Easton Artist and Poet Robert Brennan Will Read from His New Book of Poems Here Saturday, March 22, at 6:00 pm
Join Easton artist Robert Brennan, his wife Patricia, and Easton actor Kit Briner at Greiser’s for a reading of poetry and a reception celebrating the publication of Beyond the Deck, Brennan’s first book of poems. This free event takes place Saturday, March 22, 2025, 6:00 – 8:00 pm.
In addition to signed copies of Brennan’s book, the event will feature an exhibit of a few large (39 x 21 inch) charcoal drawings and a pastel painting used to illustrate the book. The originals, drawn on high quality Rives BFK paper, and smaller prints of the artwork will be offered for sale.
Prior to the publication of his first book of poetry, Beyond the Deck, Robert Brennan was known for his art and leadership in art education. Brennan served as Professor and Art Department Chairman at the University of Bridgeport, painting instructor at The Silvermine School of Art, and K-12 Coordinator of Art for the Darien School System. Brennan received his MA from Columbia University Teachers College, where he also studied in the doctoral program with a major in Painting and Printmaking.
Brennan’s paintings and constructions have been exhibited in Connecticut and New York City. He was awarded an Artists Grant for a solo exhibit in New York City entitled White. His construction Virgin Landscape won first prize in the prestigious Art of the Northeast USA, sponsored by the Silvermine Guild. His most recent exhibits were at The Hagaman Memorial Library in East Haven, The Essex Meadow Gallery in Essex, and a solo exhibit at the Easton Public Library, which focused exclusively on his abstract paintings and constructions.
He has served as juror for local and regional art competitions, including the Greenwich Art Association, the Rowayton Art Society, The Connecticut Watercolor Society, The Guilford Art League, and The Easton Art Association, among others.
A new book of poetry by Robert Brennan
After a long and distinguished career as an artist/teacher, in addition to his art work, Brennan turned to poetry as a medium of expression, at times, combining both means of expression. From the Deck is Brennan’s first book of poetry. It includes many of his earlier poems as well as some of his more recent writings. Currently, he is working on a book of combined paintings and poems, as well as a memoir of key moments in his life.
Brennan lives in Easton with his wife Patricia, where he maintains his studio. His website is The Restless Eye.
Join Our Annual Celebration of Easton’s Claim to Astronomical Fame!
Every December at Greiser’s we celebrate the cosmic event in 1807 that put Easton at the center of scientific exploration.
Celebrate and learn about the world-famous meteorite that was observed by Eastonites in the sky before it landed on farmland here this month, 216 years ago. The event is known as the first documented observation of space stuff landing in North America. Chunks of our town meteor (officially and misleadingly known as the Weston Meteorite) are held in collections around the world, from the Yale Peabody Museum in New Haven to the Vatican Observatory in Italy.
This year, on Thursday, December 12, from 6pm – 8pm, come to enjoy an entertaining and informative talk by resident Easton Meteorite History Expert Frank Pagliaro while dining on a delicious assortment of homemade celestial canapés and cosmic cocktails.
A troubadour, songwriter and storyteller, Rick Reyes, with Santos De Palo offer a dynamic presentation rooted in Latin Americana, fusing Caribbean mountain folk with North American folk, including bluegrass, country, and gospel, while creating a captivating exploration of cultural unity. – Conscious Campus
Thanks to our series sponsors, we will kick off our biweekly series on JULY 11 with Easton-bred band PESPI. Musicians’ fees this summer are being paid for by the generous contributions of BCK Arborist and Hi-Ho Energy Services. Arcadian Wild and Down River Collective are brought to us from Nashville by Wray and Henrietta’s Hootenanny.
Our events this summer feature local, unsigned musicians performing ALL ORIGINAL music. One exception: On August 2 we’re hosting a summer tour stopover for rising Nashville bluegrass stars The Arcadian Wild and DownRiver Collective!
The Arcadian Wild
Iris Lies
Amber Anchor
Pespi
Dan Carlucci
Phoebe Merrill
The Sawtelles
Santos de Palo
DownRiver Collective
Unless otherwise noted, events begin at 6:00 PM and end at 8:00 PM.
Our September 29 finale event, a celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, is on a Sunday afternoon from 1:00 – 3:00 PM.
Parking will be available in the gas station parking lot and in front of Greiser’s Coffee & Market starting at 5:45 PM and not earlier due to gas sales.
To help us plan menus, seating, and parking, we require advanced ticket purchase by the day before the event. Vegetarian, vegan, and gluten free options are always available!
In case of rain, each event will be rescheduled for another date and refunds or exchanges will be made.
