David Merrill’s History In Monroe

MONROE — The artist David Merrill will be present at Masuk High School library on Monroe Turnpike (Route 111) on Sunday, October 15, from 1 to 4 pm, to introduce and sign limited edition lithographs. Mr Merrill’s image presents the Old Monroe Town Hall, Library and Town Hall Annex, which he painted in 1972 before the three buildings were razed to make way for the present town hall complex. The original painting, which is six feet long, is prominently displayed in the lobby of the Monroe Town Hall on Fan Hill Road.

Mr Merrill, who was raised in Monroe and is now a resident of Newtown, began painting while he was stationed in Kentucky in the US Army during the 1950s. On visits home, the 19-year-old realized that the New England countryside was changing and wanted to capture views made old by time and the elements.

Mr Merrill’s paintings of woods, meadows, brooks, stone walls and barns reveal a certain serenity about the past and at the same time reflect the present. After his stint in the Army, he received his formal training at Famous Artist School in Westport and Western Connecticut State College in Danbury.

He has done many one-man shows, exhibitions, commissions, and murals and has also been featured in numerous books, magazines, and on radio and television. Some of his best-known local works include murals at Edmond Town Hall in Newtown and Southbury Town Hall, as well as the Masuk High School library mural which he worked on from September 1981 to October 1982.

Attendees at the reception will have the opportunity to see the 52 scenes of Monroe and hear about Mr Merrill’s experiences while painting the 245 square-foot mural.

The painting of the Old Monroe Town Hall, Library and Annex being featured this weekend was done in 1972 while Mr Merrill lived in Maine. An urgent phone call from former Monroe resident and historical society member Jean Loveland requested that he take a commission from the town to paint the three buildings before they were town down. He worked 12 hours a day, six days a week, to finish the painting in one month before the wrecking ball went to work.

The town of Monroe and David Merrill have granted permission to Monroe Historical Society to issue a limited edition of 500 lithographs of the painting. They will be available beginning October 15 at the reception for $60 each. David Merrill will number and sign the lithographs, which were printed by O’Brien Company of Bridgeport. For more information call 268-9765.