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HERSAM ACORN NEWSPAPERS

Artist’s Passion Creates A Second Career

High Tech

Wayne Ratzenberger photo

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• August 6, 2009 •

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An artist’s passion

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CREATES A SECOND CAREER

Sharon’s magic created a wine cellar where once there was a blank wall.

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by Joanne Greco Rochman

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When sign painter Sharon Leichsenring turned 48 years old, she decided that the time to follow her passion was “now or never.” Having been a sign painter since she was 18 years old, she had built up a successful business. She had even painted signs on Trumbull’s emergency vehicles. Still, something was burning inside her that needed to break out. Sure, sign painting was lucrative, and yes, her husband, Hans, teased her about making a career change just as their two children were entering college. However, she knew in her heart that she was not meant to be a sign painter for her whole life. She decided to follow her passion and began painting murals. “At first I did some of both and maintained two careers,” said the enthusiastic artist, who finally made the transition from sign painter to artist extraordinaire. “I would paint signs on boats — luxury items — but I would tell my upscale clien-

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tele that I was going to quit sign painting and start painting murals. “It was a perfect niche,” Sharon explained. Those boat clients were impressed with Sharon’s impeccable lettering and attention to detail, and they welcomed her talent, which had been dormant for far too long. Once people saw what she could do, she didn’t have to do any more sign painting. Does she regret that she waited so long? “I didn’t know I could do it. As you mature, you take your gifts so much more seriously,” she explained. “I do say that I wasted time painting signs, but in actuality, I wasn’t ready for the murals. I didn’t trust my own talent.” Sharon has the confidence now. Receiving commissions from Connecticut to New York to Texas, her reputation spread fast and hot like the fire within her. Her work can be found in residences throughout Fairfield, New Haven and Litchfield coun-

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ties in Connecticut, as well as Westchester County in New York. A member of the National Society of Mural Painters and the Stencil Artisans League, Sharon is a nationally recognized awardwinning artist, and has garnered the grand prize in the decorative-painting division of a competition sponsored by American Painting Contractors in 2004. She has also been a participant since 2003 in The Salon, an international, by-invitation-only gathering of artists. These conferences have brought her to Belgium and Norway. She also travels to Houston, where she teaches her mural techniques. Her work focuses on creating illusion, which she often accomplishes through trompe l’oeil (French for “to fool the eye”). In actuality, it is the mastery of light and shadow, which turns flat surfaces into believable three-dimensional works. “There’s a sense of wonder, having an artist create that special world for you in your own home,” Sharon said. “It’s more than finding the correct palette and reference materials — which are important — but, the core of the successful design is being able to take your clients’ wishes and translate them into that emotional response which they are seeking. A well-designed mural or vignette should be able to evoke that response every time it’s viewed.”

Portraits of Molly and Chico decorate a farmhouse bathroom.

Since she started her second career, she has faced some serious challenges. “I’ve always been terrified of heights,” she confessed. However, when she got a commission to paint a ceiling in Conroe, Texas, her mettle was tested. She suddenly found herself accepting the challenge, and took her art to new heights. Climbing a scaffold that surpassed the reach of the air-conditioning system, Sharon overcame her fear of height and transformed the ceiling. It turned out to be a job that was rewarding in more ways than one. The job she is most proud of is the mural she created at a home on Bantam Lake. “I worked on that project for eight and] a half months,” she said. The homeowners wanted an Art Deco media room. Sharon was in charge of every aspect of the project, including working with woodworkers and designers. The pièce de résistance was what she fondly calls the “screen saver.” It refers to the mural of Frank Capra’s “It’s a Wonderful Life,” which covers the screen of the home movie theater. Surely one of the most remarkable pieces she has worked on is a mural on a dining room wall that resembles a wine cellar, with two prominent sconces. “The owners said

that they didn’t care how I did it, but they wanted me to incorporate the real sconces into the painting,” explained Sharon. She not only created a wine cellar lit by the authentic lights, but she included the same type of sconces in her painting. You can’t tell the real from the painted! It’s quite remarkable. One of her most fun projects was at a farmhouse. The owner wanted his shower stall painted with his favorite cows, Chico and Molly. When you enter the bath area, you don’t realize that the barn door is actually the shower door. She also created a gorgeous French pastoral mural, which is so peaceful and inviting that you want to walk into the painting and along the path to serenity.

