Please go to madisonartsocietyct.org and browse the website.

Madison Art Society has launched a website to replace the hardcopy Hi-Lights that used to be issued quarterly.  Our website will now carry all the current news, upcoming events, plein air schedule, demonstrations, critiques, lectures, artists at the town hall, artists’ websites, artists in the news, and classes/workshops that members are teaching plus classifieds (art supplies, racks that members wish to sell or give away). You can also download membership application and prospectus and tags for shows right from the website. Please go to madisonartsocietyct.org and browse the website.  

Madison Art Society Elected Members’ Show

The Madison Art Society presents their annual Elected Members’ Show at the Essex Art Association, 10 North Main Street, Essex, CT 06426. The exhibit normally held at the E.C. Scranton Library has relocated this year due to the renovations about to begin at the library and the society’s 136 elected artists have been graciously invited to use the facilities of the Essex Art Association. From the 250 members of the Madison Art Society the elected members have had work accepted into juried shows twice within a 5 year period. The show and sale will be art in all fine media including painting, drawing and sculpture. The reception for the show will be held Friday, September 21, 2018 from 5:00- 7:00 PM.

Mary Anne Rupp

A special event this year will be a plein air wet paint sale to be held on Saturday, September 29, 2018. Artists in the morning hours will find beautiful scenes in and around the town of Essex, set up their easels, and paint for the enjoyment of townspeople.  At 3 PM until 5 PM a reception and sale of the art will take place at the 10 North Main Street location.   

Each year a vote is taken for most popular artist and Randie Karhl won last year with her oil titled “Peonies”.

Randie Karhl, Peonies

She is a skilled artist who will give a demonstration open to the public at the Madison Senior Center, 29 Bradley Road, Madison on Thursday, October 4, 2018 from 6:30-8:30 PM. This is an opportunity to learn her technique for painting flowers in oil.

All are invited to these events and there is no charge.

Contact information: Marge Casey 203-458-8555

The Madison Art Society Announces Town Hall Artists for September and October

The Madison Art Society announces Steven Plaziak and Bill Hosking as the Madison Town Hall Artists for September and October.  Their exhibit is open to the public and viewable during regular business hours at 8 Campus Drive in Madison, CT. Working to connect the community to fine art and increase awareness of the many artists in the shoreline area, Madison Art Society sponsors exhibits at the Madison Town Hall.  In rotating exhibits, each for two months, the society features the work of two talented, local artists.  Visitors and town employees alike appreciate the artwork and the locales which inspired the artists.

The early autumn artists are both watercolorists.  Steven Plaziak states: “I try to find beauty in unusual places...something unique, something ordinary, something human.” Finding painting “fun” he enjoys the medium of watercolor for its moments of unexpectedness.  He finds those times to be “challenging and rewarding”.

Low Marsh by Steven Plaziak, watercolor

Subjects such as old barns, boats and architecture are sources of inspiration.

Meigs Point by Bill Hosking

Bill Hosking “strives to boldly express his interpretations of landscapes, earth forms, real or imagined, with a strong dependency on abstract design”.  Bill spent his pre retirement years in industry and the military, finding painting time to be sporadic.  After retiring he embarked on a new career as a painter.

Contact information:  Marge Casey 203-458-8555

Madison Art Society announces Town Hall Artists for July and August

The Madison Art Society announces the Town Hall artists for July and August are Madison residents John Copelin and Muci Clemens. Their work will be on display in the main hallway of the Madison Town Hall, 8 Campus Drive, Madison, CT.

John K. Copelin

John graduated from Yale College, and Yale Architecture School, and worked as a self-employed architect  for 40 years. He started watercolor painting upon retiring from architecture in 2001, and studied for a number of years with Lou Bonamarte. He now paints with a group of watercolor artists every Wednesday, headed by Joan McPherson. John is a proud member of the Madison Art Society, the Clinton Art Society and the Guilford Art League; where he has successfully shown his work.

Collage of a Landscape,
9"x12" watercolor collage by John K. Copelin

His collages are actually two watercolor paintings, one of which is sliced into strips of varying sizes and carefully fixed on top of a base painting. The attempt is to prevent one painting from dominating the other. Hopefully, this process develops a dialog between the resulting stripes. The results should not be readily apparent, and the hope is to further engage the viewer in the artwork.

Sometimes the collage is composed of two completely independent paintings and some are two paintings of the same object done in complimentary colors. Occasionally the subjects of the work are only remotely selected but the values and colors are compatible. His work demands your attention as it is uniquely beautiful in its handling of watercolor art.

Muci Clemens

From still life to landscapes and portraits, Muci Clemens paints in a representational, impressionistic style with either oil or pastel. The rebirth of nature and its dependable cycle of life, peaceful and pensive, filled with light, influences her colorful palette. After earning her degree in Art and Applied Science at San Diego State University, California Ms Clemens studied at The Art Student's League, NYC and Silvermine School of Art in Norwalk, Connecticut. She continues to collaborate in workshops with Doug Dawson, Daniel Greene and Clayton Beck.

