I am thrilled that on Thursday November 17^th 2022 the trustees of the Forbes Library voted to acquire my painting “Northampton’s Lights”.

 

The painting began when I took a blurry photograph while sitting at the stop light with Northampton’s famous bridge before me with its artwork depicting the Connecticut River. The lighting was spectacular. I went back to the location a few times to do some sketches and take better photographs during the day.  The painting began with drawings and small painted sketches before deciding to make the painting large, 40” x 24”. I painted it over a course of a year making slight changes to it until I felt it captured the feeling I wanted.

 

Northampton holds a special place in my heart. I grew up in Philadelphia and went to Williston Northampton School for three years. One of the reasons I chose to go to Williston was because of the famous illustrator and art teacher Barry Moser whom I took numerous classes with. I then went onto get my BFA at Syracuse University and was a graphic designer. In 1985 I moved to Northampton and was a designer for Spalding Sports. I then moved to Amherst where I have lived since.

 

This past September I exhibited my paintings at the Hosmer Gallery in Forbes Library where my painting of Northampton caught the attention of Faith Kaufmann, head of Arts and Music and Lisa Downing, Director of Forbes Library. They then brought it before the trustees to consider its purchase. I feel so honored to now have my artwork hanging in the library with my art teacher, Barry Moser’s art.