22nd Annual Members’ Library Exhibit
Manchester Art Association
South Windsor Public Library
South Windsor
Oct. 6, 2026
The Manchester Art Association (MAA) has temporarily expanded beyond their usual exhibition environs at the Manchester Town Hall for their annual Members’ Library Exhibit, hosted in the South Windsor Public Library.
It’s the first exhibition of the MAA’s 2026-2027 season, as well as its juried exhibition for the year, judged by Manchester art teacher Jacqueline Sweeney. Ribbons will be awarded at the opening ceremony and reception on Sunday, Oct. 11.
Before the official winners are crowned, here are my completely non-professional pics for my favorites in-show.
Honorable Mention: Where the Wild Things are and a Queen reigns, Veronique Fournier-Wynne, oil on linen
I like how artist Fournier-Wynne used distinct colors to layer her piece, creating three distinct levels for the viewer to interact with. Even on the woman in the foreground, she employs an icy blue for the necklace that pops out against the brown skin.
3rd Place: Trees, Judith E. Goldstein, watercolor
What drew me to this painting was Goldstein’s subtle use of purple in the earth. She’s not representing shadows, but instead a kind of lifecycle story. Even as the sun fades and the trees lose their leaves, the growth around them endures. Defining the earth with a vibrant color makes the painting feel alive.
2nd Place: Old Towne, Steven Normand, watercolor
From a distance, Normand’s representation of a street facade looks like it could be an acrylic work thanks to the level of detail he achieves. There’s a real sense of texture in the brickface, and columns, and even the shudders look like they feel different than the rest of the painting.
It’s Normand’s delicate use of white that makes the texture pop. Different shades and weathering of brick, thicker mortar here and there, all created with a streak of white in the right place.
1st Place: Horse running on beach, Eddie Auyeung, charcoal pencil
On the other hand, I’ve always been a sucker for Gothic art and its use of darkness and shadow. Auyeung’s work with charcoal is an inversion of that style; the characteristic blackness of the gothic backdrop is instead concentrated into the foreground in the figure of the lone horse. The contrast of light and darkness– dark clouds over bright skies, jagged mountains against pristine sand– makes the utter blackness of the literal dark horse even more pronounced.
There are even more terrific pieces on display at the South Windsor Public Library. I don’t envy Ms. Sweeney’s task of picking the winners.
NEXT
The Annual Member’s Library Exhibit continues at the South Windsor Public Library through Oct. 29.
Jamil returns to Audacious for its live show-and-tell show.
