OPEN SKETCH IS CANCELLED FOR MONDAY, FEBRUARY 23
Electric color and innovative compositions dazzle in the 2026 New Members exhibition
Gallery
January 17, 2026
  Cheryl Cheryl Prisco, Weather; Barbara Scioscia-Reed, Large Vase with Coil Handles; Donna Scarpa, Chakras.

NEW CANAAN, CT, Jan. 14, 2026—Silvermine Arts Center welcomes 24 new members into its historic Guild of Artists with an exhibition presenting innovation across a variety of artistic disciplines. The new Guild members represent established and emerging artists. Each one brings an original eye and a skilled hand to material and subject matter. The exhibition opened on Jan. 10 and will run through Feb. 6.

Layered landscapes, dynamic weavings, bold color studies, and stunning assemblages explore a capacity for joy or a nuanced vision of the world. Westbrook artist Rosemary Cotnoir’s hypnotic paintings evoke rivers seen from above and currents moving beneath the surface. Evelyn Harvey of New Canaan merges inner and outer worlds in works that include painting and photo transfer. Donna Scarpa of Ridgefield describes her painting titled Chakras as “energetic, blazing cycles of marigold loop de loops.” Barbara Scioscia-Reed of Trumbull adds delicate coiled handles and Sumi brushstrokes to the classical vase form. Salvaged or reclaimed materials find new life in the saturated colors of North Carolina artist Cheryl Prisco’s intricate, framed wood sculptures and in the bright geometric patterns of Berlin, CT, artist Eddie Hall’s paintings on reclaimed windows.

Textile pieces and works referencing poetry are strong presences in the exhibit. Brooklyn artist Fannie Lee’s split, woven tapestries are an interpretation of Chinese landscapes depicting vastness. Adrienne Sloane of Watertown, MA, printed fabric texts of the founding documents of the U.S. that are stretched and twisted until almost unrecognizable. Literary texts served as inspiration both for Cheryl Prisco in her piece that channels Theodore Roethke’s poem, “The Far Field,” and for Rick Shaefer’s large-scale drawings in charcoal on sheets of synthetic vellum, which refer to Chaucer’s “The Parson’s Tale.” Viewers can guess which plants and animals represent the seven deadly sins.

Since its inception, Guild membership has been a selective peer jurying process, and the Guild holds its membership to high standards. Many members have work represented in permanent collections of some of the world’s most prestigious museums, as well as prominent private and corporate collections. This exhibition offers visitors an opportunity to engage with the newest members of this dynamic community of professional artists and learn about their works.

 

New Members of the Silvermine Guild of Artists:

Laura Barr, Branford, CT

Patricia Carrigan, East Granby, CT

Rosemary Cotnoir, Westbrook, CT

Carolyn Carson, Carnegie, PA

Noa Charuvi, Brooklyn, NY

Jennifer Davies, Branford, CT

Alissa Frazer, Islip Terrace, NY

Francie Bishop Good, Ft. Lauderdale, FL

Eddie Hall, Berlin, CT

Evelyn Harvey, New Canaan, CT

Beth Klingher, New Haven, CT

Anna Kocherovsky, Bloomfield, MI

Michele Krauss, Greenwich, CT

Fannie Lee, Brooklyn, NY

Adi Oren, New York, NY

Cheryl Prisco, Bakersville, NC

Stephen Sangapore, North Attleboro, MA

Donna Scarpa, Ridgefield, CT

Barbara Scioscia-Reed, Trumbull, CT

Rick Shaefer, Fairfield, CT

Adrienne Sloane, Watertown, MA

Ellen Soffer, Shreveport, LA

Maria Vasconcelos, Greenwich, CT

Stuart Yankell, Stamford, CT

 

« Return to News