Meet The Artists

After a long time career as a professional Graphic Designer including 20 years in his own business, Greg Murry had the desire to get out from behind the computer screen and back to his hands-on artistic roots. At this point he started his own decorative painting business doing faux finishes, trompe l’oeils and murals. It wasn’t until Covid hit his wife gave him an easel that he took up his fine art paintbrushes and acrylics. Greg enjoyed creating his art and found it to be very relaxing during the pandemic lockdown. Within a short time period he created many colorful,detailed paintings in a variety of subjects; such as, rusty trucks, airplanes, boats, birds, tropical beach scenes and among other subjects. In 2022 Greg became a member of the Lyme Art Association in Old Lyme, CT and has exhibited many of his paintings in their juried art shows. Greg has contributed a painted buoy to the Ocean Community Chamber of Commerce for the Stonington Lobster Trap Christmas Tree since its 2nd year. Greg’s artwork can be seen at Greg Murry Facebook.

Helen Roy is an artist and educator living in Westerly, Rhode Island who grew up in the beautiful Berkshires.  As a self-taught artist she considers herself fortunate to have had the opportunity to fall in love with painting after 30 years as a Learning Specialist.  Roy recognizes that the first reaction to visual art is what is seen, but she believes the most important response is how a piece of art makes the viewer feel. 

The theme of Roy’s artwork paintings is A Celebration of Color.  The hope being that a colorful vibrant painting can transform a down or dark emotion.  Her artwork and palette is often dominated by the colors one observes watching the sunset over the ocean. Much of her work is inspired by the colors of the seascapes and landscapes of her home in South County, Rhode Island.

Roy’s mediums include acrylic, oil, cold wax & oil and mixed media.  Some of her work consists of clean lines and geometric shapes, while other pieces are abstract seascapes or non-representational colorful creations.  She tries to challenge expectations and perceptions by using color, shapes, lines and markings to encourage both movement and capture emotion.  She often includes paintings in a diptych or triptych format that encourages the eye to flow along from one canvas to the next.  Creating Mixed Media Collages is Roy’s latest adventure.

Indoor and outdoor mobiles are another passion of Roy, created in both abstract and representational form. The mobiles are created with acrylic paint and/or Rustoleum paint on wood or metal. They are designed to take advantage of the principle of equilibrium and dance.  Each creation results in the motion of a colorful vibrant piece of art floating through the moving air.

Roy has combined her passion for creating with her joy of teaching and has been teaching painting classes in both Rhode Island and Connecticut. She is an artist member and shows regularly at Artists’ Cooperative Gallery of Westerly, Mystic Museum of Art, and South County Art Association. To learn more about Helen Roy visit her website at www.helenroygallery.com or follow her on Facebook and Instagram@helenmroy.

Elaine earned an undergraduate B.S. degree in Art Education at the University of New Hampshire and received a MAT degree in Watercolor from Rhode Island College.  She taught art for many years in The Smithfield RI school system with a concentration on the fine arts as well as portfolio development and currently teaches a variety of drawing and painting classes.  Elaine lives in Rhode Island.  Learn more about her amazing work at http://www.elainegauthierart.com/

April Roderick is a Rhode Island based acrylic artist known for bold, loose brushstrokes and expressive color. Her work ranging from portraits, animals, and landscapes to still life, is created as a daily practice of showing up, staying present, and trusting the process. Each piece is less about perfection and more about capturing a feeling and the joy found along the way. April lives in Portsmouth with her husband and has spent more than 38 years in the beauty industry as a hairstylist and co-owner of a local salon, a career that continues to influence her approach to creativity, connection, and personal expression. 

INFO:

April Roderick Fine Art

401-741-7343

Aprilrart.com

Instagram

I am writing to introduce myself and my work as a meticulous artist with over 30 years of experience. My artistic approach is deeply influenced by traditional Greek and Russian Byzantine styles, and I pride myself on maintaining historical techniques and rich detail across all my pieces.

Throughout my career, I have completed numerous projects for churches across Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, California, and Arizona. My work has been featured in various newspapers and magazines over the years, reflecting my commitment to the craft. Additionally, I am dedicated to supporting the community and have donated pieces to many charities, including the Stonington Lobster Trap Buoy Tree.

Jillian Lauren is a Rhode Island–based artist specializing in immersive artwork for weddings, events, and elevated interior spaces. Known for blending fine art with live experiences, her work captures emotion, movement, and atmosphere in a way that feels both modern and deeply personal.