If you’re wondering what happens to these gorgeous murals if homeowners decide to sell, Sharon laughed as she shared a secret with me. “They tell me not to paint to the edge, in case they have to cut out the Sheetrock.” Believe me, Sharon’s murals are worth moving walls for. You may learn more about Sharon on her Web site, leichsenringstudios.com/murals, or you may call her at 203-556-9491.

A mural of “It’s a Wonderful Life” is the focal point of a home theater.

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CT HOME AUTOMATION

High tech at the touch of a button by Robin E. Glowa Bill Fredericks is a bit like Q, the ingenious inventor of all those high-tech, secret- agent gadgets James Bond used for saving the world. Bill said with a chuckle, “Yeah, I have license to install.” Bill and his wife, Michelle, are the owners of CT Home Automation, a systems- integration company. With the push of a button on a computer, home automation enables the homeowner to control not only temperature and lighting, but also a sophisticated music system and security surveillance. With a background in machine tools, robotics and factory automation, as well as strong, self-taught computer knowledge, Bill had laid the groundwork for what would become a new and thriving business. When he and Michelle attended a meeting of CEDIA (Custom Electronic Design and Installation Association), they realized the potential for bringing automation to homeowners. While Bill attended technical classes through CEDIA, Michelle took marketing and sales classes. Together they acquired the necessary skills and certifications to start CT Home Automation. In 2002, they opened for business, with Bill serving as installer and Michelle as the marketing manager. This husband and wife team is devoted to providing their customers with the highest level of service, as well as installing the most technologically advanced products available. Michelle says, “We’re having a great time with the business, and we pride ourselves on our white-glove service. I’m so proud of what Bill has accomplished. He really thinks outside the box, and goes to the extreme to take care of our customers. He overwires so customers can update later and add additional components. We’re always reachable and that is so important to our clients.”

Home automation lets owners view and control their homes via a personal computer and the Internet. — Sara Poirier photo

Home automation is the central system that monitors and controls all other sub systems. The home-automation controls allow customers to view and control their homes from remote locations via a personal computer and the Internet. The custom capabilities of an automation system are amazing. A keypad mounted on a wall can be programmed to perform a variety of functions. The audio distribution system gives access to multiple sources of music — an iPod, cable box, CD changer or AM/FM radio. It can be programmed to distribute music to any place in the home, such as the kitchen, bathroom or outdoors on the patio.

Something of Bev’s

Bill adds, “The benefit of working with a small operation like ours is that you’re always dealing with the same person — I know your system inside and out.”

level of brightness. In new homes, kitchens with six or seven lighting zones will no longer need different switches. Instead, lighting can be programmed on the keypad, from bright light over the stove to soft lighting over the dining area. Thermostats can be set to monitor air conditioning and heating; shades and garage doors can be programmed to open and close. Security options are numerous. Via a video camera, a tripmotion sensor records who is in the house. Michelle smiles and says, “I can actually see what my cats are doing by logging on to my computer when I am at the office!”

Lighting control can also be customized. Outdoor lighting can be set to come on at a specific time and at a specific

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Something of Bev’s

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The system can compile a history of all activities — when a slider door was last opened and what time the kids actually came in at night. If an elderly person lives with the family, the system can be programmed to alert the homeowner if the individual is not up and about by his or her usual time. In the event of an emergency, outdoor lighting can be programmed to flash so police can quickly find the home. If homeowners are away on vacation, they can log onto the computer and check to see if the windows are closed.

