Lynn Traverse

When I was a child I started taking photos with my old square box "Brownie" camera (loved those flash bulbs!), then graduated over the years to the famous Polaroid Instamatic (wooWOO!) These days I vary between my precious Pentex ZX7 SLR and my favorite of all -- my Nikon Coolpix 4300 digital camera!

I began painting and sketching as a young child. My Uncle Bob Ray was a prominent artist in PA back then, and not only did I always look up to him as my mentor, but I was forever in awe of his beautiful work. He encouraged me, told me I was very good, and suggested I "keep drawing, keep painting, always!" Well, I certainly had time to practice from the ages of 9 - 11 ... I had a genetic condition where I shattered both my hipbones & had to have them completely reconstructed. This major surgery resulted in my being stuck in a body cast for a year with nothing to do but lie there & watch tv. My parents never told me the doc's grim outlook - they didnt suspect I'd ever be able to walk again. Not only did I recover & learn to walk again (!!!) but while I was laid up my uncle made me a handmade drawing board, and also a wooden art suitcase filled with a cornucopia of wonderful art supplies! Inside it were paper, drawing books, pencils & soft erasers, charcoal & colored pencils, both oil & water color paints, acrylics, brushes, etc etc etc --- more than a budding young artist could ever hope for!

My uncle gave me so much encouragement & support that I did become better with practice & as an adult began entering (and winning awards for) my photographs and paintings in area galleries. What fun I was having!

I seem to enjoy painting figures, mostly children at play...beats me 'why' but I like it! The most recent have been entered in The Fine Arts Council gallery in Milford CT, Slade-Ely gallery in New Haven CT, and "The Shed @Hotchkiss House" gallery in Prospect, CT. I will forever be grateful to my Uncle Bob, and I believe he lives on in my work!

Currently, some of my work is on display at the following restaurants in CT: "Marnicks", "Knapp's Landing", "White Lilac TeaRoom ..all in Stratford; "Jacob Marley's" in Orange; "Chat-N-Chew" coffeehouse in Fairfield; "Southport Womens' Exchange" in Southport; "Hansen's Firearms" in Southport; "K-5 Firearms" in Stratford; "Guilford Sportsmens' Association" club in Guilford; "Connie's Restaurant" in Derby; "Safari Caffiene" coffeehouse in Ansonia; "Chip's Restaurant" in Orange.

email: LynnieCT@aol.com