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

An art exhibition featuring works by 10 local photographers
is now on view at Mia Weiner’s art gallery called Pinacoteca (which means “picture gallery” in Italian). by daphne anderson deeds

Pinacoteca gallerist Mia Weiner departs from her usual focus on European realist paintings and prints with Norfolk Through a Lens, an exhibition of photographs by ten artists from Norfolk.  Inspired by a pending book about Norfolk photographers edited by Anita Holmes (whose work is included in the show), Weiner embraces contemporary photography as an extension of painterly qualities. Like representational painting, each landscape, still life, or figurative image selected relies on composition, subject, light and scale to convey a mood or memory.

The thirty-eight photographs that line the Pinacoteca walls share a sense of place. Views of local fields, grand vistas, flora, and people document the particulars of daily life. Peter Coffeen’s digital print, Still Life with Egg and Shell is a study of nine objects arranged on a tabletop. Greys and whites bathed in ambient light create the serene effect. This and four other pieces offered by Coffeen recall William Bailey’s exacting tableaux, or muted studies of mundane things in Giorgio Morandi’s studio. Coffeen seems to understand the Italian master’s fundamental message: sustained contemplation of the familiar has the power to reveal the universal.

James Jasper’s suite of three black and white Ceiling photographs show treetops seen from below. Jasper was probably lying on his back when took these pictures, holding the camera lens parallel to the lacy canopy. This artful perspective conveys the clusters of leaves as abstracted forms. The articulation of the various delicate leaf patterns derives from the half-tones that only gelatin silver prints can capture.

Rick Schatzberg’s Ausable Chasm is the most dramatic photograph of the show. The large-scale image of the famous sandstone gorge in the eastern Adirondacks places the viewer above an icy theater of once-raging falls surrounding a small power station. One glowing window suggests activity in this otherwise frozen terrain. Schatzberg ventures into the vernacular with Luckys, a quirky night scene of two middle-aged people considering a roadside stand that seems to be selling art. The artificial light that emanates from the trailer casts an eerie tone on this unlikely scenario.

Hay Bales and Zigzag Fence by Holmes effects the qualities of painting to which Weiner responds. Horizontal bands of color delineate the vivid foreground greens, the rust of the grasses in the mid-ground. Just beyond the orange hues is the pale green pasture punctuated by the brown bales and the distant hills, forest and sky are muted greys and greens in a hazy light. Holmes has transformed an otherwise ordinary scene into a modernist reduction of forms.

Other artists included in the show are Christopher Little, Bruce Frisch, Katherine Griswold, Mahlon Craft, and Babs Perkins. Together, the ten artists convey their keen observations and love of the natural world.

The exhibition will remain on view through May 8.
The book Norfolk Through a Lens: Visions of a Quintessential New England Town will be released in the fall of this year.

Guest art critic Daphne Anderson Deeds is a fine art and museum consultant in Litchfield County. A seasoned art museum curator and administrator who has held senior positions at university and civic museums throughout the U.S., including the Yale University Art Gallery, and the Smart Museum at the University of Chicago, her eponymous consultancy serves private collectors, artist estates, museums and contemporary artists. Detailed information including testimonials, exhibitions curated, and publications is available at: http://daphneandersondeeds.com/ 

Espadrilles haven’t always been a summer fashion staple—they were once footware for peasants. Originally crafted in the Occitania and Catalonia regions of France and Spain since at least the 14th century, the name derives from ‘esparto’, after the plant that was braided to create its iconic sole. Worn by both men and women, they were made with a canvas or cotton fabric upper and a flexible sole made of jute rope, and laces wrapped around the ankle to hold the shoes securely in place. In the thirteenth century, the King of Aragon’s infantry wore them, as well as miners and priests. The shoe also became synonymous with the Catalan national dance, Sardana, where dancers wore espadrilles with ribbon ties around the shin, known as ‘Espardenya’.

Over hundreds of years, espadrilles have endured as a stylish, comfortable shoe. You might remember Lauren Bacall wearing a pair of ankle-laced espadrilles in the 1948 movie Key Largo. In the 70s, Yves Saint Laurent popularized the shoe by offering a “wedge” espadrille. And in the 80s, they were again revived when Don Johnson wore them in the TV show Miami Vice. They are a throw-back, retro shoe and today espadrilles are back in style.

