtains of the many stages they have graced, multiple scandals, family triumphs, and criminal disasters begin to take their toll, and the solemn siblings of John Wilkes Booth are left to reckon with the truth behind the destructively specious promise of an early prophecy.

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

Mail artists have sent in their creative post cards from 17 countries.

Snail mail has never been so creative and clever.

https://personaland.com/hut/exhibition/going-postal-2-gallery-1-of-2

Personaland is an artist-driven global village transforming the world of art by using technology to bridge time zones and cultural boundaries. Our mission is to promote humanity, creativity, and community through a mix of entertainment, enchantment, and imagination.

Since its 2018 launch, Personaland, in its global reach, has showcased over 800 visual artists, filmmakers, musicians, and poets from 68 countries in 32 group art shows and 55 individual exhibitions, many with videos of artist profiles.  https://www.personaland.com

We want your wildest image, film, music or poem. NO ENTRY FEE

Deadline for submissions - June 30

https://personaland.com/submit/wearing-wild.php

Personaland is an artist-driven global village transforming the world of art by using technology to bridge time zones and cultural boundaries. Our mission is to promote humanity, creativity, and community through a mix of entertainment, enchantment, and imagination.

Since its 2018 launch, Personaland, in its global reach, has showcased over 800 visual artists, filmmakers, musicians, and poets from 68 countries in 32 group art shows and 55 individual exhibitions, many with videos of artist profiles.  https://www.personaland.com

The Merryall Center in New Milford, CT is now accepting submissions for Expressing Motherhood (Connecticut).

Expressing Motherhood is a stage show of personal stories, songs, and skits all about the journey of motherhood. Since 2008, moms have been sharing their stories at Expressing Motherhood performances across the country. Submissions from moms, dads, grandparents, and reflections about mothers are all welcome.

The show is built for the non-famous, non-published, and people who want to get out and express themselves. The average cast consists of ten people. Performers submit in advance and are chosen based on the power of their stories.

Submission deadline - June 30th, 2025. No auditions. Email Submissions to: aschuette@merryallcenter.org

Open to all levels of experience, this workshop offers an in-depth exploration of oil painting techniques and traditional still life. Develop foundational painting skills, including glazing and layering oil paints to create luminosity and depth.

Oil Painting: Explorations in Still Life

with Sarah Paolucci

Wednesdays, May 7, 14, 21 & 28, 2025

10 AM – 1 PM

Members: $162 / Non-Members: $180

MORE INFO & REGISTER

You are invited to Flashes & Fragments - an art exhibit that is a fusion of mixed media, artistic lettering, video & photography. New works by Debra Lill and Kathleen Borkowski combine the beauty of visual storytelling with the expressiveness of hand lettered art. We hope you will join us as we celebrate this new work, created specifically for the Whiting Mills Gallery!

Opening: Thursday, April 24th, 5-7 pm.

Show dates: April 17-June 27

Landscapes: an exhibit of oil paintings by Pete Bergeron.

Connecticut artist Pete Bergeron has been painting since early childhood, inspired by the classic television instruction series "You Are an Artist", hosted by Jon Gnagy. Pete's formal art training began at Paier School of Art in Hamden, CT, studying illustration. Eventually he turned to large scale painting and, like artist James Rosenquist before him, he worked as a billboard painter, creating giant images of hamburgers, beer bottles, cars and other colorful oversized advertisements.

In 1990 he studied with Frank Covino of Waitsfield, VT, learning the Classical Academic approach to painting: a systematic method that begins with a detailed monochromatic under painting superimposed with many layers of thinly applied colored glazes. The resulting effect gives an overall luminous quality to the finished painting. His commitment to fine art was a natural direction that led to a consuming full-time passion for creating lasting and timeless works of art.

Pete’s paintings are reminiscent of the late nineteenth century American landscape painters of the Hudson River School, including John Frederick Kensett, Sanford Robinson Gifford and William Trost Richards, and of the Tonalist painters of that period.

His work hangs in many collections throughout the country.

