Your guide to the heart of Litchfield County:
Discover local stories, hidden gems, and must-know events.

In August, City Gallery presents SERVED: Wrongful Convictions & The Death Penalty by Bethlehem artist Toby Lee Greenberg, on view from August 1 – August 24.The Opening Reception will be held on Sunday, August 3rd, 2 p.m. – 4 p.m., featuring an Artist’s Talk and Guest Speakers at 3 p.m. Guest speakers include Stefon Morant and Hannah L. Fitzsimon from the Innocence Project. The exhibit and Opening Reception are free and open to the public. City Gallery is located at 994 State Street, New Haven, CT 06511. Gallery hours are Friday – Sunday, 12 p.m. – 4 p.m., or by appointment. For more, contact City Gallery, info@city-gallery.org, www.city-gallery.org.

City Gallery
994 State Street
New Haven, CT 06511
https://www.city-gallery.org

The David M. Hunt Library is pleased to announce DRIFTLINES, a dual exhibition featuring new works by painter Heather Neilson and photographer Babs Perkins that explores the meditative connections between memory, place, premonition, and afterthought. The two artists are friends and are local to the Northwest Corner of Connecticut with studios at Whiting Mills in Winsted. DRIFTLINES will open with a reception for the artists at the library on Saturday, August 16, 5-7PM. An artist’s talk featuring the two artists in conversation is scheduled for Thursday, September 4 at 5:30PM. The exhibition will be on display through Friday, September 12, and is free and open to the public.

Heather Neilson’s richly textured paintings explore inner and outer landscapes, drawing from memory and the passage of time. Rooted in the search for resonance and a sense of home, she uses color, texture, and form to evoke balance while also holding space for tension, change, and ambiguity. These shifting environments echo the internal terrain she continues to explore—cycles of beginnings, change, renewal, and the search for equilibrium. Neilson studied at the Art Students League of New York and has trained with several master artists, continuously evolving her process through exploration and experimentation. Before pursuing art full-time, she worked professionally in marketing and holds a B.A. in Communications from Rutgers University—experience that continues to inform her approach to creative practice and teaching.

In dialogue with Neilson’s paintings, Babs Perkins’s hypnotic photographic compositions in DRIFTLINES evoke the time, tone, color and hue of the coastal shoreline. They are the third series in the artist’s larger body of work, Moving Landscapes/In Limine. ‘In Limine’ means ‘on the threshold’ and her images are just that. They are on the threshold of time (day or night) and place (the edge of the continent/ country/land/sea). They are also on the threshold of what we think we know as a photograph. Perkins said, “I am interested in de-commodifying the “the photograph” and returning a sense of materiality to the world of digital photography, aiming less for duplicatable perfection and more for an undeniable sense of being created by hand. Her work, whether documentary or fine art, explores the ideas of context and memory and the relationship to place. Creating work in both of these visual disciplines is essential to her practice.

The public is warmly invited to attend the opening reception of DRIFTLINES on Saturday August 16, 5-7PM, to meet the artists and engage with their work. Refreshments will be served. All sales will benefit both the artists and the library.

In addition, Neilson and Perkins will have an art talk featuring a conversation between the two artists on Thursday September 4 at 5:30PM. The occasion provides an opportunity to discuss the artists’ creative processes, inspirations, and artistic evolutions.

For more information about the exhibition, reception, or art talk, please contact 860-824-7424 or visit huntlibrary.org/art-wall.

The David M. Hunt Library, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, is committed to supporting regional artists by showcasing exhibitions that foster visual literacy, community engagement, and creative exploration.

David M. Hunt Library
63 Main Street
Falls Village, CT 06031

Exhibition — Heather Neilson and Babs Perkins: DRIFTLINES

Join us for our ArtWall reception honoring our newest ArtWall exhibit, Heather Neilson and Babs Perkins: DRIFTLINES, on Saturday, August 16th from 5-7pm! Meet the artists and engage with their work. Refreshments will be served. All sales will benefit both the artists and the library.

Heather Neilson’s richly textured paintings explore inner and outer landscapes, drawing from memory and the passage of time. Rooted in the search for resonance and a sense of home, she uses color, texture, and form to evoke balance while also holding space for tension, change, and ambiguity. These shifting environments echo the internal terrain she continues to explore—cycles of beginnings, change, renewal, and the search for equilibrium. Neilson studied at the Art Students League of New York and has trained with several master artists, continuously evolving her process through exploration and experimentation. Before pursuing art full-time, she worked professionally in marketing and holds a B.A. in Communications from Rutgers University—experience that continues to inform her approach to creative practice and teaching.