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Food, glorious food! by Jackie Perry

CT Home Automation also connects home entertainment/theater components, including surround-sound receivers, DVD and CD players, HD cable or satellite, 5.1 surround speakers, VCR, Xbox, Play Station and universal remote controls to create a marvelous theater-like experience when watching TV.

Cookbooks ... they’re impossible to resist, especially when they have a delectable cover and photos inside to match. You just have to take a look. And once they’re opened, you soon find you can’t resist thumbing through a few more pages, and, before you know it, an hour has pleasantly passed. Ditto for cooking magazines — especially when the publisher is The Taunton Press in Newtown.

Michelle said, “ If there is any problem with the equipment, we do everything. We fix it; we return it. If something goes down, we swap it out until the customer’s equipment is fixed. I’ve taken my TV off the wall for a client!” Michelle said with a smile. “I’m also excited that we now do outdoor theaters, which are so cool.”

Fine Cooking Taunton’s Fine Cooking magazine made its debut in 1993, and this year they launched a new look for both the magazine and its Web site. The page design is artfully simple and welcoming, encouraging the reader to stop and sample its wares.

“Because I am a licensed professional (CT License # 190084), my customers can be assured of the job being done correctly,” Bill said. “Wiring is a highly specialized profession, and in October of 2007, a law went into effect that all professionals have to be licensed to wire in wall. The license requires you to be educated, and continuing education keeps you aware of industry technology, allowing me to be of greater service to my customers. Using a technician who isn’t properly licensed can leave the customer with no recourse if something goes wrong with the installation.”

In the February/March issue, there’s an article on Cooking Without Recipes, the subject being soups. Six pages take you through five basic steps: choose your ingredients, cook the aromatics (aromatic vegetables being the soup’s foundation), simmer the vegetables, purée, and finish (seasoning and garnish). Three of the pages entice you with full-page photos of a tomato-fennel, a carrot-ginger and a broccoli soup. Well-illustrated with photos, the opposing three pages present the details of each step, such as choice and amount of fat, spices, vegetables, and liquids. Helpful hints discuss quantity, tips on puréeing and storing soup. Having mastered the basics, you can then take off on your own, perhaps inspired by what looks good at a farmers’ market.

Bill and Michelle are pleased to work with both residential and commercial clients, and have completed installations for several famous TV personalities, the Humphrey’s restaurant chain and other notable customers. For details, call CT Home Automation LLC, 203-439-0776 or visit online at cthomeautomation.com.

This year, the Taunton Press celebrates its fifth year of cookbook publishing, and during that time it has built a collection of 17 titles.

Food continued on page 6

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Food continued from page 5 Have time for a weekend project? Each issue has one, with reassuring stepby-step description and photos. The April/ May project was making your own sausage, and in the previous issue, it was croissants. But if 30 minutes is more your style, you’ll find that, too — spicy jerk pork chops, Thai-style chicken and basil- or smokedturkey reubens. Each issue has a Test Kitchen section for tips, techniques, equipment, ingredients, and glossary — how to ice a cake, tools for shaving fennel, “dough lingo,” cracking a coconut and how to toast and store it, why choose Parmigiano-Reggiano? And there’s a section on what to do with the huge wedge of cheese or the twopound jar of sun-dried tomatoes, which were irresistible at the warehouse store. Once home, however, you’re more likely to wonder how you’re going to use them up before they spoil. Not to worry, Fine Cooking offers three enticing recipes for each one, plus storage tips.