Litchfield interior designer Lisa Horne found a pair of espadrilles in the Caribbean twenty years ago, and they were just what she wanted: double-thick soles, great fabric and very comfortable. Eventually, she wore them out and when she went to replace them, she couldn’t find any that came near the original pair. Several years later, her oldest daughter found a similar pair in the British Virgin Islands which she also adored. She encouraged her mother to develop it for other women who are looking for an attractive, simple espadrille to be worn on many occasions. Thus began the Lulu Espadrille Collection.

Lisa knew she wanted her espadrilles to be hand-made locally, and with her background as a designer, the fabrics had to be special. She began developing her espadrille collection three years ago. The soles which are made of jute, are from a small fishing village in France, and the shoes are actually put together in Torrington.

Initially, she sold them at trunk shows, but now she mainly sells them online or by phone. Lisa’s espadrilles are available in solids and patterns, linen or cotton. Black is very popular. Also available for dressier occasions is a red and green striped taffeta. Lisa takes special orders and will also work with your own fabric.  Even the ankle ribbons, which can be tied in the front, back or side, can be customized. The ribbons come in two styles, grosgrain or twill, in solid colors. It took a while for Lisa to find a ribbon that wasn’t stiff or scratchy on your ankles. The toe kick tab is made of hemp, which  is an authentic detail. The espadrilles sell for $140 a pair and come in great little bags, like linen sacks, which are great for travelling.

What’s in the future of Lulu Espadrille? “Children’s espadrilles, a matching tote bag, and colors in the inside soles,” says Lisa. And soon gift certificates will be sold online. For now, Lisa hopes you will buy a pair of her Lulu Espadrilles and wear them out. “They get better with age, as they acquire that lived-in look.”

To order your own pair of Lulu Espadrilles, call Lisa Horne at
860.508.5770 or visit the website: lulu-espadrilles.myshopify.com

Local photographer Rick Schatzberg captures striking images of environments in flux, with people caught within the landscapes. His new book Twenty Two North is a road trip worth taking.

“We have to be taught to see here, because here is everywhere, related to everywhere else.”
—poet William Carlos Williams

Rick Schatzberg’s photographs reflect his interest in exploring and describing places, which he sees as a combination of geography, ethnography, imagination, and autobiography.

His recent monograph, Twenty Two North, won first prize in the “One for the Books” contest in Australia’s Ballarat Foto International Biennale (BFIB’15). In an interview for the Atlanta Photography Group, Rick provided some insight into the works in his new book:  “For two years I have been photographing the human and physical landscape along Route 22, a mostly rural road connecting New York City and Canada. The idea for this work, Twenty Two North, came about at a time when I was making frequent trips along a particular stretch of NY22 to visit my son in Vermont. The effort to render this environment visually legible, from the Bronx to the North Country, is to examine what we do to the landscape and vice versa.

I treat the road as a metaphor for the narrative journey, but in a larger sense picture-making itself is a metaphor for the provisional and incomplete nature of knowledge, the result of having only fragments of information. Taking the time to share in the experience of people in the landscape, my photographs exist as subjective and incomplete evidence of these fragmentary encounters.

I am informed by literary and photographic road trip genres, but my work departs from the tradition of quickly moving through America. Like improvisational music, I am trying to build and reinterpret a place through repeated sessions. Human subjectivity, color, light, chance, and movement are the elements that help me describe an environment in flux, to understand a place as process rather than fact.”

Based in Brooklyn Heights, New York and Norfolk, Connecticut, Rick is a man of many interests. A graduate of the General Studies program at International Center of Photography in 2015, his  career has been a varied one, to say the least. He holds a degree from Columbia University in Anthropology, studied and played French horn with Cecil Taylor’s Unit Core Ensemble in Ohio and New York City in the 1970s, and spent more than thirty years as an executive and entrepreneur in the publishing and health care industries.

As a migrant from a corporate career, Rick is engaged in his photography practice on a full-time basis. Since graduating ICP he has been exhibiting his work and pursuing new projects.

Rick currently has work featured in three group exhibitions, two of which are local. He has four prints in a show called Photographs Out of Norfolk at Pinacoteca Gallery in Bantam, which runs until May 8. This is a group exhibition of 9 Norfolk-based photographers. (see our article on this show)

He is also featured in a group exhibition 5th Annual Juried Exhibition consisting of 22 photos by 22 artists, selected by 3 jurors at Sohn Fine Art Gallery in Lenox, MA, which runs through June 5. The opening reception is May 7.

And finally, Rick has work in an exhibition titled Texas National 2016, at the SFA Art Galleries & Cole Art Center in Nacogdoches, TX which runs until June 11. This is their 22nd annual juried exhibition and it contains 98 prints by 98 photographers from 29 states. The year’s exhibition was juried by renown photographer, Abelardo Morell.