In dialogue with Neilson’s paintings, Babs Perkins’s hypnotic photographic compositions in DRIFTLINES evoke the time, tone, color and hue of the coastal shoreline. They are the third series in the artist’s larger body of work, Moving Landscapes/In Limine. ‘In Limine’ means ‘on the threshold’ and her images are just that. They are on the threshold of time (day or night) and place (the edge of the continent/country/land/sea). They are also on the threshold of what we think we know as a photograph. Perkins said, “I am interested in de-commodifying the “the photograph” and returning a sense of materiality to the world of digital photography, aiming less for duplicatable perfection and more for an undeniable sense of being created by hand. Her work, whether documentary or fine art, explores the ideas of context and memory and the relationship to place. Creating work in both of these visual disciplines is essential to her practice.

In addition, Neilson and Perkins will have an art talk featuring a conversation between the two artists on Thursday September 4 at 5:30PM. The occasion provides an opportunity to discuss the artists’ creative processes, inspirations, and artistic evolutions.

For more information about the exhibition, reception, or art talk, please contact 860-824-7424 or visit huntlibrary.org/art-wall.

The David M. Hunt Library, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, is committed to supporting regional artists by showcasing exhibitions that foster visual literacy, community engagement, and creative exploration.

David M. Hunt Library
63 Main Street
Falls Village, CT 06031

ArtWall Reception — Heather Neilson and Babs Perkins: DRIFTLINES

Join us for an art talk by Heather Neilson and Babs Perkins at the David M. Hunt Library on Thursday, September 4th at 5:30PM! The occasion provides an opportunity to discuss the artists’ creative process, inspirations, and artistic evolutions.

Heather Neilson’s richly textured paintings explore inner and outer landscapes, drawing from memory and the passage of time. Rooted in the search for resonance and a sense of home, she uses color, texture, and form to evoke balance while also holding space for tension, change, and ambiguity. These shifting environments echo the internal terrain she continues to explore—cycles of beginnings, change, renewal, and the search for equilibrium. Neilson studied at the Art Students League of New York and has trained with several master artists, continuously evolving her process through exploration and experimentation. Before pursuing art full-time, she worked professionally in marketing and holds a B.A. in Communications from Rutgers University—experience that continues to inform her approach to creative practice and teaching.

In dialogue with Neilson’s paintings, Babs Perkins’s hypnotic photographic compositions in DRIFTLINES evoke the time, tone, color and hue of the coastal shoreline. They are the third series in the artist’s larger body of work, Moving Landscapes/In Limine. ‘In Limine’ means ‘on the threshold’ and her images are just that. They are on the threshold of time (day or night) and place (the edge of the continent/ country/land/sea). They are also on the threshold of what we think we know as a photograph. Perkins said, “I am interested in de-commodifying the “the photograph” and returning a sense of materiality to the world of digital photography, aiming less for duplicatable perfection and more for an undeniable sense of being created by hand. Her work, whether documentary or fine art, explores the ideas of context and memory and the relationship to place. Creating work in both of these visual disciplines is essential to her practice.

For more information about the exhibition, reception, or art talk, please contact 860-824-7424 or visit huntlibrary.org/art-wall.

The David M. Hunt Library, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, is committed to supporting regional artists by showcasing exhibitions that foster visual literacy, community engagement, and creative exploration.

David M. Hunt Library
63 Main Street
Falls Village, CT 06031

ArtWall Talk — Heather Neilson and Babs Perkins: DRIFTLINES

Join us for Gunn Memorial Library & Museum’s annual fall fundraiser, BOOKED! on Saturday, September 27, 2025 from 7-10pm.

Step into the dazzling world of The Bonfire of the Vanities! An unforgettable night of live music, dancing, food, drinks, and surprise entertainment awaits. Dress to impress for a chance at fabulous prizes—or come as you are! Get ready to bid big—exclusive getaways, unforgettable experiences, and luxury finds are yours for the taking.

Tickets start at $200

Washington, CT
https://interland3.donorperfect.net/weblink/weblink.aspx?name=E359493&id=13

Intimate piano performances in a relaxed setting
Ease into your weekend with live piano music in a one-of-a-kind art space. Held each month on the fourth Friday, this piano concert series extends AMP’s exhibit hours—inviting you to experience the mural in a whole new light.

Each week features a different style of piano—jazz, blues, pop, classical, and more—in an art-filled space that’s anything but ordinary. Explore the three-level mural gallery with a drink, take it all in from a comfy couch on the upper levels, or sit close up to the keys.

Curated by AMP’s Program Director Michelle Begley, the concert series features accomplished pianists from across the tri-state area. It’s become a well-loved Friday night tradition and a standout for Winsted live music.

