In celebration of Verso University's exploration of the CT Art Trail, join us on October 12 for a presentation about the New Britain Museum of Art in New Britain.
Dr. M. Stephen Miller will give a talk titled Masterworks of Shaker Design: Mount Lebanon, NY. This will be an illustrated lecture focused on the current exhibit at the museum.
This event will take place in the Brooks Place program room on the Library's main level. Please register for this free event HERE.
Miller has been a collector, researcher, writer, teacher, and speaker in the world of Shaker material culture for the past 47 years. His last two major books, From Shaker Lands and Shaker Hands: A Survey of the Industries and Inspired Innovations: A Celebration of Shaker Ingenuity were published by University Press of New England. Steve has been the curator, now guest curator, of a series of Shaker exhibitions in the NBMAA’s Shaker Gallery since 2015. The gallery was established and endowed by Steve and his wife, Miriam.
New Lebanon was the first fully formed Shaker community, founded in 1787. It closed in 1947. This was the home to the Parent Ministry, the acknowledged leaders of the seventeen other long-lasting Shaker villages that stretched from Maine to Kentucky. For most of its existence, it was also the largest of the Shaker communities, with up to 600 members by the middle 1800s. The name was changed from New to Mount in 1861, when congress granted them their own post office. In theory, at least, this was the place that all Believers looked to for leadership.
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Each month, Verso University will bring individual curators and/or museum directors, from the CT Art Trail membership to the Library for a deeper dive into that museum’s particular mission and exhibits — past and present. Participants will have an opportunity for deeper learning and gain an insider’s view of the museums, their collections and history, along with an invitation for an on-site visit. The Connecticut Art Trail is a nationally recognized partnership between 23 world-class museums and historic sites, created to promote Connecticut’s rich cultural assets.
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Verso University is the Library’s lifelong learning and education initiative, serving up year-round offerings of classes, workshops, and lectures designed to further education and learning. Offerings run the gamut of educational opportunities, ranging from one-time lectures to ongoing courses to classes that meet weekly or perhaps monthly.
Verso University programs are made possible by the generous support of the Nancy J. Beard Lifelong Learning and Education Fund.
Museum Passes
Virtual Museum Tours
L to R: Exhibit Curator Carole Erger-Fass, Ellen Naftalin, artist Charles Joyner, Anne Levine, Joan Miller, MaryEllen Hendricks, and Katherine Ross
Patrons who come into The Westport Library probably don’t think about what it takes to mount the rotating art exhibits that grace the walls of its three dedicated art galleries — or maintain the artwork on the walls throughout the building. The Library’s all-volunteer art committee, along with Westport Library Exhibit Curator Carole Erger-Fass, make it all happen.
Exhibiting original art is a key part of the Library’s programming and is the direct outgrowth of the town’s rich roots as an artist colony. Dating back to the early 1900s, and continuing through today, the Library has been committed to supporting Westport’s visual artists.
During the many years prior to the transformation of the Library in 2019, the esteemed artistic trio of Howard Munce, Leonard Everett Fisher, and Neil Hardy curated the Library’s exhibits of local artists, working in conjunction with then-Exhibit Curator Chris Timmons. In 2011, while contemplating retiring, the committee members recruited Ellen Naftalin and Anne Levine, both active volunteers at the Westport Historical Society; artist and Westpac member Joan Miller; and Westpac Co-Chair and Art Director Erger-Fass to join their crew. At their first official meeting together, Munce, Everett Fisher, and Hardy revealed their plans and turned over their hammers and nails to their new recruits.
Munce and Fisher were also responsible, along with Shirley Land, for assembling the Library’s 100-plus item collection, Black and White Works on Paper. That, along with many paintings, prints, and photographs, make up the Library’s extensive permanent collection. These holdings, plus the dozen or so yearly rotating exhibits, are part of the art committee’s purview. Prior to the transformation project, all the permanent works needed to be photographed, catalogued, and packed up — a painstaking job that Timmons managed with the help of the committee. And once the rebuilding was complete, the team was responsible for rehanging it all in the Library’s new home.