It’s no surprise that this local artist is being recognized across the country. His images are hauntingly beautiful and informative at the same time. The more time you spend with one of his pictures, the more you feel as if you have just been there.

Rick Schatzberg’s amazing new book Twenty Two North is available at Sohn Fine Art Gallery in Lenox, Massachusetts.
To contact Rick or to see more of his work, go to: rickschatzberg.com

Steven Kalur is a local architect with an aesthetic rooted in a traditional New England style. His love for old houses comes through in the splendid details of the homes he designs.

Steven Kalur has always been attracted to building things. His grandfather was a woodworker and, as a child, Steven made his own constructions with building blocks. Steven was born in Shaker Heights, Ohio but he also spent summers in Maine where his parents had a summer house. It was there, on an island in Maine, that he began working in construction as a teenager. His father, however, was a defense attorney and Steven was encouraged to go into the business world.

He studied English Literature and majored in Economics at Wheaton College in the Boston area. To make ends meet, he ran his own house painting company while in college. With the success of this early venture, he was offered a job in Chicago with a national house painting company as a manager and trainer. From there, Steven went on to sell private jets for an aviation company for seven years. (After architecture, aviation is his next big passion—he even has a pilot’s license.)

When he and his wife, Claudia Kalur, (a local interior designer who runs CFK Interiors) bought their first apartment in New Jersey, they renovated it and thoroughly enjoyed the process. Thus began Steven’s realization that his work should be in architecture. He went back to school and received a Masters degree from the School of Architecture at the New Jersey Institute of Technology. One of his professors had a private architectural firm in New York City and offered him a job once he graduated. He worked on high-end city apartments as well as commercial projects. Zoning in Manhattan is quite different from more suburban or rural areas, and it was a great learning experience.

While working in the city, one of his clients, an architect from Litchfield County, asked him to check on a house project  in Connecticut. Steven drove out here and fell in love with the area. Within two weeks, he and his wife both gave notice on their jobs and moved to a rental home in Bantam. “Litchfield County is such an amazing place. This is where I want to be,” he says. For a few years, Steven worked for a local architectural firm and later for various local builders. He learned from all of them. By 2010, he was ready to break out on his own and started F+H Architectural Design & Consulting.

Steven Kalur’s architecture combines the rich heritage of New England Architecture with a distinctly clean and elegant language. The bulk of his work is mostly residential—he loves building houses. Driven by a passion for the traditional style of colonial houses, New England barns, and out-buildings, Steven creates elegant and well thought-out living spaces. He has built two homes in Montana, but the majority of his clients are in Roxbury, Washington, Kent, and Litchfield. Once he has created the architectural design of a home, there are two ways that he works. The client hires a builder, or Steven oversees and manages it from start to finish. The construction management part of the process is something he enjoys doing, and he tends to have a stronger, more regular presence on site than most architects because of his love for construction. Kalur works in a collaborative way with his clients and they appreciate that he is flexible about having their input.

Recognized in Litchfield County for his expertise in renovating old houses, he finds it rewarding to improve and update an old home without destroying its original character, even with all of its challenges. “And with a new house, you are dictating the look of the house and how it is going to work. It requires experience, patience, and the ability to prepare your client for the ride.”

Steven and Claudia are working on a new site on Route 202 in New Preston that will become the joint headquarters for both of their businesses. Check back with us for further details about their opening.

F&H offers full architectural design services from initial conceptual design to complete construction drawing sets. They also can provide clients with project management, seeing the project through from initial estimating to certificate of occupancy.
F&H offers thorough and accurately executed existing conditions (as-built) drawings for homeowners, real estate agents, interiors designers and other architects. Contact them for stand-alone pricing if desired. 

F+H Architectural Design & Consulting
Steven A. Kalur
steven@ferretandhound.com
860.733.5151
fharchitecture.com

On April 23, local designer and author Susanna Salk is taking over New Preston with vignettes that reflect the theme of her new book. This is a village-wide event that’s not to be missed.

Design expert Susanna Salk has written numerous books on design and interiors, including Weekend Retreats, Room for Children, and Be Your Own Decorator, C. Z. Guest, and Decorate Fearlessly! She also hosts the “At Home With” video series on the Quintessence design blog, which captures her visiting the homes of top designers and style makers around the globe.

