What a wonderful experience meeting a real local artist. Her name is Victoria Skomal Wilchinsky, she lives in Fairfield County and paints sunsets and sunrises. Her medium is pastels and her color combinations are just spectacular. Her work is so impressive and lasting that even a small child just stares in wonder.

Our class just finished studying “The Scream” by Edvard Munch. We looked closely at the horizon behind the character and wondered where those beautiful colors of orange, yellow and red came from. Our next stop was a family gathering for a sunrise at 7:27 A.M. and a sunset at around 5:30P.M. in the afternoon. Families were asked to try to go to the shore and tell us about the horizon. Some families took pictures and we then knew when Edvard must have done his painting.

Sometimes people think that a small child of three years old can’t really appreciate the beauty of an artist yet, but our class made this look so easy. As the children entered the gallery with Victoria’s work, a smile appeared on their faces and you just knew they recognized the beauty of the sunsets. The children walked around sipping on sparkling cider and enjoying some fruit. Our artist gave them a private lesson on pastels and helped them do their own blending of colors on a small paper. Another memory was created at Unquowa that I hope lasts a lifetime. It certainly was a memory for all the parents and teachers that were involved in this great field experience.