Community Calendar

Mail artists have sent in their creative post cards from 17 countries.

Snail mail has never been so creative and clever.

https://personaland.com/hut/exhibition/going-postal-2-gallery-1-of-2

Personaland is an artist-driven global village transforming the world of art by using technology to bridge time zones and cultural boundaries. Our mission is to promote humanity, creativity, and community through a mix of entertainment, enchantment, and imagination.

Since its 2018 launch, Personaland, in its global reach, has showcased over 800 visual artists, filmmakers, musicians, and poets from 68 countries in 32 group art shows and 55 individual exhibitions, many with videos of artist profiles.  https://www.personaland.com

We want your wildest image, film, music or poem. NO ENTRY FEE

Deadline for submissions - June 30

https://personaland.com/submit/wearing-wild.php

Personaland is an artist-driven global village transforming the world of art by using technology to bridge time zones and cultural boundaries. Our mission is to promote humanity, creativity, and community through a mix of entertainment, enchantment, and imagination.

Since its 2018 launch, Personaland, in its global reach, has showcased over 800 visual artists, filmmakers, musicians, and poets from 68 countries in 32 group art shows and 55 individual exhibitions, many with videos of artist profiles.  https://www.personaland.com

CALL FOR PHOTOGRAPHERS!

Gallery 25 proudly presents EXPOSURES 2025 Open Juried Photography Show!

Now accepting submissions!

Drop off Images to Gallery 25: Sunday, August 17 (11am-3pm)

Photography Show Runs from August 21-Sept 7

Opening Reception is Saturday, August 23 from 2-4pm

Whether you're a seasoned pro or an emerging talent behind the lens, this is your chance to showcase your vision and compete for cash prizes—including a $350 First Place Award!

We’re looking for original, striking, and creative photography in all styles and subjects.

Hosted at Gallery 25 in the Historic Train Station, New Milford

Submit your work online at Gallery25CT.com by Thursday, August 14

All levels welcome

Please Note: While we celebrate artistic expression, we ask that displayed artwork be suitable for viewing by all ages. Please review the prospectus for eligibility prior to submission.

Aspire. Inspire. Get Exposed.

Submit your work today and be part of one of the region’s most exciting annual photography exhibitions!

Gallery 25 in the Historic Train Station

11 Railroad Street

New Milford, CT

Gallery25CT.com

Call for Artists: August Light 2025 at the Kent Art Association

Presented by Sherman Artists

Sherman Artists invites you to be part of August Light 2025, a juried art show celebrating brilliance, beauty, and inspiration. This vibrant exhibit will be held in Kent, CT, and is open to both 2D and 3D original artworks created by the submitting artist.

Submission Details:

🎨 Submit up to four (4) high-quality digital images of your artwork at ShermanArtists.org or use the QR code.

📅 Deadline: Midnight on Monday, July 11, 2025.

📩 Notification of acceptance and contracts will be sent by July 18, 2025.

💸 Submission is free, but please review the full submission rules for entry fee details and prospectus.

Don't miss this opportunity to showcase your work in one of Litchfield County's most picturesque towns, where art and nature meet in perfect harmony.

CALLING ALL KIDS!! 

Come join us for VBS at The Sherman Church. 

Early Registration and Volunteer Signup are open!

https://www.myvbs.org/ShermanChurchVBS/

When:

6/16/25 – 6/20/25

9:00am to 12:30pm

Where:

The Sherman Church

6 Church Road

Sherman, CT 06784

VBS is FREE to children between the ages of 5 and 12. There will be lots of fun activities planned! 

This year's theme is Magnified!

VBS will encourage kids to look closely at the details of God’s amazing world and magnify, or proclaim, the greatness of God. God made us, cares about us, loves us, forgives us, and is faithful to keep all His promises to us. We can praise God together! We were made to magnify God.

The Judy Black Memorial Park and Gardens is pleased to present Just Passing Through, an art exhibition by Brooke Hirsheimer, on view beginning Friday, June 6.

An opening reception will be held at the park on Saturday, June 7, from 3 to 5 p.m. The public is invited to attend.

Brooke Hirsheimer is a contemporary mixed media artist whose work explores the whimsical and grounding relationship between humans and the natural world. Her playful yet introspective style combines color and abstraction, reminding us that we’re all here navigating a beautiful and wild planet.

This show will remain on view through Sunday, June 29. Check our social media for weekly open hours: @judyblackpark on Instagram and Facebook.

Basic Italian I, a 13-session beginner class, will be held on Thursdays, May 8 to July 31, 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. The class will cover pronunciation, grammar, vocabulary, conversation, and culture. The required text is Learn Italian the Fast and Fun Way by Marcel Danesi, Barron's Publisher, any edition, available online at abebooks.com and other retailers. 