Salk’s new book published by Rizzoli, It’s the Little Things, features design vignettes and arrangements from some of today’s top designers. By looking at the design details in a room, she points out that it is the stylish little touches that transform a room into a uniquely personal space. An arrangement of treasures upon a dressing table, or a chair upholstered in a bold color or a textured fabric—these little things can have a huge impact on the total interior. Within the pages of the book, Susanna provides lots of inspiring examples created by designers, and photographed beautifully by talented photographers. Objects and art are displayed on walls, shelves, and mantels in fresh new ways. The book is full of great ideas for homeowners to use as a starting point with their own beloved pieces. Living with the things you love and grouping them together instead of hiding them away in drawers or behind cabinet doors can create a stylish look while reminding you of the meaningful experiences related to each piece.

Known as the design haven of Litchfield County, New Preston Village is home to a number of wonderful shops and shop keepers who have a keen eye for sourcing original items. It is the perfect place to host a special event to celebrate Salk’s new book on Saturday, April 23. In keeping with the book’s theme, Susanna will go around to various shops in the village a day or two before the event and create It’s the Little Things vignette displays with items she has selected from each shop. There are 7 participating stores and shoppers are encouraged to visit all of them to see what she has created. The village shops that will have the vignettes with Susanna’s picks are: Dawn Hill Antiques, Pergola, J. Seitz, New Preston Kitchen Goods, Privet House, DK Schulman Stationers, and Plain Goods. Books will be available for sale throughout the village, and there will be a book signing at J. Seitz that Saturday afternoon, from 3:00 – 5:00. Susanna is also donating an hour design consult to the winner of a drawing from those who purchased the book in the village anytime that day.

We can always count on the folks of New Preston to come up with original ideas and attractions to draw us into town on a warm spring day. Design afficionados, don’t miss this fabulous opportunity.

Saturday, April 23, all day
Book signing at J. Seitz: 3:00 – 5:00 pm
East Shore Road
New Preston

Meet Organic‘s fashion designer John Patrick—known as the “King of Sustainable Style”—on April 30th at J. Seitz, as he presents his spring line of clothing. Become inspired!

A man ahead of his time, John Patrick realized years ago that the fashion world was contributing to the decline of our planet. He made a decision to create clothes that were not only beautiful and comfortable but made with natural fibers and manufactured in a responsible manner. Patrick’s clothes combine “beauty and ethics, green and gobal.” He follows sustainable manufacturing practices and uses only organic cotton for his clothing line called Organic.

Here in New Preston, J. Seitz & Co. believes in showcasing organic products — in their garments, apothecary, and home goods—whenever they can. “We work very hard seeking out this category to present to our clients. It is a toxic world and if we can avoid putting harmful things next to our skin or in to our body, we choose that route,” says Joanna Seitz.

Over the years, our local communities have embraced the farm-to-table philosophy by supporting our local farmers and those restaurants in the area who use local, natural ingredients in their dishes. We pay more attention to the materials used in the furniture we buy and in the building of our homes. But awareness of how our clothes are made has not had the momentum of the food and home industries. As more fashion designers follow in John Patrick’s quest towards a conscientious approach in their collections, the more options we will have in selecting clothes that are sustainably made. On Saturday, April 30th, John Patrick will be at J. Seitz to feature his spring line of garments. Drop by and meet the charming, enlightened designer. Learn how you can make the world a better place to live—and look fabulous while you are at it.

We spoke to John Patrick about his background, the philosophy behind Organic and his inspired clothing line.

How did you get into designing garments? Did you study fashion? What is your background?

I was born in Delmar, New York and grew up in and around Albany in the 1970s. I am the product of a free-spirited childhood and the heady times of the post vietnam optimistic era. I started designing hats and accessories in 1982. I studied art and was living in NYC at the time.

How different was your work before before launching Organic in 2004?

I was designing the John Patrick Collection throughout the 1980s and 90s. When the 2000 millennium happened, I felt a strong change in the wind and knew it was time to move along. Change is slow to take root.

You are known for using sustainable manufacturing practices and only organic cotton—what factors influenced this decision to go natural?

A natural progression of my aesthetic led me to the conclusion that the industry of design — not only fashion — was creating a global mess. And I wanted to change in a strong way. So I designed a simple product line in the Andes of South America and it became the stepping stone to the birth of my brand Organic.

Your garments are functional and beautiful, simple and bold… where does this simplicity come from?

The garments have always been clean and focused and over time I went deeper into a strong minimalism that has become the hallmark of the organic brand.

Your clothes look great in layers, and have a practical approach. Is your intent to create clothes for strong women who are confident and reject overly decorative, complicated garments?

Absolutely. The aesthetic of the brand and my personal obsession with function naturally align with women who have their own identities. Organic is worn by the women who choose it because they inherently are attracted to intelligent design that doesn’t detract from their own beings.