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Test Drive takes a look at cookware, such as a comparison of nonstick skillets or a sampling of meat grinders. Each item is tested, rated and evaluated. There’s also a section on Great Finds for kitchen and table. A spring brunch, brisket and mouth-watering leftovers, pancakes for dessert, grilled sandwiches — each magazine is filled with delectable recipes, accompanied by photos and tips, and there’s a nutritional analysis of each recipe. Fine Cooking’s Web site will also become a valued cooking companion, with recipes galore that can be found by meal or ingredient, plus tips and techniques (finecooking.com). The Good Life Ellie Krieger, nutritionist and best-selling author, is now contributing a column, The Good Life, which focuses on eating healthier without sacrificing flavor. Her FiveTreasure Fried Rice is a perfect example — still delectable without the fat.

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Speaking of Ellie, Fine Cooking also offers a special issue — Eat Smart with Ellie Krieger — that has 75 outstanding recipes chosen from her best-selling The Food You Crave, plus some that were created especially for this issue. Healthy, tasty meals can be yours by following her advice to buy smart, stock smart and store smart. Recipes use three or fewer fresh ingredients, some only one and others rely on what’s in you pantry. Each recipe lists good and excellent sources of nutrients, and the publication includes a glossary to explain how each nutrient benefits the body. Breakfast, Nibbles & Noshes, Soups & Salads, The Main Course, Pasta, Pizza & Grains, Sides, and Desserts — they’re all here. Fine Cooking Fresh But that’s not all. Published in March is a compilation of 350 recipes that make the most of what’s in season — Fine Cooking Fresh — by such notable chefs as Lidia Bastianich, Pam Anderson and Bruce Aidells. Follow Fine Cooking’s guide on how to buy, store and handle fresh vegetables and herbs; refreshing your spice shelf; and freezing and thawing. And as always, there are valuable tips and techniques. Taunton Press also publishes a Fine Cooking Annual (hardback), with handsome photos of all dishes, featuring its best starters, salads, sides, sweets, soups, stews, and more. And, of course, included are tips on how to make tasty gravy, cooking just-right rice, keeping mashed potatoes hot, and more. A Cooking Library

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This year, the Taunton Press celebrates its fifth year of cookbook publishing, and

during that time it has built a collection of 17 titles. A high note in February was the appearance of Beef by John Torode, a UK chef who is regularly in the limelight as a copresenter and judge of the BBC TV series MasterChef and at his popular restaurant in the heart of London’s meat market. The cover itself is a treasure since it opens up to a poster-size drawing of a heifer, locating the various cuts of beef from tongue to tail. Packed with all things beef, not only is it filled with easy-to-make, tasty recipes from around the world, it is fascinating reading as it gives the history of great and rare breeds. Other Taunton selections include Barbecue Nation (350 tried-and-true recipes from America’s backyard), Grilling with Gas (150 recipes for great grilled food) and 150 Things to Make with Roast Chicken. Robin Miller’s Quick Fix Meals makes home cooking doable by offering a diverse selection of recipes that are easy, tasty and healthy. She tells you how to stock your pantry, refrigerator and freezer with the right ingredients, and then, with an hour of weekend prep time to chop veggies and precook pasta, you can have dinner ready in 30 minutes or less.

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HOME I OF THE I MONTH ■

LOCATION: Convenient to schools, shopping, the library and town green, this antique home in Monroe has been beautifully restored. PROPERTY: Stone walls, specimen plantings and flowering perennials enhance the 1.73 acres. HOUSE: Circa 1835, this delightful farmhouse features two handsome fireplaces, wide-plank chestnut floors, beamed ceilings, built-ins, and handforged wrought-iron hardware. The eat-in country kitchen has custom-made cabinets, an Italian tile floor with radiant heat, and a cozy sunroom. The family room fireplace has a 200-yearold mantel and French doors leading to a patio. The first-floor master bedroom has a luxurious master bath with a claw-foot tub, fixtures imported from England and a separate shower stall. There are two bedrooms on the second floor. GARAGE: The two-car detached garage has a covered porch and a heated studio above. PRICE: $429,900. REALTY: Prudential Connecticut. Agent: Joan Hainsworth, 203-261-2260, x116. Photography: Wayne Ratzenberger.

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