Three Newtown students, Casey Hill, Casey-Rose Kearns and Melissa Destefano, will exhibit their photography at the "Six Views and Views and Vistas" show that opens this Saturday, Jan. 15 at The Silo in New Milford.

They worked under the mentorship of well-known local artist, Laurie Klein.

Destafano said the experience has helped her “grow immensely.”

“Entering Laurie’s home studio is equivalent to entering a hypothetical judgment-free zone," Destefano said. "Disrespect is unheard of, and each individual person is granted their 'floor time,' showing photographs and allowing all others to comment and question, working towards our exhibit.”

The mentor group met weekly for 12 weeks, where they shard positive feedback about each other’s work and learned from Klein.

“Each photograph tells a story and Laurie has said multiple times that we tell her more about ourselves throughout photographs than we could ever say out loud,” Destefano said.

The group had weekly critiques where they would share “what works and what doesn’t work” and why.

“They weren't allowed to say they liked or dislike an image. By saying those words you learn more about the critic than the art work. So instead language such as 'it works' or 'it doesn’t work for me' and then why,” Klein said.

Each student picked a theme for the exhibit and worked their art to fit that theme. Klein said she was impressed by the level of commitment the students had to each other and their photography.

“I am not sure who gets more out of the mentorship, me or them,” she said.

Part of Klein’s student photography mentor program includes what she calls “play dates.” The play dates are days when they go on location and photograph each other and/or models. Klein said she does this because she feels it is very important for them to be on both sides of the camera.

“They bonded as a group very quickly and it became a wonderful environment for them to explore and learn more about their unique creative abilities and importantly their artistic processes,” Klein said.

One of Klein’s former students, Nicole Cudzilo, helped mentor the students for the past year and is a big part of the program, Klein said.

Three of the other students in the group, Alexandra Sweeney, Kathryn Scribner and Olivia Cookfair, are from Brookfield High School.

Sweeney has worked with Klein since October. Inspired by music such as Green Day and AFI, as well as photographer Ansel Adams, Sweeney said she wanted to join the mentor group because “photography is an amazing art form.”

Last summer, Scribner got a new film camera and that is when she realized her interest in photography. Listening to her art teacher’s recommendation to join the program, Scribner became involved and was immediately hooked.  

“I've always been into the fine arts and trying out new mediums just gets me really excited,” Scribner said.

After entering the mentor program to learn a new art form, Scribner said she left with so much more. 

“This was a new adventure, I was going to be able to try out photography," she said. "What I've come out with are great, amazing friends and a wealth of new knowledge about myself and my art.”

Scribner said she is “so excited to see my work hung up on display."

"I'm most interested to see how people react to what I've chosen to show," she said. "I always have a story behind things, but once my work is on that wall, I don't get to explain it all. That's fascinating to me because my art isn't just for me — it’s for everyone else too. People will be able to make their own connections or their own story, and each one will be different.”

“Six Views and Views and Vistas” will run through Jan. 30 at The Silo Gallery in New Milford.

The Silo was founded by famed conductor, the late Skitch Henderson, and his wife Ruth. 

An opening reception will be held Saturday, Jan. 15 from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. with wines provided by Hopkins Vineyard and light appetizers provided by The Silo Cooking School. This event is free and open to the public.

In the Main Gallery, “Six Views” will be showing the the work of Klein's students, Hill, Cookfair, Destefano, Sweeney, Kearns and Scribner.

In the New Talent Gallery, “Views and Vistas” will feature 2010 on-site landscape paintings from the Weantinoge Land Trust.

On Sunday, Jan. 23, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. a gallery talk will be held. “Six Views” photographers and “Views and Vistas” painters will be in attendance to explain their work and inspiration.