Dates: June 14 – July 27, 2025
Reception: Saturday June 14, 4 – 6 PM, public invited
Gallery hours: Thursday – Saturday 11:00 – 5:30, Sunday 12:00 – 4:00 and by appointment
Kenise Barnes Fine Art is honored to present a solo exhibition of new paintings by Janna Watson. Watson is a conceptual painter based in Toronto, Canada. Poems Without Words is Watson’s fourth solo exhibition with the gallery who has included Watson in eight other exhibitions and placed her work in numerous private collections. The gallery has represented the artist since 2017.
Through her practice, Watson works to reframe spirituality into objects that reflect fluidity, agility, and joy. She communicates this through a queering of the painterly process, into one that is diversely applied, gestural, and multi-oriented. Janna intentionally forgoes the use of borders on her paintings to create a sense of the infinite, and the inherent vulnerability of a spirituality that is not contained by a canon.
Janna Watson’s compositions and color choices are both careful and spontaneous, each gesture evoking an unstated emotional response. The paintings are generous passages of vivid color with swooping buttery paint strokes, and calligraphic marks floating on fields of saturated color. They are not spare, but they have an implied economy of language, each gesture gathered towards the others with an unseen gravitational force coalescing into a graceful equilibrium.
Part of the exhilaration I acquire from painting is being able to see shifts within myself manifested into a physical reality. The most truthful form of expression I have found in my life thus far has been the abstract language of painting. – Janna Watson, 2025
Janna Watson’s work is widely exhibited internationally including in Canada, the United States and Taiwan. Watson’s paintings can be found in significant collections including Google, Air Canada, TD Bank Financial Group, Toronto, CIBC, Toronto, Ritz-Carlton Hotel, Toronto, HBC Global Art Collection, New York, to name a few. Watson earned a BFA in Drawing and Painting from Ontario College of Art and Design University, Toronto.
Please contact Lani Ming Holloway, Associate Director, Lani@kbfa.com, 860 560 3085 with inquires or to arrange a preview of the exhibition.
Janna Watson - Poems Without Words
Bring your lunch, listen to stories, and enjoy a fun craft! All are welcome, this program is intended for preschool-aged children. This event will be offered in person in the Junior Room of the Library.
Registration is appreciated but not required.
Lunch Bunch Storytime
The tarot provides a rich landscape of symbolic imagery that reflects the hero’s journey. The mirror of the tarot is an inspiring tool for both creative writing & journaling.
In this workshop, Kathleen Kryspin, local English teacher for over 29 years, will instruct you to use tarot cards to inspire both creative writing & reflective journal practice.
Whether you are interested in storytelling or self divination, this workshop will provide you with writing tools from the tarot!
6/26 THUR 6-8:30PM THE POETRY OF TAROT: A Writing Workshop with Kathleen Kryspin
This discussion will provide a brief overview of the early and middle periods of Stoic philosophy, with a primary focus on the later Stoics. We will also explore select aphorisms from both Eastern and Western philosophical traditions to highlight how wisdom transcends time and cultural boundaries.
Patrick Bonis has been a dedicated teacher and coach for nearly 25 years, specializing in Community Health and holding credentials as a Certified Wellness Counselor. As a Performance Coach, he seamlessly integrates philosophy into his pre-lift and pre-game talks, inspiring athletes and students alike. With a strong foundation in Anatomy and Physiology, combined with his passion for philosophical thought, Patrick empowers individuals to tap into the timeless wisdom and actions of those who came before them. His unique interdisciplinary approach fosters both physical excellence and mental clarity.
Stoic Philosophy with Pat Bonis
Dates: June 14 – July 27, 2025
Reception: Saturday June 14, 4 – 6 PM, public invited
Gallery hours: Thursday – Saturday 11:00 – 5:30, Sunday 12:00 – 4:00 and by appointment
Kenise Barnes Fine Art is honored to present a solo exhibition of new paintings by Janna Watson. Watson is a conceptual painter based in Toronto, Canada. Poems Without Words is Watson’s fourth solo exhibition with the gallery who has included Watson in eight other exhibitions and placed her work in numerous private collections. The gallery has represented the artist since 2017.
