Celebrate Nature at Annual Land Trust Art Show

Vincent Van Gogh said, “Keep your love of nature, for that is the true way to understand art more and more.”

Artists throughout history have depicted the natural world in its glory. Through November 27, at Lost Acres Vineyard in North Granby, you can see how artists from across New England have depicted that natural world in Celebrating New England’s Natural Beauty, a juried art show hosted by the Granby Land Trust and the Granby Artists Association. All art is available for purchase, with a portion of sales benefitting the Granby Land Trust.

“We hope to remind artists, art lovers, and anyone else who happens upon this beautiful art to keep their love of nature,” says GLT President Rick Orluk. “Seeing these beautiful scenes should serve as a reminder to all of us of how beautiful and revitalizing the natural world is; and how imperative it is that we protect it.”

Each November since 2005, the Granby Land Trust and the Granby Artists Association have worked together to create a juried art show. Today, thanks to the incredible generosity of the GLT’s friends, the show offers a remarkable $5,000 in award money and the event has become something the community looks forward to each fall. This year, 178 pieces of original artwork were submitted; just 77 were selected to be in the show.

Will Lustenader, an accomplished artist who teaches at Choate Rosemary Hall in Wallingford, Connecticut, juried this year’s show.

The winner of the show’s top prize – the Don and Marty Wilmot Award – is Kate Tortland, for her painting Holcomb Overlook. Alexander Anisimov was awarded the show’s second place prize, the Granby Land Trust Award, for his painting titled Mountain Top.

Fourteen additional prizes were awarded as follows: Catherine Elliott won the Sandy and Dave Schupp Award for Morning Paint. Bill Hanson won the Austin J. McNey Memorial Award given by Karen, Scott & Patrick McNey for Salmon Brook, East Branch. Carole Hartwell won the Stephen Brown Memorial Award for Mary Edwards’ Mountain. The Ray Betts Award, given by Carol and Greg Reid, went to Bill Manocchi for Grey Barn. Rick Daskam won the Granby Artists Association Award for Phillips Farm. Douglas Williams won the Helen and Al Wilke Award for A New Day. Del-Bourree Bach won the Mildred Dewey Award, given by Jenny and Dave Emery, for A Winter’s Tail. Jim Laurino won the Matthew K. Orluk Award, given by Trish Percival and Rick Orluk, for Creamery Hill Horse Barn. Michael Patnode won the Olof Stevenson Award, given by Jamie Gamble, for A Fall Day. Alan Izatt won the Tudor and Laura Holcomb Award, given by Nannie and Put Brown, for Lampson Brook Farm. The William Stewart Award, given by Dave and Judy Russell, went to Margot Callahan for August Afternoon. Kristen Cormier won the Salmon Brook Watershed Association Award for Reflection #6. You can see all of these beautiful works of art through November 27.

The People’s Choice Award, given by Lost Acres Vineyard, will be decided on November 27. For this award, guests are invited to vote for their favorite artwork each time they visit the show.

Also this year, the GLT is auctioning off a coffee table created from the fallen branches of the majestic Dewey-Granby Oak. This incredible, handcrafted table, which was created by West Granby resident Brenon Plourde and donated to the Granby Land Trust for its benefit, is on display at Lost Acres Vineyard. Anyone interested in bidding on this magnificent work of art should speak with the vintners at the wine counter or call Rick Orluk at 860-653-7095. The Land Trust is grateful to Brenon for this incredibly meaningful and generous donation to the GLT.

The Land Trust also is grateful to Mark Wetzel and Fiduciary Investment Advisors, LLC and Ted Cormier and ALIRT Insurance Research, LLC for their ongoing, loyal support of the show. In addition, the Land Trust thanks event co-chairs Els Fonteyne and Laurie Schock for organizing the show’s Opening Night; Bill Simpson and Laura Eden for their wise counsel, advice and hard work and for organizing the show’s Art Talk; and Michelle Niedermeyer and Kevin Riggott of Lost Acres Vineyard for hosting the show. Lastly, the GLT thanks Tony Capelli for his beautiful floral arrangements and Karen Rutigliano for creating delicious appetizers for Opening Night.

The show runs through November 27 at Lost Acres Vineyard, 80 Lost Acres Road, in North Granby. Gallery hours are Friday and Saturday from 12 to 6 p.m.; Sunday from 12 to 5 p.m. For more information, visit granbylandtrust.org.