“Lemon Parade” by Randi Kahrll

New CAS Lifetime Member Anne Bingham Pierson MD

In addition to being a longtime valued member of Clinton Art Scoiety, Anne is a physician, mother of four, and grandmother.
Anne’s love of art started as a child. She recalls a gifted art teacher in grammar school encouraging her. Anne did not major in art, but pursued medical training and earned her medical degree in 1955. Shortly thereafter she was recruited to serve in leadership roles at Planned Parenthood. Anne began painting while she was in medical school. She recalls submitting a lab report for a pathology course in which she included a sketch of a foot. The instructor commented on the sketch as this was not what was typically found in most medical students’ lab reports.

Upon returning to Connecticut in 1980, Anne pursued art training with Lou Bonamarte at the Lyme Academy of Fine Arts. In addition, she studied with numerous local and nationally known artists. Anne is an elected artist in many shoreline art associations including Lyme Art Association where she served as treasurer and president. In 2003, Anne was elected a member of
the Connecticut Watercolor Society. Anne prefers working in watercolor because of its spontaneity and flow of
color, and both the subtlety of shading and transparent clarity that she can achieve with this medium. When not working with watercolor, she enjoys working with acrylic, tempera, pastel and/or collage as well. In addition to continuing to exhibit in member shows, Anne has exhibited her work in numerous art galleries, solo and collaborative shows, and in commercial establishments and public buildings. Anne continues to be an active member of Clinton Art Society. Her work can be viewed at Clinton Art Society exhibitions throughout the year.

It is with great pleasure that Clinton Art Society honors her contributions to and achievements with Clinton Art Society with a Lifetime Membership Award.

New CAS Lifetime Member Karen Wiesner

Karen Wiesner has been a valued member of Clinton Art Society since the early 1970’s. As a child growing up in West Hartford, Karen attended Saturday morning art lessons at the West Hartford Art League. There she was exposed to many art mediums. While she did not major in art in college, she pursued her love of painting though Simsbury Adult education classes when she
was first married. In 1971 her family, which included two daughters, moved to Madison. Along the shoreline she took advantage of numerous opportunities to enhance her artistic skills. She studied with a number of major artists working in oil and pastels. It was in a workshop offered by Lou Bonamarte at the Guilford Handcraft Center where Karen’s love of pastels took off. She took many classes and workshops with Lou. Over the years Karen enjoyed painting en plein air and painted on location with Sam D’Amburoso in Tuscany and with Charles Gruppe in Italy, Portugal, Greece and Spain.

Karen has won multiple awards in many juried shows along the shoreline and beyond. In 2011, her pastel Winter’s Gold earned the “Journey of Peers Award” in the Connecticut Pastel Society’s 18 th Annual National Exhibition at the Mattatuck Museum. She is an elected artist in many shoreline art associations. In addition to Clinton Art Society, Karen maintains active membership in
multiple art organizations. For over 50 years she has been a member of the Tuesday Morning Painters who meet weekly during the academic year in Madison’s old town hall to create art. Karen faithfully participated in monthly art critiques with John Massimino offered through CAS. Karen continues to be an active member and volunteer at Clinton Art Society. She makes sure every member picks up their work at the end of each exhibition and generously offers art critiques and wisdom.

We are honored to be able to recognize Karen Wiesner’s achievements and service to Clinton Art
Society with a Lifetime Membership Award.