Through her practice, Watson works to reframe spirituality into objects that reflect fluidity, agility, and joy. She communicates this through a queering of the painterly process, into one that is diversely applied, gestural, and multi-oriented. Janna intentionally forgoes the use of borders on her paintings to create a sense of the infinite, and the inherent vulnerability of a spirituality that is not contained by a canon.
Janna Watson’s compositions and color choices are both careful and spontaneous, each gesture evoking an unstated emotional response. The paintings are generous passages of vivid color with swooping buttery paint strokes, and calligraphic marks floating on fields of saturated color. They are not spare, but they have an implied economy of language, each gesture gathered towards the others with an unseen gravitational force coalescing into a graceful equilibrium.
Part of the exhilaration I acquire from painting is being able to see shifts within myself manifested into a physical reality. The most truthful form of expression I have found in my life thus far has been the abstract language of painting. – Janna Watson, 2025
Janna Watson’s work is widely exhibited internationally including in Canada, the United States and Taiwan. Watson’s paintings can be found in significant collections including Google, Air Canada, TD Bank Financial Group, Toronto, CIBC, Toronto, Ritz-Carlton Hotel, Toronto, HBC Global Art Collection, New York, to name a few. Watson earned a BFA in Drawing and Painting from Ontario College of Art and Design University, Toronto.
Please contact Lani Ming Holloway, Associate Director, Lani@kbfa.com, 860 560 3085 with inquires or to arrange a preview of the exhibition.
Janna Watson - Poems Without Words
Relief for Grief Group. Meets the second and fourth Friday of each month from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. This is a community group for anyone who has experienced a loss, is feeling grief, or grieving. Grief is a natural emotional and physical response to loss. Every person reacts differently and it may be expressed in many ways. This group is neither traditional therapy nor counseling, per se, but it is a safe supportive space where people can come together, speak about their loss, explore their emotions and thoughts, if it is the right time and place for them to do so. Reading Room. Free & Open to the Public.
Relief for Grief
For kids entering Grades 5 and up only, please. Attendance at this event counts for one point towards the summer’s eight-point goal. Registration is appreciated, please email (kmljuniorroom@biblio.org) to register, or register online.
Teen & Tween Movie Night: Barbie (PG-13, 2023)
Dates: June 14 – July 27, 2025
Reception: Saturday June 14, 4 – 6 PM, public invited
Gallery hours: Thursday – Saturday 11:00 – 5:30, Sunday 12:00 – 4:00 and by appointment
Kenise Barnes Fine Art is honored to present a solo exhibition of new paintings by Janna Watson. Watson is a conceptual painter based in Toronto, Canada. Poems Without Words is Watson’s fourth solo exhibition with the gallery who has included Watson in eight other exhibitions and placed her work in numerous private collections. The gallery has represented the artist since 2017.
Through her practice, Watson works to reframe spirituality into objects that reflect fluidity, agility, and joy. She communicates this through a queering of the painterly process, into one that is diversely applied, gestural, and multi-oriented. Janna intentionally forgoes the use of borders on her paintings to create a sense of the infinite, and the inherent vulnerability of a spirituality that is not contained by a canon.
Janna Watson’s compositions and color choices are both careful and spontaneous, each gesture evoking an unstated emotional response. The paintings are generous passages of vivid color with swooping buttery paint strokes, and calligraphic marks floating on fields of saturated color. They are not spare, but they have an implied economy of language, each gesture gathered towards the others with an unseen gravitational force coalescing into a graceful equilibrium.
Part of the exhilaration I acquire from painting is being able to see shifts within myself manifested into a physical reality. The most truthful form of expression I have found in my life thus far has been the abstract language of painting. – Janna Watson, 2025
Janna Watson’s work is widely exhibited internationally including in Canada, the United States and Taiwan. Watson’s paintings can be found in significant collections including Google, Air Canada, TD Bank Financial Group, Toronto, CIBC, Toronto, Ritz-Carlton Hotel, Toronto, HBC Global Art Collection, New York, to name a few. Watson earned a BFA in Drawing and Painting from Ontario College of Art and Design University, Toronto.
