The Northwest Connecticut Arts Council announces the most recent UNICO Scholarship awardees for 2025. 

The Northwest Connecticut Arts Council administers this grant program on behalf of the Torrington UNICO Scholarship Fund.  The grant is intended to foster the talent and career development of Northwest Connecticut youth in all areas of the arts.

The recipients are Willow Elswyth of Burlington and Brianna Palaguachi of Torrington.

Willow works primarily with oil paint and graphite and uses her art to explore themes of grief and family dynamics. She earned her Visual Art Associates degree from CT State Northwestern, where she received the Visual Art & Design Creative Pursuit Award, and is continuing her education at the University of Hartford’s Hartford Art School. Her process combines technical realism with deeply personal subjects, creating pieces that offer viewers a glimpse into her experiences and a sense of solidarity.

Brianna is a passionate arts student who credits her high‑school art classes with helping her grow from a shy person into someone who is more welcoming and open. A first‑generation student, she plans to attend Northwestern Connecticut Community College and then transfer to another college to complete her education, with the long‑term goal of becoming an art teacher. She hopes her journey will inspire other shy people to express themselves through art and believes this scholarship will support her path toward teaching.

The Torrington UNICO Paolo Abate Mini Grant Arts Award is named in honor of sculptor and artist Paolo Abate who lived in Torrington for much of his career. Paolo Salvatore Abate (1884-1973), an internationally renowned sculptor, was born in Italy, and was also a teacher and author. He came to the United States in 1903, first settling in Winsted, then moving to New York City. His New York studio was a gathering place for notables such as Enrico Caruso and Joyce Kilmar, both of whom Abate sculpted. In 1928, he moved to Torrington where he continued to sculpt and teach. Abate was president of the International Fine Arts League, a member of the National Sculptor's Council, the Artists Council, the Connecticut Artists and Writers Society, and was an active member of the Torrington UNICO Club, an Italian/ American service organization. For more information about Torrington UNICO Club, contact Brian Mattiello, President, at 860-485-4542. For information about the Torrington UNICO Scholarship Fund for young artists, contact the Northwest Connecticut Arts Council.