Time To Start Bringing Plants Indoors
Pottery for the home and garden by Ben Wolff (and his father, Guy Wolff) can now be found at 100 Main in Falls Village, Conn. The Milton Pot 4, shown in photo, costs $40. Photo courtesy 100 Main
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Bidders at the Sharon Historical Society's annual fundraiser auction consider options of unique cakes arranged on a display table Thursday, July 3.
David Carley
It was the second year in a row that the event had been afflicted by bad weather. Despite this, enthusiasm was unaffected.
As bidders gathered under the tent with the sound of rain above, cakes were brought out by auctioneers Brian Ross, Chris Robinson, Danny Tieger and Barclay Collins. Tieger described the event as “whimsical” and how he hoped to “bring a bit of whimsy” himself.
The 28 numbered cakes spread across multiple display tables in the museum showcased a wide range of styles.
The first cake set the bar and was bought for $1,000, which was rather fittingly named “40 Carat Cake,” baked by Mary O’Brien and donated by Mo Dore.
Cake No. 20, "Red, White & Bloom."David Carley
Cake No. 20, titled “Red, White & Bloom: Connecticut in Full Flower,” baked by Nicole Parker King had flower decorations with incredible realism in red, white and blue Fourth of July spirit, bringing “fireworks to the desert table–minus the pyrotechnics,” as written the accompanying label.
Cake No. 19, "Let Them Eat Bread."David Carley
Right beside it, Cake No. 19, “Let Them Eat Bread,” by Myra Plescia, extended the definition of what a cake can be: “The humble rustic loaf of bread is back,” the label declared.
Cake No. 16, “Covered Bridge” by Jonas Coats was a cake diorama inspired by the covered bridge in West Cornwall.
Cake No. 16 was a recreation of the covered bridge in West Cornwall. It was aptly named "Covered Bridge."David Carley
Cake No. 10, “Ode to Mudge Pond,” was made by Sharon’s three selectmen. Baked by Lynn Kearcher and decorated by Casey Flanagan and John Brett, the card said it “evokes the natural wildlife and tranquility of Mudge Pond.”
Each were sold from the range of a few hundred dollars to a couple thousand, showing immense support for the historical society and its importance to the community.
Noah Sher created custom insect artwork at the David M. Hunt Library workshop Wednesday, July 2.
Copey Rollins
Crofut came prepared with bug shapes cut from plywood and painted a neutral color, assorted acrylic paints and brushes, and a box full of old shirts for smocks. (A Brooks Brothers label was attached to one of them.)
Crofut told her young artists that they had options. “We’ve got some happy bugs. We’ve got some grumpy-looking ones.”
She encouraged the children to try for realism with their bugs.
“Bugs hang out where?” Crofut asked.
The answers came back. “Leaves. Bark. Awnings. Your face.”
“They try to camouflage themselves,” concluded Crofut. “So design your camouflage for your bug.”
Eli Sher created custom insect artwork at the David M. Hunt Library workshop Wednesday, July 2.Copey Rollins
Crofut was assisted by Alesia Curletti of Housatonic, Massachusetts, and a student at the Berkshire Waldorf School in Great Barrington. Curletti said she has been helping Crofut on a major piece of sculpture destined for the Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge.
Crofut and Curletti watched carefully as the artists got down to business, painstakingly painting their bugs one color at a time, in order to keep the process orderly.
“I don’t care if you get paint on my drop cloth,” Crofut said. “That’s what it’s for.”
At one point the entire group paused at the sight of a couple of fawns messing around in a grassy area across the street from the library lawn.
“Where’s the mama?” wondered Crofut.
Everyone held their breath as a car approached, and let out a collective sigh of relief when the fawns fled into the woods instead of wandering into the vehicle’s path.
