The Westport Book Shop is honoring former longtime resident and artist George Hand Wright with a dedicated art exhibit throughout September 2026.

The artwork is on display at the store’s Drew Friedman Art Place gallery and is on loan from local collector Ed Gerber. Wright, who lived from 1872 to 1951, was a painter, illustrator, printmaker, and early founder of the local artistic community.

Wright’s work appeared in national publications including Scribner’s, Harper’s, Collier’s, and The Saturday Evening Post. He was elected to the National Academy of Design in 1939, and more than 100 of his illustrations are held in the United States Library of Congress.

The exhibition holds personal significance for Gerber, who lives in Wright’s former home, the historic Sturges–Wright House on Cross Highway. Built in 1764, the property was purchased by Wright in 1907 and eventually acquired in 2010 by Gerber, who has secured its placement on the National Register of Historic Places.

Gerber has spent his career in banking and finance while remaining active in historic preservation across Connecticut. He previously served on Westport’s Historic District Commission, led the former Westport Historical Society, and underwrote the biography George Hand Wright: An Artist’s Life Examined by Kirsten M. Jensen.

A public reception with Gerber will take place on Wednesday, Sept. 16, from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., with copies of the biography available for purchase. The exhibit is free to view during regular store hours at 23 Jesup Road in downtown Westport.

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