Plein Air Painter
Dorothy (Stott) Clark
www.griswoldart.org

The Anshei Israel Synagogue
​Route 138, Lisbon Connecticut

This elegant structure was built in 1936 by 15 Orthodox Jewish Families and represents what life was like in my rural farm community when Daddy was young. This was built during a time when the American Bund was also holding rallies one town over in Canterbury, Connecticut. Daddy said the local boys thought nothing of going. My father did not go. All these years later, Anti-Semitism is still very active. I have experienced it here. Yet, “The Jewish Church” stands beautiful, strong and lasts the test of time as to what America is all about. There are no longer any Jewish Families here to care for it. The Anshei Israel Synagogue is cared for by our local Historic Society, a mixture of loving folk from all different backgrounds who love America, our history and represent who we are by keeping the Synagogue beautiful. This is the only structure like it in the United States. I would love to see an ecumenical service here for a stand against hatred and bullying in our country. However, this tiny hidden Synagogue does this with no one attending service here. It truly makes a stand against Anti-Semitism.

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How I did it:
Because Route 138 is impossible to slow down on, pull over or even think of taking a photo or use a sketchbook without parking in someone’s driveway like my prior sketch, my luck to paint this changed. I saw the Arborists parking their heavy equipment by the railroad trestle and walking down to it. So I dressed in bright colors armed with my 3”x3” sketchbook & #2B pencil & did the same. I did a series of many 15 minute drawings with lots of notes, trudged back & forth to the truck & here it is!
My supplies:
Windsor & Newton Professional Water Colors:
Cadmium Yellow, Yellow Ocre, Verditer Blue, Windsor Blue & Brown Madder.
My Brushes:
Raphael Kolinski 8404 Brushes, #8, #10, #13 &
Isabey #2 Rigger
My Paper:
Twin Rocker homemade rough watercolor paper
#2 B pencil, razor & sanding block