Two local artists will be showcased in a joint exhibition next month at The Gallery at La Zingara Bar.

Whimsy & Waves: An Artful Masquerade features the decoupage and natural shell art of Hannah Lipman and fashionable paper hats by Carolyn Eisemen. The show will run from November 3 to January 15, with an opening reception on November 3 from 5 to 7 p.m. Bethel Arts and La Zingara are sponsoring the upcoming show.

Browsing Lipman’s Facebook page Out of My Shell you may get a waft of a summer breeze! She describes her adopted hometown of Bethel as, “a beach town without a beach,” and finds artistic inspiration in oyster, clam, and scallop shells, acquired locally at Community Shellfish (which sources them from Maine) as well as globally through a variety of sources.  

Hannah’s work often features cocktail napkins decoupaged into shells, natural shell-lined mirrors, and wall hangings.

LtoR Ocean Bloom, Owl on Oyster Shell and Artichoke & Green fruit on Scallop Shells. Photo courtesy of Hannah Lipman

Graphic designer Eiseman’s hats are fascinators, colorful, one-of-a-kind designs highlighted on her Instagram page at Fabulous Festive Fascinators. They are made to be worn at celebrations and special occasions.

Carolyn Eiseman creates one-of-a-kind hats (facinators). Photo courtesy of Carolyn Eiseman

Eiseman is a director on the Bethel Arts board and owns the design firm CEH Design. She had a friend who was having a big birthday. Her friend had a critical eye when it came to art so Eiseman knew it had to be special.  Because the friend worked at a high-end paper company she decided she had to use the paper from the company the friend represented to make a festive hat for her and their friends. “It was a success! She loved them.”

Lipman, managing editor of the Grapevine, is a director on the board of Bethel Arts. Her works, including animals, birds, flowers, scenes, and different designs, range from minimalist to intricate and are individualized based on the patterns of the raw material she uses. No two shells are alike, and Lipman allows nature to decide how heavily to apply her artful hand.

“Each one is very different. I lay the shells out on a table and let them sit before I decide what I’m going to do with them.”

The process for her has been “meditative and beautiful…You’re working with textures, with a shell. It feels good. Each one is different. The textures are different. The natural designs are different on the back. It almost looks like a spine.”

She credits her son, Gabe, himself an artist, line cook and server, for her creations. Watching him shuck oysters at work inspired her to create art with shells.

Lipman has been the owner of executive search firm Hannah Lipman Associates for 33 years. She started artmaking in her 40s making soaps, lotions, and jewelry. “I like working with things I can feel and touch. I like textures.” The shell designs emerged in the past year.  

Though she began pursuing her artistic interests in adulthood, Lipman grew up around art and creativity in a musical family in Connecticut. “I’m not a musician but developed a very strong love of music. Art was encouraged in my family. My dad was a conductor of a symphony and my mom was a piano teacher. My brothers are musicians; one had a blues band and the other was a cellist in the Pittsburgh Symphony for over 45 years. My eldest son is a pianist as well. I always had a creative spirit. I trust the arts.”

Eiseman’s stylish assemblages on the Instagram page replicate the types of hats you might wear to a royal wedding. Her models featured in the images are her daughters, family, and friends (and sometimes friends of friends) at some of the celebrations. The array of happy-looking people wearing her hats illustrates their whimsy.

Eiseman explained that each hat she designs is informed by the colors and textures of the paper. She offers sets, with a bigger hat reserved for the person of honor and smaller matching hats for everyone else. “I want them to be festive and fun, lighthearted. We all need to have that lightheartedness about us,” Eiseman shared.

Eiseman grew up “all over the place.” When she went away to college, her parents moved to Ridgefield, CT. When deciding where to live when she settled down, Eiseman chose Bethel because it was not a “toll call” to Ridgefield. “I used to call and talk to my mom every day,” she recalled.

Her niche design company is known for its tactile experience and custom print work, a specialized skill set she applies to her hat-making.

“Both artists transform materials into fun fantasies that expand our view of common objects. For example, colored paper is sculpted into astonishing, zany hats; shells are artfully decoupaged with fanciful images that harken to other eras. It is going to be an exhibition that will make people chuckle; it’s charming, and fun. Two talented artists are using inventive ways to express themselves and bring delight to the audience. All generations will find something to smile at,” said Bethel Arts Director and artist Diana Gubbay.

Lipman’s and Eiseman’s art will be available to purchase at La Zingara during the exhibition.

The exhibition is part of the Arts in View Program, sponsored by Bethel Arts. Artists may submit requests to the program on its website.

Currently, there are two venues, Greenwood Features and La Zingara.

“We hope to expand with other options in the future,” said Gubbay.

‍

Play the Slideshow