Please contact Lani Ming Holloway, Associate Director, Lani@kbfa.com, 860 560 3085 with inquires or to arrange a preview of the exhibition.
Janna Watson - Poems Without Words
Meet Regina Olson, Intuitive Tarot Reader, Astrologer and Owner of Tarot in Thyme in Kent CT. Regina and her team are also the in House Readers at the Mayflower Inn & Spa in Washington CT & Winvian, Morris CT. Tarot in Thyme offers free weekly Readings on their YouTube Channel.
Regina blends Tarot with Astrology along with her intuition to dive deep into your soul’s sacred contract. What did you agree to experience and learn in this lifetime? What tools did you come into this life with? Which ones need to be learned? Timing is everything. What energy is available for you at this present time? Tarot cards are a great tool to continue this deep conversation of getting to know YOU better and what lies ahead.
SAT 6/28 Astro Tarot Readings with Regina Olson
Join the Friends of the Eric Sloane Museum for a unique opportunity to experience a private after-hours tour of the museum's collection and art gallery. Enjoy local craft refreshments, along with hors d'oeuvres, as we explore some of the museum’s hidden gems in a fun and relaxed atmosphere. Renowned author, historian, and art specialist Wil Mauch will provide a deeper insight into the art collection, while Museum Curator Andrew Rowand will take you behind the scenes of the museum. There will also be time for socializing, asking questions, and personal exploration of what makes the museum special. Proceeds will benefit the Friends of the Eric Sloane Museum and their mission to preserve the legacy of Eric Sloane and the museum he founded. Tickets are limited, so be sure to register today!
Night at the Museum- Friends of the Eric Sloane Museum
From touring with Gordon Lightfoot, headlining major US festivals, receiving Folk Alliance International "Album of the Year," releasing NINE BECOMES ONE (2023) to being named Folk Alliance International Artist-in- Resident, Joe is on fire. He's played with Suzanne Vega, Dar Williams, David Francey, John McCutcheon, John Gorka, Judy Collins and 100's more. His songs are being made into award winning films.
Special Guest Opener - John John Brown.
Joe Crookston
Dates: June 14 – July 27, 2025
Reception: Saturday June 14, 4 – 6 PM, public invited
Gallery hours: Thursday – Saturday 11:00 – 5:30, Sunday 12:00 – 4:00 and by appointment
Kenise Barnes Fine Art is honored to present a solo exhibition of new paintings by Janna Watson. Watson is a conceptual painter based in Toronto, Canada. Poems Without Words is Watson’s fourth solo exhibition with the gallery who has included Watson in eight other exhibitions and placed her work in numerous private collections. The gallery has represented the artist since 2017.
Through her practice, Watson works to reframe spirituality into objects that reflect fluidity, agility, and joy. She communicates this through a queering of the painterly process, into one that is diversely applied, gestural, and multi-oriented. Janna intentionally forgoes the use of borders on her paintings to create a sense of the infinite, and the inherent vulnerability of a spirituality that is not contained by a canon.
Janna Watson’s compositions and color choices are both careful and spontaneous, each gesture evoking an unstated emotional response. The paintings are generous passages of vivid color with swooping buttery paint strokes, and calligraphic marks floating on fields of saturated color. They are not spare, but they have an implied economy of language, each gesture gathered towards the others with an unseen gravitational force coalescing into a graceful equilibrium.
Part of the exhilaration I acquire from painting is being able to see shifts within myself manifested into a physical reality. The most truthful form of expression I have found in my life thus far has been the abstract language of painting. – Janna Watson, 2025
Janna Watson’s work is widely exhibited internationally including in Canada, the United States and Taiwan. Watson’s paintings can be found in significant collections including Google, Air Canada, TD Bank Financial Group, Toronto, CIBC, Toronto, Ritz-Carlton Hotel, Toronto, HBC Global Art Collection, New York, to name a few. Watson earned a BFA in Drawing and Painting from Ontario College of Art and Design University, Toronto.
