“As a child I enjoyed watching my father paint with oils and watercolors. Drawing and sketching have always been an important part of my life. It wasn’t until I retired from teaching fifth grade in North Canaan, CT, that I tried my hand at watercolor. I started by taking lessons from my father and then at an adult education class with Harold Brien. I’ve also taken classes with Lois Van Cleef, an award-winning artist in Ashley Falls, Mass. I have belonged to the Housatonic Valley Art League and have entered paintings in its sponsored shows and in the St. George Cathedral Glendi juried shows in Springfield, Mass. I recently joined the Canaan Art Guild and the Fourteenth Colony art group. I love working with watercolor and enjoy trying all different subjects and scenes. In 2013 the Trinity Church Art Show awarded me an Honorable Mention. I have paintings in private homes in all the New England states and in New York and New Jersey. I am pleased that a man from England purchased one! In February and March 2016, Little Red Bird Studio in Millerton, NY showcased my paintings. I have had shows in the Douglas Library in Canaan. My husband John is very supportive and helps me with matting and framing.” -Hope Mongeau