RIDGEFIELD — October 27 through November 29, Ridgefield Library will present “Autumn Refrain,” an exhibition of vibrant oil paintings and unique monoprints by Newtown artist Roberta Shea.

“I paint vividly hued, highly textured landscapes expressing the seasonal changes in nature and flora,” says Shea. “Making original monoprints has liberated my painting and painting has informed my prints. What is most important to me is letting the paint be the protagonist to direct the narrative. The medium is the message.

“I am grateful to be able to show both my prints and paintings together in this exhibit,” the artist added.

Through passionate and perceptive observations of nature, Shea has developed her signature style of colorful, highly-textured oil painting inspired by both Abstract Expressionism and Impressionism.

She is a member of The Society of Creative Arts of Newtown (SCAN) as well as a member of Washington Arts Association and Ridgefield Guild of Artists.

Her art is currently on exhibit at Gallery 21 at Arts Escape in Southbury, and her painting “Wildly Radiant” is on display at the West Hartford Arts League for the 2022 (CWA) Connecticut Women Artists juried exhibition.

Shea is looking forward to returning to Ridgefield, she said, to share her painting to the public in person.

An opening reception is planned for Saturday, October 29.

With Shea’s prints and paintings featuring the vividly hued, highly textured seasonal changes in nature and trees, the library has invited Dr Danica Doroski to present a complementary talk about urban forests and climate change. Doroski, the state urban forestry coordinator for Connecticut, will discuss “Urban Forests and Climate Change” at 2 pm.

Doroski will explain how climate change impacts trees and forests within the urban matrix, how these urban trees and forests can in turn help to offset climate change, and discuss what this means for the management of Connecticut’s urban forests and beyond.

She has been working in urban forestry and related fields for the past 10 years as a horticulturalist at the Morris Arboretum in Philadelphia, Penn.; a volunteer coordinator for The New York Restoration Project in New York City; outreach coordinator for the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation; and most recently as State Urban Forestry Coordinator with Connecticut’s Department of Energy and Environmental Protection.

Doroski earned a BA from Bates College in Maine, and both an MFS and PhD from Yale School of the Environment.

The reception for Shea’s exhibition will follow, from 3 to 4:30 pm.

Registration is not needed for the opening reception afternoon events. Additional information is available through Laurie McGavin Bachmann at 203-438-2282 extension 121 and lmbachmann@ridgefieldlibrary.org.

The Ridgefield Library, at 472 Main Street (Route 25) in Ridgefield, is open Monday through Thursday, 10 am-8 pm; Friday, 10 am-6 pm; Saturday, 9 am-5 pm; and Sunday, 1-5 pm.