What do you have in mind for the future of Organic? Is a menswear collection in the works? Or perhaps a home line?

We have launched a sister collection called COMMUNITIE MARFA that is a design-driven capsule collection of textiles and accessories that is slowly being rolled out globally. Currently, we are producing a wood block collection of textiles in the north of India that will also be available at J. Seitz & Co. this summer.

Organic by John Patrick
Trunk Show at J. Seitz
April 30, 2 – 5

J. Seitz & Co. is located at:
9 East Shore Road (Route 45) in New Preston
860.868.0119
j.seitz@snet.net
www.jseitz.com

Litchfield County Auctions’ Nicholas Thorn finds the thrill
of discovering goes beyond the auction house floor, beyond
the Litchfield Hills, and into the global market.
by daphne anderson deeds

As one drives past Litchfield County Auctions, the innocuous one-story building gives no indication of the dramas that regularly unfold there. Every auction is preceded by backstories of families parting with heirlooms after a divorce, a death or a downsizing. Or, perhaps the prelude is the tale of a collector culling in order to make room for a new passion, or an elderly person hoping the proceeds from a sale will enhance a retirement account. These sorts of stories are the stuff of Nicholas Thorn’s daily life.

In his role as President of the auction house, Nick Thorn presides over the 10,000 square foot premises full of antique furniture, decorative art objects, Asian art, ethnographic material, jewelry, rugs, painting, works on paper and sculpture. Assisted by a staff of eleven and various occasional employees, he determines the company’s long range plans and orchestrates day-to-day details, including overseeing assessments of objects, cataloguing and photographing each item, establishing provenance, and writing descriptions entries. He also reviews potential offerings and determines long range plans. But much of his time is spent in the field, reviewing estates and meeting with collectors. For Nick Thorn, the ongoing series of discoveries and the promise of finding a rarity sustain his passion for the family business.

Nick’s father, Weston Thorn established Litchfield County Auctions in 1994, following a successful career as an auctioneer at the New York City offices of Sotheby Parke Bernet, where he eventually became Director of PB 84. In 1982 Weston opened Weston Thorn Antiques in Bantam, Connecticut and was an independent appraiser and dealer for twenty years before launching the esteemed auction house, a return to his auction roots.

Nick began working in his father’s shop as a teenager and continued working part time during his college years at NYU where he was a liberal arts major. Though he refers to himself as a generalist, Nick developed a particular interest in mid-20th century modern furniture, an expertise that has served the firm well as the genre continues to command attention.

After joining the full time staff in 1998, Nick began to realize that his true calling was to build the family business. He and his wife, Rachel and their two young children divide their time between their Connecticut house and an apartment in Brooklyn. Weston still works behind the scenes and on the auction house floor. So Litchfield County Auctions is truly a family affair.

Since assuming the Presidency in 2012, Nick has built a new online presence that gives Litchfield County Auctions an international profile. Now working in concert with the digital platforms Invaluable and Live Auctioneers, Thorn the younger and his staff serve buyers throughout the world, making their sales potentially available to over 200,000,000 online users. During six auctions per year, visitors can view sale offerings on line and attend previews in the showrooms on Route 202. Recent notable sales include a Milton Avery watercolor that was estimated at $25,000 and sold for $60,000, a Chinese robin’s egg blue glaze vase that sold for $234,000 and a Futurist Landscape, and a painting by Romanian artist Arthur Segal (1857-1944), sold for $162,000.

Nick Thorn is perpetually scouting for interesting material throughout Connecticut, Long Island, Westchester County and New York City. He says he wakes up each day excited to find something in the ongoing “treasure hunt” that is Litchfield County Auctions.

Art consultant Lauren P. Della Monica enjoys bringing people together with art. Meet her at the signing of her new book on figurative painting at Privet Lives in New Preston.

As an art historian and art consultant, Lauren P. Della Monica helps her clients find art that they love and want to live with in their homes. Through her business LPDM Fine Art Consulting, she offers a variety of services ranging from researching the value of a piece, arranging authentification, and coordinating transactions for clients, whether it is a one-time purchase or helping in building a collection. From curating museum exhibitions, leading guided tours, practicing art law, writing about art, and helping clients build their art collections, Lauren’s experience covers many aspects of the art world.

Lauren began her journey with a Fine Arts Degree from Vanderbilt University and a graduate degree from Christie’s Education in Connoisseurship. From there, she gained experience at the Michael Rosenfeld Gallery, a well regarded American paintings gallery in Manhattan, and worked within the Citibank Private Bank Art Advisory Service. Not stopping there, Lauren obtained her juris doctorate degree from Brooklyn Law School, and practiced commercial litigation and art law before she established LPDM Fine Art Consulting in 2004.

