Next Historical Society Event:

Silhouette Portraits And Open House

In the days before photography made an image of a person relatively affordable, the silhouette was a cheap alternative to a painted portrait. The outline image would serve as a remembrance of the sitter, and possibly would be the only image of that person ever made. Today, in spite of the ubiquity of the cellphone camera, the silhouette has returned as a popular medium, and the simplicity of the outline together with the emphasis on contrasting light and dark have made it an ideal method of mounting an image of a loved one for all time.

On Sunday, November 11, Newtown Historical Society will offer a chance to add a silhouette of a child or any family member — including pets — to your wall. From 10 am until 4 pm, artist Deborah O’Connor will once again be at Edmond Town Hall, 45 Main Street, cutting silhouettes on behalf of the historical society.

Cost is $30 for the first silhouette, and a second copy can be cut for $15. Ms O’Connor will also have various sized mattes and even onsite framing available. The process is amazingly quick. Walk-ins are welcome, but appointments are strongly recommended and can be scheduled by calling 203-260-4737, or by e-mailing info@newtownhistory.org.

Ms O’Connor is a trained artist, and has been cutting silhouettes for more than 30 years, both in this country and abroad. She has resettled in Rhode Island, and the historical society has been lucky in talking her into traveling to Newtown to help in fundraising efforts.

Samples of her work and further information are available at C.H. Booth Library (25 Main Street) or www.SilhouetteArtist.net. Her work has been described as drawing with scissors, and can be done using a photograph as long as it is a true profile.

At the same time, almost directly across the street at The Matthew Curtiss House (44 Main Street), the historical society will have an open house of the 1750 house museum. Costumed docents will be available for tours of the house before or after silhouette appointments (or while silhouettes are being finished).

For more information on both these events, visit NewtownHistory.org or the society’s Facebook page, or call 203-426-5937.