FARMINGTON – Heirlooms of Tomorrow Handcrafted Furniture Store and Art Gallery will begin the holiday season with an open house from 4 to 7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 3.

Selina Shields will be Heirloom’s featured artist for November. Shields will be at the open house to discuss her work and again from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 4.

Shields said, “My style of work has developed out of my own life’s experiences and my belief in creation and the creative process. I discovered at a very young age that art is a powerful tool for connecting to others. Through art one can express who they are in a way that can touch someone else.”

“I’m drawn to the fine, intricate details of life and the play between dark and light, and I try to portray this in all my work. I paint primarily in watercolor; however, I feel an artist must always be learning and exploring new forms of art. Most recently I have been drawn to combining collage, handmade papers and watercolor to create works that express not only the subject matter’s two dimensional form, but its soul as well.”

Shields is a member of UpCountry Artist and owns and operates a studio and gallery at 161 Front St., where she displays her art and conducts six-week classes for 30 students.

Her exhibit at Heirlooms will include some work from her students as well as her own.