Joan D. Cone is a Newtown resident and artist. For the first time, she has 14 paintings on view in the lobby of Newtown Senior Center.

This is Cone’s first exhibit behind a glass cabinet, and she hesitated at first. She explained she is used to gallery settings where onlookers can get close to the artwork and observe the texture. Ultimately, she pushed her hesitation aside and said yes when Newtown Cultural Arts Commission invited her to showcase her work.

“I didn’t know how it would work, but I thought, you know they can live here in my house or they can be over there with other people seeing them,” Cone said. “And I do want to get what I do out there.”

Cone has been an artist for a long time. She mentioned she really described herself as an artist in college, where she was an art major. Now that she is retired, she is “reconnecting” with pastels. Her two main mediums are oil paints and pastels, both of which are featured in the works on display at the senior center.

She uses reference photos of landscapes to create her art, and her next series is focused on rock formations. Cone explained that as the leaves start to drop from the trees, rock formations become more visible.

Plein air painting is something Cone does often. She said that she is part of several groups that do plein air painting around the county, including Fairfield County Plein Air Painters, Society of Creative Arts in Newtown (SCAN), and Weir Farm in Wilton.

Through her connections, Cone has had several showings at While Silo Farm in Sherman, but is excited to have a show in her hometown.

“They’ve been lovely, and I’ve done quite well there,” she said of the out-of-town settings, “but it’s about 40 minutes, probably, from here. So it’s nice to have something right in town,” Cone said. She also described Newtown as being “a very artsy place.”

Cone expressed her excitement toward having her artwork in the senior center.

“I’m excited for the opportunity to show what I do, and I think when you can put 14 of your pieces anywhere … I feel like people can really get a better sense of what I do and how I work.”

When asked to expand on that thought, she shared that she is an emotional person that feels deeply.

“Nature has always been at the forefront there,” Cone said. She told stories of hiking the Appalachian Trail with youngsters with her husband and canoeing through Allagash Wilderness Waterway.

“My love of nature mixed with this ability to now take those images, take that experience, and put it on canvas or paper, that is just, very emotional,” Cone said. She added that she has felt a deep connection with certain areas she has painted, such as Weir Farm. Her en plein air painting sessions allow her to take in sights, smells, and her surroundings, which make her more present as she paints.

Cone invites readers to take a look through her pieces on display at the senior center any time it is open. Located at 8 Simpson Street, Newtown Senior Center is open weekdays from 9 am to 4 pm. Membership is not required to view the exhibitions. The collection is on view through the end of November.

“It’s lovely, it’s a lovely offering,” Cone said, “I just felt blessed that [Newtown Cultural Arts Commission] approached me … My hesitation isn’t based on anything other than I just haven’t done anything in a glass case before. That doesn’t mean it’s not a great opportunity to showcase your work.”

She suggested popping into the senior center on a rainy day and to “fill yourself with the cultural advantages of living here.”

Reporter Sam Cross can be reached at sam@thebee.com.