Artist Statements and Bios

Site 1

Daisy & Darryl Sorenson

“Picture Perfect”

Horseshoes and spray paint, 2026

Bio: My name is Daisy and I am a local artist in Newtown. I focus primarily on acrylic paint and charcoal/pencil mediums. My work generally explores the light heartedness and beauty of humanity. In a world where everything seems to be diluted by the ugly and the stressful, I want to focus on what it means, to me, to be alive. My father, Darryl, has joined me in this featured work. His passion is making different designs out of horses and finishing them with a layer of paint with vibrant color. 

Statement: The first thought I had with a concept like Open was a frame. Mirrors are symbolically can show us reflections of our souls, deception and illusion, and sometimes what we don’t want to see. I want to open that experience up to a frame, where you’re open to express yourself, open to see people for who they are, and open to figure out who you want to be. This is made out of horseshoes for durability and because it is an object that is also open. We grind down the horseshoes and weld them together in our desired design and then finish off with a lay of spray paint.  

Info:

SunshineBiDesign (@sunshinebidesign) • Instagram photos and videos

Site 2

Willow Womack

“The Dumpling Cottage”

Cement, pigment, gold leafing & stoneware, 2026

Bio: I’m Willow Womack. I’m 10 years old living in Newtown, Ct. I live with my mamma and papa, cat, tortoise, fish, and crows.  I like to make original characters otherwise known as O.C.’s.

Statement: This is the dumpling fairy’s lil’ cottage. Home of three dumpling fairies. They are cute and tiny and help our forest grow and thrive. They make sure no hoomans trash is on the forest floor, but they need your help more than ever! So be good dudes! Peez pick your trash, our little dumpling feet are getting tired! Thank you!

Info: Exhibit is NFS

Site 3

Paula Brinkman 

“Message from Amsterdam” 

Solid wood door, metal keys & exterior latex paint, 2026

Bio: In 1986 I graduated from UConn with a BFA in Graphic Design.  It was not yet the digital era; art was still made by hand.  After living and working in NYC and Key West for two decades, I returned to Newtown to raise my daughter. When asked if I’m still creating, the answer is:  I never stopped

Statement: During the pandemic I received a grant from the Newtown Cultural Arts Commission to transform the entryways to former doctors’ homes on the Fairfield Hills Campus.  Eight faux door panels were painted by three local artists and myself.   The panels will eventually be relocated to EverWonder Children’s Museum.    In 2025 I designed the Newtown Arts Festival poster featuring a door as a sign of welcome.  Now in 2026 I am choosing to paint on a real door.  All the materials were entirely repurposed from friends and the Buy Nothing Newtown project.  

Info: Tag:  @heartsonpavement

Price:  $1,200

Site 4

Tracy Van Buskirk

“Fairy Houses”

Mixed Media, 2026

Bio: I was born and raised in Connecticut and have lived in Newtown for over forty years. I recently retired from a long career in finance. My interests include horseback riding, hiking, reading and of course art. My husband Peter and I have raised two well-adjusted, intelligent children.  Dogs and cats have shared our home over the years, and I have a sweet quarterhorse named Little Bear. 

I have consistently made the creative process a part of my life. My journey has taken me through watercolor, pottery, jewelry making, printing, collage, painting, poetry and writing. My block prints have been used for Newtown-centric events such as the Art Festival poster, the annual book sale, the holiday Newtown Bee cover art, and the NYFS Holiday Festival. My work has been shown in galleries in Maine and here in Connecticut. 

My art tends to focus on the interaction between humans and nature in all its nuances. I especially love water themed subjects. 

Statement: Because I enjoy hiking and horseback riding in the woods so much, the Newtown Forest Association is quite important to me. The opportunity to create some art on NFA property is a happy intersection of two of my passions. Last year on a whim, I built two fairy houses up in Maine. I loved the process of using found objects, creating the house and then tucking them away in the woods. I’m hoping that the fairy houses that are hidden in the Nettleton Preserve will provide some interactive fun for kids and adults. The secret benefit is getting those kids out on the trailsand looking closely at what nature has hidden in plain sight. 

Info: Instagram User Name: kriksubnav

Site 5

Annette Womack

“Minibeasts & Tiny Dinos”

Cement, pigment, gold leafing & other mixed media elements, 2026

Bio: Annette Womack is an artist based out of Newtown, CT.  She lives with her husband, daughter, cat, tortoise, and many koi fish. She is primarily an oil painter, but also loves experimenting with other painting mediums, sculpture, printmaking, & mixed media techniques.  Her biggest inspiration is the struggle between man vs. nature.  Psychology, spirituality, femininity, and connectivity often find their way into her work.  She currently teaches ceramics at NHS, has taught at Mystic Art Museum and the Pequot Museum, and has public artworks currently on display in Danbury, CT. 

Statement: Life is a journey. In The Dharma Bums, Jack Kerouac writes, “I saw that my life was a vast glowing empty page and I could do anything I wanted.” This idea—that life is something we actively step into—resonated with me. It speaks to the moment when fear begins to loosen its grip and possibility opens up.

When I was younger, I often let fear and anxiety define my boundaries. I carried a deep discomfort around insects—a common childhood fear that once felt immovable. Over time, I began to notice small shifts: watching an ant move across my hand without pulling away or hearing the hum of a bee without instinctively shuttering. These moments became quiet markers of personal growth, revealing how experience can reshape perception. This work is about that unfolding—about staying open to the unfamiliar, meeting discomfort with curiosity, and choosing presence over avoidance. It is an invitation to step into the world more fully and always being down for an adventure. 