An Exhibit of Work by Urban Landscape Photographer Alain Bourgeois
Join us with the artist for an opening reception on Wednesday, May 29 at 6:00 PM
Greiser’s will feature an exhibit of Alain Bourgeois’s photography throughout the summer, 2024. We’ll celebrate the theme of the collection, Senescence: Grace in Aging, at an opening reception on May 29.
You might recognize the name Bourgeois as the world-famous French-American sculptor and painter Louise who spent summers and weekends in her home here in Easton from the 1940s until her death in 2010. Greiser’s Coffee & Market arrived on the scene 8 years too late to meet Louise, but we’re very fortunate to have her son Alain Bourgeois and his wife Jessica Bourgeois as customers and friends. And we’re delighted to host an exhibit of Alain’s photography in the Greiser’s gallery.
As an urban landscape photographer, Alain has traveled around the US and globe seeking to document the progressive effects of the passage of time on the structures and tonality of the ever-shifting urban environment.
“Over time, the context in which our lives are lived changes, not only in memory but also in fact,” Alain writes. “Revisiting that context can open a window on both our common experience and our individual history. Softened by the steady hand of time, the locations of our lives can be seen anew.”
Alain Bourgeois
Alain Bourgeois
Alain’s new book, Senescence: Grace in Aging, features 32 photographs of scenes in New York City, Bridgeport, Detroit, Havana, Paris and elsewhere, through which he conveys a deep appreciation of the passage of time and captures the heartbreaking beauty of decay. These images, he writes, “tell a significant part of our story. They are who we were.”
In advance of the show, a limited number of signed copies of Senescence are now for sale exclusively at Greiser’s for $45 each. Find them on the bookshelf in our gallery room.
There will be additional collections of Alain’s photography, published over the years, available at the reception later this month. And the artist will be here to sign your copy! Admission is free and open to the public.
Easton is a hive of accomplished people with unique talents. Ever since our November 1, 2018, opening day, we’ve aspired to provide a place for all the interesting and interested people in our community to connect.
Local Wisdom is our occasional after-hours event series now in its second season at Greiser’s. On these evenings, we provide small bites, beverages (non-alcoholic, but byob is permitted), and a relaxed forum where you can get to know your neighbors, including some of Easton’s most creative and innovative residents. Each event will include a short lecture — think TEDTalk — and plenty of time for conversation with our featured guests, all of whom are plucked right from our customer list.
All events are from 6:00 – 7:30 pm. $20 ticket includes small bites and a beverage.
Seating is limited. Advanced registration required.
As the founder of the NYC design agency Cozzolino Studio, Easton-based industrial designer Steve Cozzolino is the creative mind behind many favorite household appliances and tools including the All-Clad toaster and Belgian waffle maker, the Cuisinart toaster oven, the Kitchen Aid curlin tea kettle, Mr. Coffee espresso makers, and numerous Nambé gourmet kitchen tool designs. Early in his career, he was part of the team that designed the legendary Swiffer for Procter & Gamble. For the past four years, Steve has also been a cast member, design judge, and presenter on the ByDesign suite of CBS Primetime television shows.
Steve’s work has been featured in the New York Times, Fortune, the MOMA Design Store, and the Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum. He was honored by the City of New York for “Excellence in Design,” and has won professional accolades including the Red Dot, Global Innovation, Good Design, IDEA, and Housewares Design awards. He holds numerous design patents.
At Greiser’s tonight, he’ll talk about the power of design to spark joy, why he believes empathy is one of the most powerful tools for designing and developing relevant, compelling experiences for all, and how Artificial Intelligence can complement the design process.
After dividing their time between NYC and Easton for several years, Steve, his wife Pam, and their teenage son Nick made Easton their full-time home last year.
Tammy Nguyen making paintings in her Easton studio for her ICA Boston show. Left to right, “Ralph Waldo Emerson” and “Ngo Dinh Diem.” Photo by Natalie Ivis for The New York Times
Tammy Nguyen is a multimedia artist based in Easton whose work spans painting, drawing, printmaking and book making. Intersecting geopolitical realities with fiction, her practice addresses lesser-known histories through a blend of myth and visual narrative. She is the founder of Passenger Pigeon Press, an independent press that joins the work of scientists, journalists, creative writers, and artists.
Her work is currently on display in London, and was recently featured in a show at the ICA Boston. In a December, 2023, profile, The New York Times called Tammy Nguyen “a maximalist … driven by questions, not certainties.”
Tonight, Tammy will discuss the ins and outs of her artistic process, recent and upcoming shows, and how living in Easton with her husband Davey and daughters Penny and Olive has transformed her practice.