You are invited to Flashes & Fragments - an art exhibit that is a fusion of mixed media, artistic lettering, video & photography. New works by Debra Lill and Kathleen Borkowski combine the beauty of visual storytelling with the expressiveness of hand lettered art. We hope you will join us as we celebrate this new work, created specifically for the Whiting Mills Gallery!

Opening: Thursday, April 24th, 5-7 pm.

Show dates: April 17-June 27

Cartographer Scott Reinhard's exhibition features a 16-foot-long installation of 24 x 24 inch square maps printed on Tyvek and cyanotype paper covering 445 sq miles from Millerton to Barkhamsted Reservoir and from North Canaan down to Cornwall Bridge. Reinhard uses USGS elevation data to create literal and abstract topographical images. Prints will be available to order.

STEVE PARLATO BIO

Middlebury artist Steven Parlato’s work has graced theater posters and book covers, and he’s exhibited his collage series, They Are Not Disposable, throughout CT and in NJ, PA, and OH. An award-winning poet and college professor emeritus, Parlato is the author of two young adult novels, The Namesake (winner of the 2011 Tassy Walden Award for New Voices in YA Fiction) and The Precious Dreadful. Both explore grief, loss, and hope. His poetry has appeared in Freshwater, MARGIE, Borderlands, Peregrine, CT River Review, and other journals. On stage, he’s played roles ranging from the Scarecrow to Macbeth. Parlato offers writing workshops at venues throughout CT and creates artwork on commission. Follow him on FB at Steven Parlato Author and IG: @stevenparlato.

ARTIST’S STATEMENT

They Are Not Disposable should not need to exist. However, the persistent plague of systemic racism in America (and beyond) makes this artwork necessary. With the collage series complete, the sixteen initials within the works unite to make the declaration, “BLACK LIVES MATTER.” It is absurd this statement should need to be made; tragic it should still be met with resistance. 

Since this is the reality of our world, I ask that you meet threats to justice with your own resistance, in whatever creative form you choose. The only wrong way to approach racism, and all other forms of evil, is to remain silent. As I reflect on the creation of these images, I’m daunted by the work to be done—and overwhelmed by the fact that there are a near-infinite number of potential subjects, countless lives stolen by the evil of white supremacy. 

My hope is that this work leaves an impression, reminding viewers of the intrinsic humanity of each subject, and that of each individual we encounter. If my portraits of the stolen have touched you, I encourage you to learn more about these sixteen people, to keep their memories alive as I’ve attempted to do. And together, let’s confront the issues of inequity and racial violence that continue to claim innocent lives.

Due to construction at Town Hall, the Fine Arts Connection of Thomaston's Ten-2-One Artists are painting at St. Peter's-Trinity Episcopal Church, 160 Main St. (right next door to Town Hall). If you like community painting, learning from others and exhibiting your work a few times per year, come and join us! Bring your own materials and ideas.

Join us for Story Time on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 10:30 for new books, free play, and fun crafts!

The Souterrain Gallery invites you to view and pruchase the current works by Ken Krug .

Open Th-Su 11-5 and by appointment

more info at www.souterraingallery.net

About the Artist

Ken Krug is a fine artist, illustrator, and author. He illustrated Michele Obama’s book about the

White House Garden and wrote and illustrated the children’s book, No, Silly! which was on the

Bank Street College Best Books of 2016 list. His paintings have been exhibited in numerous art

shows and were featured on the set of the movie “You Can Count on Me.” Ken Krug is also an

Adjunct Assistant Professor, Fashion Institute of Technology, SUNY

www.kenkrug.com

Ken spends much of his weekends , summers and other times with his wife Liz Van Doren in Cornwall where the family is deeply rooted .

on display at the Souterrain Gallery through July :

“Frank Rosen a nontraditional woodworker who also uses wood for painting and sculpture. His work moves in different directions: geometric to flowing, flat to textural, colorful to subdued. Surprise and humor are also media in which he dabbles.”   

more info at www.souterraingallery.net

open Th-Su 11-5

Embellished Notifications by British textile designer and fiber artist Kate Lewis offers an analog interpretation of the messages and notifications we receive digitally from various apps, brands and the outside world in general.

Conceived as an “antidote to the news” this series of work aims to capture the good feelings and happiness these digital messages offer, carrying those emotions and momentary dopamine triggers into the future.

“I thought about the relationship our phones have with brands, how we receive information digitally and which brands and phrases exactly gave me that hit of dopamine,” Kate says. “These notifications have become integral to our modern lives, with food deliveries, take out, online dating, transport...”

With a nod to traditional cross-stitch samplers, these colorful and slightly subversive hand made works aim to lift your spirits, and will look great in your kitchen.