Please contact Lani Ming Holloway, Associate Director, Lani@kbfa.com, 860 560 3085 with inquires or to arrange a preview of the exhibition.
Janna Watson - Poems Without Words
Dates: June 14 – July 27, 2025
Reception: Saturday June 14, 4 – 6 PM, public invited
Gallery hours: Thursday – Saturday 11:00 – 5:30, Sunday 12:00 – 4:00 and by appointment
Kenise Barnes Fine Art is honored to present a solo exhibition of new paintings by Janna Watson. Watson is a conceptual painter based in Toronto, Canada. Poems Without Words is Watson’s fourth solo exhibition with the gallery who has included Watson in eight other exhibitions and placed her work in numerous private collections. The gallery has represented the artist since 2017.
Through her practice, Watson works to reframe spirituality into objects that reflect fluidity, agility, and joy. She communicates this through a queering of the painterly process, into one that is diversely applied, gestural, and multi-oriented. Janna intentionally forgoes the use of borders on her paintings to create a sense of the infinite, and the inherent vulnerability of a spirituality that is not contained by a canon.
Janna Watson’s compositions and color choices are both careful and spontaneous, each gesture evoking an unstated emotional response. The paintings are generous passages of vivid color with swooping buttery paint strokes, and calligraphic marks floating on fields of saturated color. They are not spare, but they have an implied economy of language, each gesture gathered towards the others with an unseen gravitational force coalescing into a graceful equilibrium.
Part of the exhilaration I acquire from painting is being able to see shifts within myself manifested into a physical reality. The most truthful form of expression I have found in my life thus far has been the abstract language of painting. – Janna Watson, 2025
Janna Watson’s work is widely exhibited internationally including in Canada, the United States and Taiwan. Watson’s paintings can be found in significant collections including Google, Air Canada, TD Bank Financial Group, Toronto, CIBC, Toronto, Ritz-Carlton Hotel, Toronto, HBC Global Art Collection, New York, to name a few. Watson earned a BFA in Drawing and Painting from Ontario College of Art and Design University, Toronto.
Please contact Lani Ming Holloway, Associate Director, Lani@kbfa.com, 860 560 3085 with inquires or to arrange a preview of the exhibition.
Janna Watson - Poems Without Words
Dates: June 14 – July 27, 2025
Reception: Saturday June 14, 4 – 6 PM, public invited
Gallery hours: Thursday – Saturday 11:00 – 5:30, Sunday 12:00 – 4:00 and by appointment
Kenise Barnes Fine Art is honored to present a solo exhibition of new paintings by Janna Watson. Watson is a conceptual painter based in Toronto, Canada. Poems Without Words is Watson’s fourth solo exhibition with the gallery who has included Watson in eight other exhibitions and placed her work in numerous private collections. The gallery has represented the artist since 2017.
Through her practice, Watson works to reframe spirituality into objects that reflect fluidity, agility, and joy. She communicates this through a queering of the painterly process, into one that is diversely applied, gestural, and multi-oriented. Janna intentionally forgoes the use of borders on her paintings to create a sense of the infinite, and the inherent vulnerability of a spirituality that is not contained by a canon.
Janna Watson’s compositions and color choices are both careful and spontaneous, each gesture evoking an unstated emotional response. The paintings are generous passages of vivid color with swooping buttery paint strokes, and calligraphic marks floating on fields of saturated color. They are not spare, but they have an implied economy of language, each gesture gathered towards the others with an unseen gravitational force coalescing into a graceful equilibrium.
Part of the exhilaration I acquire from painting is being able to see shifts within myself manifested into a physical reality. The most truthful form of expression I have found in my life thus far has been the abstract language of painting. – Janna Watson, 2025
Janna Watson’s work is widely exhibited internationally including in Canada, the United States and Taiwan. Watson’s paintings can be found in significant collections including Google, Air Canada, TD Bank Financial Group, Toronto, CIBC, Toronto, Ritz-Carlton Hotel, Toronto, HBC Global Art Collection, New York, to name a few. Watson earned a BFA in Drawing and Painting from Ontario College of Art and Design University, Toronto.
