Artist Monica Vachula adds life to historic house in her exhibit on display now in West Hartford.
Submitted by the Noah Webster House & West Hartford Historical Society
This painting of the Noah Webster House kitchen was painted for the Tablet Tour. Courtesy image
The Noah Webster House & West Hartford Historical Society recently opened an exhibit titled, “At Home in Noah’s House”. The exhibit focuses on original artworks from the tablet tour of the same name. It includes paintings by Monica Vachula as well as from the book, “Noah Webster: Weaver of Words” by Pegi Dietz-Shea.
The exhibit was made possible by a grant from Connecticut Humanities.
Six of the paintings were created specifically for the new tablet tour. Sarah St. Germain, one of the project directors said, “Monica is incredibly talented. Each painting shows a specific room in the house.” They also show the Webster family going about their daily lives. “They’re eating, sleeping, doing homework and chores, even playing games. You can see each individual marble – they’re that detailed.”
The rest of the exhibit is made up of the illustrations from “Noah Webster: Weaver of Words.” The book was written in 2009 and is full of images by Vachula.
The museum is open from 1-4 p.m., Thursday-Monday. Both guided and tablet tours (with English and Spanish subtitles) are available. Visit www.NoahWebsterHouse.org for more information.
The Noah Webster House & West Hartford Historical Society is located in the restored birthplace and childhood home of Noah Webster. Webster was a national figure known not only for the first American dictionary and the Blue-Backed Speller, but also for being a federalist, an abolitionist and a cofounder of Amherst College. The historic house and exhibit spaces are open daily 1 p.m. until 4 p.m. Thursday through Monday. For information on the museum’s extensive school and public programs, please visit us at www.noahwebsterhouse.org or call (860) 521-5362.
Connecticut Humanities (CTH) is a non-profit affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities that funds, creates and collaborates on hundreds of cultural programs across Connecticut each year. These programs bring together people of all ages and backgrounds to express, share and explore ideas in thoughtful and productive ways. From local discussion groups to major exhibitions on important historical events, CTH programs engage, enlighten and educate. Learn more by visitingwww.cthumanities.org.
Elements of the coinciding tablet tour, ‘At Home’ in Noah’s House, were made possible through the generous support of the Greater Hartford Arts Council and the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving.
