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Greiser’s to Host Duvian Montoya Art Reception & Exhibit in March

The artwork of Easton-based painter and muralist Duvian Montoya can be found in public spaces in New Haven and throughout Norwalk, on permanent display at the SONO Collection, and among the art collections of Disney, the Albuquerque real estate corporation Gulfstream Worldwide, The Mattatuck Museum in Waterbury, and Housatonic Community College.

So, Greiser’s is thrilled to announce an upcoming exhibit of a small selection of work by our acclaimed friend and customer. About a dozen of Montoya’s paintings will be on display and for sale at Greiser’s from March 22 through April 30, 2022. An opening reception on Tuesday, March 22, from 6:30pm – 9:00pm is open to the public.

Montoya’s portraits of his family and Team Greiser’s were among his “Longing for Connection” pandemic series.

A Norwalk native, Montoya studied fine art at the School of Visual Arts in Manhattan. After graduation, he restored antique lithographs for museums, galleries and collectors around the world; studied the Old Masters’ techniques in Europe; and established a gallery exhibiting New Mexican contemporary artists in Santa Fe before returning to Connecticut. After spending five years converting an historic Georgian-style mansion in Norwalk into the St. Phillip’s Artist Guild gallery and studio space, he moved with his wife Emma Montoya to Easton in 2011.

Presently, he is serving as Artistic and Educational Director at The Norwalk Art Space, which offers free art education to underserved high school students and a premier space for regional artist exhibitions and programs.

Montoya’s philosophy is to paint the stories of our present lives the way our ancestors did in caves 10,000 years ago for future generations to build on.

“By studying our visual history, we can see our evolution and strive for a better tomorrow through a sophisticated visual language,” Montoya says. His gallery work and public installations give context to humanity’s current struggles, achievements, and aspirations. This is especially true of a mural project at the South Norwalk Train Station where he used the language of fashion to represent decades of transitory history in Norwalk and a mural at the Norwalk Public Library that shares Montoya’s parents’ story of migration from Colombia, South America, to Norwalk by using architecture and design as his visual transitions from country to country.

Montoya says he most enjoys creating a narrative that connects generations of people through symbols, color, texture, and shared visual cues. His recent work has spoken to the need for human connection in a time of social distancing and isolation. Other works depict individual meditative moments, architecture and its function as a cultural reference to its people and place, and the need to stand united against injustice toward our black and brown brothers and sisters.

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Lee Skalkos: Landscapes in Pastel & Oil

Framed works on exhibit and for sale at Greiser’s thru December 31

Wonderland in Acadia, pastel by Lee Skalkos

On view November 1 – December 31 at Greiser’s are 26 framed landscapes by the talented local artist and art teacher Lee Skalkos.

Lee Skalkos is a pastel artist, metalsmith, and certified art teacher in the state of Connecticut. She has been teaching art for 17 years. Lee has lifelong experience with metals and has recently found an incredible passion for soft pastels. She visits Maine, Montana and Wyoming often to explore our National Parks and to share her experience of them with her students. 

“As a teacher,” Lee says, “I know that before I teach a subject, I need to teach my students who I am and to share my love of art with them. It’s important to me to be aware of how I think of and represent myself: I don’t wish to be viewed as an art expert of person who definitively knows whether a work of art is ‘good’ or not. Instead, I consider myself a skilled and enthusiastic teacher who promotes students’ critical thinking and creations.”

Lee says she believes that art education should focus on children’s ideas. “Their their experiences must be valued and built upon. Then art lessons can be not just successful, but also relevant.” 

All artwork is framed and prices range from $95 to $2,000 with most priced under $300.

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Greiser’s 4th Annual Holiday Open House & Outdoor Market

Featuring 7 Talented Local Artisans & Live Jazz

Our festive annual Holiday Open House is back! Drop in to Greiser’s on Sunday, November 28 between 10AM and 3PM to get a jumpstart on your holiday shopping.

Outdoors in our parking lot and on our front porch, we’re hosting 7 very talented Easton artisans for an Arts & Crafts Market. Find one-of-a-kind handmade jewelry, pottery, textiles, wood bowls and candlesticks, felted wool bags, painted tree ornaments, watercolor art and cards, and hand blown glass ornaments and vessels.

Inside the store, shop a specially curated selection of holiday decor and gifts including vintage ornaments, table linens and handloom table runners, affordable framed original oil and pastel artwork, festive throw pillows, candles, books, holiday greeting cards, specialty & gourmet foods, and more!

Outdoor market begins at 10am. Live jazz and holiday cheer from 1pm – 3pm. Overflow parking available at the Congregational Church across the intersection.

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Paintings by Paul Rockoff

Thursday, July 2, 2020, 6:00-8:00PM.
Join us for an exhibit of the work of Fairfield native and oral surgeon Dr. Paul Rockoff, who calls himself “The Color Blind Artist.” An accomplished oil painter, he works mostly with black and white paints, adding splashes of colors that he chooses based on the name on the tube.

Dr. Rockoff practiced medicine in Bridgeport from 1972 until 2015, where he was chief of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at Bridgeport Hospital. Since then, he has practiced in Fairfield with the Connecticut Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Centers.

