Re-imagined landscapes at Wilton Library

While bleak, gray clouds continue to signal the cold winter outside, Wilton
Library’s walls are filled with warm, lush landscapes in the art exhibition, Atmospheric Landscape Paintings by William McCarthy, opening Friday, January 24, from 6 to 7:30 p.m.

McCarthy creates his oil-based landscapes entirely from his memory and imagination. Beginning with a process of thumbnail sketches to inform and guide, his images spring forth with vibrancy and color harmony to create a sense of place in time with the ever-changing atmosphere. More than 50 paintings will be featured in the exhibition.

William McCarthy is a Connecticut-based artist who has been painting for as long as he can remember. For the past 18 years, he has been painting these atmospheric landscapes that emerge from the recesses of his mind. His paintings are memorable and draw the viewer into an ethereal, spiritual place – a wonderful place to be especially this time of year.

According to the artist, “Each of these luminous and mysterious images of trees against sky, field and river evoke a subtle variation of the light and atmosphere…light has come to play an important part, when I look back over this body of work, I feel it speaks about the spiritual places, places that contain a quiet inner light, radiating an eternal whisper: the places we see every day.”

McCarthy is represented by galleries across the country; his works can be found in public and private collections in America and Europe. He has exhibited extensively and has been the recipient of the Best in Show Award in Columbus Arts Festival Columbus, Ohio, First Place for Painting at the Armonk Art Festival Armonk, NY and First Place for Painting at the Fine Furnishings Show in Providence, RI. McCarthy was featured in American Artist magazine.

In Connecticut, McCarthy was selected as an Artist-in-Residence for the prestigious Weir Farm National Historic Site managed by the Weir Farm Art Center in Wilton, CT on two separate occasions. He also worked as a guest artist for the Center for Contemporary Printmaking in Norwalk where he had a solo show of his monoprints. In addition, he is a grant recipient from the Connecticut Commission of the Arts.

The reception is free and open to the public. The majority of the works are available for purchase with a portion of the proceeds benefiting the library. The exhibition runs through Saturday, March 1. Library hours are Mondays through Thursdays, 10 to 8; Fridays 10 to 6; Saturdays 10 to 5 and Sundays 1 to 5. The library will be closed for Presidents Day on Monday, 
February 17. Wilton Library is located at 137 Old Ridgefield Road in the heart of Wilton Center. For information and directions, visit www.wiltonlibrary.org or call 203-762-3950.