Drawing inspiration from fashion, storytelling, human connection, and coastal New England living, Jillian creates pieces that are layered, expressive, and intentionally imperfect. From live wedding paintings and experiential event art to murals and original fine art, each piece is designed to transform moments into lasting visual experiences.

Her artistic style balances bold femininity with organic texture — combining sophistication, emotion, and spontaneity to create work that feels timeless yet alive. Whether painting in front of a crowd or creating one-of-a-kind commissioned pieces, Jillian approaches each project with the belief that art should not only decorate a space, but create a feeling within it.

Through Jillian Lauren Art, she aims to create immersive, meaningful work that celebrates beauty, connection, and the stories people carry with them.

Born and raised in Rhode Island, artist Elizabeth Hattoy Joyal has been painting since childhood, exploring all mediums and areas of her creativity throughout her life. In her high school years, Liz was voted “Class Artist,” and later attended Rhode Island College receiving a Bachelor of Arts Degree with a concentration focused on painting. After college, Liz was a member of the East Greenwich Art Club where she networked, expanded her creativity, and application with painting doing not only art pieces, but doing custom design work and hand lettering signs, as well as boat & truck fleets for numerous private clients and companies.

As Liz’s career progressed, she taught art for over 20 years in various school departments, as well as hosting her own Summer Art Camps and doing private art lessons with individual clients in their desired areas of study. Today, Liz continues to do custom request pieces of all varieties, various local art shows that showcase her variety of work, and also hosts seasonal paint nights at various establishments and shops that display her work. For any inquiries or to contact Liz, please follow her on Facebook under Elizabeth Hattoy Joyal or searching for Liz’s Palette.

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A resident of Warwick Rhode Island, I painted my first oil at age eight and many years later continue to create art with and on many different mediums. Most recently going from painting on canvas to denim jackets and now to creating original handmade handbags made from recycled repurposed textile fabrics .

Accomplishments :

460 Studio / Wickford 2019 - 2022

Breslin Fine Arts / Studio Works 2003 - 2006 awards from : Wickford Art Association / 1st place sculpture 1994 show Members Show / Honorable mention

2022

Two / three person shows 2000 , 2001

Book illustrations for Ocean Dreams by Patricia Couiseau

Rhode Island Open 2018 / honorable mention

Member Warwick Center for the arts

Member South County Art Association

Narragansett Art Festival 2015 - 202

ajgusettidesigns@gmail.com

Facebook:  Amy Jane

I have been creating art for as long as I can remember. My early years were filled with coloring books, sketch pads, sidewalk chalk, backyard creations and beach sculptures.

My high school years continued to be fill with art making which in turn lead me to Rhode Island College to pursue my Bachelor’s Degree in studio art with a focus in Graphic Design. My passion for working in a multitude of media and for sharing my love of art further lead me to pursue my Master’s Degree in Art Education, also at Rhode Island College.

For 26 years I focused most of my creative energies into developing and implementing a multifaceted and diverse art program for elementary students in the Barrington public schools. In my role as elementary department chair I helped create a curriculum to meet the needs of all of my students. Our art program exposed our students to art experiences beyond the visual arts. We incorporated music, dance, and theatre performances  into the program. Our students also enjoyed creating art in a variety of media that was inspired from cultures across the globe.

Since retiring from teaching I have had the time and opportunity to reinvest in my own art making. Presently, I have been working in a variety of mediums including acrylics, mixed-media, and fluid art. Themes that often can found in my art vary from the whimsical and imaginative to representing the ever changing rhythms found in nature.

This is one of my favorite quotes from Albert Einstein “Creativity is intelligence having fun”

Beth Goulet is a self-taught artist whose work is inspired by nature, beauty, healing, and the quiet moments that invite us to slow down and pay attention. Working in a variety of mediums, Beth creates landscapes, seascapes, florals, nature-inspired paintings, and intricate mandalas that reflect her love of color, pattern, and the natural world.

Her mandala practice began during cancer treatment, when painting became a form of meditation and healing. What began as prayers for her own recovery evolved into Prayers for Humanity, a series created from intentions of peace, compassion, healing, and love.

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Whether painting a landscape, exploring the details of a flower, or building an intricate mandala one dot at a time, Beth hopes her work offers viewers a moment of beauty, connection, and joy.

Shannon Gagne, Visual Artist

As a practicing artist, my work is inspired by the coastal world around me. I specialize in fused glass mosaics, firing glass to create polished edges and luminous surfaces that allow me to build movement, texture, and rhythm within each piece. Alongside glass, I also work in ceramics, photography, oil painting and mixed media sculpture.

