Self-taught photographer Tom Kretsch has traveled near and far in search of “Peaceful Places,” those special spots where he can capture images that evoke a soothing and calming moment. From Tuscany to Maine, to right here in his hometown of Westport, Tom uses light, texture, form, and color to create the kind of moments that give a serene aura to his photographs. Join Miggs Burroughs for a look inside Tom’s studio, and see how the magic happens.
Artist Gay Schempp’s latest works are done in an ancient technique called encaustic painting, which dates back to 100 AD. The process uses heat to melt bees wax combined with pigment that is applied in many layers, and she uses brushes and other tools to achieve her desired effect. Join Miggs Burroughs in Gay’s studio and get a close up look at this fascinating process.
Join Miggs Burroughs at the studio of fiber artist Tina Puckett, who’s baskets, bowls, wall hangings and furniture blur the line between arts and crafts. To her, weaving is a lot like painting, and she uses colors, and textures much like a painter would to depict flowers, landscapes and abstract designs. See how Tina can turn a piece of tangled old vine into thing of beauty.
Join Miggs Burroughs for a visit to the studio of award-winning illustrator and painter Steve Parton. During his illustrious career (pun intended) Steve has worked for a long list of clients in film, publishing, and theater, including PBS, HBO, MTV, The New York Times and Rolling Stone. He best known for his realistic portraits of people and animals using oil paint in a traditional renaissance technique—a very time consuming process that gives his subjects an incredible richness of color. His work is in private collections and exhibited throughout the US and Europe, and he is a member of several professional arts...
organizations, including the Salmagundi club and Society of Illustrators.
Mask maker, printmaker, painter, lecturer and performance artist Suzanne Benton has traveled all over the world, showcasing her unique artwork across the U.S., India, and remote villages in Africa. She’s had over 150 solo shows, has work in major collections around the world, is a former Fulbright scholar, and a feminist pioneer. Join Miggs Burroughs for an inside look at Suzanne’s Westport studio.
Susan Lloyd, lifelong Westport resident, and lifelong artist, has been working with shells as a medium for over 20 years transforming them into intricate works of art. Join Miggs Burroughs for a look inside her studio, and see an amazing assortment of colors, shapes and sizes of shells sourced from all over the world, which she organizes meticulously in the boxes and shelves that cover her walls. Wait to you see them.
After honing her skills as an editorial illustrator and textile designer, Nancy Landauer is focused full time on her own artwork. Her retro looking mixed media collages and hard edged acrylic paintings meld together fragments of logos, comic book characters, and text messages which reflect her roots as an illustrator while allowing her to create a new narrative of self-expression. Join Miggs Burroughs for a look inside Nancy's studio, and see how she does it.
Miggs Burroughs visits the studio of Charles Douthat, a retired litigator, a published poet and a self-taught abstract painter, who found his creative voice later in life after a long illness changed his life’s trajectory. Beginning with simply a personal feeling , an empty canvas and a brush and tube of paint, his canvases develop a unique physical presence and a very personal sense of expression
Join Artist Collective of Westport members Susan Felinger and Amy Kaplan for a walk through “Community,” an all member group show featuring nearly 150 of the Collective’s artists marking the reopening of the Library’s galleries after being closed over a year due to the pandemic.
After quarantining at home, abstract artist Claudia Mengel is back at work in her spacious, light filled studio, where the view from her window provided a creative spark for a whole new series of paintings full of color, movement and texture. Join Miggs Burroughs for an up close look at her latest works.
Follow Miggs Burroughs on a journey into the studio–and the mind–of artist Vincent Calenzo, whose realistic paintings explore a world both real and imagined. Vince's exquisitely rendered characters often find themselves in absurd situations, where they seem to be searching for solutions to their precarious predicaments. With the pandemic upending life as we know it, we have all learned how absurd life can be, making Vince's fantastic paintings that much more relatable.
Join Miggs Burroughs on a visit to the light-filled studio of Dale Najarian, and learn how she captures the dramatic light and shadows that grace her dreamlike paintings.
Having started out as a graffiti artist, Jahmane's work has evolved over the years to include painting on canvas, photography, screen printing, graphic design, and an independent clothing label. Join Miggs Burroughs on a visit to his studio, and hear first hand about his latest projects.
Not an artist in the traditional sense, Bud Siegel's obsession with Legos has certainly been elevated to an art form. What started out as a side project putting together a 4000 piece kit, has now blossomed into a gallery full of unique Lego creations. Join Miggs for an intimate look inside this private Lego sanctuary.
New series of interviews with artists conducted by the Library's Gallery Curator, Carole Erger-Fass and Westport Artist Miggs Burroughs.
Visit the tiny studio of Norm Siegel and get an inside look at how he creates his larger-than-life photorealistic paintings. His series of "Coffee Table Book Paintings" depict rare book editions and magazines that are so realistically rendered that people try to turn their pages.
From her community projects, to her extensive involvement in the local arts scene, its a wonder that artist Katherine Ross finds time for her own creative pursuits. Known for her atmospheric oil paintings, mixed media and prints, join Miggs on a visit to her studio, and get a look at her latest creations.
Join Miggs Burroughs on a visit to the studios of abstract painter Michael Brenneke. Michael's background includes illustration, woodworking, architecture, and a career in advertising. But his passion for abstract painting has remained the focus of his artistic expression.
Self taught sculptor Zvi Goldman works primarily in wood and clay, crafting pieces that are flowing and organic. Each unique sculpture delves into deep philosophical questions posed by science, human nature and the natural world, and challenging us to be more curious.
Painter Katya Lebrija was born and raised in Mexico City. Her vibrant mixed-media compositions are abstract, but also rooted in images of the real world. Visit with Katya in her studio, where she tells us how and where she finds her creative inspiration.
Charles Joyner has been teaching, creating and exhibiting art for over 40 years. His work shows the influences of his growing up in rural North Carolina, as well as his extensive travel to Ghana. His collages are filled with colors and patterns abstracted from African symbols, architecture and textiles, which he combines with photography and screen printing to create his intricate compositions. But Joyner says his participation in a Student Program that brought him to in 1964 was life changing. Listen in to hear his story.
Artist and teacher Roe Halper may be best known for her for social commentary, starting with her woodcuts of the civil rights movement back in the 60s. But after a career spanning 6 decades, and a variety of media, Roe is still going strong. Join Roe in her spacious studio, and get an exclusive look her latest work.
Get an exclusive look inside the studio of arts legend, Ann Chernow, and watch a live demonstration of her printmaking technique. Best known for her nostalgic images of women from 1930s and 1940s "Film Noir" movies, Ann uses actual films, fan magazines and other memorabilia to create images that are inspired by film but reinterpreted to transcend stereotypes.
A special all in the family episode with artist/brothers Miggs and Trace Burroughs! Follow along the winding path of Trace's creative career.
