Silvermine still nurtures Conn. art community
NEW CANAAN, Conn. - Long before the famous "Harvard Five" group of modern architects discovered this southwest corner of Connecticut after World War II, the area was home to the Silvermine artists colony.
Still going strong as the Silvermine Guild Arts Center, the organization traces its roots to sculptor and portraitist Solon Borglum and his wife, Emma, who in 1906 bought a Wilton farm as a weekend retreat from New York. Soon other artists settled in Silvermine, a district that straddles New Canaan, Wilton, and Norwalk.
Borglum, who led the School of American Sculpture in Manhattan, welcomed the artists to his barn for weekly critique sessions, a.k.a. the "Knockers Club," where they analyzed each other's work. In 1908, the Silvermine Group of Artists started an August tradition of exhibiting their work in the barn as community outreach. After incorporating as the Silvermine Guild of Artists in 1922, success forced members to buy a bigger barn which was moved to Silvermine Road where it became the nucleus of today's Silvermine Guild Arts Center.
Over the decades, the guild added classrooms, an auditorium, a sculpture garden, and five galleries, one of which is the original on-site barn. A hub of year-round activity for artists of all ages, the center annually hosts 20 exhibits, gallery Walks and Talks, artist receptions, a summer music series, a youth summer camp, and all kinds of courses and workshops.
"The guild is the heart and soul of the center," said Pamela Davis, executive director. "It is an accomplishment to be accepted as a guild member because Silvermine is the premier artistic community in our part of New England. . . . The guild determines what has artistic merit here."
One doesn't become a member by paying dues like most art associations. Painters, printmakers, sculptors, photographers, potters, and jewelry artists apply for membership during two opportunities each year. In the final step, they present their work to 30 to 40 members who decide whether it passes muster.
The center nurtures art exploration and appreciation for all ages and levels of interest. Besides exhibits, non-guild members can experience Silvermine in all kinds of ways, among them one- and two-day workshops for those who want hands-on experiences.
The large gallery's five sections accommodate exhibits large and small, most of them up five weeks. During the year, exhibits feature guild members' work as well as regional and national shows selected by guest curators. In honor of the centennial of the first salon, the center organized "Silvermine Now," an exhibit of new work by guild artists through July 16.
The summer music series celebrates its 50th anniversary with Friday evening programs. Two concerts remain: July 11, Parker String Quartet; Aug. 1, Chris Norman, flute, and David Greenberg, Baroque violin.
The center's bucolic five-acre setting has served it well over 80 years, providing quiet surroundings for creative energy.
"It's a beautiful oasis in an area where there's been a lot of development, especially on the east side of New Canaan," said Davis.
Jan Shepherd can be reached at jshep@earthlink.net. 