Your guide to the heart of Litchfield County:
Discover local stories, hidden gems, and must-know events.

By Frances Chamberlain
Portrait by Ryan Lavine

Nancy Lasar’s Washington Depot studio is an explosion of lines and color as she prepares for her next show at Judy Black Park. The space brims with large splashes of color, some abstract, others colorful vases of flowers arranged on tables, yet there is order in everything. The abstract paintings have form within the chaos, drawn in part from a connection to Chinese calligraphy and nature. The flower paintings, too, are rooted in drawing, arranged on tables set slightly askew, requiring the viewer to look carefully.

“Drawing is the most important thing,” Lasar says. She was later inspired by Paul Klee, who said art was “taking a line for a walk.” “Drawing is finding your own language, energy, and technique,” Lasar says. “It’s a long process to recognize your own voice, but it is the most important job of the artist.”

“My work starts as an abstraction, begins with lines, building with lines until it connects and comes together,” she adds. “Energy, that’s part of it. I’m attracted to the power of it. Everything is interconnected, like mushrooms with all the tendrils connecting.”

After an early bicycling trip through China, Lasar was struck by the clear delineation of space, what was in front of you, the middle ground, and the mountains in the distance. The influence of that trip continues in her work.

Lasar’s practice spans engraving, graphite and mixed media on digital prints, chine-collé, and monotypes. “The collage work came in earnest when I started doing monotypes,” she says. “I tend to save everything, that’s the Yankee in me.” She saves select monotypes and repurposes them in collages alongside other print materials, graphite, and acrylic paints.

Lasar graduated from the Rhode Island School of Design and went on to study at Columbia and Yale. She has worked as an artist for 50 years, while also spending 15 years running West Wind Studio, a frame shop. “I saw collections of artists I had studied, and all of this recycled into my life,” she says. “I look back now and see how something expanded in me.”

Lasar’s husband, Stephen Lasar, now uses the frame shop for his architecture practice, and the two share studios in their home. They moved from New York to New Haven before settling in Washington Depot, where he built his business.

Over the past 20 years, Lasar has devoted herself full time to painting. She has exhibited in New England, New York, Minnesota, Sweden, China, and Japan, and is an exhibiting artist at A.I.R. Gallery in Brooklyn, NY. She has been published by VanDeb Editions.

Lasar has had two solo shows at the Mattatuck Museum, group shows at other Connecticut museums and the Center for Contemporary Printmaking, and exhibitions at galleries throughout New York. Her work is held in numerous public and private collections.

The show at Judy Black Park runs from September 21 through October 18, alongside outdoor sculpture by John Casey of New Milford.

The Bantam Cinema & Arts Center has a new executive director, and his connection to the beloved nonprofit runs deeper than his résumé. Larry Milburn, an award-winning filmmaker and entrepreneur who grew up in Litchfield County, spent his formative years as a regular moviegoer at the Bantam Cinema, where independent films first sparked his passion for storytelling. Decades later, after building a career spanning Los Angeles and Litchfield County, he returns to lead the institution that helped shape his creative life.

Milburn brings more than 35 years of experience in filmmaking, arts programming, strategic communications, and event production. His documentary credits include Seed & Faith: Covid-19 and the Farmers of Litchfield County and Sweet Blues: A Film About Michael Bloomfield, and he has collaborated with partners including FOX, Columbia Pictures, BMW, and BBDO. In recent years he has been a familiar face at BCAC as moderator of its Storytellers Series, hosting sold-out conversations with Rob Zombie, Campbell Scott, and Steph Paynes.

“This organization already has an extraordinary foundation,” Milburn says. “My goal is to build upon that legacy by expanding community partnerships, broadening programming, strengthening fundraising, and creating new opportunities for people of all ages to experience the power of fi lm and the arts.” Milburn envisions BCAC as a dynamic year-round destination where independent film, music, education, visual arts, and community conversation converge to enrich the cultural life of Litchfield County.—bantamcinema.org

Each October, nine studio doors swing open across western Connecticut and the annual Clay Way Studio Tour transforms a weekend into an immersive encounter with one of the oldest art forms in human history. This year’s tour takes place October 17 and 18 from 10 am to 5 pm, bringing together 25 artists working in clay across studios that range from intimate home workshops to expansive professional spaces.

The 2026 roster reads like a who’s who of the region’s ceramic community. Host studios include those of Joy Brown, Todd Piker, Jane Herold, Ann Heywood, Will Talbot, Alison Palmer, Christine Owen, Amy Brenner, and Drew Montgomery—each welcoming guests to see their work firsthand and, in many cases, their creative process up close. Joining them are 16 guest artists, making this one of the most expansive editions of the tour to date.