My creative process is meditative—an act of healing, reflection, and connection. Through kiln-fired glass, handmade ceramic elements, and imagery inspired by the sea, I hope to invite others to reflect and reconnect with nature. Each piece becomes both a personal journey and an offering of connection—celebrating the quiet strength, wonder, and magic found along the shoreline.

About the Artist When I’m not in my own studio, I am advocating for the next generation of creators. I earned my BFA from the Maryland Institute College of Art, a Master’s from Wesleyan, and a degree in Educational Leadership from Central Connecticut State University. I currently share my love for the creative process by teaching art and directing a public school arts program. I am currently accepting custom commissions and love collaborating with clients to create unique, site-specific pieces.

Website: shannongagneart.net

Instagram: https://Instagram.com/barbonepaints

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Welcome! I am Beverly Townsend, a nature and landscape artist with a style that celebrates rich, vibrant color, texture and movement with layers of acrylic paint using palette knives. Through my paintings, I try to capture nature in how I see it and how it makes me feel. As a child, most of my time was spent outdoors in nature which awakened a creativity in me. The trees, flowers and flowing waters seemed to be telling me stories, and I found that nature is not perfect, it is beautiful just as it is. My parents were also artists and I would watch them as they would make the canvas come to life with every brush stroke. 

Art has always been and will be a part of my life. I Use different sizes of palette knifes which help create dimension and gives me freedom to apply layer after layer of acrylic paint and colors to tell my story within each painting.  

Each painting takes me on a journey, finding peace and joy that is such a blessing.  My desire is that every painting people see, it will also take them on their own journey of peace and joy!

web: https://www.facebook.com/BeverlyTownsend.PeacefulJourneys

email: peaceful_journeys@outlook.com

Colleen O’Connor grew up in Mystic. Her first professional art job was at 14. She would collect white smooth stones at Watch Hill and with pen & ink would draw ships on them. She sold them at the Mystic Outdoor Art Festival and The Mystic Seaport. She achieved a BFA at UCONN in painting and sculpture. She moved to Boston after college. While in Boston she designed, created and installed glass panels in public buildings and private residences. She returned to Mystic to raise a family. She continued to pursue art in painting, glass and wood. She began to fuse glass creating jewelry and sculptures. She also has a passion for nature, photographing many of the beautiful preserves and birds in the area.

       She is currently an elected member at The Mystic Museum of Art. She also exhibits at The Norwich Arts Council and The Clinton Arts Society.

Spencer Reese is a CT-based artist, both visual and performing!  He is on music faculty at UConn and paints for projects all over the state.  His work has been seen in Stonington in the last three lobster trap trees as well as the nutcracker trail.  He has also contributed to the Festival of Trees and Traditions at the Wadsworth Atheneum as well as Enfield's Tree-mendous to benefit the food shelf.  He is known for his signature touch of whimsy in all his work, which you can see in "Nautical Neighbors"!  Everyone loves a seaside quilt... you may just be surprised who put this one together!

A graduate of Three Rivers Community College and the Lyme Academy College of Fine Arts Martha uses primarily watercolors and color pencils for her illustrations on paper. This style and bold colors define her larger body of work, quite literally. 

Martha has done several public art projects in addition to the Stonington Lobster Trap Tree buoys, including Bees across New Britain as well as the Submarine Century. Her painted submarine sculpture is featured in front of the Connecticut children's museum in Niantic. 

Her website is marthartstudio.com where she can be reached for commission work. 

Chris Boyle is a writer and illustrator based in Norwich, CT whose artwork spans a variety of styles and mediums, having been featured in  magazines, greeting cards, books, and more. 

Through his publishing imprint, Brok'n Rose Studios, Chris first released a comic book in 2023 titled The First Knight, followed by Aldo, a children’s book, in 2025. Later this year, Chris will be again touching on his comic book world with the release of the first installment of a new adventure/fantasy comic series titled Thorngold.

More info can be found at ChrisBoyleArt.com

Jessica Hines is an artist and educator with a BFA in Illustration from the Rhode Island School of Design. With over 27 years of teaching experience, she is the owner of a community-based art studio now entering its 12th year, where she leads classes, workshops, and art camps for both children and adults.

Hines works primarily in acrylic on canvas, embracing an intuitive and exploratory approach that moves between abstraction and landscape. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she turned to abstract painting as a way to navigate uncertainty, expanding her visual language while deepening her creative practice.

