Community Corner

Simsbury Artist Wins 'Best in Show' Award

Susan Patla Brereton is a Simsbury resident and has an art studio at Farmington Valley Arts Center.

A Simsbury artist recently took home a Best in Show Award from the Southington Arts and Crafts Association's 22nd annual juried art show.

Susan Patla Brereton won the award for her painting, "At the Beach," a 30x30 oil painting that portrays a young girl in a beach hat. The show was held at Gallery 53 in Meriden.

The judges favored the bright painting.

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“Beautiful sense of light and design…A beautiful, fresh painting!” said art show judge Jack Broderick in a release.

Brereton's work is realistic and recently she has focused on children's portraits. 

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“I try to capture their innocence and beauty by using color to focus on their expressions and eyes,” she said. 

Brereton has an art studio at the Farmington Valley Arts Center in Avon, where she also teaches group and private classes. She has exhibited in New York City, Maine and Connecticut, and her paintings have been featured in numerous juried art shows throughout Connecticut. She teaches illustration at Manchester Community College in Manchester, and has a graphic design and illustration business working with Fortune 500 clients and individuals. Brereton graduated with a B.A. in fine art from Anna Maria College, a M.A. in illustration from Syracuse University and a M.F.A. from Hartford Art School, University of Hartford. 

For more information, visit her website, http://susanbrereton.com.


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