The Art of the New England Farm Talk by Florence Griswold Museum

OF BOHEMIANS & BOVINES: FLORENCE GRISWOLD MUSEUM & THE ART OF THE NEW ENGLAND FARM

David D.J. Rau, Director of Education & Outreach at the Florence Griswold Museum in Old Lyme, CT will highlight the current exhibition on display at “The FloGris”. Drawing on the agricultural heritage of Florence Griswold’s family estate and of the Lyme region and beyond, the exhibition examines the history and character of New England’s farms in works by artists from the 19th to the 21st century.

Paintings, drawings, and photographs from public and private collections trace the challenges of farming in New England, with its rocky soil, and the pastoral landscapes crafted through intense labor. Landscapes by George Henry Durrie receive special attention as influential representations that translated the New England farmstead into an American icon in the mid-nineteenth century. Works by Ivan Olinsky, Thomas Nason, Martin Lewis, and Walker Evans map the transformation and decline of the New England farm into the 20th century with the pressures of urbanization and suburbanization. The more recent revival of farming, with the enthusiasm for organic produce and farm-to-table cooking, round out the exhibition.

Mr. Rau’s presentation will also give a panoramic view of The Florence Griswold Museum its mission and the broad array of educational programming available. For more information visit florencegriswoldmuseum.org