NEW CANAAN, CT, March 23, 2016 – The Carriage Barn Arts Center

Natural Inspiration Abounds in 27th Annual Spectrum Art Exhibition
Opening Reception: Saturday, April 9, 4-6pm, on view through Thursday, May 26, 2016.
Gallery Hours: Wednesday through Saturday 10-3pm and Sundays 1-5pm.

This year’s exhibition theme, Natural Inspiration, explores the phenomenal ways in which nature inspires us to create art. 78 works in a variety of media, by a group of 47 contemporary artists from Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York, and Vermont, were selected by juror Gabriel de Guzman, Curator of Visual Arts at Wave Hill public garden and cultural center in the Bronx. Choosing to focus this year’s theme on landscapes, flora, fauna, the effects of light, natural forces, seasonal cycles and environmental issues, de Guzman brings together a unique collection of paintings, watercolors, prints, and sculpture sourced from a variety of materials including metal, glass, wood, and porcelain, as well as new media and digital art.

Works on view include Earth and White Buffalo from painter Pilar Joanna Garra’s series Animals from Within, previously exhibited at the Darien Rowayton Bank; Good Day Sunshine and Enlightenment from NCSA Member and digital artist Trace Burroughs, who is concurrently exhibiting works in the group show Visions at the Fairfield Library’s Kershner Gallery through April 24; and ÁLFHEIMR, Silhouette, and Easy on the Eyes from Linda Colletta, abstract painter and new member to the New Canaan Society for the Arts, based in the American Fabrics Arts Building in Bridgeport, CT.

2016 Spectrum is made possible with generous support from our Lead Sponsor: Hutchinson Tree Care Specialists, Inc., and Presenting Sponsors: Brown, Thayer, Shedd Insurance, HTG Investment Advisors and Karl Chevrolet. The 2016 Spectrum Best in Show award is co-sponsored by the New Canaan Beautification League and the New Canaan Garden Club, with additional awards sponsored by Rockwell Art and Framing. Spectrum program sponsorship provided by Earth Garden. Wine courtesy of Franco’s Wine Merchants.

This spring the New Canaan Society for the Arts is pleased to present several programs on site during the show. Members and nonmembers always are welcome to enjoy the visual and performing arts at the Carriage Barn. All registrations can be made online at www.carriagebarn.org.

–Caramoor will host a performance by the Aizuri Quartet on Sunday, April 10, 2016 at 4pm at the Carriage Barn Arts Center. To purchase $36.00 tickets, visit www.caramoor.org. Caramoor@Waveny is a unique opportunity to discover exceptional artists in the special setting of our charming 19th-century Carriage Barn Arts Center at Waveny Park. The former home to the Waveny Chamber Music Society (WCMS) offers divine acoustics and intimate seating, a perfect environment for cozy chamber listening. Caramoor continues the WCMS legacy by presenting the Aizuri Quartet, our 2015-16 Ernst Stiefel String Quartet-in-Residence. The afternoon program includes Beethoven String Quartet Op. 18 No. 6, Shaw Blueprint, and Schumann String Quartet Op. 41 No. 3. An all-audience reception will follow the performance.

–Two-day iPhone Workshop offered by photographer and NCSA member, Julie Stauffer, Wednesday, April 27 and Friday, April 29, 2016 from 9:30am-12pm. Workshop fee: $129 members, $149 non-members (processing fees may apply). Register at www.carriagebarn.org.

–Madera Winds Quartet Chamber Music returns to play at the Carriage Barn Arts Center Sunday, May 1, 2016 at 1pm for a free 1-hour performance of selected classical works. The Madera Winds, established in 2012, include Ralph Kirmser (oboe), Janet Atherton (clarinet) Zachary Glavin (horn), Jan van den Berg (flute), and Rosemary Dellinger (bassoon). All five musicians have extensive experience performing chamber music in Fairfield for over the past 30 years. Free. Register at www.carriagebarn.org.

–Art in Nature Workshop with Kyle Riccoboni, Creative Director of Earth Garden Florist & Nursery will be held on Thursday, May 19, 2016. Using his renowned floral design talents to interpret featured artworks in the 2016 Spectrum / Natural Inspiration exhibit, Kyle will lead the audience through the steps of creating flower arrangements joyfully using scavenged natural materials and fresh flowers. $8 members, $10 non-members (processing fees may apply). Register at www.carriagebarn.org.

–Workshop for Children ages 7-12 during Caffeine & Carburetors, bringing together automotive enthusiasts and their vehicles, Sunday, May 22, 2016 from 8-11am. We will be open and hosting a free children’s workshop during this Caffeine & Carburetors event in Waveny Park. A guest artist will lead visitors in nature-themed crafts made from recycled materials and other fun materials. Free. Register at www.carriagebarn.org.

About The New Canaan Society for the Arts (NCSA)
The mission of the New Canaan Society for the Arts is to promote the visual and performing arts, to enrich the community through exhibitions, education, and cultural experiences, and to operate the Carriage Barn Arts Center. We offer artists opportunities to exhibit their work in an exceptional gallery space inside a unique nineteenth-century stone barn. Our shows are complemented by gatherings, educational workshops, concerts, and other events in our adaptively reused historical space, located on the grounds of a former estate, now named Waveny Park. During exhibitions our gallery hours are Wednesday through Saturday 10-3pm and Sundays 1-5pm. One can find more information at www.carriagebarn.org