Reserve your $8 tickets in advance or purchase at the door.
The cash/credit bar offers a selection of wine, craft and domestic beer, cider, and various beverages. Your tickets support AMP, a nonprofit arts organization.

The Happy Hour Piano Series is supported in part by the Greenberg family.

Fall 2025 Lineup
AMP’s Friday exhibit hours are extended for the Happy Hour Piano Series. Live music begins at 5:30pm.

Michael Carabello
Friday, September 26
Pianist Michael Carabello has performed on some of the most prestigious stages, including The White House—where he performed for First Lady Michelle Obama, New York Jazz Piano Festival at Kalvierhaus, Jazz at Lincoln Center Live in Times Square, The Side Door Jazz Club, Smalls Jazz Club, and The Django in NYC, The Hartford Jazz Festival, NYC Winter Jazz Festival, and the Newport Jazz Festival.

Mary DiPaola
Friday, October 24
Pianist Mary DiPaola has performed at the Litchfield Jazz Festival and the Hartford Jazz Festival. She is on faculty at the Hartt School at the University of Hartford. Her recordings include Cat’s Cradle and Seventh Sign.

Zoe Bates
Friday, November 28
Zoe Bates is a pianist and vocalist based in the Berkshires, known for her soulful interpretations of artists like Susan Tedeschi and Etta James. A Canton, CT native, she was the lead singer of the local band Temporary Sanity and is a college a cappella alum. Zoe brings rich vocal expression and a deep love of performing to every set. AMP is proud to showcase her as an emerging artist in this month’s Happy Hour Piano Series.

Dan Ringuette
Winter Holidays Sing-a-Long
Friday, December 26
Pianist Dan Ringuette is a frequent Music Director and pit musician for the Warner Theater, the Goshen Players, and the Landmark Community Theater, bringing to life such plays as 9 to 5, All Is Calm, The SpongeBob Musical, The Marvelous Wonderettes, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, and Dogfight. Dan has also arranged music for shows at the Mohegan Sun and Foxwoods. When he is not working in the theater, Dan teaches piano, voice, and woodwinds and is the keyboardist/cantor for St. Louis de Montfort parish in Litchfield, CT.

AMP’s Happy Hour Piano Series is a standout among things to do in Winsted, CT—bringing together live music, local talent, and the largest indoor collaborative mural in the country. It’s one of the most distinctive art and music events in Connecticut.

Buy tickets in advance: https://amp-pianohappyhour.eventbrite.com/

American Mural Project
90 Whiting Street
Winsted CT, 06098
https://www.americanmuralproject.org/piano-series

Inspiring Conservation through Art!

Join us for a special Plein Air Litchfield Practice Session as local artists set up across our scenic grounds to paint en plein air—capturing the beauty of our ponds, gardens, and rare waterfowl in real time.

This is a wonderful opportunity to stroll the Conservancy, watch talented artists at work, and enjoy the inspiring blend of nature and creativity. Perfect for families, art lovers, and anyone looking for a unique and relaxing weekend outing.

Sunday, July 20th | 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM

Admission includes full access to the Conservancy grounds and the chance to watch the Plein Air artists painting live.

Admission: $10 Adults (13+) / $5 Children (5–12) / Free Under 5 & Members

Open to the Public May- November:

Friday / Saturday / Sunday | 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM

Ripley Waterfowl Conservancy
55 Duck Pond Rd
Litchfield, Ct 06759
https://www.ripleyconservancy.org/

11:30 am – 12:30 pm
$20 per person
* Pre-registration & Pre-registration required.Limited spots!

Time for self care with nature therapy! Join Amy Lopez, Bloom Where Planted Facilitator, in crafting pressed flowers to create a summery suncatcher to take home and enjoy.

Litchfield Community Center
421 Bantam Road
Litchfield, CT 06759
860-567-8302
https://thecommunitycenter.org/event.php?id=21045

The Littlest Farmhands On Saturday’s

Come Join Us For A Saturday On The Farm To Enjoy The Animals, Be Creative With A Farm Related Craft/Game, And Story Time With The Animals In The Barn!

Saturdays starting 7/19

9-11AM

Targeted Ages 5 & under $35 per parent & one child $10 for each additional child

For Questions:
email:erikde@drethusafarmfoundation.org

To register and pay please visit:
www.arethusafarmfoundation.org

Save the Date!

Saturday October 18th

• 5k Cider Run
• Enjoy local brews
• Live music & entertainment
• Delicious food vendors
• Family-friendly games & seasonal festivities

All proceeds go to Warren Volunteer Fire Company and Warren Social Services

Warren Woods, CT