For more information about the opening and exhibit email hithere@peggymercury.com or send us a DM on Instagram

@itspeggymercury

For more information about Kate Lewis:

@katelewisstudio

katelewisstudio.com

Dates:  June 14 – July 27, 2025

Reception: Saturday June 14, 4 – 6 PM, public invited

Gallery hours: Thursday – Saturday 11:00 – 5:30, Sunday 12:00 – 4:00 and by appointment

Kenise Barnes Fine Art is honored to present a solo exhibition of new paintings by Janna Watson. Watson is a conceptual painter based in Toronto, Canada. Poems Without Words is Watson’s fourth solo exhibition with the gallery who has included Watson in eight other exhibitions and placed her work in numerous private collections. The gallery has represented the artist since 2017.

Through her practice, Watson works to reframe spirituality into objects that reflect fluidity, agility, and joy. She communicates this through a queering of the painterly process, into one that is diversely applied, gestural, and multi-oriented. Janna intentionally forgoes the use of borders on her paintings to create a sense of the infinite, and the inherent vulnerability of a spirituality that is not contained by a canon.

Janna Watson’s compositions and color choices are both careful and spontaneous, each gesture evoking an unstated emotional response. The paintings are generous passages of vivid color with swooping buttery paint strokes, and calligraphic marks floating on fields of saturated color. They are not spare, but they have an implied economy of language, each gesture gathered towards the others with an unseen gravitational force coalescing into a graceful equilibrium.

Part of the exhilaration I acquire from painting is being able to see shifts within myself manifested into a physical reality. The most truthful form of expression I have found in my life thus far has been the abstract language of painting.  – Janna Watson, 2025

Janna Watson’s work is widely exhibited internationally including in Canada, the United States and Taiwan. Watson’s paintings can be found in significant collections including Google, Air Canada, TD Bank Financial Group, Toronto, CIBC, Toronto, Ritz-Carlton Hotel, Toronto, HBC Global Art Collection, New York, to name a few. Watson earned a BFA in Drawing and Painting from Ontario College of Art and Design University, Toronto.

Please contact Lani Ming Holloway, Associate Director, Lani@kbfa.com, 860 560 3085 with inquires or to arrange a preview of the exhibition.

Presented by Sr. Jolyn Walker

Join us for a powerful and uplifting Spiritual Juneteenth Program as we honor the legacy of our ancestors, celebrate liberation, and embrace the spirit of resilience and faith. This special gathering will feature inspiring prayers and historical reflections, highlighting the "Grandmother of Juneteenth". This is a message of hope rooted in the journey toward freedom.

Through gentle movement, spoken word, and community fellowship, we will reflect on the enduring strength of the African American spirit and the divine presence that has guided generations toward justice and equality. This event fosters community by creating a community circle inviting participants to engage in a *drum circle and cultural dance.

*Drums will be provided for up to 12 participants. If there are more or others who choose not to drum, they can use other instruments that will be available.

Together, we will rejoice in the triumphs of the past, find encouragement for the present, and seek divine wisdom for the future.

Come prepared to worship, celebrate, and uplift one another in the spirit of unity and liberation. All are welcome to this sacred and joyous occasion!

1 pm Flag raiaing ceremony at Torrington City Hall.

2:30 pm Celebration at Trinity Episcopal Church. Following flag raising.

Opening Friday, June 13 6-8 PM

Artist Talk Friday June 27 6:30pm

Torrington Savings Bank Gallery: Endless Voyage, Jan Beekman

Torrington Downtown Partners Gallery: Still Weather, James Baker

West Gallery: Biennial Exhibition, Launchpad Artists

Join us for our newest book club, Afternoon Delights! Each month we will read one book, then meet the third Thursday of the month at 1:30pm to chat about it. Simply pick up a copy of this month’s book at the front counter! No registration is required. Coffee, tea and snacks provided by the Friends of the Thomaston Public Library. This month we will be discussing A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles. 

For the first year, we will be hosting a summer market located at COE PARK on the same nights as our Summer Concert Series. Each Thursday between June and August, check out vendors of all different varieties from meats, veggies, maple syrup, handcrafted goods, and more! Check out our full vendor list soon! Inquire above if you would like to be a vendor!

Gallery 25 Presents: Heatwaves & Hues – A Summer Art Show

Heatwaves & Hues, running from Friday, May 2 – Sunday, August 17. This vibrant exhibition will showcase works bursting with color and inspired by the warmth and energy of summer.

Plan a Fun Weekend in New Milford!

New Milford is an exciting destination, offering a variety of activities for visitors. Enjoy well-reviewed restaurants, pubs, and unique shops, take in a film at our charming Art Deco movie theater, or catch a live performance at the innovative TheatreWorks playhouse. Stroll through our beautiful historic New England Green, a perfect spot to relax and soak in the town’s charm.

Experience Gallery 25

Gallery 25 is an artist-run gallery featuring 25 members working across all genres. Along with our exciting exhibitions, we invite you to take part in our workshops, live demonstrations, artist discussions, and photography walks!