Miggs Burroughs interviews botanical artist Dick Rauh in the Library's Trefz Forum.
In 2020, just before the pandemic, Timmons announced her own retirement as exhibit curator, and the Library subsequently hired Erger-Fass as her successor. Looking to expand the team, Erger-Fass added artist Katherine Ross, photographer MaryEllen Hendricks, and finally, local artist/legend Miggs Burroughs to the team. These three members are also members of the Artists Collective of Westport, bringing a natural synergy with one of the town’s robust artistic resources.
“As a local photographer, I was so honored to be involved in such a forward-thinking institution as The Westport Library,” Hendricks said. “Being a part of the committee has been such a joy for me. Meeting the artists and hanging their work has been very inspiring.”
The committee meets several times a year to discuss and plan the gallery schedule, and generally books ahead about two years. Their goal is to showcase the diversity of Westport’s art scene, including a variety of media. The Sheffer, South, and the Jesup galleries each have three to four shows per calendar year, which Erger-Fass and the committee curate, install, and ultimately de-install. They also host artist receptions and talks, with each member participating in the exhibit process from start to finish.
“I have been on many volunteer committees over the years, and this is by far the most gratifying,” said Naftalin, a 12-year veteran of the committee. “The artists we work with are a diverse group of Westport’s finest, and we try to continue Westport’s tradition of being an artist’s colony.”
In celebration of Verso University's exploration of the CT Art Trail, join us on November 15 at 11 am for a presentation about the The Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum.
Join Cybele Maylone, executive director of The Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum in Ridgefield, to learn about the institution's long history of groundbreaking exhibitions and about upcoming shows, including Yvette Mayorga: Dreaming of You and Chiffon Thomas: The Cavernous.
This event will take place in in the Komansky Program Room on the Library's main level. Please register for this free event HERE.
The Westport Library has a museum pass available for The Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum, which entitles the holder of the pass and four family members entry to the museum. Learn more by clicking here, and explore all our museum passes here.
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Cybele Maylone has served as the executive director of The Aldrich since 2018. Prior to joining the museum, she was the executive director of UrbanGlass in Brooklyn, New York, and also held positions with apexart and the New Museum in New York City.
Founded by art collector and fashion designer Larry Aldrich in 1964, The Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum is one of the oldest contemporary art museums in the United States. The museum is one of the few independent, non-collecting institutions in the country and the only museum in Connecticut solely dedicated to the presentation of contemporary art. The Aldrich is internationally recognized for its artist-centric programs and visionary exhibitions, presenting first solo museum exhibitions by emerging artists, significant exhibitions of established artists, and thematic group exhibitions.
In subsequent months, Verso University will bring individual curators and/or museum directors, from the CT Art Trail membership to the Library for a deeper dive into that museum’s particular mission and exhibits — past and present. Participants will have an opportunity for deeper learning and gain an insider’s view of the museums, their collections and history, along with an invitation for an on-site visit. The Connecticut Art Trail is a nationally recognized partnership between 23 world-class museums and historic sites, created to promote Connecticut’s rich cultural assets.
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Verso University is the Library’s lifelong learning and education initiative, serving up year-round offerings of classes, workshops, and lectures designed to further education and learning. Offerings run the gamut of educational opportunities, ranging from one-time lectures to ongoing courses to classes that meet weekly or perhaps monthly.
Verso University programs are made possible by the generous support of the Nancy J. Beard Lifelong Learning and Education Fund.
Museum Passes
Virtual Museum Tours
In celebration of Verso University's exploration of the CT Art Trail, join us August 2 for a presentation about Weir Farm National Historical Park: A National Park for Art! Be inspired by of generations of world-class artists, including America's most beloved Impressionist Julian Alden Weir.