Thirteen years ago, Lauren wrote her first book on art, Painted Landscapes: Contemporary Views, followed by a visual survey of 19th century American marine painting, Flying the Colors. Her latest title, Bodies of Work: Contemporary Figurative Painting, was published this January. There will be a book signing on March 12 at Privet Lives in New Preston.

With an eye for spotting great pieces of art, Lauren enjoys the process of opening up the art world to clients, sharing her knowlege, and matching people with art. We spoke with Lauren about her early connection to art and the business of collecting.

Where are you originally from and what brought you to the Northwest Corner of Connecticut?

I am originally from Cape Cod, Massachusetts. I have lived in Manhattan for the past 20 years and came to Litchfield County as a weekender. My husband and I came here looking for a retreat from New York City. We both wanted to be in New England, and Litchfield was the perfect place.

Litchfield County is known for its culture and for being a haven for artists and art lovers, do you find that your business is growing in the area?

Litchfield County does have a long and interesting history with artists and collectors given its proximity to NYC as a major cultural center and its incredible landscape beckoning as a retreat from urban life. Certainly the more time I spend here, the more projects develop. I do love working close to home. In general though, my clients are not in one geographic location, as I meet people via my public curatorial projects and published books.

Were you interested in art from a young age? Are you an artist as well?

I have been interested in art and architecture for as long as I can remember. When I was a child, we had a close family friend who was a painter. I was fascinated by her studio, her materials and her figure studies. She often gave me pastels and pencils and encouraged my interest in art. Later on, my interest turned from studio art to art history, though my understanding of works of art comes from a foundation in the practice of making art. I alway think of it as a very simple concept, I like colors and shapes.

Do you have a preference for contemporary art?

My favorite period is 20th century painting with a strong interest in Modern art (art made from 1905-1945). I have always been fascinated by the drive from representation towards abstraction in European and American painting of the early 20th century and the incredible transformation in painting at mid-century and during the midcentury, Post WWII years.

How much of your clientele are private collectors and what percentage are corporate buyers? What are some of the differences in working with both?

As an art consultant, I work as a curator for private art collectors. I occasionally work with a corporate client for a specific project. With private collectors, I really enjoy the education process, showing all types of artwork to my clients and teaching them about the work itself. Many people have never learned to really look at art, to understand it as a visual medium, and to create a personal experience and knowledge from seeing paintings, drawings and sculptures. I get the opportunity to share the world of museums, studios, and galleries with my clients and encourage them to live with the things that matter to them. I love the process of determining what artwork, artist, or period is right for a new collector.

Do you find that people tend to stick with collecting a
certain few artists or a certain style or period?

Most people collect contemporary art these days, and fewer collectors seem to collect a single artist or genre in depth. Collections are a bit broader as the contemporary market is enormous today, and there is so much choice under that heading in terms of style, subject matter and price. Most of my favorite private collections though involve a combination of Modern and contemporary art so collectors are not constrained by period to find what they love.

You have written a book on landscapes and another on figures. Is writing a book on still life in your future?

It is interesting to me to look at a traditional genre such as landscape or figurative work and see how it is being explored by contemporary artists. There is so much of this type of work in the contemporary marketplace once you begin to notice it in a genre specific way. But both books are essentially about aspects of contemporary painting. There have been some interesting museum shows about still life though—perhaps there is a book there too. I have most often thought about writing about contemporary sculpture. Perhaps that is next.

Who are your favorite artists?

I have such a hard time choosing favorites! The list would be endless. Every time I work on a new project I have a new favorite. There are a few whose work has always grabbed me in museums… Arthur Dove, Edward Hopper, and Milton Avery. Contemporary female artists are doing amazing work: sculptor Ursula von Rydingsvaard, painters such as Hayv Kahraman and Maureen Gallace.

One of the rare surviving examples of Edward Larrabee Barnes’ platform house with many original details in place, the exquisite Marsters House in Litchfield is on the market. by sarah parker young

Marsters House, originally built in 1953, is a significant example of the ‘platform house’, a design conceived by renowned architect Edward Larrabee Barnes. Every detail stays true to early modernism with clean lines and an elegant grid of rectangular indoor and outdoor rooms. The provenance of the house adds to its interest as the home was designed for Ted Marsters, a classmate of Barnes at Harvard, and his wife Kathy who is the sister of Rufus Stillman, a patron and supporter of Marcel Breuer and modernist architecture in Litchfield at that time.

