It is the contrasts, which work so harmoniously together in Sky Hoyt's large-scale acrylic paintings, that enable the viewer to feel a sense of calm and energy, all at the same time.The colors are soft and elegant yet powerful, the subjects-mostly of women in domestic surroundings and relaxed poses-are serene, and yet a sense of strength rather than timidity prevails. The works are figurative, but at the same time impressionistic, verging on expressionistic. The paintings are uncomplicated in their presentation and yet intricate in their execution.

The colors are soft and elegant yet powerful, the subjects-mostly of women in domestic surroundings and relaxed poses-are serene, and yet a sense of strength rather than timidity prevails. The works are figurative, but at the same time impressionistic, verging on expressionistic. The paintings are uncomplicated in their presentation and yet intricate in their execution.For these very reasons, Diane Birdsall, owner of the diane birdsall gallery in Old Lyme, chose the title "Repose & Energy" for the Stonington artist's solo show of new work opening at her gallery on March 6.

For these very reasons, Diane Birdsall, owner of the diane birdsall gallery in Old Lyme, chose the title "Repose & Energy" for the Stonington artist's solo show of new work opening at her gallery on March 6.Birdsall notes that Hoyt's paintings often contain seated woman, not unlike Picasso's paintings of Dora Maar seated and deKooning's fascination with the seated woman in his paintings throughout his career.

Birdsall notes that Hoyt's paintings often contain seated woman, not unlike Picasso's paintings of Dora Maar seated and deKooning's fascination with the seated woman in his paintings throughout his career."Her work has an immediate effect on me," Birdsall adds. "Portraits of women, seated for a moment from their lives of nurturing, doing, and awaiting."

"Her work has an immediate effect on me," Birdsall adds. "Portraits of women, seated for a moment from their lives of nurturing, doing, and awaiting."Home to Stonington Hoyt grew up in Bronxville, N.Y., where she began taking oil painting classes in the fourth grade. During the summers, her family vacationed in Stonington.

Hoyt grew up in Bronxville, N.Y., where she began taking oil painting classes in the fourth grade. During the summers, her family vacationed in Stonington.Hoyt graduated in 1990 from Bennington College in Vermont with a B.A. in visual arts, and in 1999 she received an MFA from Colorado State University.

Hoyt graduated in 1990 from Bennington College in Vermont with a B.A. in visual arts, and in 1999 she received an MFA from Colorado State University.She has exhibited in juried art shows nationwide since 1994, most recently in a solo show this year at the Alexey Von Shlippey Gallery in Groton. She's received the Juror's Choice Award, Durango Arts Center, Colorado (1995); a grant from Colorado State University (1999); and the Theresa Cosma Still Life Award, Mystic juried show (2006).

She has exhibited in juried art shows nationwide since 1994, most recently in a solo show this year at the Alexey Von Shlippey Gallery in Groton. She's received the Juror's Choice Award, Durango Arts Center, Colorado (1995); a grant from Colorado State University (1999); and the Theresa Cosma Still Life Award, Mystic juried show (2006).Hoyt remained in Denver after graduate school, but in 2001 she came back to Stonington to paint, for what she thought would be six months, moving in with her mother and stepfather, who now lived in town year-round. But destiny had something else in mind. She met her husband, Charlie Wustman, a pilot who lived in Noank, and ended up staying in Connecticut.

Hoyt remained in Denver after graduate school, but in 2001 she came back to Stonington to paint, for what she thought would be six months, moving in with her mother and stepfather, who now lived in town year-round. But destiny had something else in mind. She met her husband, Charlie Wustman, a pilot who lived in Noank, and ended up staying in Connecticut.The couple bought a house in Stonington where they live with their 3-year-old son Hugo and are completing the construction of a post-and-beam barn to serve as an art studio for Hoyt and a woodshop for Wustman, who, when he's not flying, enjoys woodworking.