 “Landscapes” is an exhibition of paintings of unique locations the artist has visited many times, and through the use of strong composition, a wide range of values and a complex layering of color, the artist turns the otherwise commonplace – a crashing wave, the quiet of a passing cloud or the early light of a new day – into moments of awe and inspiration and creates a connection to the eternal beauty and reassuring qualities of Nature.

Wednesdays in May at 10:30 AM

Perfect for 18 - 36 months, but fun for everyone!

Lots of rhymes, a sprinkling of songs, and one or two shared board books round out this library program that is perfect for little ones who need to get those wiggles out. Stay to PLAY! After the rhymes, stay for some unstructured play time with other kiddos.

Music and Rhyme for Children from Birth to 3s! A program for babies and their caretakers that incorporates music, rhythm, stories, and nursery rhymes to spur language development, body awareness, pre-reading skills, self-confidence, and cooperation. Gathering at 10:15, the program begins at 10:30.

Registration appreciated, drop-ins welcome!

Are you ready to embark on an extraordinary journey through time? Introducing the Chabad of Northwest CT JLI Course: Colorful Profiles, where we will dive into the lives of twelve remarkable characters who shaped Jewish history in ways you never imagined! Over the course of four enlightening weeks, you'll meet a tapestry of personalities from courageous converts to wise royal advisors, from daring captives to inspiring philanthropists. Each story is a vibrant thread in the rich fabric of our heritage, offering you a kaleidoscope of experiences that will leave you captivated and craving more.

Discover the sacrifices that paved the way for future generations, the adventures that defied the odds, and the achievements that illuminate our collective past. This course is not just a lesson in history; its a celebration of resilience, identity, and the colorful spectrum of Jewish life. Don't miss out on this chance to enrich your understanding and appreciation of our peoples legacy come join us and let the stories unfold! After all, history is best told through the vivid colors of its characters!

Classes meet in-person on six Wednesday mornings at The Heritage Hotel. 

RSVP: chabadNW.org/JLI (zoom option available)

The Cornwall Library is delighted to present Traces, Places, and Faces, an intriguing exhibition of photography and watercolor painting by Sari Goodfriend and Eddie Watkins. They are life partners, and exhibit their shared passion for people, nature, and art in this joint show.

From an early age, New Yorker Sari Goodfriend happily spent her childhood summers in Cornwall with her sister Jenny and her art dealer parents, Carol and Jim. For a few years after college she lived in East Cornwall, photographing for local newspapers from New Milford to Salisbury. Todd Piker (of Cornwall Bridge Pottery) provided her a first opportunity to exhibit (and sell!) her personal photos in a show he curated at the Silo Gallery in New Milford. 

Moving back to New York, Sari has since worked as a commercial photographer, shooting assignments for corporations, magazines, non-profits, universities, and private individuals. She now does mostly portraits and events, but her youthful Cornwall summers are apparent in the landscape and nature-inspired images she is exhibiting at the library. Her part of the show also features some abstract photographs inspired by what she terms “bleak winter beauty” and “the wild, chaotic, post-tornado woods”. Many of her photographs are in frames that once held old master prints from her parents’ art dealership, C&J Goodfriend, Drawings and Prints.

Eddie Watkins is from Pittsburgh. After four years in the Navy stationed in Cuba and Newfoundland as a proud member of the Seabees (Construction Battalion), he moved to New York City and became a photographer of fine artwork. His clientele includes museums such as The Frick Collection, The Museum of Arts and Design, private art dealers, well known artists, and collectors. He also photographed the permanent collection of The Art Students League.

Eddie has been the drummer for many rock and blues bands, a sideline that provides subjects for personal photography seen in this show. When on the move, from 1980s city streets to rural landscapes, Eddie always carries either a camera or a set of watercolors. His painting style ranges from loose and interpretive to detailed and exacting, inspired by his naval engineering background. This show includes both his photography and watercolors. 

Traces, Places, and Faces runs from April 19 to June 7. The artists’ reception is on Saturday, April 19, from 5 to 7 pm. Registration on the library website is requested for the reception.