What makes Clay Way singular is its intimacy. This is not a gallery show or a craft fair it is an invitation into the spaces where the work is actually made. Visitors can move at their own pace between studios, speak directly with the artists, and purchase work that might otherwise only be seen in museum collections. A printable map and brochure are available on the website to help plan your route. Mark the weekend. It sells itself once you go.—clayway.net

By Troy McMullen
Photographs by Ryan Lavine

As curator and archivist at the Kent Historical Society, Marge Smith spends her days uncovering the rich history of a community that dates back nearly three centuries. ¶ Yet she says some of the most important historical facts about this scenic town nestled in the Litchfield Hills aren’t told by the living.

They are etched into the crumbling schist and weathered marble of Good Hill Cemetery, a roughly five acre burial ground tucked alongside Route 7 North. ¶ “It sounds a little strange, but Kent’s history really comes alive in that cemetery,” Smith says of the hallowed grounds that serve as the final resting place of early colonial settlers and Revolutionary War veterans. Established in 1747, the burial site is the town’s oldest graveyard. “Each gravesite tells a story, and we want to make sure those stories are unearthed and shared.”

Unearthing those tales requires the painstaking work of cataloging all the grave listings and spending hours in the Town Hall vault tracking down ancient deeds to confirm lineage and establishment dates.

And then there’s the meticulous work of cleaning and restoring the gravestones. Kent’s Cemetery Committee is working to restore as many gravesites as possible in the hope of discovering long-buried parts of the town’s history. But the restoration process is complicated and arduous.

The gravestones—some dating back to the 1750s—range from very fragile sandstone to hard slate and marble. The sandstones are sensitive to harsh cleaning chemicals and crumble very easily. “It is damaged by all but the lightest brushing,” adds Smith.

Some headstones simply require spraying on specialty products and letting them sit before cleaning. Others take time to moisten with water before applying a very soft brush. Gravestones damaged by colonies of lichen—bizarre organisms that are a mix of fungus and an alga that actively grow into and across the markers—require a plastic or wooden baker’s scraper or shish kebab sticks to remove stains. Workers avoid using damaging harsh metal brushes or bleach.

Volunteers are occasionally enlisted, but they must be trained in the delicate cleaning methods and the rules that strictly govern the process, including not touching any gravestone without the permission of a direct descendant or town sexton.

The rewards of this meticulous labor are profound. The committee recently brought two local legends back into the light by uncovering the gravesite of Dr. Oliver Fuller, who was laid to rest in 1817. A trained physician who provided medical care to soldiers during the Revolutionary War, he was also a founder of the “First Medical Society in the Thirteen United States of America,” a group formed to regulate medical practices. Also discovered was the gravesite of Capt. Jireh Swift, a young soldier who fought and died for the Continental Army in 1776 alongside then-loyal Benedict Arnold in Quebec.

“Good Hill Cemetery is an important historical resource offering genealogical information for researchers and a tangible connection to Kent’s community of the past,” explains Christine Adams, director of the Kent Historical Society. “It’s important that they’re lovingly preserved.”

By Maria Mostajo
Photograph by Olympia Shannon

Since 1981, when it deaccessioned its permanent collection to focus solely on contemporary work, the Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum in Ridgefield has championed emerging artists. The museum’s three-acre campus was recently expanded, featuring a pollinator-plant walkway, an amphitheater, and green space for sculpture and events.

The Aldrich has introduced a new recurring survey of Connecticut based artists. The inaugural exhibition, The Aldrich Decennial: I am what is around me, is on view through January 10, 2027. Chief curator Amy Smith-Stewart and curatorial manager Caitlin Monachino visited more than 100 studios statewide to assemble 40 living artists, none of whom have had a solo museum show in Connecticut, with all work made within the last decade.

Ten of those artists live and work right here in Litchfield County, and their practice reveals a group as varied in material as in conceptual depth. Ellen Altfest collapses thespace between landscape and still life in microscopic focus, while Carl D’Alvia’s yellow aluminum sculpture “HotRod” brings pop surrealist whimsy to the garden. Inside, Chris Domenick’s wood, paint, steel, and collaged lamps blur sculpture with functional design.

Domestic life becomes cultural critique elsewhere in the show. Lizzie Gill transforms a tablescape of porcelain vases into a surreal landscape in “Pair of Crimson Vases,” and Dan Gunn morphs urban and rural imagery in carved birch and poplar in “Middle Scenery.” Philip Taaffe and Edward Henderson turn to nature’s surface and weight, Taaffe through paint, mixed media, and printmaking in “Syncopated Ferns,” Henderson through a massive reclaimed steel pipe and a tiny white gold-leaf dragonfly in “Snakeskin.”