The couple bought a house in Stonington where they live with their 3-year-old son Hugo and are completing the construction of a post-and-beam barn to serve as an art studio for Hoyt and a woodshop for Wustman, who, when he's not flying, enjoys woodworking.The Artist on her ArtHoyt says that shapes are very important to her work.

Hoyt says that shapes are very important to her work."They're the building blocks of the painting-they feed into the subject matter and resonate with the movement in nature," she says. "I see everything as shapes."

"They're the building blocks of the painting-they feed into the subject matter and resonate with the movement in nature," she says. "I see everything as shapes."She also loves color and attributes her unorthodox combinations to working with a palette that's "more lyrical, less academic."

She also loves color and attributes her unorthodox combinations to working with a palette that's "more lyrical, less academic."Hoyt says she started out as a still life painter, then moved into figures-painting street scenes-and currently, along with the figure, the garden seems to be the theme in much of her work. But because she works from her imagination, only using models and photographs as a jumping off point, these are not your garden-variety gardens.

Hoyt says she started out as a still life painter, then moved into figures-painting street scenes-and currently, along with the figure, the garden seems to be the theme in much of her work. But because she works from her imagination, only using models and photographs as a jumping off point, these are not your garden-variety gardens.""Blossoms, birds, animals, a junk car, a statue from the Ming Dynasty-the garden is a place where unexpected things come together and objects speak to each other," she says.

""Blossoms, birds, animals, a junk car, a statue from the Ming Dynasty-the garden is a place where unexpected things come together and objects speak to each other," she says.But the biggest turning point in her work, she says, was having a child.

But the biggest turning point in her work, she says, was having a child."It changed me. Things that are not important go away and things that are important stay," she says. "I took in a lot of visual stimuli I never would have noticed before, walking with Hugo in a stroller around Stonington Borough-responding more on a gut level to birds, the shapes of plants. I see these new paintings as gentle, peaceful-about connection to relationships and to the natural world."

"It changed me. Things that are not important go away and things that are important stay," she says. "I took in a lot of visual stimuli I never would have noticed before, walking with Hugo in a stroller around Stonington Borough-responding more on a gut level to birds, the shapes of plants. I see these new paintings as gentle, peaceful-about connection to relationships and to the natural world."And as any parent knows, time-or less of it-also became a factor in Hoyt's work after her son was born.

And as any parent knows, time-or less of it-also became a factor in Hoyt's work after her son was born."I had less time to work in a lengthy process, I needed it to be more immediate," she says.

"I had less time to work in a lengthy process, I needed it to be more immediate," she says.And so she switched to acrylic paint when she was pregnant because it's less toxic than oil, and since it also dries much faster, she continues to use acrylic because it enables her to work quickly, in multiple layers. She completed her entire new series of paintings in a year.

And so she switched to acrylic paint when she was pregnant because it's less toxic than oil, and since it also dries much faster, she continues to use acrylic because it enables her to work quickly, in multiple layers. She completed her entire new series of paintings in a year.Hoyt often adds pastels and charcoal to give a geometric or linear effect to a painting.

Hoyt often adds pastels and charcoal to give a geometric or linear effect to a painting."Each painting starts with a feeling and the process of painting the painting is always the same-just giving it what it needs and what it's asking for," Hoyt explains. "The beauty of painting in an abstract manner is that there is more freedom, less rules."

"Each painting starts with a feeling and the process of painting the painting is always the same-just giving it what it needs and what it's asking for," Hoyt explains. "The beauty of painting in an abstract manner is that there is more freedom, less rules."

"Repose & Energy," paintings by Sky Hoyt will be on view through April 4 at the diane birdsall gallery, 10 Lyme St., Old Lyme. An opening artist reception will be held Saturday, March 6, from 5 to 8 p.m. in conjunction with the first "First Saturday" of the month in Old Lyme, during which all galleries and museums will be open. For more information, call 860-434-3209 or visit dianebirdsallgallery.com.