Weir Farm National Historical Park, located in Wilton and Ridgefield, was the first national park in Connecticut and one of the founding members of the Connecticut Art Trail. The only national park dedicated to American Impressionism, Weir Farm was home to three generations of artists including Julian Alden Weir, a leading figure in 19th century art and America’s most beloved Impressionist. Weir described his home as the “Great Good Place.” Weir’s farm is a national legacy to American Impressionism, the creative spirit, and historic preservation.
Jessica Kuhnen, Weir Farm National Historical Park's curator, will be at the Library to talk about the artistic legacy of Weir Farm and how contemporary artists use the park as a source of inspiration and creativity. Jessica will also highlight upcoming events and programs.
This event will take place in in Brooks Place. Please register for this free event HERE.
In subsequent months, Verso University will bring individual curators and/or museum directors, from the CT Art Trail membership to the Library for a deeper dive into that museum’s particular mission and exhibits — past and present. Participants will have an opportunity for deeper learning and gain an insider’s view of the museums, their collections and history, along with an invitation for an on-site visit. The Connecticut Art Trail is a nationally recognized partnership between 23 world-class museums and historic sites, created to promote Connecticut’s rich cultural assets.
Verso University is the Library’s lifelong learning and education initiative, serving up year-round offerings of classes, workshops, and lectures designed to further education and learning. Offerings run the gamut of educational opportunities, ranging from one-time lectures to ongoing courses to classes that meet weekly or perhaps monthly.
Verso University programs are made possible by the generous support of the Nancy J. Beard Lifelong Learning and Education Fund.
Museum Passes
Virtual Museum Tours
In celebration of Verso University's exploration of the CT Art Trail, join us on September 21 at 11 am for a presentation about the Housatonic Museum of Art (HMA).
With a collection of more than 7,000 artworks, the Housatonic Museum of Art HMA is one of the most important community college art museums in the country. The museum is also unique because it displays art throughout its entire campus, including hallways, staff offices, and shared academic spaces. Founded by the late Westport resident, Burt Chernow, Professor Emeritus (1933-97), the HMA delights students, faculty, and visitors with displays of its permanent collection and rotating program of special exhibitions. Learn more about this important institution from the current director, Jennifer Reynolds-Kaye PhD, who will discuss the past, present, and future of the HMA.
Reynolds-Kaye is the director of the Housatonic Museum of Art (HMA) at Housatonic Community College in Bridgeport. Prior to leading the HMA, she has worked at a variety of museums and organizations, including the Yale Center for British Art and the Yale University Art Gallery. She received her PhD in art history from the University of Southern California.
This event will take place in in Brooks Place. Please register for this free event HERE.
In subsequent months, Verso University will bring individual curators and/or museum directors, from the CT Art Trail membership to the Library for a deeper dive into that museum’s particular mission and exhibits — past and present. Participants will have an opportunity for deeper learning and gain an insider’s view of the museums, their collections and history, along with an invitation for an on-site visit. The Connecticut Art Trail is a nationally recognized partnership between 23 world-class museums and historic sites, created to promote Connecticut’s rich cultural assets.
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Verso University is the Library’s lifelong learning and education initiative, serving up year-round offerings of classes, workshops, and lectures designed to further education and learning. Offerings run the gamut of educational opportunities, ranging from one-time lectures to ongoing courses to classes that meet weekly or perhaps monthly.
Verso University programs are made possible by the generous support of the Nancy J. Beard Lifelong Learning and Education Fund.
Museum Passes
Virtual Museum Tours
The Westport Library is unveiling three new exhibitions for spring, highlighting the work of Connecticut artists Nancy Moore and Charles Douthat as well as the art of the album with a display related to the Chicago blues.
All three exhibits are currently on view and will run through August 8, with Moore’s Women Telling Stories in the Sheffer Gallery, Douthat’s Three Seasons in the South Gallery, and Chicago Blues displaying in the Jesup Gallery.
