After a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic, the Granby Land Trust and the Granby Artists Association came together to host the 15th Granby Land Trust juried art show: Celebrating New England’s Natural Beauty.
This year, the show’s subject matter ranged from lily pads to ice caves, from farm fields to beach scenes, from historic barns to boats on the sea—all inspired by New England’s natural beauty. Locally, Enders State Forest, the McLean Game Refuge, the GLT Dismal Brook Wildlife Preserve, the GLT Katan-Ensor Preserve, the GLT Mary Edwards Mountain Property, and the GLT Godard Preserve all were represented.
Thanks to the incredible generosity of the GLT’s friends, the show offers $5,000 in award money. This year, more than 150 pieces of original artwork were submitted; just 83 were selected to be in the show. Natalie DeQuarto, curator at the Mattatuck Museum, had the difficult task of jurying this year’s show.
The winner of the 2022 show’s top prize—the Don and Marty Wilmot Award—was Kevin Stiles for his photograph, Unveiled. Jim Laurino was awarded the Granby Land Trust Award for his oil painting titled Entrance to Katan-Ensor, which depicts the GLT Katan-Ensor Preserve.
Twelve additional prizes were awarded as follows: Karen Suponski won the Sandy and Dave Schupp Award for Shade Grown. Jean Luc Godard won the Austin McNey Memorial Award given by Karen, Scott and Patrick McNey for repurposed nature. Judith Meyers won the Granby Artists Association Award for Irises. The Ray Betts Award, given by Carol and Greg Reid, went to Rick Daskam for Gull Rock and Backside Shore. Heather Sawtelle won the Mildred Dewey Award, given by Jenny and Dave Emery, for The peace of wild things. Gene Suponski won the Tudor and Laura Holcomb Award, given by Nannie and Put Brown, for Shaker Life. Laura Eden won the Matthew K. Orluk Award, given by Trish Percival and Rick Orluk, for Magenta Moment. Avis Cherichetti won the Olof Stevenson Award, given by Jamie Gamble, for Dismal Brook. The William Stewart Award, given by Dave and Judy Russell, went to Roberta Morehouse for Stratton Brook. Raymond (Jay) Harder won the Helen and Al Wilke Award for Enders Ice Caves. Lisa Tellier won the Carol and Dick Caley Award for King of the Marsh. As of this writing, the People’s Choice Award, given by Lost Acres Vineyard (and decided based on votes submitted by visitors to the Vineyard throughout the course of the show) had not yet been determined.
The Land Trust is grateful to Mark Wetzel and Fiducient, LLC and Ted Cormier and ALIRT Insurance Research, LLC for their ongoing, loyal support of the show. In addition, the Land Trust thanks event co-chairs Els Fonteyne and Laurie Schock for helping organize the show and running Opening Night; Bill Simpson and Laura Eden for their loyal support of the show; The Granby Artists Association for its help promoting the show; Tony Capelli for the donation of his stunning floral arrangements; and Michelle Niedermeyer and Kevin Riggott of Lost Acres Vineyard for hosting the show, for funding the People’s Choice Award, and for welcoming us into their beautiful space.
Submitted photos