Tag: ashford area arts council

A Summer’s Palette – June 28th, 2025 rain date June 29th

Our annual Summer’s Palette will again be held at Westford Hill Distillers. Artists, Food Trucks, Drinks and gorgeous flowers in bloom – this event has it all!

Browse through the gardens of this historic property, and talk to more than 30 local artists about their work. Try your hand at painting en plein air or talk with local gardeners about pollinators and plants. A kid’s activity table will be on hand, so bring the family (no pets, please).
Enjoy a craft cocktail from Westford Hill Distillers while you enjoy a snack  or lunch while browsing the grounds.

Event is free; donations to the Ashford Area Arts Council are welcome.
List of artists and links to their work, layout of show and more.

  • Charlie McCaughtry - watercolor

Gretchen Geromin and Lauren Merlo

Gretchen Geromin and Lauren Merlo work as a team, collaborating on unique, handmade boards and signs with original wood burned decoration. They are local artists who create their work from local materials, using wood from downed trees. This year, in addition to their charcuterie boards, they are making flower presses and bluebird houses.

Lauren has been working with wood for over forty years, creating beauty and comfort for area homes. He brings his expert eye, fine craftsmanship, and a keen attention to detail to his work. Using his finely-honed carpentry skills, he makes cutting boards and signs that show the rich character of the wood.

Gretchen has been creating art and riding horses since a very young age and wood burning since she was ten years old. She still has her first wood burning tool. Gretchen’s original wood burned art completes the boards that Lauren makes. Her herons, owls, frogs, sunflowers, roses, birds, fishermen, mice, horses, and dragons enhance each piece.

Gretchen and Lauren’s art is beautiful and useful, made in harmony with the environment.

Jay Bartholomew

Jay’s art captures the beauty of nature in bold colors and dynamic textures, created using acrylics on canvas or wood. He invites viewers to experience the joy and serenity of the great outdoors, transforming everyday scenes into lively expressions of color and emotion. If you’re looking to add a splash of inspiration to your space, come and see for yourself!          JaNoBaStudios.com

Art has proven to be the most potent means for me to reconnect with my true self. Whether I’m immersed in painting, drawing, or any other creative pursuit, I lose myself in the process, and the external world fades away. In this state, I forge a connection with reality that defies easy explanation. It’s a profoundly soothing experience that enables me to rediscover myself and my surroundings.

While you will find that most of my work is in brightly colored landscapes, I do like to experiment with different styles and subjects as I make my artist journey.  My subjects are a mix of being loosely based on actual places along with views straight out of my imagination.

Michael W. Hughey

 Michael Hughey, a Craftsman and Artist in letterforms and the book arts has had a love affair with beautiful letters and beautiful books since childhood. Originally from Asheville, he lived for many years in NC but now resides in Northeast CT. His calligraphic works are published both nationally and internationally and collected in public and private collections, including the Metropolitan Museum, NYC, and the Bahá’í World Centre, Haifa, Israel. He feels that even in an age of increasing technology, “…there is, indeed, an important place in human society for the warmth, beauty, and grace that calligraphy can bring to our lives.”

He exhibits note cards, limited-edition prints, and original calligraphy at the Ashford Farmer’s Market. He also teaches both calligraphy & handwriting privately.