Brentwood artist Bill Weber was recently commissioned by the Cornish Colony Art Museum in Windsor, Vt. to produce two 8x8 murals in the manner of American painter and illustrator Maxfield Parrish depicting turn-of-the-century firefighters responding to an emergency with early firefighting equipment. The murals hang in the entrance hall of the Cornish Colony museum dedicated to Parrish.

“This was a very important commission, and an extreme honor, to have my work selected to be shown in such a prestigious gallery,” said Weber.

The Cornish Colony Art group comprised a group of turn-of-the-century artists such as Parish, Thomas Dewing and Lucia Fuller, sculptor Augustus Saint-Gaudens, novelist Winston Churchill and dramatist Percy MacKaye.

According to Museum curator Alma Gilbert, who has known Weber since she operated an art gallery in San Mateo, “Bill’s work has a charm and enchantment about it, much like Mr. Parrish’s. It breaks through reality and soothes the soul; it is uniquely and harmonically complete. I have known Bill’s work for years, have watched it progress, and as an art dealer I predict someday he will be widely recognized.”

Weber, a former Brentwood Arts Commissioner and current Art Society member, has recently opened the Weber Arts Center in Brentwood, which features an art gallery and framing, and offers lessons in pencil drawing, painting, sculpting, pottery and guitar. He was named the Society’s Artist of the Year at the recent Art, Wine and Jazz Festival.

–Contributed by Ron Beatty