Please contact Lani Ming Holloway, Associate Director, Lani@kbfa.com, 860 560 3085 with inquires or to arrange a preview of the exhibition.
Janna Watson - Poems Without Words
Bell Ringing Weekend
July 5th 10:00am - 4:00 pm
Join us as we ring in the 4th of July weekend at the Eric Sloane Museum. Learn about an American tradition of bell ringing which is as old as the country itself while visiting our large collection of early American art. Museum hours will be from 10:00-4:00 . The museum grounds also offer a perfect place to enjoy an afternoon picnic in the Housatonic River Valley.
We look forward to ringing in Independence Day weekend with you!
Bell Ringing
Dates: June 14 – July 27, 2025
Reception: Saturday June 14, 4 – 6 PM, public invited
Gallery hours: Thursday – Saturday 11:00 – 5:30, Sunday 12:00 – 4:00 and by appointment
Kenise Barnes Fine Art is honored to present a solo exhibition of new paintings by Janna Watson. Watson is a conceptual painter based in Toronto, Canada. Poems Without Words is Watson’s fourth solo exhibition with the gallery who has included Watson in eight other exhibitions and placed her work in numerous private collections. The gallery has represented the artist since 2017.
Through her practice, Watson works to reframe spirituality into objects that reflect fluidity, agility, and joy. She communicates this through a queering of the painterly process, into one that is diversely applied, gestural, and multi-oriented. Janna intentionally forgoes the use of borders on her paintings to create a sense of the infinite, and the inherent vulnerability of a spirituality that is not contained by a canon.
Janna Watson’s compositions and color choices are both careful and spontaneous, each gesture evoking an unstated emotional response. The paintings are generous passages of vivid color with swooping buttery paint strokes, and calligraphic marks floating on fields of saturated color. They are not spare, but they have an implied economy of language, each gesture gathered towards the others with an unseen gravitational force coalescing into a graceful equilibrium.
Part of the exhilaration I acquire from painting is being able to see shifts within myself manifested into a physical reality. The most truthful form of expression I have found in my life thus far has been the abstract language of painting. – Janna Watson, 2025
Janna Watson’s work is widely exhibited internationally including in Canada, the United States and Taiwan. Watson’s paintings can be found in significant collections including Google, Air Canada, TD Bank Financial Group, Toronto, CIBC, Toronto, Ritz-Carlton Hotel, Toronto, HBC Global Art Collection, New York, to name a few. Watson earned a BFA in Drawing and Painting from Ontario College of Art and Design University, Toronto.
Please contact Lani Ming Holloway, Associate Director, Lani@kbfa.com, 860 560 3085 with inquires or to arrange a preview of the exhibition.
Janna Watson - Poems Without Words
Meet Elizabeth Wolff, Capricorn Sun, Cancer Rising, Scorpio Moon. Elizabeth is an intuitive tarot reader with a background in astrology and a love for crystal healing. Coming from a family of artists and a strong ancestral spirituality, Elizabeth has practiced tarot for over fifteen years with a few very important teachers/guides whom she studied under; including her father. With a kitchen table approach, Elizabeth uses the art of metaphysical conversation within the cards to seek a frank, gentle insight into one’s life.
Come have a cozy chat with Elizabeth.
7/5 & 7/6: SPECIAL GUEST READER: Tarot Readings with Elizabeth Wolff (In Person or Virtual)
Dates: June 14 – July 27, 2025
Reception: Saturday June 14, 4 – 6 PM, public invited
Gallery hours: Thursday – Saturday 11:00 – 5:30, Sunday 12:00 – 4:00 and by appointment
Kenise Barnes Fine Art is honored to present a solo exhibition of new paintings by Janna Watson. Watson is a conceptual painter based in Toronto, Canada. Poems Without Words is Watson’s fourth solo exhibition with the gallery who has included Watson in eight other exhibitions and placed her work in numerous private collections. The gallery has represented the artist since 2017.