Danica Lundy, Em Rooney, and Julia Wachtel close the survey with work that unpacks the modern image-world, including Lundy’s Cubist-inflected “Labyrinth,” Rooney’s sculpture of rice paper held by silk and steel thread, and Wachtel’s screen-printed and painted critique of consumer power, “Zuck.”

Together, the Litchfield County contingent proves that a museum built on looking forward still finds its clearest voice close to home. The Aldrich Decennial remains on view through January 10, 2027, offering Connecticut audiences a rare, unhurried look at the artists shaping the state’s contemporary landscape. —aldrichart.org

“For this new body of work, I strived to create permanence in the ephemeral. The sculptures exist between observation and transformation, nature and invention. Poppy Bed Ornament captures the different stages of poppies as they slowly lose their petals, but remain just as beautiful through each fleeting phase.” —Ariel Dearie

Founded by Abby Bangser, Object & Thing presents object-based works existing at the intersection between art and design. Exhibited from August 1–September 13. 11 East Shore Rd., New Preston
object-thing.com

Painter Sebastian Tillinger’s Debut Memoir, Finally on Shelves

Tillinger—son of Broadway director John Tillinger and actress Dorothy Lyman, brother of Scorsese producer Emma Tillinger Koskoff. —has released How the Ferris Wheel Was Broken: A Love Letter to Los Angeles from Regalo Press. He wrote the memoir at 25 and held it for two decades.

You wrote How the Ferris Wheel Was Broken in 1999, when you were 25, but waited more than two decades to release it. What made this the right moment to share it with readers? I’m interested in art that will stay relevant for all time. I’m biased to my own story, but I found this work entertaining after all these years—so maybe other people will, too.

You grew up around your father, Broadway director John Tillinger, and your mother, actress, director, and writer Dorothy Lyman, surrounded by some of the most brilliant minds in theater and film. How did that upbringing shape who you were at 25, and who you are now? My parents are part of a generation of artists who created art for its own sake. Monetary gain was an afterthought, and I am imbued with that sensibility. The artists I have known are intense personalities open to possibilities. Art is communicating something innovative about the human condition.

Your sister, Emma Tillinger Koskoff, has had an extraordinary career as a film producer, working with Martin Scorsese for 20 years and producing The Joker and The Bride. Would you share a bit about her accomplishments and what it was like to work alongside her on The Bride? My sister is a facilitator of dreams. The morale on her projects is always high, as everyone is focused on delivering the director’s vision.

At 25, you described your life as “dull and pointless.” Do you think most young people feel that way? How does your memoir capture the experience of going through an existential crisis? I have been searching for meaning my entire life. I think all people question the nature of reality and existence, but most move on without any answers. I’m lucky to live with the question.

At 25, you were wrestling with the tension between making art and making a living. Looking back from where you sit today, have you reconciled those two pulls, and what would you tell your younger self about that struggle? Art is not commerce. Your belief is powerful—be careful where you place it.

After 20 years in Los Angeles, you returned to Connecticut, where you now live with your wife, Pilar, and your daughter. What drew you back, and how has settling here shaped your life and your work as a painter? I wanted my daughter to grow up slowly in the protective bubble of a small town instead of the city. It’s Calder country, so it suits me just fine as an artist.

What do you most hope readers take away from How the Ferris Wheel Was Broken, and where can they order the book? I hope people find the book entertaining. You are the star of your own movie. You don’t have to be rich and famous to lead an extraordinary life. The book is available wherever books are sold.

Photographs by Read Mckendree

Belden House & Mews Earns Statewide Preservation Recognition for Historic Revival

Belden House & Mews is proud to have received an Award of Merit from Connecticut Preservation, recognizing the property for its exceptional efforts to preserve and revitalize two historic structures: a c. 1888 Victorian mansion and c. 1959 modernist estate. The result is a contemporary assemblage that carefully preserves every detail of the historic structures for the modern traveler, including select original fireplaces, curved bay windows, stained glass, and more. Working with local artisans and businesses, the hotel was designed in collaboration with Champalimaud Design, PBDW Architects, and Reed+Hilderbrand landscape architects, with whom the hotel is proud to share this recognition. —beldenhouse.com

Rumsey Hall was founded in 1900. How has the school changed while holding onto its founding mission? Rumsey has grown from a small boys’ boarding school into a coeducational community serving day students from Pre-K through ninth grade and boarders in grades six through nine. Our programs, facilities, and teaching have evolved, but our core belief has not: a school can be both highly rigorous and deeply human. Children learn best when they are challenged, known, and cared for.

Why is middle school treated as such a defining stage at Rumsey? Middle school can be one of the most challenging stages of childhood. Young people seek greater independence but still need structure, reassurance, and guidance. Students take on responsibility gradually, surrounded by adults who understand this age and know them well.

