Date: Fri 06-Jun-1997

Publication: Bee

Author: STEVEB

Quick Words:

Greenways-emblem-artists

Full Text:

GREENWAYS EMBLEM WILL COMBINE THE TALENTS OF TWO ARTISTS

BY STEVE BIGHAM

The artistic talents of two Newtown residents will be combined to form an

emblem that will mark the Greenways Committee trail system of open spaces.

The contest winners are Mary Ann Meyer of Cobbler's Mill Road and Elaine Rentz

of Cherry Street. As Greenways chairman Gary Fetzer points out, each entry

works well on its own, but together, their components create an emblem that

captures the essence of Newtown.

"We liked Elaine's design because it had a lot of color, it represented the

rural nature of Newtown and it also represented Newtown through its depiction

of the flagpole," Mr Fetzer said. "Mary Ann's emblem represented the three

uses of the trail [hiking, bicycling and horse-back riding]. It was also

visible from a long distance. It had a degree of simplicity."

The emblem will be attached to trees alongside the trails and roads that are

part of the system. It will designate that it is legal for people to use the

trail, which will be located on state, town and Newtown Forest Association

property, as well as private property on which easements have been granted.

Mr Fetzer said the two designs will be combined through the use of computer

imagery.

Both women said they first heard about the contest in The Newtown Bee. They

will now receive a free horseback ride and picnic. The horses will be loaned

by Bob Wade of Meadowbrook Farms in Newtown.

The winners were chosen from more than 30 entries.

"I was very impressed with both the quality and the different perspectives.

Each one was very different from the next," he said.

A violinist in the Danbury Symphony, Mrs Meyer said she simply enjoys

designing posters and used to do them annually for the St. Rose Church woman's

club's St. Pat's Dance. She said she looks forward to seeing the emblem around

town, knowing that she help design part of it.

Mrs Rentz, who owns her own design company, said she made an extra effort to

depict the essence of Newtown in her design.

"Rather than choose a traditional design format, I chose to depict the beauty

of Newtown from the trail itself. The scenery with the path in the foreground

invites the viewer to step in and enjoy the experience," she said.

The emblem will be printed in an upcoming edition of The Bee .

The Greenways Committee includes representatives from the Newtown Forest

Association, Newtown Bridal Lands Association, the Conservation Commission,

Hikers Club, the Planning & Zoning Commission and the Parks & Recreation

Commission.