Through her practice, Watson works to reframe spirituality into objects that reflect fluidity, agility, and joy. She communicates this through a queering of the painterly process, into one that is diversely applied, gestural, and multi-oriented. Janna intentionally forgoes the use of borders on her paintings to create a sense of the infinite, and the inherent vulnerability of a spirituality that is not contained by a canon.
Janna Watson’s compositions and color choices are both careful and spontaneous, each gesture evoking an unstated emotional response. The paintings are generous passages of vivid color with swooping buttery paint strokes, and calligraphic marks floating on fields of saturated color. They are not spare, but they have an implied economy of language, each gesture gathered towards the others with an unseen gravitational force coalescing into a graceful equilibrium.
Part of the exhilaration I acquire from painting is being able to see shifts within myself manifested into a physical reality. The most truthful form of expression I have found in my life thus far has been the abstract language of painting. – Janna Watson, 2025
Janna Watson’s work is widely exhibited internationally including in Canada, the United States and Taiwan. Watson’s paintings can be found in significant collections including Google, Air Canada, TD Bank Financial Group, Toronto, CIBC, Toronto, Ritz-Carlton Hotel, Toronto, HBC Global Art Collection, New York, to name a few. Watson earned a BFA in Drawing and Painting from Ontario College of Art and Design University, Toronto.
Please contact Lani Ming Holloway, Associate Director, Lani@kbfa.com, 860 560 3085 with inquires or to arrange a preview of the exhibition.
Janna Watson - Poems Without Words
Dates: June 14 – July 27, 2025
Reception: Saturday June 14, 4 – 6 PM, public invited
Gallery hours: Thursday – Saturday 11:00 – 5:30, Sunday 12:00 – 4:00 and by appointment
Kenise Barnes Fine Art is honored to present a solo exhibition of new paintings by Janna Watson. Watson is a conceptual painter based in Toronto, Canada. Poems Without Words is Watson’s fourth solo exhibition with the gallery who has included Watson in eight other exhibitions and placed her work in numerous private collections. The gallery has represented the artist since 2017.
Through her practice, Watson works to reframe spirituality into objects that reflect fluidity, agility, and joy. She communicates this through a queering of the painterly process, into one that is diversely applied, gestural, and multi-oriented. Janna intentionally forgoes the use of borders on her paintings to create a sense of the infinite, and the inherent vulnerability of a spirituality that is not contained by a canon.
Janna Watson’s compositions and color choices are both careful and spontaneous, each gesture evoking an unstated emotional response. The paintings are generous passages of vivid color with swooping buttery paint strokes, and calligraphic marks floating on fields of saturated color. They are not spare, but they have an implied economy of language, each gesture gathered towards the others with an unseen gravitational force coalescing into a graceful equilibrium.
Part of the exhilaration I acquire from painting is being able to see shifts within myself manifested into a physical reality. The most truthful form of expression I have found in my life thus far has been the abstract language of painting. – Janna Watson, 2025
Janna Watson’s work is widely exhibited internationally including in Canada, the United States and Taiwan. Watson’s paintings can be found in significant collections including Google, Air Canada, TD Bank Financial Group, Toronto, CIBC, Toronto, Ritz-Carlton Hotel, Toronto, HBC Global Art Collection, New York, to name a few. Watson earned a BFA in Drawing and Painting from Ontario College of Art and Design University, Toronto.
Please contact Lani Ming Holloway, Associate Director, Lani@kbfa.com, 860 560 3085 with inquires or to arrange a preview of the exhibition.
Janna Watson - Poems Without Words
Dates: June 14 – July 27, 2025
Reception: Saturday June 14, 4 – 6 PM, public invited
Gallery hours: Thursday – Saturday 11:00 – 5:30, Sunday 12:00 – 4:00 and by appointment
Kenise Barnes Fine Art is honored to present a solo exhibition of new paintings by Janna Watson. Watson is a conceptual painter based in Toronto, Canada. Poems Without Words is Watson’s fourth solo exhibition with the gallery who has included Watson in eight other exhibitions and placed her work in numerous private collections. The gallery has represented the artist since 2017.