Mike Evans is the the author of The Belfast Blazers: The Journey of an American Basketball Coach in Ireland, and founder and executive director of Full Court Peace, a Connecticut based not-for-profit organization dedicated to bringing kids from different socioeconomic backgrounds together. FCP, which evolved from Evans’s experiences in Ireland, creates meaningful opportunities for interaction between boys and girls ages 10 to 18, both on and off of the basketball court.
“Our youth lack ample opportunities to interact with one another, to truly understand one another, and to forge friendships across racial and socioeconomic lines,” Evans says. “We are effectively raising children who will promote the status quo — a nation divided by race, class and income. The farther we slide away from each other, the less unified we are as a society, and the less prepared our children are to be socially competent citizens of this society.”
Mike, who lives in Easton with his wife, Alexandra, and their 9-month old daughter, Hannah, will talk this evening about his work in Northern Ireland, first playing and then coaching basketball, and how his experience getting teenage Protestant and Catholic teammates in Belfast to see eye to eye led to his formation of a nonprofit that’s breaking down barriers to peace in communities around the US and world. Copies of his book will be for sale.
Join us to celebrate the publication of local author Dan Slater’s new book, The Incorruptibles: A True Story of Kingpins, Crime Busters, and the Birth of the American Underworld.
A graduate of Colgate University, New York Film Academy, and Brooklyn Law School, Dan has written for more than a dozen publications including the WallStreet Journal, the Washington Post, the Atlantic, GQ, and the New Yorker. His last book, Wolf Boys, which the New York Times called “unforgettable” and the Chicago Public Library named a best book of the year, is being adapted for a TV series by 101 Studios and director Antoine Fuqua.
Meanwhile, his story about a rabbinic gang is in development at Paramount TV and George Clooney’s Smokehouse Pictures.
Raised in Minnesota, Dan lives in Easton with his wife Sophie and their sons, Silas and Felix.
At Greiser’s this evening, Dan will share his journey researching and retelling the birth story of our country’s immigrant underworld and sign copies of his new book.
Space at Greiser’s is limited. Advanced registration is required. Tickets, $20, are available in-store or online here. We’ll serve a topical menu of small bites and softdrinks at each event. BYOB is welcome.
To learn about future events in our Local Wisdom series, please subscribe on our homepage to our email newsletter, the Flying A.
Local Artist’s Oils, Acrylics and Mixed Media Art on Exhibit at Greiser’s Thru Year’s End
OPENING RECEPTION THURSDAY, OCTOBER 19, 6:00 PM
Twenty recent works by Fairfield artist and Greiser’s customer Karen Kent will brighten the store’s rooms and walls through the end of 2023. Kent is a lifelong artist who earned a bachelors degree in fine art and architecture before embarking on a career as an interior designer crafting homes with balance through fabric, color, furniture, and accessories. After nearly three decades, Karen turned to focus full time on creating striking, vibrant large scale paintings.
Works on display and for sale at Greiser’s include vibrant floral still lifes ranging in size and complexity from Kent’s 12×12-inch acrylic-on-board still life “Garden Roses” ($100) to her 36×36-inch acrylic-on-canvas “Buzzing Bee” ($2,400). Her delightful mixed media owl series includes, pictured above from left to right, “Grumpy,” “Bashful,” and “Sneezy” each 24×18 inches ($750). Other pieces featured in the current exhibit at Greiser’s include landscapes, figurative studies, and animals including a heron, a Golden Retriever, and a pair of elephants.
Karen is an exhibiting member of Rowayton Arts Center and New Haven Paint and Clay. She is also a member of Carriage Barn Arts Center, Westport Arts Center, Westport Arts Collective, Greenwich Art Society, the Cultural Alliance of Fairfield County, and Ridgefield Guild of Artists.
Join us and the artist at 6pm October 19 for an open house and reception. See all works for sale online at Greiser’s and learn more about the artist on her website.
Opening Reception Thursday, May 4, 2023 at 6:30 PM
Geri Gould received her first camera at age eight from her father, Joe DiCuffa. He was a professional portrait photographer in New York City and provided a solid foundation of training and inspiration.
Her photography has been exhibited and recognized by the Easton Arts Council, Citizens for Easton, Black Rock Art Guild at Burroughs Community Center, Harborview Market and Framemakers Gallery.
Greiser’s Coffee & Market is privileged to partner with Kit Briner, Geri’s longtime love and companion, to show the final series of Geri’s work, “Discovered Light.”