We welcome you to explore, create, and be inspired!

Come check out the Torrington Recreations 2025 Summer Concert Series at Coe Park! Over the course of 14 weeks, every Thursday, starting June 5th and running through September 4th, we will be hosting 14 different bands who will perform a range of different genres. Concerts will be held on the outside portico at the Coe Memorial Park (101 Litchfield Road) from 6pm-8pm. Bring your blankets, chairs, food and drinks to enjoy our concerts in the park!

Ellimist® is a Progressive Metal Outfit originating from the Northeastern USA: They are chaotic, inventive, musically diverse, and have been frequently described as pioneers of the 'Space Metal' genre. Known for their colorful live performances and story-driven music, they are one of the must-see musical acts in the Northeastern United States!

CT's 17th State Troubadour & Band

"A Musical Celebration Honoring Juneteenth”

Food Truck: Meraki

BYOB & lawn chairs, blanket / Rain (Indoors) or Shine

Full Summer Sunset Concert Series:

Friday June 13: Scott Hopkins Band

Thursday June 19: Nekita Waller & Band

Friday July 25: Caribbean Vibe Steel Drum Band

Friday August 22: Al Fenton Big Band

Friday September 12: Potter's Field

Summer ART Club with Liz Rosiello

Thursday Evenings • 6–8 PM • $65 per session

For Adults & Young Adults (ages 14+)

All skill levels welcome!

Join artist and instructor Liz Rosiello for a summer of creativity, skill-building, and artistic exploration! Each session of this laid-back, small-group Summer Art Club focuses on a different essential art skills—from drawing fundamentals to watercolor journaling to mastering color and value. Classes take place at Gallery 25 and we will draw inspiration from downtown New Milford, making the town itself part of your inspiration!

June: Drawing Fundamentals

Thursdays, 6/19 & 6/26 | 6–8 PM

Sharpen your drawing skills as we explore composition, perspective, and technique. We’ll be sketching the charming architecture of downtown New Milford as we learn! Sign up for Liz's June session: https://square.link/u/kXuz29Hg

July: Art Journal & Sketchbook

Thursdays, 7/10 & 7/17 | 6–8 PM

Create vibrant entries in your art journal using watercolor while learning new landscape techniques. We’ll draw inspiration from the nearby Riverwalk and Train Station views—a perfect outdoor sketching session! Sign up for Liz's July Session: https://square.link/u/E2ThVyBq

August: Learn Color & Value

Thursdays, 8/7 & 8/14 | 6–8 PM

Session 1 dives into color theory and how to apply it meaningfully in your art. In Session 2, we’ll focus on value—the true backbone of great painting. Learn how to make your work pop and why value is everything! Sign up for Liz's August Session: https://square.link/u/Ea9y3Kvk

Whether you're just starting out or looking to deepen your practice, Summer Art Club offers a welcoming, fun space to grow your skills with guidance from a passionate teacher.

Spots are limited—sign up early to save yours! Use the links to sign up for your sessions! Sign up for all three sessions or choose the sessions that fit your schedule!

Gallery 25 in the Historic Train Station

11 Railroad Street

New Milford, CT

Join our FREE block party concert series downtown with live music on Bank Street, street games, local eats, sidewalk sales and fun! Grab your chairs and join us downtown for an evening of safe and community-involved entertainment:

June 19, with a Rain Date of June 26: Anchor Management

+ 9-Hole Mini Golf

July 17, with a Rain Date of July 18: Nashville Drive

+ Cotton Candy Cart

August 21, with a Rain Date of Aug 28: Pop Rocks

+ Henna By Elyse

Sept 18, with a Rain Date of Sept 19: Struggle Monkey

Join us this Thursday for beginner Line Dancing at Bad Dog in Torrington!

$10 cash/Venmo at the door.

Check in at 6:45, lessons at 7!

COME Dance with us!! Fun Times for all!!

Annual two-week residency June 9-22. Please see our website and social media for public-facing workshops and showings of new work in development!

Connecticut Theatre Exchange (CTX) exists to bring together theatre artists from various backgrounds and identities to support their process of developing new projects and new skills in a nurturing environment that is both accessible and affordable.

We do this by:

• Offering residencies for playwrights and screenwriters and their teams in various forms of development 
• Providing low-cost residencies to existing ensembles to experience an uninterrupted and deeper developmental rehearsal process
• Giving space and time for professional artists to study new skills and new ideas, contributing to their artistic process
• Garnering resources for historically under-represented or under-supported populations and actively identifying ways to remove barriers to the CTX experience
• Welcoming the public to free showings of new work and inviting curated feedback
• Programming a variety of free or low-cost workshops of exploration of the artistic process
• Developing partnerships with organizations that promote equitable development of creative work

We want your wildest image, film, music or poem. NO ENTRY FEE

Deadline for submissions - June 30

https://personaland.com/submit/wearing-wild.php

Personaland is an artist-driven global village transforming the world of art by using technology to bridge time zones and cultural boundaries. Our mission is to promote humanity, creativity, and community through a mix of entertainment, enchantment, and imagination.

