Lilijean Metcalf

Torrington — Lilijean Horwath Metcalf, 92, of Torrington and Avon, passed away at her daughter’s home in Hebron, surrounded by her loving family Friday, Feb. 24, 2023. She was born July 25, 1930, in Torrington, to Katherine and Michael Horwath. The youngest of 10 children, she was affectionately known as “Babe” to her parents and siblings.

She graduated from Torrington High School in 1947. In 1951, she married Richard E. Metcalf of Norwich. For the following nine years, she focused on raising her three young children and being a homemaker to her family.

In 1960, she was able to re-embrace her childhood passion for art. Painting and drawing since she was 8, Lilijean was self-taught and it was her father, whose trade was in painting signs and monograms on horsedrawn carriages, who bought her her first sketchbook as a child and provided a lifetime of encouragement. In 1962, Lilijean was introduced to the recently established Canton Gallery on the Green where she met William Thompson who became her mentor and lifelong friend.

Lilijean dove into the art world when her third painting was awarded a prize by the director of the Wadsworth Atheneum in 1964. Mastering watercolor and acrylic painting, she was able to find a moving quality in grass, barren empty spaces and solo figures, which she treated with a quiet reflective quality that pervades her landscapes. Her naturalistic landscapes are marked by soft tones of brown and green, building forms with intricate details and textures. For a number of years, she spent most of mid-winter in Bermuda, with her sister Kathryn who lived there. Her artwork from those Bermuda trips was light, bright and more vibrant in color, but had the same ethereal feel of her Connecticut landscapes.

In 1971, she began building her own studio, digging the foundation by hand with pick and shovel. She learned masonry, framing and roofing along the way and with minimal help, completed the build in 1976. This accomplishment was one of many in her life that demonstrated her fortitude, commitment and willingness to tackle any of life’s challenges.

Lilijean’s distinguished 50year art career was marked by over ten solo exhibitions throughout New England, at prominent galleries such as the New Britain Museum of American Art, Silvermine Guild of Artists and the Southern Vermont Art Center. She was invited to show in prestigious exhibits such as the Watercolor Landscape Show at the DeCordova Museum, the Hartford Plaza Show, the Realist Tradition Show and the CT Artists Drawing Show, both at the Slater Memorial Museum. She was accepted into numerous juried shows, such as those held by the CT Academy of Fine Arts and New York City’s National Academy of Design, the latter which she exhibited in annually for many years. She was the recipient of over 30 art awards from the Berkshire Art Association, the CT Watercolor Society, the CT Society of Women Painters, the New England Exhibition of Painting and Sculpture and the Canton Artists Guild to name just a few.

Lilijean served the arts community in various roles such as president of the CT Society of Women’s Painters, secretary and treasurer of the CT Academy of Fine Arts for over two decades, and manager of the Canton Gallery on the Green. She was also an elected member of numerous art guilds including Connecticut Academy of Fine Arts, the Connecticut Watercolor Society, Connecticut Society of Women Painters, New Haven Paint and Clay, Silvermine Guild of Artists, the Southern Vermont Art Center, Berkshire Art Association and the Canton Artists’ Guild.

Throughout her notable art career, Lilijean was an enthusiastic supporter of her children, their athletic endeavors in particular. Whether pacing the sidelines at her sons’ football games and wrestling matches, or alongside the fence rails at her daughter’s horse shows, she was a highly dynamic force. The same enthusiasm was shown for her beloved granddaughters while in her care, such as lovingly preparing homemade food like her mother had done for their family of 12.

She was also a conscientious environmentalist. In the second half of her life, she grew nearly all she ate in her small, but productive garden, fertilizing with compost and manure as taught by her father. In early spring, she foraged for wild greens, such as dandelions and chicory for salads punctuated with violet flowers, and tender daylily shoots for marinating. She also foraged for mushrooms, and for many years she was a Connecticut Valley Mycological Society member participating in regular field trips and forays.

Lilijean is survived by her children, Peter Metcalf (Shelley Wood, her dear daughterin-law) of North Stonington, Martha Metcalf Crosskey of Hebron, and David Metcalf of Newington; and three grandchildren, Sarah Crosskey of England, Laura Crosskey of Glastonbury, and Kimbrell Metcalf Cirrito of Tucson; and three great-grandchildren.

There will be no calling hours and no services are planned at this time in accordance with Lilijean’s wishes. Her artwork, photos and more reflections on her life can be found at www.vincentfuneralhome.com.

In perusing Lilijean’s creative writings, her family found some of her sentiments that they would like to share: “May each of your ensuing days comprise a portion of joy, a share of life’s bounty, boundless love and genuine concern for others.” — Lilijean Metcalf