Barbara Coffin art to grace Milton holiday house tour book

The Women's Club of Milton has selected Barbara Coffin’s miniature oil painting “Winter Visitor” for the cover of its 2020 holiday house tour book.

Holiday house tour committee members chose the painting when it was part of the Holly Days Show held by Milton Arts Guild at the Studios on Walnut. The arts guild has been an integral partner with the annual holiday house tour, and the studio has been included on the tour for the past five years.

Coffin grew up in a large family that loved Washington, D.C. parks, museums, gardens and zoos. She has been drawing, painting, and carving nature her entire life. She studied at the Corcoran Art School and graduated from the University of Maryland. She is retired from a 32-year career teaching art and mentoring aspiring young educators.

Over the years, Coffin has received many accolades. While she was a student, one of her paintings appeared in the Washington Post newspaper. She later was presented with the Maryland Outstanding Art Educator Award. She recently won first-place awards from art shows at Delaware Tech and the Milton Arts Guild.

Coffin retired to Milton with her husband Denny Coffin, who is a photographer, a poet and a golfer.

Always a painter first, Coffin discovered bird carving since joining the Mispillion River Carvers 13 years ago.

“Living in the Atlantic Flyway is fantastic for bird watchers and especially for me, because I never run out of ideas for my art. My latest carving is a little kinglet, thanks to a photo my neighbor took of the little bird who flew to her window,” said Coffin. “I am thrilled that the Women’s Club of Milton chose my cardinal painting ‘Winter Visitor’ for the 2020 Holiday House Tour.”

The club committee members are thrilled to have Coffin’s artwork to adorn the cover of the 2020 holiday house tour booklet as well as all publicity for the event. 

The Women's Club of Milton Holiday House Tour will be held Saturday, Dec. 12. The tour showcases the historic town of Milton and its architecture, many private homes and several public buildings, all beautifully decorated for the holiday season. The tour is a fundraiser for the charitable and educational initiatives of the Women's Club of Milton whose members serve the community through volunteer service and fundraising to enrich the lives of others.  For more information, go to www.womensclubofmilton.org.