'Where ART Thou?' Lower Connecticut River Valley

At 410 miles long, the Connecticut River is the longest river in the New England region. Ray heads to its southern tip to Old Lyme, an area known for attracting artists in the early 20th century. de Gerenday's Fine Art Materials and Curiosities is a one-of-a-kind shop on the campus of the Lyme Academy of Fine Arts. Among the finest art materials hand-selected by the Academy’s faculty, Ray catches up with Eric Dilner, the CEO of the Shoreline Arts Alliance to talk about the thriving arts community in this part of the state.

Julianne Varacchi

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Connecticut Public

While on campus, Ray heads to one of the sculpture studios to meet with Chad Fisher. Trained in the classic tradition, Chad is an accomplished sculptor who specializes in bronze. He co-owns a foundry in Pennsylvania and is currently the Charlotte Colby Danly Sculpture Chair at Lyme Academy of Fine Arts. He has created more than 25 public sculptures and his years of intense training and passion for traditional, figurative sculpture portraiture can be seen in the details of commissioned works for the Chicago Bears Football Club, Philadelphia 76ers, the NFL Hall of Fame, and more.

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Sculptor Chad Fisher brushes an acid based wax pigment to a bronze scultpture as part of the patina process during filming for CT Public’s original series “Where ART Thou?” in Old Lyme on April 16, 2024.

Dave Wurtzel / Connecticut Public Video Still

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Sculptor Chad Fisher is interviewed by host Ray Hardman in a Lyme Academy of Fine Arts studio about his love of working with clay and his purpose in creating public monuments.

Julianne Varacchi / Connecticut Public

3 of 6  — Charles Barkley

Charles Barkley poses for photographs with a sculpture created by Chad Fisher honoring him at the Philadelphia 76ers NBA basketball training facility in 2019.

Matt Rourke / AP

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Sculptor Chad Fisher demonstrates creating form with clay to host Ray Hardman as visuals journalist Ayannah Brown (left) films.

Julianne Varacchi / Connecticut Public

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Fisher's hands shape clay into a sculpted form during filming for "Where ART Thou?" at the Lyme Academy of Fine Arts.

Dave Wurtzel / Connecticut Public Video Still

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Sculptor Chad Fisher works in a Lyme Academy of Fine Arts studio as CT Public's crew films. L-R is Glenn Goettler, Dave Wurtzel and Ayannah Brown.

Julianne Varacchi / Connecticut Public

While you have likely heard of the historic Goodspeed Opera House perched on the bank of the river in East Haddam, you may not know that Goodspeed Musicals is home to a costume collection of over 250,000 items. It’s all housed in their Barrington Costume Center just up the road from the theater. Ray gets a full warehouse tour with costume coordinator Stephanie Turner featuring costumes from Tony-winning Broadway designers such as William Ivey Long, Gregg Barnes, Catherine Zuber, Willa Kim, and more!

Dave Wurtzel

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Connecticut Public Video Still

Crossing the river into Chester, Ray meets award-winning basket weaver Sosse Baker at the Chester Gallery, which is also her home. For over four decades, Sosse has been weaving baskets and teaching others the craft. In 2022, she was recognized with a CT Arts Hero award from the Connecticut Office of the Arts. More than 35 years ago, she and her late husband Jack opened the Chester Gallery in the front room of their 1860s farmhouse in an effort to help local artists show their work. Sosse and the gallery have been fixtures in downtown Chester ever since.

Julianne Varacchi

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Connecticut Public

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