HOTCHKISS-FYLER HOUSE MUSEUM

Torrington Historical Society 

192 Main Street, Torrington, CT

2025 hours: Wednesday through Saturdays, April 16 - October 31, 2025

Guided tours at 1, 2 and 3 pm 

Phone: (860) 482-8260   info@torringtonhistoricalsociety.org

Admission: Adults $10 per person; children under 8 free

The Hotchkiss-Fyler House Museum (b. 1900) will open for the season Wednesday April 16th. The Hotchkiss-Fyler House Museum is a Victorian mansion that was home to two generations of Torrington residents. Gertrude F. Hotchkiss, the last family member to occupy the home, bequeathed the house and contents to the Society in 1956.  The interior of this grand house features mahogany paneling, ornate carvings, stenciled walls, murals, parquet floors and ornamental plaster treatments. Original family furnishings collections of fine and decorative arts. Artists represented are: Ammi Phillips, E.I. Couse, Winfield Scott Clime and George Lawrence Nelson.

In Ann Kraus’s new exhibition of paintings at David M. Hunt Library, vibrant skyscapes capture the feelings evoked by a specific time and place, constantly evolving as they are buffeted by the wind, adding drama and clarity to our world at sunrise and sunset. The artist said of her paintings, "While some may be serene, others may be electrifying and chaotic."

A reception for the artist will take place on Sat May 3, 5-7PM. In addition, Kraus will host an Art Talk on Thursday, May 22, from 5:30 PM to 7:00 PM. Attendees will have the opportunity to hear directly from the artist about her inspirations, techniques, and the thought-provoking themes behind her collection.

I Collect Clouds will be on display from May 2 through May 30,

“In Praise of Cities”, by Merrill French,

“Ongoing”, by Patricia Weise

& “ For Real”, featuring Peter Christ, Kathy Hodge, Brian McClear

Five Points Gallery presents three new exhibitions. In the Torrington Savings Bank Gallery, Merrill French paints intricate cityscapes from around the world. The Torrington Downtown Partners Gallery features gouache paintings by Patricia Weise that depict domesticity and daily life. For Real, a group exhibition in the West Gallery features three artists (Peter Christ, Kathy Hodge & Brian McClear) each of whom portray elements from the man-made world.

Each week, homeschoolers will focus on a different artist, art movement, or art medium. They will take a tour of the galleries and then creating original artwork. Students of all ages will enjoy being artistic, social, and learning new skills!

May 14: 3D Art

May 28: Sky paintings

Cost: $15 per participant

One week a year, six local artists get together and paint at Onadune, a sprawling family house in Rhode Island. A giant porch, surrounded on three sides by the Atlantic, serves as their studio. The painters ( insert names or list above?) met fifteen years ago at the Washington Art Association, in Ira Barkoff’s class, and have continued sharing their work and ideas ever since.

While the artists have very different styles, interpretations, and backgrounds in the arts, the artwork created at Onadune shares a singular flavor of salt air and light. This special place has given the artists the rare opportunity to paint from dawn to dusk, follow their instincts while supported by each other, and has cemented the bond forged at the Washington Art Association.

The exhibit brings the viewer to Onadune and shows how six different artists have used

the same place for inspiration and personal artistic growth.The artists:

Joanne Conant

A jeweler and recognized enamellist, Joanne brought her talent to seascapes fifteen years ago and never looked back. A resident of Newtown and a former teacher at Brookfield Craft center, she is well known for her cloisonné enamels and jewelry and brings much of that sensibility to her paintings.

Elizabeth MacDonald

After Elizabeth worked as an actor in Seattle, she moved to her Bridgewater residence and started her journey with clay. She is known for her vessels, large scale mosaics, sculptures, and paintings on clay. Her time at Onadune has expanded her paintings on slate as well as canvas.

Ronnie Maddalena

A graphic designer living in Warren, Ronnie contributes her graphics skills to many important corporate and local causes, including The Farmer’sTable. Ronnie creates brilliant and exuberant still lifes, both found and arranged.

Kathleen Love Mooney

A resident of West Cornwall, Kathleen started her career as a fashion designer in NYC designing clothing on silk that she hand-painted. Her focus is painting landscapes; she continues to paint everything she sees.

Karen Simmons

Was an architect in NYC, and in France, and joined WAA when she moved to Woodbury, CT. Her paintings, landscapes and still-lifes, reflect both her architectural and European background.