Edward Larrabee Barnes went to Harvard Graduate School of Design where he studied under the Hungarian born Breuer, considered to be one of the masters of Modernist Architecture. These early influences were keys to his development as an architect and on a personal note; he met his wife Mary through Breuer. He started his business in New York City in an unassuming way by placing an architectural drafting board on his dining room table. His first project was to create a small lecture room at the Herald Tribune for the editor and this lead to being asked to design his house. His wife, Mary Barnes, become the chief interior designer for the firm and Edward Larrabee Barnes Associates began a long successful run in the world of American architecture.

The ‘platform house’ was a perfect concept for the modern era. The architect himself, expounded on the design, “The thing about the platform houses is that they are like a game with specific rules,” he continues, “all the clients for those houses, myself included, did not have much money for the house but lots of land. Now contemporary developments are the reverse with huge houses much too close together.”

Barnes’ plan for the Marsters residence sought to establish functional indoor-outdoor relationships, thus bringing nature into the design. Central to this concept was to enlarge the foundation of the building to support a platform that would serve as a terrace without walls. In this way the eye would see the outdoor vistas as a continuation of the interior spaces. A  ‘Z’-shaped plan was developed for the Marsters house that placed narrow wings of the house as bookends to a large living room with an impressive statement piece masonry fireplace. The stone foundation was further enhanced by attractive paved walks and interlocking geometric areas of lawn. The home itself had many impressive features including original slate heated floors, walls of windows and sliding doors with westerly views, terraces and over nine acres of protected farmland. Additionally, there are four bedrooms, three and a half baths, a family room, dining room, kitchen, mudroom and the originally designed white concrete pool.

Pam Hanson, daughter of the Marsters, spoke eloquently about how nature was an intricate element of the indoor/outdoor design of the house. “I loved to get up in the middle of the night and, through the huge glass walls, see the storms race across the western hills.”

Barnes designed many office buildings, museums, botanical gardens, private houses, churches, schools, camps, colleges, campus planning, and housing. Some of the more recognized designs include the Dallas Museum of Art, the Walker Art Center, and the IBM Building at 590 Madison Avenue in Manhattan. Throughout this time, he also taught at Harvard University, the Pratt Institute, and the University of Virginia. He was part of a modernist movement in architecture, and specifically with Breuer, Johannsen and Noyes in Litchfield County.

As listing agents of such an important architectural example of modernism, Stacey and Pels Matthews enthuse, “We are very excited and honored to work with the owners of this property to find the next steward of the Marsters House. It’s an authentic mid-century work which is important to both our community and the design world at large. We also love that it’s a lived-in house – not a museum – and will reward the next occupant with its fabulous layout and style as either a full-time or weekend home.”

CFK Interiors is a local interior design firm that combines designer Claudia Kalur’s love of interiors with her experience in architecture, resulting in fabulous spaces.

When Claudia Kalur was 13 years old, she bought an interior design magazine in Spain and fell in love. This was a turning point for her, but the journey to becoming an interior designer was not a direct one. Claudia was born in Lisbon, Portugal, where she earned a degree in Art History. From there, she moved to London where she received a MA in Egyptology from University College London while working at the British Museum, and then landed a job as a researcher for the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. While there, she realized that her real passion had always been interior design, so during her last year at the Met she started a Diploma in Interior Design. The school was based in London and it was a long distance program, but not only internet-based— all boards, drawings, and sketches were physically mailed to London, graded there and then mailed back to her. It was a circuitous route, but she finally was doing what she loved to do—designing interiors.

In 2006, Claudia’s husband, Steven Kalur, was interning at an architect’s firm in NYC and they needed an office manager. She applied and got the job. Within a month, she was going to client meetings, drawing elevations in CAD, and specifying interior appointments for all projects. Leaving Egyptology was a very hard decision, but this job was a dream-come-true and it made the transition much easier.

A year later, Steven was offered a job at an architect’s office here in the Northwest Corner of Connecticut, and they moved to the area. Claudia started by working as an interior design assistant at a local shop and then went on to work at Privet House—the fabulous home goods and antiques shop in New Preston—where she stayed for 5 years. It was while working there that she started her own company. CFK Interiors started as A Room for Frances Interiors (named after Russell Hoban’s children stories) and specialized in children’s spaces. As the business evolved, more and more clients began to ask for help with other rooms and eventually entire homes.