Truck at Barberry Hill Farm,
20"x 24", oil by Muci Clemens

Her memberships include the Connecticut Pastel Society, Oil Painters of America, Lyme Art Association, Society for Creative Arts Newtown, CT,  Audubon Artists and The Vero Beach Art Club, Vero Beach, Florida. Muci participates in area shows and was recently a part of the Mark Twain Library Art Show, Redding, Connecticut. Her memberships in local art associations include the Madison Art Society, the Guilford Art League and the Clinton Art Society. You can also find her work in shows at The Pen and Brush, Inc., NYC, The River Road Gallery in Wilton, Connecticut, Vermont Artisan Design Gallery, Brattleboro, Vermont and Gallery 14, Vero Beach, Florida. Muci Clemens has received a number of awards from these venues and has been a featured artist throughout the state and in New York City. 

This is a "must see", exhibit and is open during Town Hall hours. Each artist will display about five or six pieces of art.

Contact Information: Marge Casey (203) 458-8555

Madison Art Society announces an Art Festival and Sidewalk Sale

It's a special privilege to once again hold the Madison Art Society Festival and Art sale at the E.C. Scranton Memorial Library which runs simultaneously with the Town of Madison Sidewalk Sales Days beginning at 9:30 AM Friday and Saturday, July 20 and 21, 2018. The location is on the west side of the library facing Wall Street.

For many years a percentage of the sales have gone directly to the library which, when added to our other donations, equals over the years thousands of dollars. Two tents will be erected and each artist will be given space of their own making this a rain or shine event.

Meet and greet the artists

Artists will be available all day to answer questions giving the public an excellent opportunity to meet the artist and talk about the art on display. 

This rain or shine event is free and open to the public of all ages.

Contact information: Marge Casey 203-458-8555

Madison Art Society spotlights two upcoming demonstrations by noted artists.

Thursday June 7 - Bivenne Harvey Staiger, watercolorist will demonstrate her technique

Thursday July 5 - Portrait artist Jack Montmeat oil painting demonstration  

Location: Madison Senior Center, Bradley Road, Madison CT.
Time: 6:30 - 8:30 p.m.  Open to all. 

Bivenne Staiger is a classically trained artist and former textile designer who is drawn to the subject of flowers, trees, and animals, especially birds. Through her painting, Bivenne shares her love for birds and nature, light, and pattern. She is an elected artist member of the Salmagundi

"Standing Out"  watercolor by Benvenne Harvey Staiger

Club, American Artists Professional League, and Catharine Lorillard Wolfe Art Club in New York City. She has also served as the Vice President of the Connecticut Watercolor Society and President of the Art Guild of Middletown. She enjoys painting from her own inspiration and welcomes commissions.

Jack Montmeat is an award-winning local portrait painter and illustrator with a studio in East Lyme, CT. Jack grew up in Old Lyme, and began taking classes at the Lyme Academy College of Fine Arts as a teenager. After receiving his BFA from the Columbus College of Art and Design in Columbus, Ohio in 2002, as well as studying in Paris and Florence, he began painting portraits full-time. 

Jack has received many awards for his portraiture, including winning first place in the Connecticut Society of Portrait Artists “Faces of Spring 2007” exhibition which was juried by renowned portrait artist Aaron Shikler. Jack is a three time recipient of the Elizabeth Greenshields Foundation Grant. He also recently received a Stobart Fellowship which enabled him to study independently in the museums of Paris. Jack has been teaching drawing and painting as well as monitoring at the Lyme Art Association since 2002. Jack is also an illustrator for Major League Baseball.  Paloma (oil, 28×22) by Jack Montmeat was a Portrait finalist in the 24th Annual Art Competition.  

Madison Art Society announces the winners of the 43rd Annual Jury Show Exhibition and Sale

The E.C. Scranton Library, 801 Boston Post Road, Madison, CT is home to the Madison Art Society's 43rd Annual Jury Show and sale of 87 paintings including all types and styles of art with $3,000.00 in prizes awarded. Over one hundred and twenty-five Shoreline artists both members and non members entered the show. 

First Prize went to Madison Art Society member Joan McPherson for a watercolor; "San Diego, Downtown View." The Second Prize winner is Sunil Howlander with the Third Prize going to  Isabel Lane.

Joan McPherson, watercolor;
"San Diego, Downtown View." 

A number of additional awards provided by area businesses included the following winners: Bill Colrus, Mike Eagle, Linda DeStatnis, Jim Grabowski, Bob Dietz, Christine Drago, Joe Roberti, Patricia Seekamp, Laurel Friedmann, Joan Wallace and Eileen Eder. 

The judge for this exceptionally beautiful show was Bob Noreika an accomplished award winning artist and illustrator. The show and sale is open to the public during library hours.

Contact Information: Marge Casey 203-458-8555