Her work has been exhibited through organizations and venues including the Wickford Art Association, Warwick Center for the Arts, Rhode Island Watercolor Society, JP Licks, and T. F. Green Airport.

Rooted in a desire for stillness and reflection, her painting practice serves as a space where outside noise and daily stress fall away. Landscapes remain a central influence, inspired by the time she spends outdoors observing the subtle shifts of color, light, and texture in nature.

Through both her studio practice and her teaching, Hines is committed to making art accessible and fostering creative connection within her community.

Joan is a former General Motors Designer/stylist. In 1965, she was chosen for the GM Summer program. In 1966, after graduating from college, she became the first female hired into GM exterior design. She spent 3.5 years at GM in Production Cadillac Studio, Advanced Buick and Oldsmobile Production Interior studios. Joan left GM for General Electric, where she performed design work on major appliances, consumer electronics and wiring devices. Eventually, Joan started her own design business in 1987. She has Designed for many companies including the Tabletop industry for Waterford, Lenox, Mikasa, Tupperware to name a few. Joan still designs cars “just for fun” through The League of Retired Automotive Designers. For more on her design work, visit www.creamerdesign.com & www.RetroAutoPrints.com

After a varied career as: a Retail buyer; Special Projects/Major Moves Specialist (Cigna), professional ad copy writer at an ad agency , a small stint as a short order cook; a Graphic Designer/Artist under Uniquitous Art since 1985; a professional ski/snowboard instructor; a VP in banking in sales and marketing, including as an Internet Specialist for BOA; a professional equestrian with PATH, a therapeutic horseback riding organization; an art teacher, and now an international

stand up comedian. 

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Paula had a studio for five years as Uniquitous at the Farmington Valley Arts Studios in Farmington Connecticut. It was there, her company Uniquitous blossomed.

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Paula Deutz has always had the desire to do more, learn more. She epitomizes the phrase Carpe Diem. As a savvy senior, Paula devotes her time not only to art, and her two rescue cats, but divvies her spare time up between 5 various organizations as a volunteer. As a comedian, she and a partner produce shows in the Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island market.  Paula also enjoys relaxing, going to the beach, photography, and traveling.

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This is the second year that Paula has participated in the Stonington Lobster Trap Tree, painting a buoy, and the second year painting and embellishing a 6 foot tall nutcracker for the OCCC Nutcracker Trail exhibit. 

Gaby Paterno is an Italian-American Multimedia Artist, from Hoboken, New Jersey and Westerly, Rhode Island; whose practice operates at the intersection of Fine Art, narrative storytelling, and functional design. She specializes in the creation of Wearable Art, transforming luxury textiles and leather goods into one-of-a-kind visual stories; creating her own version of a (time)capsule wardrobe.

A graduate of the University of Rhode Island with a dual focus in Marketing and Fine Arts, Gaby’s work is underpinned by a deeper understanding of visual communication and brand identity. She has been the recipient of a Scholastic Silver Key Art Award and has pieces of work on permanent display at Westerly High School and Immaculate Conception Church, both in Westerly.

Her technical repertoire is intentionally expansive, encompassing oil, watercolor, leather and fabric paints; as well as pen and ink and pottery. This multidisciplinary approach allows her to treat every surface, whether it be traditional canvas or footwear and accessories as a medium for storytelling.

Her current studio practice is dedicated to creating Wearable Art, where she creates statement pieces designed to bridge the gap between conventional fashion and traditional art.

To explore Gaby’s work, visit her website at www.gabypaternoart.com or connect with her on social media at @gabypaternoart.

As a traditional fine arts artist, I use a wide range of traditional media which includes acrylic, oil, watercolor, colored pencil, graphite, charcoal, pen and ink, and sculpture; but I am equally comfortable using Procreate, the only digital application that does not allow artificial intelligence manipulation.

My formal training began at age nine with my twin sister under the tutelage of Laurie MacKenzie in Westerly, Rhode Island, where we summered every year.

Back in NYC, my twin and I auditioned for the fine arts department at Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts. This specialized school combined a rigorous academic program with an atelier style art program. That year there was less than a 10% acceptance rate out of the16,000 students who applied, with the rarest occasion of accepting siblings let alone twins, we were delighted to learn that we were accepted to this prestigious school. We graduated four years later having developed artistic skills and a strong reputation among our peers and teachers.  

I continued to study fine arts at the University of Rhode Island (URI), but 2 years later returned to NYC where I also continued coursework at The Art Students League of New York. I have recently returned to URI to complete my BFA, alongside my husband who is a digital artist and LaGuardia alumnus.

