The Municipal Gallery at Fairfield Hills was busy last Thursday afternoon, with artists delivering works for including in the annual "Color in Winter" presentation by The Society of Creative Arts of Newtown (SCAN).

The session was made even busier in that SCAN President Adele Moros reportedly suggested putting the works on view as they were received that afternoon, according to Show Chair Suzanne Molineaux.

"There was the possibility of bad weather on Friday," Ms Molineaux told The Newtown Bee. "We didn't know if we were going to be able to get to the municipal center" to hang the show, she explained. So the task of hanging was worked right into the three-hour receiving window.

A group of volunteers recorded the art as it was delivered by SCAN member artists Thursday afternoon.

Meanwhile, artist Lisa Willvonseder-Greto was busy placing the majority of the art as works arrived Thursday. She said there was a bit of an extra challenge doing the receiving and hanging concurrently.

"We have no idea how many paintings are coming in," she said on Thursday, "so we're hanging as if we're getting the full room.

"We have high hopes," she added, laughing.

Ms Willvonseder-Greto is represented in "Color in Winter" this year with three works, the maximum number members could put into the collection.

By the end of receiving on February 1, according to Ms Molineaux, 41 artists had contributed 104 works for this year's presentation of the nonjuried exhibition.

Receiving concluded at 6 pm. Ms Molineaux believes the full exhibition was in place by 6:30.

"I left by 6:20, and there were just a few others still there by then, straightening things up," she said this week.

The new strategy to collect and hang at the same time may be used again, she said.

"This worked out so well, we may actually do this in the future," Ms Molineaux said.

She is pleased with this year's presentation, she added.

"I think we have some good pieces there, and the people who hung it paid a lot of attention to putting things next to each other that didn't clash, or where one didn't overpower the other," the show chair mentioned.

A longstanding annual event by SCAN, "Color in Winter" offers original works - paintings, drawings, some collages, in traditional mediums - by members of the local artists' collective. The 35-plus-year event debuted as "Color in January," and was a nine-day event at the former Lexington Gardens. It moved to the municipal center in 2014.

This year "Color in Winter" is a two-month event, remaining on view until March 29. The public is invited to view it weekdays between 8 am and 4:30 pm.

An opening reception is scheduled for Wednesday, February 28, from 3 to 4:30 pm.

Prior to the reception, celebrated artist Dick McEvoy will offer a free demonstration of creating a painting with pastels. SCAN regularly hosts two such demonstrations each month, usually at Newtown Meeting House. This month, however, Mr McEvoy will have "Color in Winter" serving as his backdrop, offering the artist demonstration at the municipal center. The free program will begin at 1:30 pm.

The public is welcome to both events on February 28. Admission is free for both.

In addition to the exhibition of full-scale works, SCAN members are again presenting a rotating presentation of small works. Presented in their own area, the small works are sent home with their new owners as they are purchased, rather than remaining on view for the full duration of "Color in Winter."

All proceeds from the sale of the small works are donated to SCAN's Scholarship Fund.

"That's a very good effort," Ms Molineaux mentioned February 6.

Newtown Municipal Center is at 3 Primrose Street, within Fairfield Hills. "Color in Winter" will remain on view through March 29. Visiting hours are generally Monday through Friday from 8 am until 4:30 pm. Special events are planned on Wednesday, February 28.

[naviga:img class="aligncenter wp-image-304620" src="https://newtownbee.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/SH_SCAN-Color-in-Winter-works-by-Newquist-LaPointe-Molineaux-Wilson-WATERMARKED.jpg" alt="SH_SCAN Color in Winter -- works by Newquist, LaPointe, Molineaux & Wilson WATERMARKED" width="800" height="314" /]

Large and small scale works are included in "Color in Winter," the annual winter exhibition offered by the Society of Creative Arts of Newtown. Clockwise from left is "A Newtown Treasure," a watercolor by Ruth Newquist; "Honey in the Making," a watercolor by Aline LaPointe; "Red and Blue," an oil painting by Dorothy Wilson; and "Red & Green," an oil by show chair Suzanne Molineaux.

-Bee Photos, Hicks

 [naviga:img class="aligncenter wp-image-304621" src="https://newtownbee.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/SH_SCAN-Color-in-Winter-painting-by-Wheatley-WATERMARKED.jpg" alt="SH_SCAN Color in Winter -- painting by Wheatley WATERMARKED" width="500" height="750" /]

Certainly living up to the show's theme is this bright acrylic by Greg Wheatley. 

[naviga:img class="aligncenter wp-image-304622" src="https://newtownbee.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/SH_SCAN-Color-in-Winter-Next-Day-After-Snowfall-by-Burdoev-WATERMARKED.jpg" alt="SH_SCAN Color in Winter -- Next Day After Snowfall by Burdoev WATERMARKED" width="800" height="677" /]

Colorful and wintry: "The Next Day After Snowfall," an oil by Vladimir Burdoev.

[naviga:img class="aligncenter wp-image-304629" src="https://newtownbee.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/SH_SCAN-Color-in-Winter-Parmalee-Hill-by-Welsh-WATERMARKED.jpg" alt="SH_SCAN Color in Winter -- Parmalee Hill by Welsh WATERMARKED" width="800" height="496" /]

"Parmalee Hill," oil, by Lynn Welsh.

[naviga:img class="aligncenter wp-image-304623" src="https://newtownbee.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/SH_SCAN-Color-in-Winter-Willvonseder-Greto-hanging-works-option-02-WATERMARKED.jpg" alt="SH_SCAN Color in Winter -- Willvonseder-Greto hanging works option 02 WATERMARKED" width="600" height="664" /]Lisa Willvonseder-Greto smiles while adjusting one of the 104 works received for this year's SCAN "Color in Winter Show & Sale" exhibition. The full collection will remain on view at Newtown Municipal Center until March 28. Two special events are planned for the afternoon of Wednesday, February 28.

[naviga:img class="aligncenter wp-image-304631" src="https://newtownbee.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/SH_SCAN-Color-in-Winter-partial-Small-Works-collection-WATERMARKED.jpg" alt="SH_SCAN Color in Winter -- partial Small Works collection WATERMARKED" width="600" height="737" /]

Frames within a frame: SCAN members have again contributed a rotating collection of small works to the 2018 Color in Winter Show & Sale. These works are $25 each, are within a large gold frame, and can be taken home upon purchase. All funds benefit the SCAN Scholarship Fund, which offers financial aid to a selected graduating high school student who has been accepted to an art school. 

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