Modern-day limners celebrate faces of Kent

KENT — Whether a town’s heritage is found in its buildings or its hometown people, and how those people with their distinctive faces define the spirit of the town, is a subject to be considered while viewing a current exhibit of portraits of Kent residents, neighbors captured in portraits by modern portrait artists residing in Kent and its surrounds.

The exhibit, “Faces of Kent, Portraits by Kent’s Modern-Day Limners,” sponsored by the Kent Historical Society, was celebrated with an opening on Saturday, June 4, in the refurbished space above House of Books.

The exhibit showcases today’s Kent residents painted or drawn by artists with recognized talents for portraiture as modern-day limners. Works included in the exhibit are by Scott Bricher, Edward Martinez, Susan Grisell, Robert Lenz and Dan Murray.

Using a variety of media, each portrait shines with the subject’s humanity, a community of faces.

Children may enjoy seeing that Santa Claus has his portrait included in the show as one of the instantly recognizable faces of Kent.

The gallery, renovated by the Kent Barns organization, is itself a face of Kent, having served for generations as the Masonic Lodge. The renovation was sensitive to retaining some of the detail of that history while imagining a 21st-century use.

Deborah Chabrian, an artist and a trustee of the Kent Historical Society, served as exhibit chairman.

“I had lots of help,” she said of planning and executing the event. “We’re bringing forward a nice community event, a good way to introduce people to what a limner does.”

While limners in past centuries were itinerant portrait artists, traveling from town to town throughout New England and painting portraits in exchange for room and board, Chabrian explained that modern limners are likely to travel to where their portrait subjects are.

Delving more deeply into what the idea of a limner might suggest today, Chabrian drew upon the word’s root that suggests light.

“A portrait takes time to create, and in that time and in study of the light defining the subject’s features, the artist’s hand shines through,” Chabrian explained.

Chabrian’s husband, portrait artist Edward Martinez said, “I love doing the people from this area,” adding that he prefers to work in charcoal or oil on canvas. “Charcoal is quicker and more spontaneous,” he said.

A self-proclaimed art lover and friend to artists, Sandy Neubauer commented on Martinez’ work: “He’s a master of what he does, a top-level portraitist.”

Sponsoring the exhibit was the Kent Historical Society whose executive director, Ron Marasco, was circulating among guests, heightening the appreciation of the event and the new gallery.

“What a great way to emerge from COVID,” he said. “The joy of looking at faces again,” motioning toward the attendees and the portraits on exhibit. “Historical societies often think of buildings, but there are faces in the hometown, too.”

One of the several portraits of note in the exhibit is that of Kent Center School’s art teacher, Al Coffill, retired and residing in Litchfield. His oil on canvas portrait was painted by Scott Bricher, who attended the event to speak with visitors.

“He impacted so many kids,” Bricher said of Coffill, describing his more than 40-year career teaching generations of Kent youngsters. Bricher said that Coffill had taught art to Bricher’s daughter, Naya, who is now a successful painter with an active gallery in Provincetown, Mass.

The exhibit will continue weekends through July 3.