Artist: Albert Coffill March 3 – April 11
“Connections” – An exhibit of paintings celebrating the pastoral scenes that reflect the natural elements and characteristics of rural New England

Opening Reception: Thursday, March 20 from 5:00 – 7:00 PM

ARTIST STATEMENT:
Have you ever arrived upon a scene where everything about it gives you a sense of awe or remembrance? Life moves very quickly, yet a beautiful pastoral scene can stop you in your tracks. These instances are the inspiration of my paintings and I try to capture the feeling of the moment before it disappears literally or figuratively. Studying the natural elements of the landscape as a child and young adult gave me the background to not only identify what I am painting, but through an artist’s eye, observe and depict the colors, light and shadows that enhance a scene. My inspiration comes from the American Barbizon painters, a group of artists “that painted simple, pastoral scenes”. I hope that by viewing my work, you too can find a connection to each painting and perhaps rekindle a memory or emotion of your own.
ABOUT THE ARTIST:
Albert Coffill paints quiet scenes that reflect the natural elements and characteristics of rural New England. His love of nature and the rolling hills, open meadows, forests and waterways of the region inspire the paintings created with oils on canvas or gouache on paper. His roots run deep in Litchfield and New England, tracing back to the Mayflower. So too do his emotions for his scenes that he paints. His work captures those special tucked away places that make our region so unique.

Beginning his art teaching career at the Morse Pond School in Falmouth, MA, Albert was the art teacher at Kent Center School in Kent, CT, as well as Sharon Center School in Sharon, CT. He was educated in the Litchfield Public Schools and holds Bachelor and Master’s degrees in Art Education from Southern Connecticut State University and a Certificate of Advanced Study in Visual Arts from Wesleyan University. Albert also studied landscape painting at Art New England at Bennington College, Bennington, VT and Lyme Academy of Fine Arts in Old Lyme, CT. He was the recipient of the 2001 Connecticut Art Education Association’s Distinguished Service to the Profession Award. Other honors include three grants from The Philanthropic Initiative, Inc. of Boston (TPI) presented in the years 2000, 2001 and 2006. These grants were given for the creation of a home art studio; an integrated art program between Kent Center School and the Kent Historical Society; and for further study in landscape painting.

Albert has displayed his work at various galleries in northwestern Connecticut; Litchfield, Kent, Sharon, New Milford, Torrington, Salisbury and Canton. He participated in the 2016 Open Your Eyes Studio Tour presented by the Northwest Connecticut Arts Council. One of his paintings is part of a permanent installation at The Philanthropic Initiative office in Boston, MA and another work is at the Kent Center School in Kent, CT.

After forty-two years of teaching art, Albert is now retired. If not in his art studio, he can be found in his multiple vegetable and flower gardens, berry patches and orchards or restoring stone walls or sheds. His 1830 Milton Road homestead “Spruce Tree Acres” where he lives with his wife Teresa, has been in the Coffill family since 1920, beginning with his paternal grandparents. During his “quiet” moments he spends time researching his genealogy to preserve the legacy of his family, just as he does with the scenes that he captures in his paintings.

Oliver Wolcott Library
160 North Street
Litchfield, CT 06759
https://www.owlibrary.org/on-exhibit.aspx