New Senior Center Artist: Keven Nelson Pictures On Show Now At Newtown Senior Center – The Newtown Bee

Published: May 22, 2026 7:30 am

Keven Nelson described herself as a “79-year-old lady who has been into art since [her] children were born.” She started taking pictures of her kids after they have been born and folks advised she had “a good eye.”

“It was all just for fun,” Nelson advised The Bee. Now, she is the featured artist at Newtown Senior Center.

Nelson is displaying her images work. She began round 1975, took a break, and picked it up once more in 1986 or so. She was photographing intermittently, however critically began experimenting once more in her retirement. In school, Nelson stated she was very into silk screening. She has additionally discovered herself working with oil and chilly wax not too long ago, however has switched supplies to maintain prices low.

Nelson has had work featured in Mattatuck Museum, Ridgefield Guild of Artists reveals, and created a photograph essay on homelessness in New Haven.

“People say I’m a flower photographer … but I want to get away from that. I love just finding something really unusual, and maybe have people not even know what it is,” Nelson stated. “I love when people express their interpretation because sometimes it’s totally not yours!”

Nelson’s present is comprised of older pictures she had taken up to now. Her most up-to-date picture is of a cupola at Fairfield Hills. The distressed paint appeared to “glisten” to Nelson, regardless of there not being plenty of gentle on it. Nelson needed to incorporate extra pictures of Fairfield Hills, however she didn’t have the time to exit and get extra pictures of the campus.

“There was a picture that I tried to capture on one of those buildings, along with the cupola, [it] wasn’t far away from that. There was broken glass and that flag, that was really cool, but it didn’t come out clear. And I’m super into clear,” Nelson defined.

She shared that she has been concerned in native images teams, however famous her work was a bit totally different from what the others have been depicting. Nelson stated that she likes to {photograph} decaying issues, which flowers are likely to lend themselves to.

When requested about her course of, Nelson was reluctant to debate. She admitted that she makes use of her iPhone digicam to take pictures now, noting how the system has opened up images to on a regular basis individuals.

“I gave away all my big cameras when I saw what they could do,” Nelson stated. She hoped that the admission would possibly encourage another person to begin photographing with their smartphone, too. “They’re displayed in local, prestigious shows, but I get them developed at CVS and Walgreens.”

Nelson simply wrapped up the Bedlam present for Ridgefield Guild of Artists and is worked up to work on a particular piece for America250. The immediate is “your interpretation of the flag,” and the items shall be put collectively as a collage for Ridgefield Historical Society. She gave The Bee an inside look into her plan, however readers must wait to see the completed challenge.

Nelson needs to get comfy with road images. She defined that she was slightly “petrified” whereas engaged on her picture essay on homelessness in New Haven as a result of plenty of the individuals she labored with thought she was a “nark.” Nelson stated that she needs to apply in Danbury and use an method she noticed another person do, which is begin a dialog with the picture topic and construct a rapport to create a extra “natural and relaxed kind of atmosphere.”

Nelson thinks having her work at Newtown Senior Center is “pretty cool.” She really approached senior middle workers and inquired about displaying her artwork and was glad that Sharman Wheatley, Senior Center showcase organizer, accepted her work and moved ahead with placing it up.

“Right now, in our political climate, you need to see beauty, interest, and something that is going to bring you joy, and not bring you down to a negative space,” Nelson stated. Her work is on show proper now at Newtown Senior Center via June.

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Reporter Sam Cross will be reached at sam@thebee.com.

Keven Nelson is the artist behind the images on show now at Newtown Senior Center. —Bee Photos, Cross

Nelson stated individuals describe her as a “flower photographer,” however she is attempting to get away from that.

Nelson hopes to get extra comfy with road images and work on constructing rapport with picture topics earlier than taking their image.

Nelson has a number of pictures of Fairfield Hills on show at Newtown Senior Center. She stated this picture is “spooky,” and matches the vibe of Fairfield Hills.