CFK Interiors strives to give clients a home that is stylish and timeless; that reflects their way of life, personality, and needs. Claudia’s work is influenced by a mid-century modern aesthetic mixed with a traditional style, but she doesn’t try to make the spaces her own—she is able to work within a wide spectrum of styles. Her belief is that the spaces should truly reflect the client’s life. She observes and listens to who lives there, and doesn’t impose colors or styles. Claudia offers full interior design services, from the concept phase through project management, construction, purchasing, and final installation. “Our scope of work ranges from simple space planning and furniture layout, colour and paint schemes, to full decorating of a single room, or an entire house,” says Claudia. The focus is mostly on residential projects, but they have also worked on corporate offices in New York City.

With a background in art history, Claudia brings an awareness and sensitivity into her work—her eye is trained toward aesthetic detail. And because she has always worked with architects, she has the perspective of understanding traffic flows, functionality, and structural considerations. Colonial architecture is her personal favorite, whether it is traditional or a more modernized version. She enjoys integrating details like modern crown molding, without losing the integrity of the house.

When choosing furniture, fabrics, and accessories for clients, Claudia has sources in the city, as well as in the country. “I go into the city almost every week to go to the D&D or 200 Lex or other showrooms. But I also use local showrooms, like DesignSourceCT in Hartford or Appletree Design in the Depot. I source vintage pieces and accessories online, but mostly locally—we have amazing shops like Privet House, Pergola, and RT Facts, among many others.”

Claudia has also worked with many local craftspeople and artisans. “We are very lucky to live in an area filled with talented artisans – DbO Home, Bantam Tileworks, Ian Ingersoll, just to name a few that I’ve worked with—I also work with a great group of local,  reliable and talented trades, from my painter, tiler, electrician to my amazing millworker and fabulous workroom.”

When we asked Claudia if her clients prefer a “country” look here in Litchfield County, she replied, “Ninety-five percent of my clients are either weekenders from NYC or are now full-timers who once were weekenders. Usually, they have a more modern aesthetic that translates into a more relaxed style than in the city, a ‘modern country’ in their houses here. I wouldn’t exactly describe it as country, this word usually conjures up images of Americana furniture or traditional country style, which is not what my clients look for. I work within a spectrum of more traditional (not stuffy, but for instance, modern English style-influenced— think stripes and plaids, not florals or chintzes) to more modern (for instance, mid-century or rustic modern).”

Claudia’s color palette consists of mostly neutrals. ” I usually say ‘Go neutral or go deep’,” she explains. ” In general, I work with neutrals—there are no two whites alike (really!) and I love to work with colour palettes within the greys and taupes. And I love deep colours, usually greys or blues. My home office is a deep blue—and so will be my new studio, which will open in late spring in New Preston.”

Often interior designers end up creating their own line of furniture or home accessories, but Claudia prefers to concentrate on interiors and on collaborating with local artists. “I know it’s a trend these days, almost every designer now has a line of something. I think that at this point, I’d rather focus on designing interiors and on creating unique pieces with local artisans for each project—designing a bed, a sofa, or a coffee table. Having said that, it has crossed my mind, every now and then, to create a line of pillows and handmade lampshades (like Melodi Horne’s, or Penny Morrison’s) but with vintage or found fabrics, with only a handful of a kind.”

For almost a year now, Claudia and Steven have been independent professionals working from their home offices— Steven also has his own architectural firm, F+H Architectural Design and Consulting. Claudia and Steven have worked on many projects over the years, and really enjoy working together, and so they have decided it was time to find a joint workspace outside of their home. Each will have their own clients and business and, when it seems appropriate, they will collaborate. They found a small building on Route 202 in New Preston and are in the process of renovating, so it won’t be ready until spring. (Check back with Happening in the Hills in late spring for an update on their new space and an article on architect Steven Kalur.)

With a new building as headquarters, the future of CFK Interiors is looking good. Asked if she has any other goals for the firm, Claudia replies, “The truth is that I love what I do! I feel very lucky that I get to do it for a living, that I have trustworthy and talented trades working with me, and that I have wonderful clients. My hope and goal is for more of the same!”

With clients in New York City, Florida, and Litchfield County, there is one more location that Claudia has her eyes on, “I would also love to expand to England and work on projects in London. As an anglophile, and having lived there for 6 years, I keep up with resources and trends, and I know the market well. I’ve had a few small projects at friends’ houses but would love more work on that side of the pond.”

To see more of Claudia’s work, go to: www.cfkinteriors.com 

Contact Claudia for more information on residential or corporate projects and pricing: claudia@cfkinteriors.com

Long distance decorating and in-home consultations are also available.