Since its 2018 launch, Personaland, in its global reach, has showcased over 800 visual artists, filmmakers, musicians, and poets from 68 countries in 32 group art shows and 55 individual exhibitions, many with videos of artist profiles.  https://www.personaland.com

Mail artists have sent in their creative post cards from 17 countries.

Snail mail has never been so creative and clever.

https://personaland.com/hut/exhibition/going-postal-2-gallery-1-of-2

Personaland is an artist-driven global village transforming the world of art by using technology to bridge time zones and cultural boundaries. Our mission is to promote humanity, creativity, and community through a mix of entertainment, enchantment, and imagination.

Since its 2018 launch, Personaland, in its global reach, has showcased over 800 visual artists, filmmakers, musicians, and poets from 68 countries in 32 group art shows and 55 individual exhibitions, many with videos of artist profiles.  https://www.personaland.com

CALL FOR PHOTOGRAPHERS!

Gallery 25 proudly presents EXPOSURES 2025 Open Juried Photography Show!

Now accepting submissions!

Drop off Images to Gallery 25: Sunday, August 17 (11am-3pm)

Photography Show Runs from August 21-Sept 7

Opening Reception is Saturday, August 23 from 2-4pm

Whether you're a seasoned pro or an emerging talent behind the lens, this is your chance to showcase your vision and compete for cash prizes—including a $350 First Place Award!

We’re looking for original, striking, and creative photography in all styles and subjects.

Hosted at Gallery 25 in the Historic Train Station, New Milford

Submit your work online at Gallery25CT.com by Thursday, August 14

All levels welcome

Please Note: While we celebrate artistic expression, we ask that displayed artwork be suitable for viewing by all ages. Please review the prospectus for eligibility prior to submission.

Aspire. Inspire. Get Exposed.

Submit your work today and be part of one of the region’s most exciting annual photography exhibitions!

Gallery 25 in the Historic Train Station

11 Railroad Street

New Milford, CT

Gallery25CT.com

Call for Artists: August Light 2025 at the Kent Art Association

Presented by Sherman Artists

Sherman Artists invites you to be part of August Light 2025, a juried art show celebrating brilliance, beauty, and inspiration. This vibrant exhibit will be held in Kent, CT, and is open to both 2D and 3D original artworks created by the submitting artist.

Submission Details:

🎨 Submit up to four (4) high-quality digital images of your artwork at ShermanArtists.org or use the QR code.

📅 Deadline: Midnight on Monday, July 11, 2025.

📩 Notification of acceptance and contracts will be sent by July 18, 2025.

💸 Submission is free, but please review the full submission rules for entry fee details and prospectus.

Don't miss this opportunity to showcase your work in one of Litchfield County's most picturesque towns, where art and nature meet in perfect harmony.

CALLING ALL KIDS!! 

Come join us for VBS at The Sherman Church. 

Early Registration and Volunteer Signup are open!

https://www.myvbs.org/ShermanChurchVBS/

When:

6/16/25 – 6/20/25

9:00am to 12:30pm

Where:

The Sherman Church

6 Church Road

Sherman, CT 06784

VBS is FREE to children between the ages of 5 and 12. There will be lots of fun activities planned! 

This year's theme is Magnified!

VBS will encourage kids to look closely at the details of God’s amazing world and magnify, or proclaim, the greatness of God. God made us, cares about us, loves us, forgives us, and is faithful to keep all His promises to us. We can praise God together! We were made to magnify God.

The Judy Black Memorial Park and Gardens is pleased to present Just Passing Through, an art exhibition by Brooke Hirsheimer, on view beginning Friday, June 6.

An opening reception will be held at the park on Saturday, June 7, from 3 to 5 p.m. The public is invited to attend.

Brooke Hirsheimer is a contemporary mixed media artist whose work explores the whimsical and grounding relationship between humans and the natural world. Her playful yet introspective style combines color and abstraction, reminding us that we’re all here navigating a beautiful and wild planet.

This show will remain on view through Sunday, June 29. Check our social media for weekly open hours: @judyblackpark on Instagram and Facebook.

Conversational Italian, 13-sessions, is not a beginner class. It will be held on Fridays, April 25 to August 1, 9:15 to 11:15 a.m., with no class on May 30 or July 4. It is designed for those with a knowledge of basic Italian grammar and good vocabulary.  The required text is Conversational Italian: In 20 Lessons (Cortina Method) by Michael Cagno,  available online at abebooks.com.  

