Enjoy Art in the Garden on June 6

Date: 6/3/2009

WEST SPRINGFIELD On June 6, the Jane Barrientos Studio & Art Gallery, located at 33 Cooper St., will present "Art in the Garden" from 1 to 4 p.m.

Artists will present their paintings as well as work in the garden studio throughout the day. The public is invited to meet and talk with the artists to learn about their work and to view this year's work on display.

Along with well known artists, more than 35 local adult students will showcase their paintings. The average student has never painted before. By day, they are teachers, security guards, presidents, councilors, parents, politicians and business owners. They are people who have always wanted to try art, but thought you had to have some inner talent to even try. Art classes offer the busy entrepreneur, mom, dad or executive a chance to step into the world of creativity and relaxation, not usually offered in the day to day world.

Jane Barrientos originally studied for a degree in economics, but ended up at Paier College of Fine Art in Hamden, Conn. She has run the Agawam Arts and Crafts supply store for 11 years. She has taught all over the U.S. and Canada.

One of her first classes was in San Diego, where more than half of the students were Japanese and the other half were from South America. She has published three "how to" books on Trompe L'Oeil, and has authored several magazine articles on drawing and painting.

This is the ninth annual student show and this year and this year it will feature Jackie Lowry, a student from Broadbrook, Conn. Lowry has been painting for more than 60 years, with the past 14 years in the Barrientos West Springfield studio.

The Jane Barrientos Studio & Gallery is located at 33 Cooper St. in West Springfield.