April 2025 Events
How Chester Became a Destination for Artists: A Conversation with Five of Chester’s Artists - Sunday, April 13 at 5 p.m.
Today Chester is recognized regionally, throughout the state, and even nationally as a prominent arts community. It was not always so. On Sunday, April 13 at 5 p.m., the Chester Historical Society will present a panel discussion by five people who played (and still play) a central role in that rise to prominence in the arts world. Nationally acclaimed basket maker Sosse Baker; innovative artists, Jan Cummings Good, Richard Ziemann, and Leif Nilsson; along with creative and unique jewelry designer Dina Varano, will head up a panel discussing their careers and roles in helping Chester to become the arts community that it is known as today. Following this the artists will respond to questions and observations from the audience. Along with their presentations, some examples of each of the artists' work will be on display.
The panel discussion will take place at the Chester Meeting House. All are welcome and refreshments will be served.
About the Artists:
Sosse Baker has been making baskets and teaching the craft for over 45 years. In 1982 Sosse and her husband Jack bought 76 Main Street, soon to become Chester Gallery. Jack was a talented framer with a great sense of design. Together they enjoyed working together and always exchanging ideas. In 1985 Sosse was one of 30 nationally known basketmakers invited to enter the first ever gallery showing of baskets at the Medocino Art Center, then went on to the Chicago Botanic Gardens. In 1993 VOCO (Volunteers of Cooperative Assistants) invited her to spend six weeks in Uganda to assist in quality control for a large basket order for the US market. In 2022 she became a “Connecticut Arts Hero.”
Still working in 2025, you can see her baskets at Blackkat Leather right here in Chester.
Jan Cummings Good is a designer, illustrator, painter and printmaker. Originally from Chicago, she received a BFA in painting from the University of Connecticut, and later on studied intaglio printmaking at the Lyme Academy of Fine Arts. Since moving to Chester in 1969 with her husband Peter Good, Jan has been constantly focused on creating a free-wheeling, inclusive home for her family and friends. Her priorities, in that regard, include her passion for hometown political concerns, promoting our town as a fun and heartwarming place to inhabit or visit, all without losing sight of her own need to create and share images and thoughts of what it can be to be living a good, caring, creative life.
Leif Nilsson: Inspired by the natural beauty surrounding the Lower Connecticut River Valley, Leif (pronounced LAYF) Nilsson paints his plein air impressionistic landscape compositions directly from life. Setting up his easel in and around Chester, Nilsson creates engaging garden, CT River and Coastline, and village paintings that invite the viewer to walk right in. His knife and brushwork are a result of his dedication to observing nature.
Nilsson completed a full curriculum of Classical Studies at the Lyme Academy of Fine Arts in Old Lyme. He enhanced that education with several sojourns to Scandinavia, Asia Minor and Europe where he studied the French 19th and early 20th century painters: Bonnard and Monet for color; Pissarro and Vuillard for composition and Van Gogh for energy.
A successful working artist for over 30 years, Nilsson continues to exhibit his paintings in several galleries throughout the US, while also promoting his work through his website and at his Spring Street gallery. He occasionally teaches painting to children and adults and gives lectures at high schools, universities, art clubs and museums.
Dina Varano: “After growing up locally, traveling internationally and then living abroad, I never found anywhere quite as colorful and creative as Chester. Drawn back like a magnet to the people and the community, I continue to find everyday stimulation in this small town on the river.
In the landscape around my home I gather inspiration. Inspiration that I bring back to my studio to start my process of studying, drawing and exploring. My goal is to translate the poetic beauty and texture of nature into one of a kind pieces of wearable art. It is rare to find a community as supportive of self exploration as Chester. With the monthly openings, friends, family and neighbors are invited to share in and support my creative process. With that support I’ve been able to thrive as an artist here for nearly 30 years, a fact that leaves me profoundly thankful and proud to be part of the Chester community.
I received a BFA from Rhode Island School of Design in 1990. Over the years, whether I am exhibiting at wholesale or retail shows, traveling from coast to coast or doing invitational shows at galleries, I am happy to call Chester home. I continue to study and hone my craft by taking classes at Penland, Haystack and Ghost Ranch or wherever inspiration calls.”
Richard Claude Ziemann’s works on paper and paintings draw inspiration from the natural environments of Connecticut and beyond. For nearly seven decades, Ziemann has captured the texture and sensations of forests, fields and waterways with delicate devotion. Ziemann’s scenes reflect his longstanding practice of working directly from nature. For years, he has painted and sketched out-of-doors, even carrying large-scale metal etching plates to compose from observation. He describes: “I feel a sense of exhilaration when viewing the interiors of woods, fields of grass, the forest floor, flowers and foliage. I work directly on etching plates in the landscape experiencing the play of light and daily atmospheric changes along with the form and textural variety of the seasons. Nature with its combination of serenity and wilderness is an inexhaustible visual source for my work."
Ziemann began creating landscape drawings and etchings in the 1950s during his studies at Yale University. In 1967 he moved to Chester, where he continues to work.
Take A Journey Through Chester’s History – Tuesday, April 22 at 4 p.m.
Step back in time with the Chester Historical Society and Masonicare at Chester Village for an unforgettable journey through nearly 400 years of rich local history! From our origins as the northern section of the Saybrook Colony, we’ll uncover the story of Chester’s Puritan roots, its transformation into a thriving town, and the shipbuilding industry that helped shape its identity through the bustling West Indies trade.
As we travel through the early 19th century, witness Chester's role in the Industrial Revolution—complete with new dams, mills, and groundbreaking patents. Learn about Chester’s bold stand on abolitionism, courageous participation in the Underground Railroad, and participation in the Civil War. The late 19th century brought new connections to the world with steamboats, trains, and trolleys, yet Chester’s strong sense of community endured through local clubs, organizations, and townwide celebrations that continued into the 20th century.
We’ll end our journey by exploring Chester’s post-war transformation, as factories closed, businesses evolved, and the town found new ways to thrive. Join us for this captivating tour of the past and discover the hidden gems of the town we proudly call home.
This program is free, open to all, and will be held at Masonicare at Chester Village, 317 West Main St.
Here are highlights of some past programs
“Love & Murder in Chester 1899” by Donald Perreault (watch recording here)
“50 Years of Chester Graphics by Cummings & Good” by Janet Cummings and Peter Good (watch recording here)
“Ephemera Discoveries in the Chester Collection” by Al Malpa, ephemera dealer and collector (watch recording here)