George Billis Gallery | 1/14-2/22 | Fairfield, CT

A Love for the Land

George Billis Gallery showcases new waterscapes by Casey Chalem Anderson.

New England artist Casey Chalem Anderson is captivated by the idea of place. A native of New York City's Greenwich Village, Anderson paints soft, serene oils of the idyllic Hamptons on the East End of Long Island. Her beach and coastal scenes are filled with gentle blues, pinks, purples and greens, exuding a sense of quiet tranquility.

Sunset Waiting for Full Moon, oil on canvas, 30 x 40"

The artist will be showcasing her latest body of work at George Billis Gallery in Fairfield, Connecticut, from January 14 to February 22.

“A lot of these pieces are of a particular place—different views from a place that I love called Towd Point Road in the North Sea area of Southampton,” says Anderson. For the past couple of years, she’s been working on a series of paintings focusing on 36 different views of this specific area. “The word 'Towd' is believed to derive from a Native American word meaning ‘winding’ or ‘crooked,’ possibly referring to the meandering nature of the waterways or landscapes in the area. The local Shinnecock tribe was known to fish, clam and crab this area,” Anderson explains.

Infinite Sky at the Edge, oil on canvas, 48 x 36"

“It’s a place that has a very special significance to me, because more than three decades ago my father bought a house there. I didn’t grow up in that house, but over the years I was introduced to it…and I really grew to love it. It was a summer house, a very modest house. [The kind of place where] if you get sand on the floor it’s fine.” She adds that the home had water on both sides with spectacular views.

Sapphire Harmony at the Point, oil on canvas, 36 x 48"

“[Working on these paintings] really started this fire in me to learn more about the history of the town of Southampton,” says Anderson. As she embarked on her painting expedition, she spoke with everyone she could—both young children and octogenarians who’ve lived in Southampton their entire lives—gaining an intimate knowledge of the land. “There are a couple of other people I’d still love to talk to,” she adds.

Questioning the Sky, oil on canvas, 24 x 36"

In the upcoming exhibition, collectors can delve into seascapes at sunset, fields of wildflowers, sunny wetlands and more.

“I seek that peacefulness…It’s really the water for me. I crave it and I love to paint it,” says Anderson. “You see the changes in colors throughout the whole day. The changes in the sky that reflect into the water. The changes you see in the tides and the wind…I experience a sense of timelessness.”