Art and Furnishings
The Wood Memorial Library & Museum holds a growing collection of artwork by local and regional artists, including 13 watercolors and drawings by sisters Amelia Montague Watson and Edith Sarah Watson of East Windsor Hill. Amelia was known for her delicate, translucent watercolors, while Edith gained recognition for her photographs of working women in Canada. Most of the Watson works were donated by Edith after her sister’s passing, and additional pieces continue to be added to the collection.
The Wood also holds a significant number of oil and watercolor paintings by Albertus Jones, one of the most influential artists and art teachers in Connecticut’s history. An American Impressionist known for expressive depictions of New England landscapes, his work includes a self-portrait and a portrait of his daughter Dorothy, who followed in his artistic footsteps. Other notable pieces on display include a portrait of Edith Vibert, the library’s first volunteer librarian, by Herbert E. Abrams, and a Hudson River School-style landscape by Nellie Terry Bancroft.
Paintings
The antique furniture collection at the Wood Memorial Library & Museum features notable 18th-century pieces crafted by Eliphalet Chapin and his apprentices. Chapin, a celebrated cabinetmaker of the Connecticut Valley, lived and worked just north of the library on the east side of the street. In addition to the Chapin works, the collection includes 18th- and 19th-century furniture made by other artisans and donated by local residents, reflecting the region’s rich craftsmanship history. A highlight of the collection is a shelf clock made by renowned local clockmaker Eli Terry.