Visitors to Newtown Municipal Center this month and next are being welcomed in from the cold by a presentation of nearly 80 works of original art, spanning the nearly two-thirds of the historic building’s grand corridor.

The Society of Creative Arts of Newtown (SCAN) is presenting its 2020 “Color in Winter,” an annual exhibition by the local artists’ collective designed to bring color to a season of short days and cold temperatures.

Works by 29 members are doing just that. Many of the works are large scale, and the colors in a high percentage tie perfectly into the show’s theme.

On view this year are works by Ed Arribas, Carol Benson, Vladimir Burdoev, Matilda Cafferty, Theresa Caputo, Marcia Cavanaugh, Arline Corcoran, Pamela J. Danneman, Anne Eckman, Bambi Engelman, Anita Gregorski, Barbara Hartz, Susan Kassirer, Joseph Keogan, and Shirley Kopnicky.

Also, Ivan Stratford Kovner, Aline LaPointe, Suzanne Molineaux, Adele Moros, Ruth Newquist, Carmina Palarino, Jaynis Pixley, Tom Rosa, Roberta Shea, Lee Skalkos, ShawnaLee Waterbury-Kwasnak, Jessica Westa-Ventura, Lisa Willvonseder-Greto, and Dick Zang.

A large binder on a table just inside the building’s southern entrance offers biographies of most of this year’s exhibiting artists.

The table also includes the signature work for the show, “Fruit Bowl,” a colorful still life in oil by show chair Edward Arribas. In addition to that piece and like many artists with works on view in “Color in Winter,” Mr Arribas is represented by three of his works.

The show chair is happy, he said this week, with the exhibition.

“We are very pleased with the presentation at the municipal center,” he said January 13. He and other SCAN members were “also pleased with the turnout,” having received 72 original works of art. Most of the works are available for purchase.

In addition to “Fruit Bowl” and the binder with artist biographies, the table near the municipal center entrance also holds an invitation for the public to bid on a painting donated by the multiple award-winning Connecticut artist Mike Eagle.

“New England Shore” was donated by Mr Eagle, who created the work while serving as the guest artist for SCAN in October.

“He then very generously, donated it for our scholarship fund,” according to Ed Arribas. The winner will be announced February 28, the closing day of the exhibition.

“Color in Winter” can be viewed weekdays between 8 am and 5 pm, during regular Newtown Municipal Center hours. The corridor is also open on evenings when town boards and commissions hold meetings.

Two Special Events

SCAN will host two special events on Wednesday, January 22. The public is invited to both, and reservations are not needed for either.

The first, beginning at 1:30 pm, will be the Wednesday afternoon artist’s demonstration hosted by SCAN each month. Shauna Shane has been invited to create a landscape in pastel for this month’s program.

Presented in the municipal center’s Council Chamber, just off the main corridor, Ms Shane will demonstrate how to reduce a complicated landscape to a simple effective composition. Composition, shadow, light, and negative shapes will be discussed.

As the painting progresses, Ms Shane will discuss how each decision is made and how corrections are handled along the way.

Working in a variety of mediums, Ms Shane’s paintings are saturated with light and color, developed by many years of painting from life. Whether still life, landscape, animals, or the human figure, her paintings reflect a solid academic training as well as the ability to communicate the emotion and unique atmosphere of a scene.

Ms Shane has been a full-time professional painter for more than 40 years. She is a Signature and board member of Hudson Valley Art League, a Signature Member of the Connecticut Pastel Society, Lyme Art Association, Art Center East, and the CT Plein Air Painters Society.

In 1998 Ms Shane founded Artists Open Studio, which promotes the work of more than 65 artists in the Northeast Corner of Connecticut. She teaches at West Hartford Art League, Art Center East, and her own studio in Storrs.

Ms Shane’s program is scheduled for 1:30-3 pm. Following the artist’s demo, SCAN will host the reception for “Color in Winter.” All are invited to enjoy light refreshments while viewing the show. Many of the member artists with works on view are planning to be in attendance.

The reception will continue to 4:30 pm.

For additional information concerning “Color in Winter,” contact show Chair Edward Arribas at 203-218-2835. For details about the January 22 program by Shauna Shane visit SCANart.org.