After Geri passed away in January 2023, fellow Easton artist Robert Brennan assisted Kit in curating Geri’s this exhibit, which will be on display from May 4 through late June.All images are for sale in the store and online here.
This is how Brennan described Geri’s images and talent:
Geri Gould was an artist who happened to use a camera. Like Claude Monet and so many other painters, Geri was on a continuous and relentless search for the light, and in the process, she discovered the shadows, thus starting a visual dialogue of elegance, intrigue, mystery, and poetry.
The light streams in through the window, is interrupted by the leg and side of the gate leg table. The shadow is cast on the wall as a silhouette. The artist chooses what to save and composes by distilling the visual elements of shape, line, texture, and value into powerful, simplified abstractions, not unlike Robert Motherwell’s paintings, inspired by the shadows cast by the “El” upon the Manhattan streets below.
Engaging in some kind of alchemy, Geri makes shapes dissolve into mystical visions, works of ambiguity, mystery, and beauty wherein the viewer is treated to a most sophisticated visual, mental, and emotional journey in which the artist simply but not simply, shows us what she found in the most common everyday occurrence of the sun shining through the window.
The interplay of the light and the dark has been the “stuff” of painters, poets, musicians, philosophers, and all variations of mankind since the first questions posed regarding the night and the day. As there can be no music without silence between the notes, there can be no elegant shadows unless the light is also present.
Geri Gould’s gift to us is in a plain, but not so plain symphony of shadow and light, composed over time in the finest tradition of art making, the passionate search to find beauty and meaning in the often missed light that may cast itself even across our bathroom wall.
Please join us for an opening reception to celebrate the art and life of Geri Gould at Greiser’s on Thursday, May 4, 2023 at 6:30 PM.
Opening Reception Thursday, February 9, 6:30 – 8:30 pm
The “old” Greiser’s, painted by John Forgione in 2018, two months before the “new” Greiser’s opened Nov. 1.
Easton is and has been home to many a famous artist.
Louise Bourgeois so loved her country home here that she sculpted a marble replica of it. Another globally known sculptor, Frederick Shrady, lived in Edna Ferber’s former estate on Maple Road. Naturalist painter and writer James Prosek developed an intense interest in fish as a child here and has since made a home in Easton with his own family. And now, NYC street artist Paul Richard rides around town on a vintage bicycle.
Yet part-time plein air painter John Forgione is arguably the most visible artist in Easton.
Weekdays, Forgione runs a digital marketing agency. But on weekends when the weather cooperates, he is a fixture of Easton’s open spaces. With his easel, oils, brushes, and canvas, you might find him in the orchard at Trout Brook Valley, amid the sunflowers on Adams Road, or capturing scenes at one of Easton’s bucolic farms; Gilbertie’s, Maple Row, Sabia’s, and Sport Hill Farm are among his beloved subjects. And he has been commissioned to capture on canvas several historic local homes.
Forgione also enjoys setting up his easel in other scenic Fairfield County spots, as well as on the water in Rhode Island, Barbados, Hawaii, and Positano. He’s even painted standing in the middle of the Brooklyn Bridge.
Easton painter John Forgione on the Brooklyn Bridge
But Easton is his home, and, contrary to the stereotype of the solitary, reclusive painter, Forgione is notably social. He and his wife Cara, parents of three JBHS grads, rarely miss an event at Greiser’s. They both participate in Easton Arts Council shows. And he’s been known to arrive at local parties and bars with his latest painting in tow for show and tell. He loves to talk about art and process.
On a recent Sunday afternoon at Greiser’s, Forgione engaged fellow painter Paul Richard in an animated conversation about canvas stretching techniques and employing the golden ratio in landscape painting. Richard said he thought he recognized Forgione from an Instagram post that pictured a painter on the street in NYC. Indeed, Forgione had attracted attention from passersby in October when he painted a scene at the corner of 21st Street and 9th Avenue in Chelsea.
On the day he bumped into Richard, Forgione was at Greiser’s to take some measurements. He’s getting ready to install a new exhibit here in February. It’s been nearly four years since he hung his paintings on the walls of the “new” Greiser’s, during our first year in business.
Back then, when space was even more limited than it is today, he hung his art on a wall in the kitchen — our “Galley Gallery” — and we invited guests to squeeze past the chest freezer and hand sink to view it. This time, we’re thrilled to be able to offer him professional hooks on art moulding in our dining room.
Come see how much we and the artist have grown over the years!
Opening reception Thursday, February 9, 2023, 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm, with musical entertainment by Mike Miles. Free admission. All artwork will be for sale. Overflow parking will be available across the intersection at the Congregational Church.