French Fridays. Meets first and third Friday of each month at 9:30 a.m. Join us for a French Conversation Group at the Library. Reading Room. Free & Open to the Public.

Landscapes: an exhibit of oil paintings by Pete Bergeron.

Connecticut artist Pete Bergeron has been painting since early childhood, inspired by the classic television instruction series "You Are an Artist", hosted by Jon Gnagy. Pete's formal art training began at Paier School of Art in Hamden, CT, studying illustration. Eventually he turned to large scale painting and, like artist James Rosenquist before him, he worked as a billboard painter, creating giant images of hamburgers, beer bottles, cars and other colorful oversized advertisements.

In 1990 he studied with Frank Covino of Waitsfield, VT, learning the Classical Academic approach to painting: a systematic method that begins with a detailed monochromatic under painting superimposed with many layers of thinly applied colored glazes. The resulting effect gives an overall luminous quality to the finished painting. His commitment to fine art was a natural direction that led to a consuming full-time passion for creating lasting and timeless works of art.

Pete’s paintings are reminiscent of the late nineteenth century American landscape painters of the Hudson River School, including John Frederick Kensett, Sanford Robinson Gifford and William Trost Richards, and of the Tonalist painters of that period.

His work hangs in many collections throughout the country.

 “Landscapes” is an exhibition of paintings of unique locations the artist has visited many times, and through the use of strong composition, a wide range of values and a complex layering of color, the artist turns the otherwise commonplace – a crashing wave, the quiet of a passing cloud or the early light of a new day – into moments of awe and inspiration and creates a connection to the eternal beauty and reassuring qualities of Nature.

STEVE PARLATO BIO

Middlebury artist Steven Parlato’s work has graced theater posters and book covers, and he’s exhibited his collage series, They Are Not Disposable, throughout CT and in NJ, PA, and OH. An award-winning poet and college professor emeritus, Parlato is the author of two young adult novels, The Namesake (winner of the 2011 Tassy Walden Award for New Voices in YA Fiction) and The Precious Dreadful. Both explore grief, loss, and hope. His poetry has appeared in Freshwater, MARGIE, Borderlands, Peregrine, CT River Review, and other journals. On stage, he’s played roles ranging from the Scarecrow to Macbeth. Parlato offers writing workshops at venues throughout CT and creates artwork on commission. Follow him on FB at Steven Parlato Author and IG: @stevenparlato.

ARTIST’S STATEMENT

They Are Not Disposable should not need to exist. However, the persistent plague of systemic racism in America (and beyond) makes this artwork necessary. With the collage series complete, the sixteen initials within the works unite to make the declaration, “BLACK LIVES MATTER.” It is absurd this statement should need to be made; tragic it should still be met with resistance. 

Since this is the reality of our world, I ask that you meet threats to justice with your own resistance, in whatever creative form you choose. The only wrong way to approach racism, and all other forms of evil, is to remain silent. As I reflect on the creation of these images, I’m daunted by the work to be done—and overwhelmed by the fact that there are a near-infinite number of potential subjects, countless lives stolen by the evil of white supremacy. 

My hope is that this work leaves an impression, reminding viewers of the intrinsic humanity of each subject, and that of each individual we encounter. If my portraits of the stolen have touched you, I encourage you to learn more about these sixteen people, to keep their memories alive as I’ve attempted to do. And together, let’s confront the issues of inequity and racial violence that continue to claim innocent lives.

The Souterrain Gallery invites you to view and pruchase the current works by Ken Krug .

Open Th-Su 11-5 and by appointment

more info at www.souterraingallery.net

About the Artist

Ken Krug is a fine artist, illustrator, and author. He illustrated Michele Obama’s book about the

White House Garden and wrote and illustrated the children’s book, No, Silly! which was on the

Bank Street College Best Books of 2016 list. His paintings have been exhibited in numerous art

shows and were featured on the set of the movie “You Can Count on Me.” Ken Krug is also an

Adjunct Assistant Professor, Fashion Institute of Technology, SUNY

www.kenkrug.com

Ken spends much of his weekends , summers and other times with his wife Liz Van Doren in Cornwall where the family is deeply rooted .

on display at the Souterrain Gallery through July :

“Frank Rosen a nontraditional woodworker who also uses wood for painting and sculpture. His work moves in different directions: geometric to flowing, flat to textural, colorful to subdued. Surprise and humor are also media in which he dabbles.”   

more info at www.souterraingallery.net

open Th-Su 11-5

Embellished Notifications by British textile designer and fiber artist Kate Lewis offers an analog interpretation of the messages and notifications we receive digitally from various apps, brands and the outside world in general.

Conceived as an “antidote to the news” this series of work aims to capture the good feelings and happiness these digital messages offer, carrying those emotions and momentary dopamine triggers into the future.