Wendy Walker

Has previously worked as both an illustrator and a scenic artist /designer in NYC. When she moved to Roxbury Ct, she started painting “a little smaller” and paints landscapes and subjects that inspire her emotionally.

Exhibition at the Five Points Annex Gallery in Torrington Ct 06790

Yarn Bomb Drop-in Sessions are taking place at Five Points Arts Center throughout the winter and spring - free and open to the public of all ages, skills and techniques welcome!

MORE INFO HERE

Wednesdays (weekly):

2 - 4 PM

Jan 8 - May 28

Saturdays:

2 -4 PM

January 11 & 25

February 8 &22

March 8 & 22

April 12 & 26

May 10

$5 Per Person, Waterbury public school, magnet school, and charter school students get in FREE, Kids Adventure Passholders get in FREE.

Hang out with friends, try a relaxing craft, get creative with graphic design, or chill on a beanbag! All teens grades 6-12, ages 12+ are welcome, with supplies and snacks provided.

To pre-register please call (203) 753-0381, extension 130

Register Here

 Support provided by United Way of Greater Waterbury and Elisha Leavenworth Foundation. .

May 28 @ 3:00 pm - 4:00 pm

Gain an inside look from the people who spend the most time in the Mattatuck Museum- our staff! Hear from Mattatuck Museum’s Art Fellow, Julie Francois, about her favorite works on display.

Non-Member: $10 Member: $5

Register Here

Sponsored by Christine and Eugene Shugrue

Come see the first exhibition of the New Hartford Artisans Guild. Multiple artist have come together to celebrate ate in various artistic styles.

Reception is April 5th 5-9pm.

Join us every Friday night from 5-8 in the NHAG studio, at 37 Greenwoods Road, New Hartford CT - Floor 2 #9A for life model drawing. Participants must be 18+ to attend.

registar at nhagct.art or newhartfordartisansguild.com

A Tasteful Event is a premiere food and wine tasting with a silent auction and entertainment!

Join us for a very special community rehearsal! Be the first participants in our new interactive performance and help shape the piece with your feedback! Then, catch a sneak peek of Lamentation Variations—a Pilobolean interpretation of Martha Graham’s seminal work, Lamentation—before it makes its NYC debut on The Joyce Theater stage this summer. The evening will culminate with a meet-and-greet with Pilobolus dancers and staff over light snacks and drinks. We hope to see you there!

When: Wednesday, May 28, 2025, from 5:30 - 7PM

Where: The Washington Club, 92 Green Hill Rd., Washington, CT

Ticket Info: FREE! Registration required.

Need a laugh? Join author and pop culture historian Marty Gitlin for a funny program about funny programs! Marty will talk about the evolution of sitcoms over the decades, from I Love Lucy to The Big Bang Theory. Test your knowledge of sitcom trivia and enjoy hilarious clips from some of your favorite shows at this fun and interactive program. This program is suitable for teens and adults. Please register @harwintonlibrary.org/events

Mail artists have sent in their creative post cards from 17 countries.

Snail mail has never been so creative and clever.

https://personaland.com/hut/exhibition/going-postal-2-gallery-1-of-2

Personaland is an artist-driven global village transforming the world of art by using technology to bridge time zones and cultural boundaries. Our mission is to promote humanity, creativity, and community through a mix of entertainment, enchantment, and imagination.

Since its 2018 launch, Personaland, in its global reach, has showcased over 800 visual artists, filmmakers, musicians, and poets from 68 countries in 32 group art shows and 55 individual exhibitions, many with videos of artist profiles.  https://www.personaland.com

We want your wildest image, film, music or poem. NO ENTRY FEE

Deadline for submissions - June 30

https://personaland.com/submit/wearing-wild.php

Personaland is an artist-driven global village transforming the world of art by using technology to bridge time zones and cultural boundaries. Our mission is to promote humanity, creativity, and community through a mix of entertainment, enchantment, and imagination.

Since its 2018 launch, Personaland, in its global reach, has showcased over 800 visual artists, filmmakers, musicians, and poets from 68 countries in 32 group art shows and 55 individual exhibitions, many with videos of artist profiles.  https://www.personaland.com

The Gunn Memorial Library Stairwell Gallery is pleased to present Restoration: Landscapes & Botanical Abstracts in Gouache, an exhibition of beautiful landscapes and botanicals by artist Susan Newbury, on view from April 5 through May 31.

