Call to Paint -- Thursday, 30 April 2015 - 9 AM

Greetings to All,

We have a new venue this week -- one that will evoke a sense of springtime, in spite of the mostly cloudy forecast. We have permission to paint at Van Wilgen's Garden Center, just about a mile beyond the truck stop at Exit 56 on I-95. The Center has a lot to offer -- a nice barn, plants in bloom and merchandise outside, maybe some tractors, a stone wall and apple orchard across Valley Road, a brook and bridge on the east side of the yard...  You might want to arrive early to leave time to look around and scout out your painting site. This site might even get all you flower painters to come out.

We do need to be sensitive to the fact that this is a commercial operation. We need to stay out of the way and be sure that customers and yard workers are able to move freely through the lanes. Think economy of space as you plan your gear and set up to paint. And please leave the most convenient parking spaces for customers.

Directions below.

I hope to see you there.

/j

VAN WILGEN'S GARDEN CENTER, 51 Valley Road, North Branford, CT 

Northbound on I-95, take Exit 56, and turn left (north) on Leete’s Island Road.

Southbound on I-95, take Exit 56, and turn left (west) on East Industrial Road. The truck stop will be on your left after you make this turn. After 0.3 mi., turn right (north on Leete’s Island Road (Stop & Shop is on your right).

On Leete’s Island Road, stay in the middle lane for about 0.2 miles to the intersection at Rte. 1. Go straight through this intersection to School Ground Road (Chowder Pot Restaurant on your right), and proceed down the hill for 0.5 mi.  At the end of the road, turn right (north) on Rte 139, and then take your next right (east) on Valley Road. After 0.3 mi., Van Wilgen’s will be on your right.

Since this is a business establishment, please be mindful to leave the closer parking spaces for customers. Also, please plan to occupy a minimal footprint when you set up to paint, and stay clear of lanes where the garden center might need to move equipment or customers might need to have access to plants. We are welcome to browse but not paint inside the greenhouse.