"Inspired" Exhibition at Artwell

Artwell Gallery, located at 19 Water St. in downtown Torrington, is pleased to premier an exhibition of three amazing, self-taught artists. The exhibition, entitled "Inspired," will run from June 22 through July 14, with an opening reception on Saturday, June 22 from 6-8 p.m. The exhibit will feature the vibrant paintings of Norell Gudaitis, the hand-carved carousel animals of Doug Skilton, and the eccentric paintings of Hendon.

Norell Gudaitis, a 74-year-old African-American artist who has resided in Torrington since 1952, started painting at age 73. She prefers to use pine needles, blades of grass and dandelion blooms instead of brushes. In addition to selling over 70 paintings at her first exhibition, Norell received much notoriety, including cover stories in the Litchfield County Times and Waterbury Republican, an art pick in the Hartford Courant, and television features on Channel 30 News and CPTV's Connecticut Journal. In the past year, Norell has produced hundreds of new paintings of colorful, whimsical faces, animals, flowers and abstracts. Norell draws upon visions, dreams and remembrances of her childhood in rural Alabama. Norell, a featured singer of Artwell's "Now Hear This" open mike nights, will be singing a few songs at the opening.

Doug Skilton started carving carousel animals twelve years ago when his wife wanted a carousel horse. "I didn't have the $10,000 to buy it, so I made her one." He states his age as "retired," his carved subjects as "critters," and the reason he works: "It amuses me." He explains that "My animals are not fancy, they’re working animals," by which he means that he builds them solidly so that they could be ridden on a carousel. Doug will be exhibiting full-size animals: horse, giraffe, zebra, tiger, rabbit, cow, cat, camel, plus a dozen small menagerie carvings. In addition, on display will be a "critter" in process: "You'll see the insides." Doug is a resident of Morris.

Hendon is a Cornwall resident, whose former lives include being a chief financial officer for a large insurance company and a practicing clinical psychologist. He is now a self-taught artist and poet. "I get ideas for paintings while I lie awake in the early morning. From those I make plans which don't come out the way I thought they would." Hendon paints with acrylics, mostly on wood, portraits of saints or gods, landscapes and buildings. "Why do I paint? Because it's fun. I'm always trying new ideas and often I bomb—but when something works, it's great. A friend asked me to do a portrait of her dog, Willy. She like it a lot and now Willy hangs near (but not too near) her collection of Calders."

Artwell is a nonprofit community arts center serving northwest Connecticut and beyond. Gallery hours are Thursday and Friday from 1-6 p.m., Saturday and Sunday from noon-5 p.m. For more info call 860-482-5122, or 860-482-2045; or visit <www.artwellgallery.org>.