Betty Christensen’s World, From ‘Near And Far’

By Shannon Hicks

A former art curator of C.H. Booth Library is being celebrated this month with an exhibition of works that offer new views of many familiar sites.

On view until November 23, “Near And Far: Water Colors and Oils by Betty Christensen” offers 29 works ranging from small, intimately scaled oils to grand views in watercolor by the Newtown resident. The collection offers new ways of looking at Ram Pasture — Mrs Christensen painted the familiar field at the intersection of Main and Sugar streets from The Pleasance — and 34 Main Street, which is referred to locally as The Balcony House. For that work, Mrs Christensen worked from the lower part of the lot opposite the Main Street property, and included plenty of Queen Anne’s lace in the foreground.

There are also landscapes and cityscapes peppered among the Newtown scenes.

“I don’t paint for shows, I paint for the enjoyment of painting,” Mrs Christensen said recently. A longtime resident of Newtown, she lives and works out of her West Street home, making time to do “something,” she says, with her artwork every day.

“I may not always be painting,” she said. “Sometimes I’ll be working on a drawing, or deciding what I want to do with a painting, but there is a conscience effort to work on my art every day.

“I think if you have to paint for a show, it’s no longer comfortable. It’s too stressful.

“Besides,” she added, “I like to have my work around for a little while. I can always find things I want to correct in them.”

Mrs Christensen keeps busy with her art away from home, too. She is an active member of The Society of Creative Arts of Newtown, Kent Art Association, and Hudson Valley Art Association.

She is also an active member of American Watercolor Society.

She is also very involved with Roaring Lambs Visual Arts Ministry, a Christian artists’ group based at Walnut Hill Community Church in Bethel, where Mrs Christensen is a member. The Roaring Lambs regularly present exhibitions in three galleries within the church — Fellowship Mall, Vestibule Gallery, and The Corner Gallery.

Mrs Christensen’s work includes oils and watercolors. She began as a watercolor artist, but eventually tried oils. Today her works are created in “whatever I feel will work best for the subject matter,” she says.

“Some subjects seem to do better in oils, and some seem to call for watercolor,” she said.

For her show at the library, Mrs Christensen selected her favorites dating back eight to ten years.

Mrs Christensen worked with current library curator Caroline Stokes and a few friends, including fellow SCAN artist Ruth Newquist, in hanging “Near And Far” last month. The effort took a few hours, and left Mrs Christensen a little tired, but she was happy with the results.

A few days later, during the show’s official opening reception, Mrs Christensen was really happy: She sold nine paintings of the 35 that are on view.

“I’m so pleased with this,” the artist said a few days later. “I couldn’t be happier with this show, and the library, and the people who support me. I paint for myself, and enjoy what comes back to me.”

“Near And Far: Water Colors and Oils by Betty Christensen” can be viewed on the main floor of C.H. Booth Library, 25 Main Street in Newtown, during regular library hours until November 23. For details contact the library at 426-4533.