The New Canaan Historical Society announces the opening of its exhibit Waveny – Now and Then, a celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Town’s purchase of Waveny Park. The show features the work of eight contemporary artists along with costumes and vintage photographs from the Society’s collection. “Waveny Park and the Lapham Lloyd mansion have such a rich history, and are such important assets to the Town, that we wanted a way to pay tribute to it on this important anniversary,” said Nancy Geary, Executive Director of the Historical Society.

The art includes photographs by Jeanna Shepard and Torrance York, drawings by Mark Markiewicz, and kinetic sculpture by Drew Klotz. The paintings in the show are done by Alfonsina Betancourt, Audrey Klotz, Marianne Rothballer and Dmitri Wright. Most of the art is for sale, with a portion of the proceeds going to support the Historical Society. Both representational and abstract works are included.

“Waveny’s bucolic setting has inspired, and continues to inspire, creativity. That hasn’t changed over time,” explains Geary. Photographer and New Canaan resident Jeanna Shepard, whose work for this show includes a montage of nine images of the fountain, concurs. “Waveny Park remains the prettiest spot in New Canaan in every season. Every portrait I have done, every image I have taken there, comes steeped in memory and history.”

The artists, whose statements accompany their work, offer distinctly different perspectives. Mark Markiewicz, an architect, a New Canaan resident, and the President of the Historical Society’s Board of Governors, has six large drawings of the mansion hung by the entrance to the show. As he observes, “Waveny … seeks an intimate relationship between the man-made and the natural. Their close juxtaposition serves to highlight both with equal intensity.”

All of these talented artists find inspiration in the light and the landscape. Torrance York, also a New Canaan resident, shows twelve square photographs that highlight the foliage, paths, and skies in various seasons. She explains that it was the wide open spaces that attracted her to the park. “The fields and meadows, some mowed, some wild, offer room for thought. In my images where I often like to juxtapose near and far elements, the options at Waveny are infinite.” Painter Alfonsina Betancourt echoes the sentiment. “One of my favorite places to paint is Waveny Park with its variety of scenery, gorgeous trees and interesting paths. It never stops delighting and inspiring me.”

The exhibit opens on September 29 with a reception from 6-8 pm. Tickets are available on line at www.nchistory.org, by calling the office at 966-1776 ext. 1, or by emailing ngeary@nchistory.org. The price is $25 for members and $35 for non-members. In conjunction with the exhibit, on October 5 at 6 pm, landscape architect Keith Simpson will give a lecture on the history of the gardens and the work he is doing with the Waveny Conservancy to restore and rebuild them. Torrance York will give an artist’s talk on October 19 at 1:30 pm. These talks take place at the Historical Society, 13 Oenoke Ridge, and are free and open to the public. The art show runs through December 22.