SOUTHBURY – In celebration of the 280th Anniversary of the United Church of Christ of Southbury the original acrylic painting of the church by renowned local artist David Merrill was recently raffled off. The winners of the framed painting are Judy and Bill Bassett of Southbury.
The United Church of Christ of Southbury was founded in 1732, 55 years before Southbury was incorporated in 1787. The current church is the third meeting house on the site and was built in the mid-nineteen century. The church is the essence of a traditional New England meeting house and Mr. Merrill has captured the architecture of this period. Churches of the same design are located throughout Connecticut.
David Merrill’s love of New England has inspired all his paintings. His murals and paintings capture a nostalgic view of our rapidly disappearing features throughout Connecticut. His paintings of woods, meadows,, ponds, brooks, stonewalls, barns and historic homesteads reveal a serenity of things made old by time and the elements. He has also painted a series of New England lighthouses and UCONN barns and buildings. David’s paintings are the creative ability to capture the past and at the same time reflect the present.
Find out what's happening in Southburyfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Southbury and the surrounding towns have been very fortunate to have an artist of David’ artistic ability help preserve our history. In 1978, a few years after the Southbury Town Hall was opened, David painted his first large scale mural along the Town Hall stairwell entitled “The Heritage of Southbury”. This mural, which consists of 42 Southbury scenes, is a testimony to the talent of David. Shortly thereafter he painted a mural at the Lutheran Home in Southbury entitled “Home”. Then in 2008 David completed “A Salute to Southbury’s Veterans” at the Southbury Public Library.
In addition David has painted large murals at the Edmund Town Hall in Newtown, Monroe Town Hall, Shelton Intermediary School and public and private buildings in towns such as New Milford, Guilford, New Canaan, Brookfield, Waterbury and Middlebury.
