Library art show a great success

By Robin Yuran

“Porch Rockers” is one of Nina Ritson’s depictions of Norfolk.

October artist of the month, Nina Ritson, couldn’t have been more pleased with the success of her show at the Norfolk Library. At the opening reception, red dots flew like miniature Frisbees, as an affably competitive crowd sought out and claimed their favorite Ritson rendering. Familiar Norfolk scenes were skillfully depicted in intaglio etchings and watercolors.

Having earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts in between putting her daughter and son through college, Nina still audits art classes at the University of Hartford after a day’s work as a communications specialist for the State Department of Administrative Services.

During fall and spring, she concentrates on the ‘through the looking glass’ process of intaglio etching, where imaging is backwards and the tones are built from light to dark. Her signature gizmo is a fresh sewing needle taped to an old pencil that her son had in sixth grade. Ritson says no etching tool begets that fine of a line.

During the summer, Ritson uses watercolors to paint her beloved Norfolk. She insists that Norfolkians take the credit for her art. “This town is so beautiful”, says Ritson, “because everyone who lives here works incredibly hard to keep it this way.”