Susan’s work is a celebration of nature’s depth and detail, drawing inspiration from the stunning landscapes, waterscapes, and gardens of her rural New York State roots and her home in Litchfield County. With a background in graphic and fashion design, her artistic practice has evolved into a dynamic exploration of color, pattern, and movement. She works primarily in gouache, acrylic, and mixed media on paper, canvas, and wood panel, using a bright, rich palette to create layered compositions that blend natural elements with abstract forms.

“Nature not only provides the subject matter but the solitude, joy, and purpose for my paintings, creating a place of quiet introspection and restoration,” she says. Her work reflects this philosophy, infusing familiar landscapes with energy and emotion while maintaining a sense of tranquility and balance. Inspired by both the botanical world and interior design elements such as fabric, wallpaper, and tilework, her paintings feature repeating shapes and striking color contrasts for an unexpected visual experience.

Her instinctive approach to painting allows her to let go of the rules, creating compositions that are both structured and free-flowing. She paints in her Litchfield County studio and accepts commission work.

Gunn Memorial Library is located at 5 Wykeham Road at the juncture of Route 47 opposite the Green in Washington, CT. Library hours may be found at gunnlibrary.org.

For more information call (860)868-7586 or email, adoerwald@gunnlibrary.org.

Basic Italian I, a 13-session beginner class, will be held on Thursdays, May 8 to July 31, 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. The class will cover pronunciation, grammar, vocabulary, conversation, and culture. The required text is Learn Italian the Fast and Fun Way by Marcel Danesi, Barron's Publisher, any edition, available online at abebooks.com and other retailers. 

In Ann Kraus’s new exhibition of paintings at David M. Hunt Library, vibrant skyscapes capture the feelings evoked by a specific time and place, constantly evolving as they are buffeted by the wind, adding drama and clarity to our world at sunrise and sunset. The artist said of her paintings, "While some may be serene, others may be electrifying and chaotic."

A reception for the artist will take place on Sat May 3, 5-7PM. In addition, Kraus will host an Art Talk on Thursday, May 22, from 5:30 PM to 7:00 PM. Attendees will have the opportunity to hear directly from the artist about her inspirations, techniques, and the thought-provoking themes behind her collection.

I Collect Clouds will be on display from May 2 through May 30,

You are invited to Flashes & Fragments - an art exhibit that is a fusion of mixed media, artistic lettering, video & photography. New works by Debra Lill and Kathleen Borkowski combine the beauty of visual storytelling with the expressiveness of hand lettered art. We hope you will join us as we celebrate this new work, created specifically for the Whiting Mills Gallery!

Opening: Thursday, April 24th, 5-7 pm.

Show dates: April 17-June 27

Join us for Story Time on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 10:30 for new books, free play, and fun crafts!

Thursdays in May at 10:30 AM

Perfect for 3 - 5 year olds, but fun for everyone!

Join Mrs. Tricia for a classic library storytime - books, songs, bubbles, and more! Come for early literary skills, social connections, and fun! We will focus on one special picture book author each week.

The Souterrain Gallery invites you to view and pruchase the current works by Ken Krug .

Open Th-Su 11-5 and by appointment

more info at www.souterraingallery.net

About the Artist

Ken Krug is a fine artist, illustrator, and author. He illustrated Michele Obama’s book about the

White House Garden and wrote and illustrated the children’s book, No, Silly! which was on the

Bank Street College Best Books of 2016 list. His paintings have been exhibited in numerous art

shows and were featured on the set of the movie “You Can Count on Me.” Ken Krug is also an

Adjunct Assistant Professor, Fashion Institute of Technology, SUNY

www.kenkrug.com

Ken spends much of his weekends , summers and other times with his wife Liz Van Doren in Cornwall where the family is deeply rooted .

on display at the Souterrain Gallery through July :

“Frank Rosen a nontraditional woodworker who also uses wood for painting and sculpture. His work moves in different directions: geometric to flowing, flat to textural, colorful to subdued. Surprise and humor are also media in which he dabbles.”   

more info at www.souterraingallery.net

open Th-Su 11-5

Kenise Barnes Fine Art is honored to present an exhibition featuring hand-painted cyanotypes by Julia Whitney Barnes and drawings by Sarah Morejohn.

