Simsbury Art Show Turns Heads

We love Simsbury for its charming town center, quaint shops, wonderful restaurants and, of course, the great space to hold a race! If you're coming to town for the Amica Iron Horse Half Marathon, 10K & 5K on June 3, don't miss the latest attraction, the Simsbury Art Trail!

Shaping Up by Seward Johnson © 1987

The Seward Johnson Atelier, Inc.

Walk down any Main Street and you’re likely to see people doing ordinary things: reading a book, walking the dog, relaxing on a bench. But you'll need to look a little closer in Simsbury, many of these “people” are actually lifelike bronze sculptures created by artist Seward Johnson. "Life In Simsbury: A Public Art Trail" has been brought to town by the Chamber of Commerce and consists of 32 sculptures, which are sponsored by local businesses.

The statue by Abigail’s Grill depicts a man with a cigar reading an actual oversized menu from the restaurant. The Simsbury Historical Society is sponsoring a statue of Claude Monet standing in front of a painting showing some of the society’s buildings. 

The artist has created 400 sculptures that have been placed on Main Streets across the country and the world.

"Hosting an event of this magnitude requires an incredible commitment from the entire town and everyone has rallied behind it," said Lisa Gray, Executive Director of the Simsbury Chamber of Commerce, "We are so appreciative of the companies and individuals who have already invested in making this what is sure to be one of the most popular cultural events in the region."

The goal of the art trail is to encourage more people to walk along Main Street and support local businesses. There are maps of the trail at each sculpture, and visitors are encouraged to touch, climb on and take selfies with the art works (#simsburyarttrail). The sculptures will be on display through September 15.

On June 3, the Simsbury Chamber of Commerce is sponsoring free guided tours of the art trail from 2:00 PM – 5:00 PM. Three options will be offered: walk 2.2 miles of the trail and see 19 sculptures, bike 4.2 miles and see 22 sculptures or bike 17 miles and see all 32 sculptures.

On June 12, the Simsbury Free Library is holding an old-time ice cream social and Art Trail scavenger hunt from 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM. Prizes will be awarded, and it’s free and open to the public.

For more information on these events, visit http://www.simsburyarttrail.com/.

 

My World by Seward Johnson © 1989 The Seward Johnson Atelier, Inc.