Another Blockbuster Art Weekend in Litchfield, CT
A confluence of openings and events at Litchfield’s art galleries is happening again, with the cultural opportunities extending from Thursday through Saturday.
The Oliver Wolcott Library hosts a reception Thursday for its exhibit of Judith Secco’s painterly photographs, and the Alofft Gallery on the Green hosts an exhibit opening reception Friday evening.
Saturday features an opening at amArtHouse in Bantam and the Litchfield Historical Society’s Talent! Silent Art Auction. It’s also the last day to see the current exhibit at the Jennifer Terzian Gallery.
Serendipitous timing allows art lovers to do and see it all. Details follow.
OWL Reception
The Oliver Wolcott Library (@oliverwolcottlibrary) is holding a reception Thursday (Dec. 1) from 5 to 7 p.m. with photographer Judith Secco (@secjude), whose exhibit remains on view in the library’s gallery through Dec. 30. Secco gives her photographs the feel of fine art paintings by using layers, textures and composites of more than one image to enhance beauty and bring nature to life.
160 South St. | 860-567-8030
Alofft Gallery Opening
Alofft Gallery on the Green in Litchfield center is holding an opening reception Friday (Dec. 2) from 5 to 8 p.m., for an exhibit entitled “Natural Presence,” featuring works by J. Elaine Senack, an elected member of the American Artists Professional League, and a member of the National Oil and Acrylic Painters Society, The Lyme Art Association, and the Connecticut Academy of Fine Arts.
“From my native woodlands in New England to the towering mountains of Montana and the rocky coastline of Maine, the plants and wildlife I encounter provide the backdrop and subject matter for my art,” the artist says. “More than anything else, it’s the undisturbed beauty of a landscape; the quiet moments of birds and animals that I seek to capture and share. I find myself drawn to observe the world more closely, perceiving the dynamic variety of hues in nature. It’s often this careful observation, the more intimate settings, that reveal beauty in even the most commonplace scenes and wildlife.”
41 West St. | 860-567-8030
AmArtHouse Opening Reception
The gallery amArtHouse on Route 202, southwest of Bantam center, is holding a festive opening reception Saturday (Dec. 3) for a solo exhibition of big, bold paintings of Patricia Udell, as well as her sculptures. The artist from Brooklyn has a degree in sculpture from the University of Pennsylvania and also studied at the School of Visual Arts and Rhode Island School of Design.
The reception, from 4 to 7 p.m., is sponsored by Litchfield Distillery and features live jazz by the Albert Rivera Trio.
The gallery, owned and curated by Artur Matuszewski, features work by contemporary artists.
1062 Bantam Rd. | (212) 696 1807
Litchfield Historical Society Silent Art Auction
The Litchfield Historical Society’s Talent! Silent Art Auction takes place Saturday, from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Litchfield History Museum. In addition to the silent auction featuring works from over 25 local artists, the evening includes hors d’oeuvres, and cocktails. All proceeds benefit the historical society’s education mission. Advance tickets are $35 for LHS Members, $40 for non-members. And may be purchased online at https://app.etapestry.com/…/Lit…/default/category.php…
(Artwork clockwise from top left by: Diane Stoner; Copper Tritscheller; Kristen and Katharine Orr; Joan Morosani.)
Jennifer Terzian Gallery: Last Chance
The exhibit of still life works by naturalist Amy Jean Porter at Jennifer Terzian Gallery closes this Saturday,
It’s the artist’s first solo show in Connecticut and features more than 50 drawings from the last six years that “tell a story of daily life in small moments and slow growth. Some are carefully rendered studies in gouache, jewel-like and precise: forget-me-nots and buttercups, a winter bouquet and found feather, three versions of the North Star made in one night. Porter’s four drawings of bananas are color studies found on the kitchen counter. … .”
In the back room, Porter presents colored pencil drawings of houseplants and cut flower bouquets in her home, and a third series of drawings in gouache loosely portray animals and outdoor scenes she has encountered.
The gallery, located below At the Corner restaurant on South Street, is open by appointment. Email [email protected] to make plans to stop by.
3 South St. | 714-932-5497
And don’t miss:
The current exhibit in the Marie Louise Trichet Gallery at Wisdom House, “Glasshouse of New Americans,” was created with vintage photographs of new immigrants to America. It remains on view through Dec. 10.
Outdoors in The Peace Garden you can see West Cornwall sculptor Joseph Jude Brien’s homage to the work of author Madeleine L’Engle, commissioned by L’Engle’s granddaughter and created from an old apple tree on the family’s property that was blown down by a wind storm in 2020.
Visit the gallery Monday through Saturday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. (It’s best to check on Saturday hours before visiting: (860) 567-3163.)
If you’re in the mood to acquire …
Litchfield County Auctions features three sales next week, Dec. 6, 7, and 8: Books & 20th Century Art and Design, antiques and décor from New England estates, and The Holiday Sale: Art, Design, and Decor. Details are here.