“I thought about the relationship our phones have with brands, how we receive information digitally and which brands and phrases exactly gave me that hit of dopamine,” Kate says. “These notifications have become integral to our modern lives, with food deliveries, take out, online dating, transport...”

With a nod to traditional cross-stitch samplers, these colorful and slightly subversive hand made works aim to lift your spirits, and will look great in your kitchen.

For more information about the opening and exhibit email hithere@peggymercury.com or send us a DM on Instagram

@itspeggymercury

For more information about Kate Lewis:

@katelewisstudio

katelewisstudio.com

Dates:  June 14 – July 27, 2025

Reception: Saturday June 14, 4 – 6 PM, public invited

Gallery hours: Thursday – Saturday 11:00 – 5:30, Sunday 12:00 – 4:00 and by appointment

Kenise Barnes Fine Art is honored to present a solo exhibition of new paintings by Janna Watson. Watson is a conceptual painter based in Toronto, Canada. Poems Without Words is Watson’s fourth solo exhibition with the gallery who has included Watson in eight other exhibitions and placed her work in numerous private collections. The gallery has represented the artist since 2017.

Through her practice, Watson works to reframe spirituality into objects that reflect fluidity, agility, and joy. She communicates this through a queering of the painterly process, into one that is diversely applied, gestural, and multi-oriented. Janna intentionally forgoes the use of borders on her paintings to create a sense of the infinite, and the inherent vulnerability of a spirituality that is not contained by a canon.

Janna Watson’s compositions and color choices are both careful and spontaneous, each gesture evoking an unstated emotional response. The paintings are generous passages of vivid color with swooping buttery paint strokes, and calligraphic marks floating on fields of saturated color. They are not spare, but they have an implied economy of language, each gesture gathered towards the others with an unseen gravitational force coalescing into a graceful equilibrium.

Part of the exhilaration I acquire from painting is being able to see shifts within myself manifested into a physical reality. The most truthful form of expression I have found in my life thus far has been the abstract language of painting.  – Janna Watson, 2025

Janna Watson’s work is widely exhibited internationally including in Canada, the United States and Taiwan. Watson’s paintings can be found in significant collections including Google, Air Canada, TD Bank Financial Group, Toronto, CIBC, Toronto, Ritz-Carlton Hotel, Toronto, HBC Global Art Collection, New York, to name a few. Watson earned a BFA in Drawing and Painting from Ontario College of Art and Design University, Toronto.

Please contact Lani Ming Holloway, Associate Director, Lani@kbfa.com, 860 560 3085 with inquires or to arrange a preview of the exhibition.

Enjoy a tasty lunch, wonderful music and lots of dancing!

Menu: BBQ Cookout!

Band: Northeast Country

* Pre-registration REQUIRED BY Wednesday Jun 18th

Gallery 25 Presents: Heatwaves & Hues – A Summer Art Show

Heatwaves & Hues, running from Friday, May 2 – Sunday, August 17. This vibrant exhibition will showcase works bursting with color and inspired by the warmth and energy of summer.

Plan a Fun Weekend in New Milford!

New Milford is an exciting destination, offering a variety of activities for visitors. Enjoy well-reviewed restaurants, pubs, and unique shops, take in a film at our charming Art Deco movie theater, or catch a live performance at the innovative TheatreWorks playhouse. Stroll through our beautiful historic New England Green, a perfect spot to relax and soak in the town’s charm.

Experience Gallery 25

Gallery 25 is an artist-run gallery featuring 25 members working across all genres. Along with our exciting exhibitions, we invite you to take part in our workshops, live demonstrations, artist discussions, and photography walks!

We welcome you to explore, create, and be inspired!

Cartographer Scott Reinhard's exhibition features a 16-foot-long installation of 24 x 24 inch square maps printed on Tyvek and cyanotype paper covering 445 sq miles from Millerton to Barkhamsted Reservoir and from North Canaan down to Cornwall Bridge. Reinhard uses USGS elevation data to create literal and abstract topographical images. Prints will be available to order.

Opening Friday, June 13 6-8 PM

Artist Talk Friday June 27 6:30pm

Torrington Savings Bank Gallery: Endless Voyage, Jan Beekman

Torrington Downtown Partners Gallery: Still Weather, James Baker

West Gallery: Biennial Exhibition, Launchpad Artists

Presented by Robert Piazza

Rekindle your creative fire! Poets of all levels, from beginner to advanced, come together to read, write, and recite. During this weekend intensive, we will explore three new strategies for poetry: motion, shift, & contrast. Seeking inspiration in the poetry of Rilke, Machado, Longfellow, Dickinson, and others, we’ll view their work as springboards or launchpads into our own creativity. Join us for a weekend workshop in which we experiment with applying these strategies to our own writing. Bring pencils & notebooks. Poems will be provided. Enjoy opportunities to nurture your inner Muse! 