Through her practice, Watson works to reframe spirituality into objects that reflect fluidity, agility, and joy. She communicates this through a queering of the painterly process, into one that is diversely applied, gestural, and multi-oriented. Janna intentionally forgoes the use of borders on her paintings to create a sense of the infinite, and the inherent vulnerability of a spirituality that is not contained by a canon.
Janna Watson’s compositions and color choices are both careful and spontaneous, each gesture evoking an unstated emotional response. The paintings are generous passages of vivid color with swooping buttery paint strokes, and calligraphic marks floating on fields of saturated color. They are not spare, but they have an implied economy of language, each gesture gathered towards the others with an unseen gravitational force coalescing into a graceful equilibrium.
Part of the exhilaration I acquire from painting is being able to see shifts within myself manifested into a physical reality. The most truthful form of expression I have found in my life thus far has been the abstract language of painting. – Janna Watson, 2025
Janna Watson’s work is widely exhibited internationally including in Canada, the United States and Taiwan. Watson’s paintings can be found in significant collections including Google, Air Canada, TD Bank Financial Group, Toronto, CIBC, Toronto, Ritz-Carlton Hotel, Toronto, HBC Global Art Collection, New York, to name a few. Watson earned a BFA in Drawing and Painting from Ontario College of Art and Design University, Toronto.
Please contact Lani Ming Holloway, Associate Director, Lani@kbfa.com, 860 560 3085 with inquires or to arrange a preview of the exhibition.
Janna Watson - Poems Without Words
Dates: June 14 – July 27, 2025
Reception: Saturday June 14, 4 – 6 PM, public invited
Gallery hours: Thursday – Saturday 11:00 – 5:30, Sunday 12:00 – 4:00 and by appointment
Kenise Barnes Fine Art is honored to present a solo exhibition of new paintings by Janna Watson. Watson is a conceptual painter based in Toronto, Canada. Poems Without Words is Watson’s fourth solo exhibition with the gallery who has included Watson in eight other exhibitions and placed her work in numerous private collections. The gallery has represented the artist since 2017.
Through her practice, Watson works to reframe spirituality into objects that reflect fluidity, agility, and joy. She communicates this through a queering of the painterly process, into one that is diversely applied, gestural, and multi-oriented. Janna intentionally forgoes the use of borders on her paintings to create a sense of the infinite, and the inherent vulnerability of a spirituality that is not contained by a canon.
Janna Watson’s compositions and color choices are both careful and spontaneous, each gesture evoking an unstated emotional response. The paintings are generous passages of vivid color with swooping buttery paint strokes, and calligraphic marks floating on fields of saturated color. They are not spare, but they have an implied economy of language, each gesture gathered towards the others with an unseen gravitational force coalescing into a graceful equilibrium.
Part of the exhilaration I acquire from painting is being able to see shifts within myself manifested into a physical reality. The most truthful form of expression I have found in my life thus far has been the abstract language of painting. – Janna Watson, 2025
Janna Watson’s work is widely exhibited internationally including in Canada, the United States and Taiwan. Watson’s paintings can be found in significant collections including Google, Air Canada, TD Bank Financial Group, Toronto, CIBC, Toronto, Ritz-Carlton Hotel, Toronto, HBC Global Art Collection, New York, to name a few. Watson earned a BFA in Drawing and Painting from Ontario College of Art and Design University, Toronto.
Please contact Lani Ming Holloway, Associate Director, Lani@kbfa.com, 860 560 3085 with inquires or to arrange a preview of the exhibition.
Janna Watson - Poems Without Words
Mela is a 4th Generation Clairvoyant Liaison with over 35 years experience in spirit communication.
Clairvoyance is the ability to perceive that which most others cannot. This is in direct communication with spirit. No one spirit can be guaranteed to come through in any session. Whoever is the one with the message, will present themselves.
