I got a tip that Kidcity was opening the doors on the "new and improved" Farm Room at the Children's Museum on Washington Street.
If you're a regular visitor you may know that the door to the farm room has been shut for several weeks as artists and carpenters worked to rebuild one of the original 5 exhibits at Kidcity when it opened in 1998.
According to museum director Jen Alexander, Ted Esselstyn, the artist who designed all the original, and several subsequent exhibits, was commissioned to renovate the farm. Esselstyn, who is a graduate of medical school, but now a fulltime artist, has been busy of late with installations at the library in West Hartford's Blue Black Square, and exhibits in museums like the Roaring Brook Nature Center and the Old State House.
Working with Esselstyn were carpenter Matt Niland, and artist Scott Kessel.
The room opened Saturday February 14 to with no great fanfare, but Alexander was happy to have the "soft" opening ready for the always busy week of February school vacation.
Kidcity is open every day of the week but be prepared for crowds during vacation week.
If Esselstyn's KidCity paintings are as beautiful and evocative as his work at Roaring Brook Nature Center in Canton, KidCity and its visitors are lucky indeed. If I could afford it I'd try to commission him to paint MY walls!
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