A nationally recognized painter and Master Pastelist with the Pastel Society of America, Wende Caporale-Greene is known for her luminous, lifelike portraits and still lifes. Her work has been exhibited at institutions including the Butler Institute of American Art and honored by the Portrait Society of America and the Salmagundi Club, among others.
March 15 through June 7, 2026, the Mattatuck Museum is presenting “Wende Caporale-Greene: The Art of Feeding Community,” a solo exhibition. Through richly detailed paintings in oil and pastel, Caporale-Greene honors the farmers, fishers, cheesemongers, and other food purveyers whose work sustains local communities.
After relocating to Connecticut in 2021, Caporale-Greene began visiting local farms, markets, and small food businesses throughout the region. Inspired by the people who grow and prepare fresh food close to home, those experiences became the foundation for this deeply personal body of work, which she began in 2023. “Wende Caporale-Greene: The Art of Feeding Community” is the debut solo presentation of these recent paintings, which are joined by two family portraits.
Featured people and places include:
– Kate Truini-Redin of New Curds on the Block in Oakville, Connecticut
– Zachary Redin of To the Gills in Oakville, Connecticut
– Shawn Joseph and Richard Myer of Brass City Harvest, whose work expands access to fresh, affordable food in Waterbury neighborhoods
– Mark and Jackson of Ox Hollow Farm in Roxbury and Woodbury, Connecticut
– Shawn Ruest and Skip, regional lobstermen
– Spencer Lord and Rebecca Kuczko of Oracle Mushroom Co. in South Kent, Connecticut
– Millbrook Vineyards & Winery in Millbrook, New York
– Averill Farm in Washington Depot, Connecticut
– Rraci’s Restaurant in Brewster, New York
– Jarrod Sprangler of Maine Meat (MEat) in Kittery, Maine
The exhibition is dedicated to the memory of Caporale-Greene’s husband, noted realist painter Daniel E. Greene, NA, and to her father, Edward Caporale, a longtime produce manager who instilled in her a lifelong appreciation for fresh food.
For more information, please visit mattmuseum.org.