With a background as a book editor, Moore has internalized the art of storytelling to inform her passion as a painter. She paints primarily on large slices of archival paper, working mainly with watercolor and also with graphite, gouache, metallic paint, colored pencil, and wax crayon. Themes of her work include transformation, ethnography, design, shape-shifting, gender identity, fashion, and creation myth.
Moore (pictured above) is a proud, self-taught artist who revels in the distortion of body proportions and perspectives, with a goal of creating narratives from emotion and instinct that flow from the heart and hand onto the paper. The resulting work resides in many private homes, and in galleries, museums, and other public institutions.
There will be an event and reception on June 4 to celebrate the exhibit, from 2 to 4 pm, with a talk between Moore and Miggs Burroughs at 3 pm.
“How wonderful to have my work hanging here in this glorious space,” Moore said. “I grew up in my neighborhood library in New Haven internalizing the voices of countless authors who entertained me, guided me, and kept me company. I went on to become a book editor, spending 38 years in the company of people compelled to describe the world and to tell stories. Around the edges of that career, I painted — a passion I discovered in childhood and never lost. The need to tell stories, to communicate through my work, has propelled me forward in my career as an artist.”
Douthat is a poet, retired litigator, visual artist, and member of the Artists Collective of Westport. A graduate of Stanford and the University of California, Douthat is a self-taught painter who works within the traditions of abstract expressionism and lyrical abstraction. He began painting 15 years ago, toward the end of a long career as a trial lawyer in New Haven. In 2019, he received an MFA in fine arts from Warren Wilson College.
His paintings, featured individually in many curated and juried shows, were most recently the subject of the one-person exhibition, Everyone Has Feelings, at Metro Art Studios in Bridgeport, and a two-person exhibition, Moving Lines, at the Kershner Gallery in Fairfield.
Douthat will be appearing in the Library on June 14 for a reception and talk with Burroughs, from 6 to 8 pm. The talk kicks off at 7 pm.
“I grew up in Southern California, and though living here for over 40 years, I still can’t make myself like New England winters,” said Douthat. “Partly it’s the cold and the short, dark days. Partly it’s the absence of vivid colors in the world around me. The best I can say for winter is that the more it lingers, the more I long for it to end. And sometimes I’m able to paint out of that longing, as I did this year for the three new works in this exhibit, which were all started and finished during the coldest months. You’ll notice no winter painting among the three. Yet if they’re strong paintings, I suspect that winter walks behind them, that each expresses my winter longing for spring.”
Chicago Blues features albums from the collection of Ellen and Mark Naftalin, the American blues keyboardist who was inducted into the Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame with the Paul Butterfield Blues Band in 2015. The exhibit features album covers of some of the original blues musicians who made their way to Chicago and changed the face and sound of American music forever.
The Chicago blues evolved from rural country blues following the Great Migration of African Americans from the southern U.S. to the industrial cities of the east, north, and west. The blues was one of the most significant influences on early rock music, with Chuck Berry crediting Muddy Waters and playing with Willie Dixon and others on his early Chess recordings.
Across the Atlantic in the 1960s, the Rolling Stones, Eric Clapton, and the Animals brought Chicago blues to a younger audience, while at the same time American artists such as the Paul Butterfield Blues Band, John P. Hammond, and Charlie Musselwhite performed in the style of Chicago blues.
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Pictured above (L to R): Muddy Waters cover, courtesy Ellen and Mark Naftalin; Nimbus, by Nancy Moore; and Spring 40x40, by Charles Douthat
Charles Douthat will discuss his artwork with Miggs Burroughs during a reception for his exhibit.
From May 13 to August 8, Three Seasons, an exhibit of paintings by Charles Douthat, are on view in the South Gallery.
