Submitted by Tammy Eustis
(January 2, 2024) — Sandra Smith and her husband, Charlie, moved to Killingworth in 1969, first living on Route 148, then moving to Little City Road, where Sandy created her art studio in a renovated 19th century barn.
Sandy is a prolific artist, whose works have touched and inspired community members for decades. As a child, she was so full of pent-up creative energy that, “My mother didn’t know what to do with me!,” Sandy shares with a laugh. To keep out of trouble, she cultivated an incredible variety of artistic skills. Over the years, she has contributed to various fundraising activities for the Historical Society and Killingworth Library, creating and donating everything from stuffed chickens and dolls depicting historical women from town, to wooden historical houses and notecards based on her barn paintings.
On a grander scale, Sandy was a quilter. Her originally-designed and hand-sewn quilts have won awards and been exhibited in quilting museums. One of her works hung in the office of Connecticut Senator Joe Lieberman until he retired. And Sandy was the key organizer of the community-created Birds of Killingworth quilt, offered as a fundraiser for the Congregational Church and now owned by the Historical Society.
In 2005, Sandy began displaying her oil paintings at the Killingworth Library in partnership with local artist Jay Folger. The original exhibits highlighted the barns of Killingworth. From 2008 onward, Sandy held solo displays of her oil paintings every December, moving from barns to landscapes, and finally to the always-popular birds of Killingworth. Her final exhibit in 2023 featured works covering decades of artistic output, including landscapes, still lifes and “primitive” pieces.
Many examples of her work are on continuous display at the Killingworth Library, including a collection of her beautiful quilts, wooden houses, and historical dolls. All of her in-house works can be viewed through the library’s website, in their Digital Library of Local Artisans. While many of her works grace the town of Killingworth, Sandy is also a member of the Lyme Art Association and an elected member of both the Clinton and Madison Art Societies.
And as if her art didn’t keep her busy enough, Sandy contributed time and energy to the town of Killingworth itself, serving as President of the Killingworth Nursery School, President of the Killingworth Historical Society, the Congregational Church clerk, and teacher of CE classes at the Congregational Church. Fittingly enough, Sandy was declared Killingworth’s Citizen of the Year in 1982. (Charlie caught up to her in 2002.)
The Town of Killingworth extends many thanks to Sandy Smith, both for her years of support and for brightening our space – and the town of Killingworth – one hand-sewn, crafted, and painted piece at a time.
