The Kent Historical Society’s Sunday Series on May 20, 2012, 2:00PM, Kent Town Hall, will feature Deborah and Melode Brasher, grandnieces of famous artist Rex Brasher. Brasher has been called the 20th century Audubon for his realistic paintings of birds in their natural settings. From 1911-1960, Brasher made his home near Kent. He was also a founder of the Kent Art Association.

Rex Brasher decided at age eight to paint every bird in North America, only better than Audubon had painted with the birds he first killed. Like Audubon, for years his financing was unreliable, some of it gained from wagering on race horses. The 1929 Depression collided with his sale of the Birds and Trees of North America, his multi-volume work of 874 different species. The year 2012 brings multiple efforts to revive the work and life of this great artist.

Deborah and Melode Brasher know Rex’s art and stories well. They spent time with him until they were in their twenties. The Brasher sisters will bring their memories of Uncle Rex, his life story, and some of his paintings to Kent’s Town Hall on May 20. Melode’s long teaching career was at Kent Center School and Deborah’s at the Renbrook School in West Hartford. This is an opportunity to see and hear about the artistic genius of Rex Brasher.

So mark your calendars! Events are free to the public, but space is limited, so be sure to arrive early.

 

 


Seven Hearths finally has a new roof! When the historical society realized that the old asphalt roof on the house had reached the end of its life, a dilemma arose. Since the house is the flagship of the Flanders Historic District, it seemed inappropriate to put another asphalt roof on the 18th century building. Investigation into alternatives revealed the fact that modern cedar shakes are not what they used to be - they have a shorter life span and require much maintenance. In other words, expensive. A third "green" alternative caught the eye of KHS board member Jeffrey Morgan and we chose to go in that direction.

The new shingles are called Enviroshakes, and are made of recycled plastic, rubber, and natural wood fiber. They have a 50 year life span, need no maintenance, and - from a distance - look exactly like aged cedar shakes, giving the house a much more appropriate appearance. Read & View More Photos

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Installing the new
Seven Hearths roof

   
  The prized possession of the Kent Historical Society is Seven Hearths, an imposing pre-Revolutionary house located in the heart of the Flanders Historic District in Kent. Discovered by hundreds of new visitors who came to Kent in 2005 for the Smithsonian's Barn Again!© exhibit, Seven Hearths is now undergoing significant restoration. What began as the repair of the crumbling north chimney has now expanded to an exciting re-creation of a more accurate 18th century version of the house.
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The little pre-Revolutionary one room schoolhouse sits high atop Skiff Mountain on the edge of the Marvelwood School campus. Given to the Kent Historical Society in 1972 by Pauline Skiff Gunn, a descendant of the original builder, the schoolhouse is now visited as part of the Society's "History for Kids" program with the Kent Center School. However, the schoolhouse is sadly underused, and we are investigating more avenues of presentation for this little gem.
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After G. L. Nelson's death, his popularity waned considerably. His reputation now falls far short of what it was during his prolific career. The Kent Historical Society has embarked on a mission to restore him to his rightful place in the annals of American art and increase knowledge of the beauty and genius of his artwork. If you know of the whereabouts of other Nelson pieces, we welcome communication from owners of any his treasures.
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