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Art Dresses Up New Canaan Store Windows

Sea-inspired paintings in the window of The Whitney Shop caught Jeanne Gnuse’s eye as she walked along New Canaan’s Elm Street on Tuesday. “It’s nice to see someone’s painting in the window,” she said. “It’s always a pleasure.”

The windows of more than 50 downtown shops are displaying extra flair this month thanks to the fifth annual Art in the Windows promotion.

The program was begun in 2007 by Barbel Green, owner of Barbel Inc. jewelry store, as a way to draw attention to the Carriage Barn Arts Center in Waveny Park. She had placed art in the window of her Elm Street business for 25 years. The first Art in the Windows program featured works from 35 local artists in 35 stores. Now, paintings, sculptures and photos by 65 artists occupy space in 54 shops.

“It brings more attention and traffic to New Canaan. It’s great. The artists and the merchants love to take part,” Green said. “People like to pause and look. It’s a different venue when you have it on a window display.”

Karen Stinchfield, co-owner of The Whitney Shop, is impressed with the paintings of Vera Rahn and Dana Goodfellow in her store window. One of Rahn’s pieces has already sold and will soon be someone’s Father’s Day gift, she said.

“It brings a lot of people into town to see the beautiful art,” said Stinchfield, who added that it was fortunate much of the art matched the nautical-themed items in her story window. “Barbel is doing a good job bringing it back every year. I think it’s a wonderful thing to show people’s art. It’s just terrific.”

The Art in the Windows sales will continue through May 22.

Will you buy some of the art in the windows of downtown New Canaan shops? Let us know by leaving a comment below. You can also visit our Facebook page.

 

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