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An Evening with Local Historians Bruce & Brent

Thursday, February 6, 2020, 6:00-8:00PM.
Join us at Greiser’s for a book launch and exhibit opening. Local historian and Historical Society of Easton research director Bruce Nelson (pictured, right) will read from and discuss the new book he coauthored with Redding native Brent Colley (left), The Revolution Comes to Redding. Brent designed the History of Redding website and Bruce is also the curator of our new exhibit of historic local photography and architectural reprints.

Based on the 1778 journal of a fourteen-year-old boy named Jonas Fairchild, The Revolution Comes to Redding is a fictional account of actual Revolutionary War events that took place during the fall and winter of 1778-1779 when the troops under General Israel Putnam’s command were stationed in Redding. This is not an account of the battles that led to the ultimate victory of the Continental Army, but rather an account of the sacrifices made by the ordinary citizens of a small town where the number of inhabitants more than tripled in size in a matter of weeks, giving Redding one of the largest populations in the entire state in January of 1779!

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Opening Reception: Patricia Scanlan Oil Paintings

Thursday, October 17, 2019, 6:00 – 8:00PM.
Greiser’s Coffee & Market is delighted to feature the oil paintings of Easton resident Patricia Scanlan. Patricia is an interior designer who has been studying oil painting for many years at the Silvermine School of Art in New Canaan. Join us and meet Patricia at the exhibit’s opening reception in our store on the evening of Thursday, October 17.

Attendance is free, small bites will be served, and guests are welcome to bring a bottle to share. Overflow parking is available at the Congregational Church across the intersection.

Patricia Scanlan’s work will be on display and for sale at Greiser’s from October 17 – November 24.

RSVP here: https://www.facebook.com/events/402981207032031/

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Art Reception: Easton Painter Amy-Alison Ward

Highlands 1, 2019 (oil on canvas)

Thursday, June 6, 2019, 5:00 – 8:00PM.
Join us for the opening reception of our new local art exhibit! Easton painter Amy-Alison Ward explores her fascination with geology, cosmology, and the interconnectedness of all things in her gorgeous expressions of color and movement. A series of her recent paintings, including Highlands 1, 2019 (oil on canvas), pictured, will be on display and for sale at Greiser’s Coffee & Market from June 6 – July 5. The reception is free to attend. Greiser’s sandwiches, baked goods, and beverages will be for sale, and guests are invited to BYOB.

Overflow parking is available at the Congregational Church, diagonally across the intersection of Center Road and Route 136.

RSVP Here:

https://www.facebook.com/events/374468853175857/

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Neighbors Gather for an Eastonite’s Art Show

by Nancy Doniger

Artist Louise Astorino with Geri Gould and Kit Briner at the reception for Astorino’s show, “Raccogliere: To Gather.” — with Louise Astorino, Geri Gould and Kit Briner at Greiser’s Coffee & Market.

A hearty crowd of friends and neighbors braved the arctic vortex to gather at #Greiser’s Coffee & Market, 299 Center Road, Easton, Conn. to view an art exhibit created by one of their own.

Local artist Louise Astorino attended the Jan. 31 reception to greet guests and talk about her collection of watercolors and ink on cold press paper, titled “Raccogliere: To Gather.” The theme fit the intimate space and friendly ambiance of the upscale market.

“Raccogliere is a representation of the ways in which Florentine people gather in spaces to savor time and the company of others,” Astorino said in her artist’s notes. “During my field research for my IDEA Grant in Italy, I kept a visual diary of pictures, drawings and paintings. When I returned home, I produced a series of paintings that reflect the social interactions and habits I observed in Florence.

“While the world continues to move faster by the day, Florentines have almost unanimously rebuffed the ‘to-go’ culture and remained insistent on gathering in places to enjoy the time and company of others.”

Astorino grew up in #Easton, Conn. and graduated from Joel Barlow High School (#JBHS). She went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in fine arts with a concentration in painting in 2017. She now lives in Stamford and works for a creative firm in Manhattan.

Astorino’s artwork will remain on exhibit and available for purchase in February. The guests at the reception ventured out on the bitter cold winter’s night not only to admire the artwork but also to enjoy the company of others. The gathering captured the essence of what Adrienne Jane Burke has sought to encapsulate in her upscale market.

Burke describes her new business, which opened Nov. 1, on the shop’s Facebook page: “Greiser’s is the rustic and charming community hub of Easton, Conn. We serve perfectly crafted coffee and espresso drinks, wholesome panini and grab-n-go sandwiches, and artisanal baked goods.”

Burke invites people to meet up with friends, relax over tasty food and conversation, stop by for coffee and … on the way to work, and to shop her market for staples and fine foods, local products and specialty items.

Dick Greiser owns the iconic building where the coffee market is located and could be a Norman Rockwell painting. For many years Greiser operated a deli and antiques shop at the stie, which has belonged to his family for generations. He decided to lease the space to Burke last year for her coffee market and continues to sell antiques and pump gasoline.

NANCY DONIGER WAS THE EDITOR IN CHIEF OF THE EASTON COURIER. SHE LIVES IN NEWTOWN.

Article Reprinted with Permission from Easton Neighbors.