Art Exhibit Space

Marge Casey is a Guilford artist who has been painting in oils for over 20 years. She began her art instruction in high school, attending the NY High School of Art and Design and earned a degree in fashion design from Fashion Institute of Technology in NYC.

Marge graduated from Southern Connecticut State College with a major in early childhood education and a minor in art. In her earlier years, she concentrated her interest in the arts by focusing on handmade crafts, dolls, quilting, and clothing. As an early childhood teacher, she brought her creativity into the classroom, always encouraging her young students to develop their artistic expression.

Marge is an elected artist of the Madison Art Society, Clinton Art Society and Guilford Art Leagure. She served as vice president and president of the Madison Art Society. Her subject matter is diverse, ranging from local land and seascapes, to portraits, flowers, and still life subjects. She loves to explore the unique opportunities offered through en plein air painting, especially capturing the very beautiful scenes in the shoreline,
countryside, and farmlands of Connecticut. Marge’s artwork will be on display at the Guilford Free Library during the month of December. Artwork is on display during Library hours. Contact information is available at the library.

Mimi Griffin Dudley has had a passion for embroidery since she was a child. Her mother, Mary Keefe Griffin, an artist and home economics teacher taught her how to do many kinds of stitches. Mimi is a member of Embroiderers Guild of America. She exhibited her embroidery at the Acton Library in Old Saybrook. Mimi has her degrees in music education and is now a retired music teacher. She has a minor in art and has worked at the Hillstead Museum, the Hyland House Museum and the Griswold House with the Guilford Keeping Society. She is a storyteller at the Guilford free Library using her flute, guitar andembroidered felt boards once a month. Her distinct embroidery pieces are hand drawn, traced on to fabric and then hand embroidered. She uses a variety of colors in her embroidery flosses. Mimi is grateful and thrilled to do this exhibit in December.

Mimi’s exhibit includes quilts, felt story boards and smaller seasonal pieces in wooden hoops. Her most recent quilt is the Nutcracker Suite quilt. She has created a Paris quilt, a Mother Goose quilt, a blue and white tea cup quilt and a nautical quilt. Her largest quilt, the Vermont quilt has scenes from our vacations at Cabot, Vermont. The Sun Bonnet Sue quilt features 12 months of Sun Bonnet Sue. The smaller pieces with wooden hoops were created for Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Snowmen, days, Valentines Day, St. Patrick’s Day, Easter and patriotic days. Thank you to all the people who supported me-my husband Stephen and Amanda Merrill who helped me hang these pieces.

Who taught me how?

A poem by Mimi Griffin Dudley

Who taught me how to sew? My mother taught me how to make the needle flow.
Who taught me how to stitch? My mother taught me how to enjoy this special niche.
Who taught me how to design? My mother taught me how to use patterns like square nin
Who taught me how to make stitches so fine? My mother taught me how to do this-divine.
Who taught me how to move the needle up and down? My mother taught me how to use this skill all around.
Who taught me how to sketch and draw? My mother, an artist, did and I am still in awe.
Who taught me how to create? My mother taught me how- it was great.
Who taught me how to seam? My mother taught me to sew and dream.
Who taught me how to develop a theme? My mother taught me and we were a team.
Who taught me how to use blocks that repeat? My mother taught me in a heartbeat.
Who taught me how to sew and care? My mother taught me how to make each block square.
Who taught me how to use fabric green? My mother taught me how to use this color like an Irish queen.
Who taught me how to sue fabric so blue? My mother taught me how to use this color and pursue.
Who taught me how to use this art form to inspire? My mother taught me this and I still admire.
Who taught me how to quilt? My mother taught me how to do this craft with purpose built.
Who taught me this wonderful art? My mother taught me with all her heart.