Julia Whitney Barnes is well known for her innovations in Cyanotype (camera-less photographic printing process) paintings. Whitney Barnes’ multi-step process includes harvesting flora (flowers and weeds being equally important) and combining several species into a single composition on photo sensitive cotton paper. After exposing the work to UV light, the resulting blue and white image is carefully hand-painted in many layers of watercolor, gouache, and ink, reanimating the vitality to the ghost of the objects. The artist is most interested in creating work that feels both beautiful and mysterious. Her artwork symbolizes resilience and are the records of the historical moment in which they were made, the process, and the artist’s will and interest in reasserting the presence of the image.

Whitney Barnes recently completed permanent public installations in The Botanist’s Mural, Vassar College/Frances Lehman Loeb Art Center, Poughkeepsie, NY, Brooklyn Botanical: PS 253 (glass commission), Public Art in Public Schools/Percent for Art, Brooklyn, NY, Planting Utopia (interior installation), Albany International Airport, Albany, NY, Planting Utopia (interior and exterior installation), Shaker Heritage Society, Albany, NY. The artist has received the following honors and awards; Maker-Creator Research Fellowship, Winterthur Museum, Library & Garden (2024-25), Individual Artist Grant, (partnering with Shaker Heritage Society), New York State Council on the Arts (2018), Individual Artist Commission, NY State Decentralization Grant, Arts Mid-Hudson, Poughkeepsie, NY (2015), Gowanus Public Arts Initiative Grant (ArtsGowanus, The Old Stone House & District 39), Brooklyn, NY, Residency with Site-Specific Installation & Fellowship, Fjellerup I Bund I Grund, Fjellerup, Denmark, to name a few. Her work has been featured in Architectural Record, Times Union, The B Magazine, The Jealous Curator, Create Magazine, American Art Collector Magazine and many other publications and podcasts. Julia Whitney Barnes earned her BFA Fine Arts, Painting, Parsons the New School for Design, New York, NY and her MFA Fine Arts, Painting & Combined Media, Hunter College, CUNY, New York, NY. The artist lives and works in NY.

Sarah Morejohn’s fascination with non-linear patterns in nature drives her work. Through drawing, she considers how the relationship to nature is mediated both by objective understanding and subjective imagining of it. Considering the symbolic connections between nature, the body, and climate change Morejohn draws partial six-fold symmetries. By building a drawing line by line, sharp angles soften and wiggle, cell-like shapes minnow along while branches and flowers become a part of the flotsam disconnected from the earth. Figurative snow crystals become interlaced with one another and their environment, jumbling towards their own future transformations. Morejohn’s drawing process is intuitive and organic, artifacts of the process, drips, spills, flaws and mistakes are embraced. By collaging the imperfect pieces of her drawings together the work becomes a metaphor for the ever-changing uncertainties of life.

Sarah Morejohn’s work in in the collections of Heustis Hall, 1% for Art Oregon Arts Commission, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, Echo Laboratory, Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY, Ursell Laboratory, Physics Department, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, Project Art & Medical Museum, University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics, Iowa City, IA. She was awarded residencies at Jentel Artist Residency, Banner, WY and Playa Art and Science Residency, Summer Lake, OR. Morejohn earned her BFA in Painting and Drawing, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR. The artist lives and works in CA.

Please contact Lani Ming Holloway, Associate Director, Lani@kbfa.com, 860 560 3085 with inquires or to arrange a preview of the exhibition.

Embellished Notifications by British textile designer and fiber artist Kate Lewis offers an analog interpretation of the messages and notifications we receive digitally from various apps, brands and the outside world in general.

Conceived as an “antidote to the news” this series of work aims to capture the good feelings and happiness these digital messages offer, carrying those emotions and momentary dopamine triggers into the future.

“I thought about the relationship our phones have with brands, how we receive information digitally and which brands and phrases exactly gave me that hit of dopamine,” Kate says. “These notifications have become integral to our modern lives, with food deliveries, take out, online dating, transport...”

