"Osborne Garden Homestead," watercolor (11" x 14") by Agnes Wnuk, 2022 Poster Contest winner.

2022 CT's Historic Gardens Day Poster Contest Winner Announced

Connecticut’s Historic Gardens is pleased to announce artist Agnes Wnuk of Cheshire, CT as the winner of the ninth annual Historic Gardens Day Poster Art Contest. “Osborne Garden Homestead” is an 11” x 14” watercolor on gsm Arches paper. Ms. Wnuk states, “The view in the painting is of the Osborne Homestead garden, in Derby. It is created using photos I took at the garden on August 15th, 2021. I was standing on the lower level of the garden looking up, with the house in the background."

This contest gives local artists a chance to showcase their talents while advertising CT Historic Gardens Day, an important, statewide event. The group began the contest to encourage Connecticut artists to visit and capture these historically significant homes with beautiful gardens. They hope that these sites will provide inspiring subjects for their art.

Along with a cash prize, the winning artist receives widespread exposure – at each of the 15 Connecticut’s Historic Gardens throughout the year and at Connecticut’s Historic Gardens Day, an event that attracts garden lovers from throughout the state and beyond. This year’s Historic Gardens Day takes place on Sunday, June 26, 2022 from 12-4 pm. Information on activities offered at each site will be posted this spring.

Ms. Wnuk has been painting for the past seven years. She started with colored pencils, oils and pastels, but the past four years she has been painting en plein air and urban sketching using watercolors. Ms. Wnuk teaches classes and workshops in Urban Sketching at Artsplace in Cheshire and Arts Escape in Southbury.  

Stay tuned for information on the 2023 Poster Art Contest when it opens later this year. Contact Jill Hogan with questions at [email protected].