While I specialize primarily in portraiture and realism, I frequently explore new styles. My latest project, the whale, for Ocean Community Chamber of Commerce is heavily inspired by 1950s pin-up art and the work of Norman Rockwell. 

My goal is to make a career of my art using traditional media as well as novel artistic ideas; my hope is that my art endures and inspires others.

 • Received a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree with a concentration in Painting in 1975 from Kutztown University.

 • Continued classes at Fleisher Art Memorial in Philadelphia, and the Pa. Academy of Fine Arts   in Philadelphia.

Shows and awards include:

            • One Person exhibit at Widener University in Pennsylvania

            • Two-person show at Delaware County Community College, in which two paintings were             purchased for the College’s permanent collection.

            • One Person Show at the Church Street Gallery in West Chester, Pennsylvania

            • Paintings are also included in the H.S Lenfest Collection.

            • Selected 2023 to be an Elected Artist at the Lyme Art Association in Old Lyme, CT.

            • Won the Best of Show Award at the members exhibit of the Connecticut Pastel Society.

• I also won Best of Show for the Philadelphia Pastel Society Juried Show in 2024

Also exhibited regularly at:

            • Immaculata University Art Show

     • The Philadelphia Art Show

     • Chester County Art Association

     • Historic Yellow Springs Art Show

Since moving to Connecticut in 2018

• I have exhibited frequently at the Lyme Art Association, and have been chosen to become an Elected Artist.

• I am a member of the Artists Cooperative Gallery in Westerly, RI and regularly exhibit there.

•   Become a member of the Connecticut Pastel Society, where I have won numerous awards,  including Best of Show        

•   I have also exhibited at the Mystic Museum of Art and won the Mary Barthelson Pastel Award  in 2026. 

• My work is represented in many private collections both nationally and internationally.

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Lyndsay Trahan is a Rhode Island-based artist, illustrator, and graphic designer who uses art to communicate, connect, and share ideas without needing words. Her artwork is known for being bold, graphic, colorful, layered, playful, and sometimes a little chaotic. She enjoys finding the balance between planning and experimentation to create pieces that feel intentional while still leaving room for unexpected moments.

With a B.A. in Graphic Design from Southern New Hampshire University and an M.A. in Illustration from Savannah College of Art and Design, Lyndsay combines her background in visual communication with her passion for fine art. Working across acrylic, ink, watercolor, digital illustration, and mixed media, she draws inspiration from her surroundings in Rhode Island and New England, including nature, animals, sports, music, local businesses, and the small details of everyday life.

One of Lyndsay’s favorite ongoing collections is her splatter painting series, featuring more than 100 pieces ranging from tiny 2” x 2” paintings to large 36” x 48” works. Created using straws and hundreds of colors, each painting transforms movement and chance into something vibrant and unique. What begins as controlled chaos becomes a reminder that unexpected combinations can create something beautiful.

Through her work, Lyndsay hopes to create moments of curiosity, connection, and inspiration. Whether designing a brand, illustrating an idea, creating a painting, or bringing large-scale community projects to life, she approaches each piece with creativity, perseverance, and a willingness to push ideas further.

For more information, visit originallyltd.com or follow along on Instagram @els.paints.

Connect through email at originallyltd@gmail.com.

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Rooted in the rhythm of nature, Andria is a contemporary painter of abstracts and natural landscapes. Using acrylics, oils, and mixed media in an intuitive process of layering and freeform mark-making, creating environments that invite the viewers’ reflection. Subjects often include sea creatures and coastal abstracts. Andria’s awards include an artist residency at Skopelos Foundation for the Arts in Greece 2023, and the Gantner Award at Essex Art Association in 2025.
Andria resides and maintains a studio in Old Saybrook that is open by appointment. She is a member of Essex and Lyme Art Associations, Clinton Art Society, East Haddam Art League, and Florence Griswold Museum, among others.  As well as a donor to many philanthropic organizations including  Save the Sound, Make a Wish Foundation, and Center for Women & Family. Visit www.AndriaAlex.com for more information.

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Jaclyn's vibrant pieces capture life's whimsy and motion, attempting to reflect the complex nature of personality and mood. The play of color and form drives her new work. Each piece lives in the multi-layered, color-drenched plane of existence. She paints in her home near her favorite backdrop, Moonstone beach in Rhode Island, which never seems to be void of inspiration.

JACLYN ALTIERI

VISUAL ARTIST / @SOCIAL_LUNIAC

LUNIACSTYLE.COM

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