With a 6:1 student-teacher ratio, what does that mean in the classroom? In a class of 12, it is difficult for a student to disappear, and that is a good thing. Teachers learn how each child thinks, where they need encouragement, and how best to challenge them—whether that means extra support, inviting a quieter student into the conversation, or giving another room to pursue a subject more deeply.

What role does Rumsey’s 331-acre campus in the Litchfield Hills play in daily school life? Many classrooms open directly outdoors, so students step outside as they move through the day. The rivers, trails, fields, and changing seasons become natural extensions of the classroom, whether students are conducting a science investigation, sketching outdoors, or riding mountain bikes. Children learn and grow best when they have room to move, explore, play, and connect with the world around them.

Rumsey graduates go on to selective secondary schools across the country. How do you prepare them for that transition? Preparation is about more than academics. Students learn how they work best, when to ask for help, when to advocate for themselves, and how to manage greater independence. Our secondary school counseling process then helps each family find the school where that student will thrive.

With 42 athletic offerings—from crew to ice hockey to mountain biking—what’s the philosophy behind such a wide range? At Rumsey, being a three-season athlete means participating in an athletic or recreational activity in the fall, winter, and spring. The breadth of choices allows experienced competitors and beginners alike to find their place while building teamwork, resilience, and confidence.

Why do traditions matter so much at Rumsey? Traditions connect generations of students and help them understand that they are part of something larger than themselves. Red vs. Blue, the Blue Dog Parade, holiday dinners, the annual ski trip to Bromley, and other events bring different ages together and create lasting memories, and give the school a shared history that students become part of.

How does Rumsey develop leadership from Pre-K through ninth grade? Leadership begins with small, age-appropriate responsibilities and grows as students do. Younger students take on classroom jobs and lead assemblies, while older students serve as team captains, student government representatives, club leaders, and mentors.

What distinguishes Rumsey? Rumsey educates the whole child within one connected community. A student can move from a small class to extra help, orchestra, art, theater, or athletics, all on the same campus. Teachers, coaches, and advisors know students in different settings and work together to support their growth. —rumseyhall.org

Pilar DeMann and Emily Haggett have been friends for years, bonded by a shared devotion to the idea that beauty should feel effortless. Now they’re neighbors in Washington Depot, where Pilar runs her brow and makeup studio downstairs and Emily practices esthetics just above her. Two disciplines, one building, one philosophy.

What drew you both to Washington Depot, and what does it mean to be neighbors?
Pilar: My husband grew up here. We would come to visit, fall more in love each time, and eventually found a property we couldn’t resist. We made the move 14 years ago and have never looked back. I have not slept a bad night since.

Emily: I came to work at the Mayflower nearly 20 years ago and fell in love with the Depot and its quaint charm immediately. When the space above Pilar opened up, I didn’t hesitate.

Pilar: Having Emily near me is a dream. When the space opened, she said she wanted it, and I said, do it.

You both work with clients who feel overwhelmed, whether by products, by their skin, or by not knowing where to start. How do you approach that?

Pilar: Most clients want things simpler, easier, and faster. Beauty is everywhere, from airports to supermarkets to magazines, and it can feel like a lot. I help people find a routine and the right products that elevate their look in fewer steps.

Emily: I use Pietro Simone’s boutique skincare line and I love the term he coined “pro aging,” that is exactly the philosophy I work from. My clients come in stressed and leave feeling like their most beautiful selves. That transformation is what drives me.

Pilar, brows are your signature. Bring us inside your approach.

Very gently. For a first tinting, I go much lighter, which means it fades faster, but it eases you in. I want you to love your brows when you leave and want to come back again and again.

Emily, tell us about the sculptural lymphatic facial massage.

It’s like going to the gym for your face. I’ve been refining it for 25 years. It works in a lymphatic direction to sculpt and reduce puffiness, and every facial I do includes a version of it.

How do you both think about building long-term habits with clients?

Emily: I use the dental care analogy. Your dermatologist is your “dentist”, I’m your “hygienist”, and your daily skincare routine is compared to brushing your teeth. All three work together for optimal skin health. Professional care plus a consistent home routine is the foundation.

Pilar: I’ve spent more than 30 years helping people do less and look better for it. The goal is always fewer steps, not more products, not more coverage. Simplicity is its own kind of expertise.

What do you want a client to feel when she leaves your chair?

Pilar: Her best. That is what I want for every client. Beauty is self-care and self-love, and everyone deserves to feel it.

Emily: A first appointment with me includes a consult, double cleanse, gentle exfoliation, extractions, mask, the sculptural massage, and we finish with the scalp. You leave completely transformed. That is what I want for every client, every time.

8 ½ Titus Road
Washington Depot
emilyhaggett.glossgenius.com
Pilar.Beauty.com (310-985-2005)