Artists At Weir Farm: Michael Torlen

RIDGEFIELD/WILTON — The Weir Farm Trust and the National Park Service at Weir Farm National Historic Site will continue in October to present its ongoing “Artists at Weir Farm” series, monthly exhibitions in the site’s visitor center that feature the works of recent visiting and resident artists to the site. The latest exhibition in the series, on view until November 25, highlights the monotypes and mixed media works of artist Michael Torlen.

Mr Torlen is a 2001 Weir Farm Visiting Artist as well as having been an artist-in-residence at Weir Farm in 1999. The son of a Norwegian fisherman, he has been working on the series “Songs for My Father” for almost 15 years.

In all of his work Mr Torlen strives to give form to the palpable, elemental forces of nature and to search for an elusive, transcendent reality. His pieces are interpretations and transformations that incorporate digital and photographic technologies with handwork.

Weir Farm National Historic Site is Connecticut’s only National Park Service site. Weir Farm preserves the summer home and workplace of Julian Alden Weir (1852-1919), a leading figure in American art and the development of American Impressionism. The house, studios, farm buildings and landscape integral to Weir’s artistic vision survive largely intact, and make it one of the finest remaining landscapes of American Impressionism.

The 18th Century farm has been used continuously by artists since 1882. Historic art studio tours include Weir’s studio and sculptor Mahonri Young’s 1930s studio where Young worked on the “This is the Place Monument” and the “Brigham Young” statue now in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C.  The site’s popular Stone Walls Walking Tour is offered every Sunday at 11 AM.

Weir Farms’ Visitor Center is open Wednesday through Sunday, 8:30 am to 5 pm. Historic Art Studio Tours are offered each Wednesday through Saturday at 11 am, and 1 and 3 pm, and on Sunday at 1 and 3 pm. For additional information call 203-834-1896 or visit www.nps.gov/wefa. The site is at 735 Nod Hill Road, on the Wilton-Ridgefield line.