Zufar Bikbov Demo Sunday, 10/5 at 1PM

Stone Walls by Zufar Bikbov

POP's own Zufar Bikbov will demo at 12:30 PM on Sunday in Norwalk. He told me he'd be painting stone walls! Looking forward to seeing his one-man show too. 

Location: ARTWorks Gallery on the Green 
St. Paul's on the Green
Chittim-Howell House
60 East Avenue
Norwalk, CT

POP Visits Flanders Nature Center Saturday 10/4

Final Season Event at Flanders Nature Center, Saturday, October 4th, 2014

Flanders offers many views perfect for painting.  

Pomperaug Outdoor Painters (POP) will host a free painting/sketching event in Woodbury at the Flanders Nature Center October 4^th from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.  The nature center is located at 5 Church Hill Road.  Flanders offers preserved pastoral scenes with barns, colonial architecture, ponds and a variety of fields with hiking trails, and the home and former studio of noted artist Natalie Van Vleck – many painting opportunities for artists. The event is free and open to artists of all skill levels to come and sketch or paint for the day—no instruction provided. Young painters welcome with a parent.  Parking is adjacent to the center.  Participants should bring an easel and art supplies, water, bug spray, a sack lunch.  Group will break for lunch around noon.  Facilities available.  Rain cancels.

Directions to event: from I-84, Exit 15, travel North on Route 6, pass through Woodbury, then turn left on Flanders Road.  Center will be at the intersection of Flanders Road and Church Hill Road. 

Painters to Gather at Southford Falls 9-27 (note DATE CHANGE)

Pomperaug Outdoor Painters Event at Southford Falls, Saturday, September 27th, 2014

Photo by Robin Seabury, State of CT Photo Gallery

Pomperaug Outdoor Painters (POP) will host a free painting/sketching event in Southbury at Southford Falls Saturday, September 26^th 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m, in cooperation with the Southbury Historical Society.  Southford Falls, located off Route 188, offers water views (lake, and waterfall spillway from old Diamond Match Factory) and painting opportunities for artists. The event is free and open to artists of all skill levels to come and sketch or paint for the day—no instruction provided. Young painters welcome with a parent.  Parking is adjacent to the park.  Participants should bring an easel and art supplies, water, bug spray, a sack lunch.  Group will break for lunch around noon.  Facilities available.  Non-artists may enjoy the moderate hiking terrain.  Rain cancels.

POP is a “plein air” (outdoor) painting group formed to promote landscape painting in all media, camaraderie amongst local artists, and to help in the preservation of natural and historical spaces in Southbury and the surrounding area.  

Directions to event: from I-84, Exit 15, travel South on Route 6, turn right on Route 188.  Park will be on left hand side of 188. 

POP Painters Invitational Pine Meadow Gardens

POP and CCS Invitational Event Saturday 8/16 (Rain Date 8/17)

Garden, art, and music lovers are invited to experience special music, plein air art, and the beauty of Pine Meadow Gardens on Saturday, August 16th.  Twelve invited POP Painters will participate in the Connecticut Choral Society fundraiser to be held at the gardens, in conjunction with a chamber music concert, and gourmet seated dinner.   In the event of rain, the fundraiser will take place the following day, Sunday.  CLICK Photos for large versions

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Tickets required.

POP Paints by Lake Zoar in Southbury July 26th

Pomperaug Outdoor Painters (POP) will host a free painting/sketching event in Southbury on Lake Zoar on Saturday, July 26^th, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m, in cooperation with the Southbury Historical Society.  Free and open to artists of all skill levels to come and sketch or paint for the day—no instruction provided. PARKING: IN FIELD adjacent to cul de sac.  PLEASE do not park in cul de sac.  Rain cancels.

Lake Zoar offers many water views and painting opportunities for artists. Directions: travel North on Route 172, turn left on West Flat Hill Road at South Britain Country Store, turn right on Purchase Brook Road and then left on West Purchase Road.  Finally, turn left on West Gilbert Road and follow to end.  Location is on Right..  Participants should bring an easel and art supplies, water, bug spray.  Group will break for lunch around noon.  

POP is a “plein air” (outdoor) painting group formed to promote landscape painting in all media, camaraderie amongst local artists, and to help in the preservation of natural and historical spaces in Southbury and the surrounding area.  

For more information on this event or future events, please call or email:

Ellie Boyd, 203-264-2313, ellie@ellieboydstudio.com

POP Paint Topsmead State Forest in Litchfield CT Saturday July 12

Entrance to Topsmead State Forest in Litchfield on Buell Road

Saturday, July 12th, POP will venture to Litchfield and take in the grand vision of Miss Edith Morton Chase.