7/12 SAT CLAIRVOYANT , PSYCHIC MEDIUM MELA RISPOLI
Blacksmithing Workshop
July19th 10:00 am - 4:00 pm
Join us as we explore blacksmithing techniques and methods through a hands-on workshop at the Eric Sloane Museum. Have you ever wondered how hand forged metal objects are created? This hands-on class will be taught by blacksmithing expert, Ian McCarthy. Students will learn the basics of hand forging and design layout all while using traditional tools and methods to create a one of a kind finished product. Pre-Registration is required. Register Today
Blacksmithing Workshop
Mela is a 4th Generation Clairvoyant Liaison with over 35 years experience in spirit communication.
Clairvoyance is the ability to perceive that which most others cannot. This is in direct communication with spirit. No one spirit can be guaranteed to come through in any session. Whoever is the one with the message, will present themselves.
7/19 SAT: CLAIRVOYANT , PSYCHIC MEDIUM MELA RISPOLI (In Person or Virtual)
"The whole is greater than the sum of the parts". So it is with Deni Bonet & Chris Flynn. As individual artists, they have more than made their mark in music. As a duo, they have created something extra, engaging and extremely entertaining. Bonet's voice and violin, and Flynn's guitar and voice, have echoed through the United Nations, Lincoln Center and Mountain Stage. They have shared stages with REM, Cyndi Lauper, Richard Thompson, Warren Zevon, Sarah McLachlan, Alan Toussaint, and many others. Special Guest Concert Opener - Bruce T. Carroll
Deni Bonet & Chris Flynn
Laurel Canyon, California has long been synonymous with some of the greatest songwriters of the late 1960s and early 70s. Among the artists living there and inspiring each other were Joni Mitchell, Carol King, Mamas and the Papas, Jackson Brown, Linda Ronstadt, Buffalo Springfield, and Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young. You’ll be treated to performances by Rob Brereton, Nick Patrone, Noelle Chave, Emily DeMasi, Missy Alexander, Bill Petkanas, George Mallas, and Susanna Marker. Feel free to don your love beads for this special evening of music and nostalgia.
Merryall Presents: A Journey Through Laurel Canyon
Charm casting is a divination ritual that draws on traditions present in many different cultures for thousands of years. Pairing charm casting with Tarot adds a unique element to a reading, provides insight and clarity in various aspects of your life and helps you determine the best actions to take as you navigate your life's path.
Meet Patti in this short video
Sessions are ONE ON ONE ONLY.
You may record the Session on your phone. Virtual sessions are recorded via Zoom.
SAT 7/26 TAROT & CHARM READINGS WITH PATTI KITSON (IN PERSON OR VIRTUAL)
Mela is a 4th Generation Clairvoyant Liaison with over 35 years experience in spirit communication.
Clairvoyance is the ability to perceive that which most others cannot. This is in direct communication with spirit. No one spirit can be guaranteed to come through in any session. Whoever is the one with the message, will present themselves.
8/2 CLAIRVOYANT , PSYCHIC MEDIUM MELA RISPOLI
Join us for the bimonthly membership meeting held on the first Wednesday of every other month beginning Feb. 5, 2025 at different member locations.
2025 schedule:
- Wed. Feb. 5, 2025 | Location: Kent Memorial Library, 32 North Main St., co-hosted by The Kent Dispatch
- Wed. April 2, 2025 | Location: 109 Cheese Market, 6 Kent Green Blvd.
- Wed. June 4, 2025 | Location: Kent Art Association, 21 South Main St.
- Wed. Aug. 6, 2025| Location: Hudson Valley Preservation, 27 Maple St.
- Wed. Oct. 1, 2025 | Location: Wilson’s Café, 8 North Main St.
- Wed. Dec. 3, 2025 | Location: TBD
Kent Chamber of Commerce Membership Meeting
BEAT THE HEAT WITH FABULOUS SUMMER SALES AND FUN!
If your idea of fun is great sales, fabulous food, and music, Kent is the place to be the first weekend of August. Rain or shine!
Sponsored by the Kent Chamber of Commerce the Kent Sidewalk Sale Day takes place in 2025 from Thursday August 7 through Sunday August 10. The event is free and offers super-sized retail therapy as well as entertainment for the whole family. A schedule of events will be posted on the Sidewalk Sale Days page as we get closer to the event.