Girl Scout Gives Artwork New Perspective

History came to life Saturday inside the East Village and Barn Hill Meetinghouse thanks to a Girl Scout project that gives a modern twist to some good old paintings.

Just over a year ago, Kristie Osborne, a Girl Scout since she was four, now a 16 year-old Masuk High School senior, was searching for a Gold Award project, which is equivalent to a Boy Scout's Eagle project.

Kristie's mother, Sue Osborne, wanting to help her daughter contacted her old friend Nancy Zorena, president of the Monroe Historical Society, who said this was just the opportunity she was hoping for.

Zorena said in the past, the historical society has worked with Boy Scouts on Eagle projects, and has always wanted to develop a similar working relationship with the Girl Scouts.

Zorena suggested a project involving the artwork of the Burr sisters, Jennie and Fannie, both accomplished artists and writers who lived in Monroe between 1860 and 1960.

During their lifetimes, spanning 100 years, both sisters attended Yale Art School and created many pieces of art, diaries and letters that have been carefully preserved by the Monroe Historical Society in its original form.

 "There is a wealth of information here and I was hoping someone would do something like this with the collection," she said.

Osborne said Kristie "took the reins" on the project working closely with Zorena and spending time on the computer everyday over the summer.

"Kristie set her goal and persevered, doing what she set out to do," she said. "She worked really hard on the project all summer long."

Kristie said she took nearly 500 photographs of the Burr's artwork at the Edith Wheeler Memorial Library, but did a majority of editing and organizing the collection at home on her mother's Macintosh computer to create the video.

The 15-minute video presentation included 456 of the Burr sisters pencil sketches, charcoal drawings and oil paintings, townspeople, farm scenes, landscapes and family pets.

The artwork was accompanied with a soundtrack covering the life spans of the Burr sisters with music ranging from "The Entertainer" and "Amazing Grace," to Chubby Checker and Elvis Presley.

"I am very grateful to my parents and to Mrs. Zorena for this opportunity," she said.

Kristie said the actual project took approximately two and a half months to complete.

However, Michelle Donofrio, co-chair of the Connecticut Girl Scout Council committee that approved the project, said the application alone took over a year.

"We encourage girls to do projects the community has a need for and will have a lasting effect," she said.  

Author Ed Coffey, a member of the historical society said following the presentation that Osborne's project sparks young people's interest in local history.  

"When you talk about history you are talking about your own backyard," he said.  

Zorena said another Girl Scout, Stephanie Roma is working on a Gold Award project categorizing the Burr sisters' writings which include personal letters and diaries on computer software to make it easily accessible.

Roma is scheduled to make a Gold Award presentation for her project in October.

Osborne's video will be on display next Saturday and Sunday at the St. Peters Episcopal Church Apple Festival on the Monroe Green and at the Edith Wheeler Memorial Library during business hours.