Please attempt to carpool if you can.  Parking may be limited.  Be prepared to WALK to your painting spot, which may be a ways away from the parking lot.  There is plenty of shade, and a zillion views to satisfy every painter:  meadows, mature trees, a genuine English "cottage" in the Cotswold style, beautifully maintained flower plantings/planters.  If you tire of painting, you are welcome to picnic and/or hike around the property.  Families welcome.  Restrooms available.  There is no fee.  Grounds open 8 a.m to sunset.  House will be open to the public for tours 12-4.  Group will break for lunch (bring your own) around noon.  You may want to bring a blanket or stool to sit on.  Definitely bring water, sunscreen and bug spray.  Ellie Boyd

Western facade of "Topsmead", summer home of Edith Morton Chase.

Link to Photo Album

Directions:

From Route 8: take Exit 42. Go west on Route 118 for 2.0 miles. Turn left onto Clark Road to the stop sign. Take a right at the stop sign then the first left onto Buell Road. The first right off Buell is the entrance to Topsmead.

From Litchfield Center: take Route 118 east for 1.5 miles. Take a right onto East Litchfield Road. Take the first right onto Buell Road. Topsmead will be the first road on the right.

Property History, from the DEEP Website:

"Topsmead State Forest is the former summer estate of Miss Chase, daughter of Henry Sabin Chase and Alice Morton Chase. Henry Sabin Chase was the first President of Chase Brass and Copper Company in Waterbury. Chase Brass was one of the leaders in the brass industry when Waterbury was the Brass Capital of the world.

In 1917, Miss Chase received from her father approximately 16 acres on Jefferson Hill in Litchfield. Here she built a rustic cabin, which was replaced with a more substantial summer home in 1923. She hired noted architect Richard Henry Dana, Jr. to help her design and build the English Tudor style house which was completed in 1925. The exterior woodwork is of cypress, the downspouts are lead, the walls of brick and stucco, and the roof is slate. The interior woodwork is oak, as is most of the flooring. The foyer, hallway and dining room floors are of polished terra cotta tile. Most of the interior walls are of the same type of stucco as is found on the exterior. Fine craftsmanship, an eye for detail and understated wealth are evident throughout the house, which is tastefully and simply furnished with 17th and 18th century English country antiques.

Miss Chase loved the outdoors and as much care was given to the landscaping as was given to the design and furnishings of her home. Surrounding her home are plantings of holly, lilac, and juniper. Apple trees line the drive and formal gardens on each end of the house compliment the English Tudor architecture.

Edith Chase shared her summer home with her life-long companions, Mary and Lucy Burrall. The ladies spent the winter months at the Burrall sisters' home on Church Street in Waterbury. Because it was their dream to create a pocket of serenity, the ladies' lifestyle at "Topsmead" was relaxed. Guests were entertained informally.

Miss Chase was a clever businesswoman. She built up her financial inheritance and subsequently her real estate holdings. One of her most significant acquisitions was the 1927 purchase of the Buell Farm which was renamed Topsmead Farm to reflect its location at the "top of the meadow". The farm produced food used on the estate. In addition to vegetable and flower gardens there were beef cattle, poultry, sheep, pigs, and at one time, draft horses.

Upon her death in 1972, Edith Chase left her beloved country estate to the people of Connecticut and to be known as Topsmead State Forest. In her will, Miss Chase requested that Topsmead State Forest "be kept in a state of natural beauty". To ensure that Topsmead would remain undisturbed, Miss Chase left an endowment to be used toward maintaining and operating the buildings and grounds as they were upon her death.

Nestled in the Litchfield Hills, Topsmead State Forest remains a precious piece of an era past." The DEEP has exceeded expectations in maintaining this property and enhancing passive recreation uses.

Paintout on Mansion House Road, Southbury, June 28, 2014

White Oak Schoolhouse, Southbury CT

Pomperaug Outdoor Painters (POP) will host a free painting/sketching event in Southbury on Mansion House Road on Saturday, June 28^th, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m, in cooperation with the Southbury Historical Society.  Free and open to artists of all skill levels to come and sketch or paint for the day—no instruction provided.  Children welcome, accompanied by a parent.  Parking in field adjacent to 7 Mansion House Road.  Rain cancels.

POP is a “plein air” (outdoor) painting group formed to promote landscape painting in all media, camaraderie amongst local artists, and to help in the preservation of natural and historical spaces in Southbury and the surrounding area.  

Mansion House Road, and adjacent Crook Horn Road offers many views and painting opportunities for artists featuring open fields, mature floodplain forest, beautiful old adjacent farmhouses and barns, an historic bed and breakfast, and even an old school house. Mansion House Road may be reached by turning left off of Route 6, just north of town.  Participants should bring an easel and art supplies.  No pets allowed.  Non-painting visitors also welcome to view artwork in progress.