Charles is a poet, retired litigator, and visual artist. A graduate of Stanford University and the University of California, Charles is a self-taught painter who works within the traditions of abstract expressionism and lyrical abstraction. He began painting 15 years ago toward the end of a long career as a trial lawyer in New Haven. In 2019, he received an MFA in Fine Arts from Warren Wilson College. His paintings, featured individually in many curated and juried shows, were most recently the subject of the one-person exhibition, Everyone Has Feelings, at Metro Art Studios in Bridgeport, and a two-person exhibition, Moving Lines, at the Kershner Gallery in Fairfield.
Charles also is an award-winning, widely published poet. His poems have appeared in many magazines and journals, including Garrison Keillor's Writer's Almanac. His book Blue for Oceans, was awarded the 2011 PEN New England Award as the best book of poetry published that year by a New England author.
A member of the Artists Collective of Westport, Charles lives in Weston with his wife, artist Julie Leff. Learn more about his paintings and poetry at charlesdouthat.com.
Celebrate Nancy Moore and her new exhibition Women Telling Stories, now on view in the Sheffer Gallery. Reception starts at 2 pm. Artist talk with Miggs Burroughs from 3 to 4 pm.
In case you missed the event, you may watch the recorded program here.
With a background as a book editor, Nancy has internalized the art of storytelling, informing her passion as a painter. The need to tell stories and communicate through her artwork has propelled her career as an artist.
In 2005, Yale University invited Nancy to exhibit her paintings of the animal world for one year at the Peabody Museum’s Environmental Sciences Center. Many of those works were of chameleons, which are reminiscent of women and the need to continually shed and grow new emotional and intellectual skin as they adapt to the myriad of roles they assume in order to survive. As time passed, her chameleons began to sport heads and hands, eventually becoming fully realized women. This new direction led to an ongoing series of Unconventional Women, tapping into a rich vein of material which has essentially created a community of women that surround the artist.
Nancy paints primarily on large slices of archival paper, working mainly with watercolor and also with graphite, gouache, metallic paint, colored pencil, and wax crayon. Themes include transformation, ethnography, design, shape-shifting, gender identity, fashion, and creation myth.
She is a proud, self-taught artist who revels in the distortion of body proportions and perspectives. The goal is to create narratives from emotion and instinct, that flow from the heart and hand onto the paper. The resulting work resides in many private homes, and in galleries, museums, and other public institutions.
Women are...
Literature Resource Center
From May 13 to August 8, Three Seasons, an exhibit of paintings by Charles Douthat, are on view in the South Gallery.
Charles Douthat is a poet, retired litigator, and visual artist. A graduate of Stanford University and the University of California, Charles is a self-taught painter who works within the traditions of abstract expressionism and lyrical abstraction. He began painting 15 years ago toward the end of a long career as a trial lawyer in New Haven. In 2019, he received an MFA in Fine Arts from Warren Wilson College. His paintings, featured individually in many curated and juried shows, were most recently the subject of the one-person exhibition, Everyone Has Feelings, at Metro Art Studios in Bridgeport, and a two-person exhibition, Moving Lines, at the Kershner Gallery in Fairfield.
Charles also is an award-winning, widely published poet. His poems have appeared in many magazines and journals, including Garrison Keillor's Writer's Almanac. Charles’ book Blue for Oceans was awarded the 2011 PEN New England Award as the best book of poetry published that year by a New England author.
A member of the Artists Collective of Westport, Charles lives in Weston with his wife, artist Julie Leff. Learn more about his paintings and poetry at charlesdouthat.com.
ABOUT THREE SEASONS
“I grew up in Southern California and though living here for over forty years, I still can’t make myself like New England winters. Partly it’s the cold and the short, dark days. Partly it’s the absence of vivid colors in the world around me. The best I can say for winter is that the more it lingers the more I long for it to end. And sometimes I’m able to paint out of that longing, as I did this year for the three new works in this exhibit, which were all started and finished during the coldest months. You’ll notice no winter painting among the three. Yet if they’re strong paintings, I suspect that winter walks behind them, that each expresses my winter longing for spring.” — C.D.
