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View of the Lieutenant River from the museum grounds.

If you are a fan of impressionism and haven't yet been to the Florence Griswold Museum in Old Lyme, Connecticut, you must go.

Spending time there feels like going back to the late 1800s and early 1900s when artists would come to Florence Griswold's boardinghouse for weeks of plein air painting during the summer months. In addition to the historic Florence Griswold House, you can visit the newer Robert & Nancy Krieble Gallery and Marshfield House to see a strong collection of impressionist paintings, walk around beautiful grounds with flower gardens, barns, a historic artist studio, an art day camp for children, and you can have lunch at an outdoor café with views of the river. It is truly an inspirational place, not just for artists but also for history lovers, gardeners, parents, and food lovers (all of us).

I discovered the Florence Griswold Museum in 2015 and had been eager to return since then. In July 2024, while staying in the area with friends for a few days of vacation, I returned twice. It was pouring rain on the first day so I spent most of my time looking at the paintings in the new museum addition and in the Griswold House. Between showers I scouted the grounds for a painting subject for my next visit.

Photo of Museum and Marshfield House with its outdoor café. On the left is an easel remaining from the day camp's painting session that morning.

One wall of the current exhibition “From Art Colony to Connecticut Collection.”

Left: Willard Metcalf, "Thawing Brook," Center: Guy Wiggins, "Lincoln Square in Winter," Right: Wilson Henry Irvine, "Monhegan Bay, Maine."

Etching of Notre Dame by Everett Warner. (By amazing coincidence, one of the friends I was with on vacation had been married to the son of this artist.)

Small plein air paintings on display inside the Griswold House.

Watercolor paint box from 1880s on display in the Griswold House.

Throughout both days I found myself wanting to go back to the days when artists would take the train, ferry boat, then horse drawn buggy to get to this artist colony.

I too wanted to eat meals on this porch with artist friends, sleep in the cozy boardinghouse, and walk out the door with my easel to paint the gardens, the Lieutenant River, and the surrounding farms and villages.

I definitely wanted to rent a studio like this from Ms. Griswold:

The William Chadwick Studio, moved from his home in Old Lyme to this site but similar to the studios that once dotted the property.

I could feel the presence of the artists everywhere, and especially in the dining room of the Griswold House. This room captures the soul of the place and shows the warm relationship between the artists and Ms. Griswold who organized and supported herself through the income provided by her guest artists. Over the years, artists made fine paintings on the wooden-paneled walls to show their gratitude to Ms. Griswold.

One of my favorite panel paintings was this snow scene by Everett Warner - lower row, second from right.

More panels painted by renowned artists who stayed here.

Desk of Florence Griswold

The bedroom of Florence Griswold

The story of Ms. Griswold’s life is fascinating and too long to relate here but you can read more about it at this link.

To see more art and rooms inside the boardinghouse, try out this virtual house tour.

I returned to the Florence Griswold Museum a few days later, on a Monday when the museum was closed (having obtained permission to do so). I stood in the outdoor cafe where I had shade and the best possible view of the river, then painted until noon.

Above: Beginning (the "underpainting") of the first painting, started at 8 a.m. before the sun had come through the clouds.

Below is the finished painting:

"Lieutenant River, Early Morning," oil on canvas, 8 x 16" Available

Around 10 a.m. I started a second painting of the same scene. The colors had shifted to warmer tones.

"Lieutenant River, Late Morning," oil on canvas, 8 x 16" Available

I hope you will have a chance to visit the Florence Griswold Museum, home of the Old Lyme Art Colony. In the meanwhile, feel free to leave a comment or ask a question below.

Thank you for reading my blog and for your interest in my art.