Published: Jun 21, 2025 7:00 am
Liz Fay’s Solo Exhibition at Silvermine Arts Center
NEW CANAAN — Artist Liz Fay, a longtime resident of Sandy Hook, will showcase her work in a significant solo exhibition titled “Ordinary/Extraordinary Women” at the Silvermine Arts Center from June 25 to July 5, 2025.
Exhibition Overview
This exhibition marks a milestone in Fay’s career, as it is her first solo showcase in a prominent gallery or museum. The collection features large-scale, multidimensional portraits that honor 16 remarkable women who are often overlooked, celebrating their unique characteristics and Fay’s artistic journey.
Opening Reception and Gallery Talk
A public reception will be held on Sunday, June 29, from 2 to 4 PM, featuring a gallery talk at 3 PM. Attendees will have the opportunity to delve into Fay’s creative process and the inspiration behind her works.
Artistic Evolution
Liz Fay’s artistic journey has evolved significantly since she began her career creating functional rugs with abstract designs. A pivotal moment occurred in 2004 when Fay and her daughter Chelsea visited Ruth Spring, a relative by marriage. During this visit, they found Spring, then aged 93 and dealing with arthritis, in her garden, which sparked a new creative direction for Fay.
Inspiration from Ruth Spring
Spring’s family would often move her chair outdoors, allowing her to oversee gardening tasks. This moment of connection inspired Fay to create “Ruth Spring: In Her Garden,” a hand-hooked piece made from hand-dyed and recycled wool on linen. This artwork serves as the foundation for the 16 portraits that make up her current exhibition.
Multidimensional Portraits
Each of the portraits in the collection incorporates Fay’s signature technique of using wool fabric, hand-hooked onto linen, while progressively introducing novelty fabrics, sentimental clothing, yarn, and beads that relate to each woman’s story.
Personal Narratives
Fay explains that the selection of women for the project was organic: “It was just whoever was in my life at the time,” she noted in a recent interview with The Newtown Bee. The final piece in the collection, “Liz Alpert Fay: Dreaming on Blue Mountain Lake,” is a self-portrait that will be displayed alongside “Joan Alpert Rowen: Woman of the Woods,” a portrait of Fay’s late mother. This juxtaposition emphasizes the shared themes and individuality of both women.
Exhibition Catalog and Biographies
The exhibition will feature a catalog filled with beautiful essays and full-color photographs, as well as biographies of each subject written by close friends or relatives. “These biographies are both surprising and honest and bring a wider perspective and dimension to the project,” Fay mentioned.
Impact on Visitors
Fay hopes that after experiencing the exhibition, visitors will reflect on the women in their own lives. “Women are so often overlooked and taken for granted, and I think it’s important, especially in today’s world, to take the time to appreciate those around us,” she stated.
Future Feature
A comprehensive feature on Liz Fay and her work will be published in the June 27, 2025 issue of The Newtown Bee and available online at newtownbee.com.
For more information about the exhibition at Silvermine Arts Center, attendees can look forward to engaging with this profound celebration of women’s contributions to society through art.
