Spring into Art Gala
West Hartford Art League
West Hartford
May 21, 2026
In a room full of impressive art, the most striking thing I saw was the community that came together to celebrate its importance.
“Community” was the word I heard the most at the Spring into Art Gala, hosted by the West Hartford Art League. The annual event serves as a fundraiser to support the League, which hosts exhibitions and offers classes to artists of all skill levels and ages.
The gala took place during the CT+6 exhibition, a regional juried exhibit featuring artists from the New England states and New York. The competition was fierce, as over 500 pieces were submitted and only 115 were chosen.
Nearly every inch of the Clubhouse Gallery was covered with paintings and photography. It was the perfect backdrop for an evening dedicated to art, and it was accomplished by a community of volunteers that keeps the League running.
One of those volunteers is Shell, a fiery and funny woman who has been volunteering at the League for five years. I asked her why she was so deeply involved in the arts.
“The connectedness,” she said. “Relating to these people. They show a level of humanity that you don't see everywhere else in the universe. With what's going on in the world right now, this is a special place. It's a safe haven.”
Unfortunately, I’ve come to realize that there is always something going on in the world. That makes places like the League, and especially people like Shell, critical.
And it means that the League’s fearless leader, executive director Kristina Oschmann, is always on the go. If the power of community was the sentiment I heard tossed around the most, praise for Kristina was in close second. Despite being relatively new to the job, she’s already impressed the longtime members of the League with her hard work and vision. The next big project she’s overseeing is the League’s annual Fine Arts Festival, a free event to bring fine art to the public, in September.
Speaking of fine art, Kristina is an artist herself, working with fiber, although she says she doesn’t usually exhibit her work. She appreciates the uniqueness of every piece of art, how its creation in each moment cannot be replicated. And she chose fiber because she likes to work with her hands.
The meticulous attention to detail that fiberwork demands was evident in how the evening unfolded. There was live music, delicious hors d'oeuvres and drinks, and a space bursting with artwork. Friends laughed as each other were caricatured. Old acquaintances reacquainted themselves.
The fact that everyone I talked to, from students of the League to patrons, all talked about the people they were happy to see underscored what art is really about. Yes, it’s a means of self-expression. But who are you expressing yourself to? Art is human interaction, and that deserves to be celebrated as often as possible.
NEXT
The West Hartford Art League hosts its Fine Arts Festival on September 26.
Jamil goes to the movies to check out the latest film from Boots Riley.
