Events at this location

The Gunn Memorial Library is presenting artist Hilarie Johnson’s collection of oil paintings in the Stairwell Gallery. Included in her work are several local landscapes, still life studies, and portraits. Her work will be on display from January 20th, 2024 – March 16th, 2024

A longtime Washington resident, Hilarie says the beauty of this area keeps her happy and inspires her work. Not restricted to one type of portrait, she has had success creating portraits of adults, children, horses, dogs, and more. However, the versatility of her subject matter extends from portrait to still life and landscape. She works in oils and watercolors but the one commonality is the length of time she spends on a painting. There are at least thirty layers of paint which she says is “time consuming but worth it.”

Her work has been featured on the cover of the international magazine The Chronicle of the Horse as well as Country and Abroad. She has been featured in articles about her work in The Horse in Art and The Litchfield County Times. For several years she was a record-selling artist in the popular catalog, In the Company of Dogs which sold over 6000 giclee prints of her series “About to be Naughty”. She has received portrait commissions from coast to coast as well as Europe and the Caribbean.

Hilarie says, “I love to paint and I hope it shows.”

Peter Barrett’s passion for the natural world shines through in his detailed watercolors, which appeared in over 40 wildlife and children’s books, including “The Wind in the Willows.” The exhibit will be on display from Saturday, May 25 through Saturday, July 20, 2024.

While living in Greece, Peter Barrett was able to develop as an artist. His fascination with the natural world prompted him to paint detailed and accurate watercolors of fish, birds, flora, and fauna. This work led to commissions from publishers of natural history books. He has illustrated over 40 books on wildlife and children. Peter Barrett had four one-man exhibitions of abstract expressionist paintings at the Drian Galleries in London.

The Gunn Memorial Library is pleased to host Peter Barrett’s exhibition in the Stairwell Gallery.