(Image: Spring, 40x40, by Charles Doutthat)
Support for this exhibit is provided by The Drew Friedman Community Arts Center
Westport Public Art Collections
Spotlight on Poetry
On view in the Sheffer Gallery from May 12 to August 8 is a collection of works by Nancy Moore called Women Telling Stories. There will be a reception and artist talk, with Miggs Burroughs, on Sunday, June 4 from 2 to 4 pm.
With a background as a book editor, Nancy has internalized the art of storytelling, informing her passion as a painter. The need to tell stories and communicate through her artwork has propelled her career as an artist.
In 2005, Yale University invited Nancy to exhibit her paintings of the animal world for one year at the Peabody Museum’s Environmental Sciences Center. Many of those works were of chameleons, which are reminiscent of women and the need to continually shed and grow new emotional and intellectual skin as they adapt to the myriad of roles they assume in order to survive. As time passed, her chameleons began to sport heads and hands, eventually becoming fully realized women. This new direction led to an ongoing series of Unconventional Women, tapping into a rich vein of material which has essentially created a community of women that surround the artist.
Nancy paints primarily on large slices of archival paper, working mainly with watercolor and also with graphite, gouache, metallic paint, colored pencil, and wax crayon. Themes include transformation, ethnography, design, shape-shifting, gender identity, fashion, and creation myth. She is a proud, self-taught artist who revels in the distortion of body proportions and perspectives. The goal is to create narratives from emotion and instinct, that flow from the heart and hand onto the paper. The resulting work resides in many private homes, and in galleries, museums, and other public institutions.
(Image: Nimbus, by Nancy Moore)
Exhibit support provided by The Drew Friedman Community Arts Center
Women are...
Westport Local Artists
On view in the Jesup Gallery from May 13 to August 8, is an exhibit celebrating the art of the album with a display related to the Chicago Blues. This exhibit features album covers of some of the original blues musicians who made their way to Chicago and changed the face and sound of American music forever. The featured albums are from the collection of Ellen and Mark Naftalin.
The Chicago blues evolved from rural country blues following the Great Migration of African Americans from the southern United States to the industrial cities of the east, north, and west. Musicians joined that migration to escape the brutal Jim Crow laws during the first half of the 20th century. They came to work in the steel mills and for a better life. They brought their music with them to open-air markets and rent parties; eventually making their way to blues clubs on the South and West sides of Chicago. Drums were added to an electric mix which gave way to a new club culture and recording contracts.
Chicago blues was one of the most significant influences on early rock music. Chuck Berry credits Muddy Waters and played with Willie Dixon and others on his early Chess recordings.
Across the Atlantic in the 1960s, the Rolling Stones, Eric Clapton, and the Animals brought Chicago blues to a younger audience while at the same time American artists such as the Paul Butterfield Blues Band (which included two members of the Howlin’ Wolf band), John P. Hammond, and Charlie Musselwhite performed in the style of Chicago blues.
Support for this exhibit is provided by The Drew Friedman Community Arts Center
Vinyl Record Collecting
Blues History
Join us April 21 and April 28 as the Artists Collective of Westport members behind the current Westport Library installations Music to Our Ears and Piece by Piece come to the Library to talk about the inspiration for their work.
Grab a coffee in the Library Cafe and meet some of the artists in the exhibit. The following artists will be appearing on the following dates:
April 21: Lucy Krupenye, Lisa Silberman, Katheryn Gray, Diane Pollack, Tammy Winser, Holly Hawthorne, Leonor Dao, Nina Bentley, Pam Einarsen
April 28: Robin Babbin, Niki Ketchman, Louise Cadoux, Miggs Burroughs, Susan Fehlinger, Julie Leff, Donna Osterby-Brien, Matthew Levine
Click here to learn more about the exhibits.