With a nod to traditional cross-stitch samplers, these colorful and slightly subversive hand made works aim to lift your spirits, and will look great in your kitchen.

For more information about the opening and exhibit email hithere@peggymercury.com or send us a DM on Instagram

@itspeggymercury

For more information about Kate Lewis:

@katelewisstudio

katelewisstudio.com

The Cornwall Library is delighted to present Traces, Places, and Faces, an intriguing exhibition of photography and watercolor painting by Sari Goodfriend and Eddie Watkins. They are life partners, and exhibit their shared passion for people, nature, and art in this joint show.

From an early age, New Yorker Sari Goodfriend happily spent her childhood summers in Cornwall with her sister Jenny and her art dealer parents, Carol and Jim. For a few years after college she lived in East Cornwall, photographing for local newspapers from New Milford to Salisbury. Todd Piker (of Cornwall Bridge Pottery) provided her a first opportunity to exhibit (and sell!) her personal photos in a show he curated at the Silo Gallery in New Milford. 

Moving back to New York, Sari has since worked as a commercial photographer, shooting assignments for corporations, magazines, non-profits, universities, and private individuals. She now does mostly portraits and events, but her youthful Cornwall summers are apparent in the landscape and nature-inspired images she is exhibiting at the library. Her part of the show also features some abstract photographs inspired by what she terms “bleak winter beauty” and “the wild, chaotic, post-tornado woods”. Many of her photographs are in frames that once held old master prints from her parents’ art dealership, C&J Goodfriend, Drawings and Prints.

Eddie Watkins is from Pittsburgh. After four years in the Navy stationed in Cuba and Newfoundland as a proud member of the Seabees (Construction Battalion), he moved to New York City and became a photographer of fine artwork. His clientele includes museums such as The Frick Collection, The Museum of Arts and Design, private art dealers, well known artists, and collectors. He also photographed the permanent collection of The Art Students League.

Eddie has been the drummer for many rock and blues bands, a sideline that provides subjects for personal photography seen in this show. When on the move, from 1980s city streets to rural landscapes, Eddie always carries either a camera or a set of watercolors. His painting style ranges from loose and interpretive to detailed and exacting, inspired by his naval engineering background. This show includes both his photography and watercolors. 

Traces, Places, and Faces runs from April 19 to June 7. The artists’ reception is on Saturday, April 19, from 5 to 7 pm. Registration on the library website is requested for the reception.

Landscapes: an exhibit of oil paintings by Pete Bergeron.

Connecticut artist Pete Bergeron has been painting since early childhood, inspired by the classic television instruction series "You Are an Artist", hosted by Jon Gnagy. Pete's formal art training began at Paier School of Art in Hamden, CT, studying illustration. Eventually he turned to large scale painting and, like artist James Rosenquist before him, he worked as a billboard painter, creating giant images of hamburgers, beer bottles, cars and other colorful oversized advertisements.

In 1990 he studied with Frank Covino of Waitsfield, VT, learning the Classical Academic approach to painting: a systematic method that begins with a detailed monochromatic under painting superimposed with many layers of thinly applied colored glazes. The resulting effect gives an overall luminous quality to the finished painting. His commitment to fine art was a natural direction that led to a consuming full-time passion for creating lasting and timeless works of art.

Pete’s paintings are reminiscent of the late nineteenth century American landscape painters of the Hudson River School, including John Frederick Kensett, Sanford Robinson Gifford and William Trost Richards, and of the Tonalist painters of that period.

His work hangs in many collections throughout the country.

 “Landscapes” is an exhibition of paintings of unique locations the artist has visited many times, and through the use of strong composition, a wide range of values and a complex layering of color, the artist turns the otherwise commonplace – a crashing wave, the quiet of a passing cloud or the early light of a new day – into moments of awe and inspiration and creates a connection to the eternal beauty and reassuring qualities of Nature.

Bring your lunch, listen to stories, and enjoy a fun craft! All are welcome, this program is intended for preschool-aged children. This event will be offered in person in the Junior Room of the Library.

Registration is appreciated but not required.