Info: IG: @annettew

Website: https://annettewomack.wixsite.com/annette

Price: individual pieces range from $25-$300, $1400 for the collection

Site 6

Julie Schwartz

“Whales in the Woods"

Wood board and acrylic, 2026 

Bio:  Julie Schwartz is self-described, "wannabe artist" from Newtown who has loved creative ventures her entire life. Working in many mediums, her art blends abstract and expressionist styles inspired by nature, emotion and imagination.  She sees creating as an active mediation and enjoys making pieces that surprise the viewer and invites them to discover their own story, feeling and connection from the work. 

Statement: I am inspired by looking beyond the ordinary and exploring ideas outside the expected. I enjoy painting in an abstract style that allows the viewer's imagination to take over, creating their own story or emotional connection through color, texture and form. Painting is an active meditation for me. A process of discovery where I explore how paint can evoke a feeling, memory and curiosity within both myself and the viewer.  

Site 7

R.T. Eckenrode

“Chateau Cleyrac (Insect Hotel)”

Mixed media repurposed materials (Wood, metal, cardboard, grasses, sticks & stones), 2026

Bio: Nature has always fascinated me from an incredibly early age. I enjoyed having a pond and woods to explore and play in with friends. We built tree forts, raised ducks, caught frogs, discovered salamanders and a big snapping turtle. Having a deep curiosity for the natural world, my only training began in my own backyard thru the UConn Coverts Project. I managed my own property and hosted a walk thru with local property owners. From there I became a longtime member and eventually president emeritus of The Newtown Forest Association. Having started in my own backyard, Iwas honored to accept the national Best All Volunteer Land Trust award on behalf of the NFA from the Land Trust Alliance in 2018. Keeping these wild places wild and supporting the NFA continues to be my passion.

Statement: The “Chateau Cleyrac” is an example of being one with the landscape and although manmade, it is constructed to serve nature as a place for insects to live and multiply while providing sustenance for nearby pollinator plants and a food source for birds.

Site 8

Lucia Romano 

“The Kindness Tree”

Mixed media installation (painted wood, ceramic charms, laminated paper tags, string, metal hooks & found stones), 2026

Bio: My name is Lucia Romano, and I am 18 years old and a senior at Newtown High School. I have lived in Newtown my whole life with my parents and my two older sisters, Sophia and Angie. Growing up surrounded by nature has always inspired me and influenced the way I create art. I’ve always loved being outside around trees, fields, and peaceful places because nature makes me feel calm and connected. I also have always loved all kinds of art, especially hands-on art where I can build and create things myself. I love using my hands to paint, design, and put pieces together because it makes the artwork feel more personal and meaningful. I’ve always loved little acts of kindness that can help people and bring them hope, even in small ways. I think sometimes the smallest things can make someone’s whole day better. That idea became one of the biggest inspirations behind my Capstone project. At Newtown High School, every senior creates a Capstone project that combines creativity, learning, and giving back to the community. This is my Capstone project called The Kindness Tree, and I am bringing it back out for the second time because I wanted its message of kindness and connection to continue spreading throughout the community.

Statement: My sculpture, The Kindness Tree, was completely built by hand and represents how kindness can grow and spread from person to person, just like branches on a tree continue to grow outward. The tree is an interactive community art piece where people can stop, reflect, and take hanging kindness tokens to carry kindness forward into their own lives. I chose a tree because trees symbolize growth, strength, connection, and life, which all connect to the message I wanted this piece to share. The gold paint helps the sculpture stand out while also creating a warm and hopeful feeling. I surrounded the base with rocks to help connect the sculpture back to nature and make it feel grounded in the outdoor environment. Building this piece by hand made it feel even more meaningful to me because every part of it was physically created and assembled through my own work and creativity. Through The Kindness Tree, I wanted to create more than just a sculpture. I wanted to create something peaceful and meaningful that reminds people how powerful even small acts of kindness can truly be.

Site 9

Patrick Dunne

“Dogwood #1” 

Wood & Copper, 2026  

Bio: Patrick uses found and reclaimed materials to recreate natural forms

Statement: This piece was inspired by a felled dogwood tree viewed through the Great Artdoors theme "OPEN"

Info: Instagram: Pax.Dunne  Email: Pax.Dunne@gmail.com

Site 10

Alexia “Lexi” Gonzalez

“To Punch, or Not to Punch? That is the Question.”

Clay, 2025

Bio: Passion of visual story telling leads me to extensively practice illustration; a medium widely accessible via pencil and paper. Themes that interest me are pop culture, global community, and a good sense of humor. Being consistently creative has inspired me to expand on thestories I tell by using other mediums; like sculpture, video, and digital art. I enjoy skating and being outside in all kinds of weather.

Statement: When I created the kangaroo-praying-mantis-hybrid, I had started by imagining the last animalcombination I might expect; a huge creature and a small one standing in nearly the same dynamic pose; like an unlikely boxer in the corner of a ring. Now this bizarre take on nature can sit within the real thing; making me imagine many great, small, unlikely things everywhere. When I take a second look at it now, it makes me laugh.

Info: Instagram: _lettersfromlex