KENT—Watercolor artist Deborah Chabrian has received some prestigious awards for her works this past year, but she came home Friday, Sept. 6, with an award with special meaning—the People’s Choice Award from the Merwinsville Hotel exhibition celebrating completion of the third-story ballroom restoration.
Other winners were Jeanne Steers, first prize for mixed media, “Locomotion”; Terry Tougus, second prize for mixed media, “Merwinsville – Track Side”; Cynthia O’Connor, first prize for fine art, “Outside In”; Christina Maschke, second prize. for fine art, “Respite”; and David King, second prize for photography, “Christmas at Merwinsville.”
The winners were selected through a blind judging, where entrants’ names were concealed.
In June, Chabrian entered a painting born out of an indelible image etched in her mind when she left the hotel one winter night following a Christmas fundraising event.
Restoration of the historic building, erected prior to the arrival of the first Housatonic Railroad train in 1843, has been an ongoing volunteer effort for the past 53 years.
Chabrian and her husband, fellow artist Ed Martinez, have been involved in the restoration effort for decades and Chabrian has been a fixture running the bakery for the Christmas show.
“I have been helping out at the Christmas show since my mom passed away,” Chabrian said in an online post.
“It was my way to keep her close (she adored Christmas) and to heal myself,” she said.
“The idea for this painting came when, after hours, I was leaving for the night,” she related. “I looked back at the hotel and Jeremy and Jennifer (Haase) were there at the desk working tirelessly, counting the day’s earnings, hoping we had a good night. Someday, I thought, I need to document that moment.”
When the time came to do a painting of the hotel to celebrate the ballroom’s completion, she knew just what to paint.
“I am honored to have won this blind competition and to receive this recognition from my local community,” she wrote.
A small group of 11 artists participated in the hotel-themed art show and cash prizes were awarded in three different categories: painting/drawing, photography and mixed media. The artwork was up all summer.
Judging for the art contest was done by Kent resident and artist George-Ann Gowan.
