By Karen Linden

The beautiful Ellen Battell Stoeckel Estate Gallery (Art Barn) will be the setting of this year’s Norfolk Artists and Friends 9th Annual Art Exhibit. This year, 25 artists will exhibit their art in a variety of media: painting, drawing, photography, mixed media, print media, decorative arts and fine jewelry.

Some of the Norfolk artists who will be exhibiting include print artists Susan Rood and Nina Ritson, who achieve fascinating and unusual results in etchings, monoprints, intaglio, and print-collage. Sculptor Jon Riedeman has served as the sculptor-in-residence at Saint-Gaudens National Historic Site. Joseph Stannard is a designer of metal and glass furniture, and lighting. Debra Lill will be exhibiting moving images used in public buildings, schools and hospitals. Madeline Falk’s pet portraits are widely prized, and one of her bird paintings was actually stolen by an African country and used for their stamp. Ruthann Olsson is a designer of interiors and painted decoration which are often shown in home style magazines. Ron Sloan creates emotional images which speak in otherworldly dialects; his work has been used to set a mood in several movies. Abstract painter Tom Hlas chronicles each step in his process on his Facebook page. Fay O’ Meara puts together unexpected and intriguing assemblages.

As a result of the annual exhibition, many members of the group have been selected to show their work at regional galleries, including the Mattatuck Museum, PS Gallery, Pinacoteca, Miranda Vineyard, the Norfolk Artisans Guild, and many private collections.

This 9th Annual August Arts Weekend will be held on August 4 through 6 at the Ellen Battell Stoeckel Estate Gallery. The one weekend art show begins with a wine and cheese opening reception from 5 until 7:30 p.m. on Friday, August 4, and continues Saturday noon until 5:30 p.m., and Sunday from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m. The event and show are free and open to the public.

The exhibition is sponsored by the Norfolk Chamber Music Festival and a portion of proceeds from sales in this show will go to benefit the Norfolk Music Festival Music Shed Restoration Fund. For more information, contact: www.norfolkart.org or Ruthann Olsson, 860-542-0190, rolsson@sbcglobal.net.