All meals are included: Dinner on Friday through Lunch on Saturday

Twist & Shout: Poetry of Motion, Shift, & Contrast. Rekindle your creative fire! Poets of all levels, from beginner to advanced, come together to read, write, and recite.  During this weekend intensive, we will explore three new strategies for poetry: motion, shift, & contrast.  Seeking inspiration in the poetry of Rilke, Machado, Longfellow, Dickinson, and others, we’ll view their work as springboards or launchpads into our own creativity.  Join us for a weekend workshop in which we experiment with applying these strategies to our own writing.  Bring pencils & notebooks. Poems will be provided. Enjoy opportunities to nurture your inner Muse!  

🎨🌟 Get ready for a weekend of art, creativity, and community at Sherman ARTfest 2025! 🌟🎨

Join us for this much-anticipated celebration of local talent, featuring artists from New Milford, Sherman, and surrounding towns—all coming together to showcase their incredible work in a beautiful mix of indoor and outdoor spaces.

🖼️ Opening Reception:

Friday, June 20 • 6–8 PM

Mingle with the artists, enjoy light refreshments, and get a first look at the show!

🎨 Show Hours:

Saturday & Sunday, June 21–22 • 10 AM–4 PM

📍 Explore two stunning venues:

• Indoors in the bright, spacious Charter Hall (top floor of Sherman’s Firehouse)

• Outdoors on the charming Sherman Town Green

Come for the art, stay for the atmosphere—this is your chance to meet the makers, discover original works, and support the thriving creative community of western Connecticut.

🖌️ Free & open to the public!

For more info, email: shermanartists@gmail.com

The Fantasy Book Club will meet at the Morris Public Library on Friday, June 20, 6:30 PM. The group will discuss "House of Earth and Blood," Crescent City Series, Book 1.

Bryce Quinlan had the perfect life-working hard all day and partying all night-until a demon murdered her closest friends, leaving her bereft, wounded, and alone. When the accused is behind bars but the crimes start up again, Bryce finds herself at the heart of the investigation. She'll do whatever it takes to avenge their deaths.

Hunt Athalar is a notorious Fallen angel, now enslaved to the Archangels he once attempted to overthrow. His brutal skills and incredible strength have been set to one purpose-to assassinate his boss's enemies, no questions asked. But with a demon wreaking havoc in the city, he's offered an irresistible deal: help Bryce find the murderer, and his freedom will be within reach.

As Bryce and Hunt dig deep into Crescent City's underbelly, they discover a dark power that threatens everything and everyone they hold dear, and they find, in each other, a blazing passion-one that could set them both free, if they'd only let it.

With unforgettable characters, sizzling romance, and page-turning suspense, this richly inventive new fantasy series by #1 bestselling author Sarah J. Maas delves into the heartache of loss, the price of freedom-and the power of love.

E-audio is available via Libby.

New registrations and book requests: https://morrispubliclibrary.net/library-calendar-event-registration/ or 860-567-7440.

Paint and sip located above Toothpick on Water Street in Torrington!

BYOB! Painting new types of still life's every week.

All materials included in price

RSVP online

Annual two-week residency June 9-22. Please see our website and social media for public-facing workshops and showings of new work in development!

Connecticut Theatre Exchange (CTX) exists to bring together theatre artists from various backgrounds and identities to support their process of developing new projects and new skills in a nurturing environment that is both accessible and affordable.

We do this by:

• Offering residencies for playwrights and screenwriters and their teams in various forms of development 
• Providing low-cost residencies to existing ensembles to experience an uninterrupted and deeper developmental rehearsal process
• Giving space and time for professional artists to study new skills and new ideas, contributing to their artistic process
• Garnering resources for historically under-represented or under-supported populations and actively identifying ways to remove barriers to the CTX experience
• Welcoming the public to free showings of new work and inviting curated feedback
• Programming a variety of free or low-cost workshops of exploration of the artistic process
• Developing partnerships with organizations that promote equitable development of creative work

On Friday, June 20, at 7:00 2nd Home welcomes back Tom Turci (https://tomturci.com/). Tom is a guitarist, singer and songsmith from central Connecticut whose musical roots stem from bluegrass, blues, folk, rock and country. Tom says his original music echoes sounds from the 70's and earlier. Fingerstyle guitar, downhome strumming, harmonicas singing and a voice all his own to give it life. Great music, drinks, food, and fun!

For reservations (encouraged but not required) call 860-238-4500 or email us at momanddad@2ndhomelounge.com

See our complete event list - https://2ndhomelounge.com/events/

2nd Home Lounge

524 Main Street, Winsted

2ndhomelounge.com

Join our mailing list - https://2ndhomelounge.com/email-sign-up/

Decades Music Trivia hosted by Kelsey. Trivia starts at 7 pm.

Pizza from Limoncello

Brews from Housatonic River Brewing Co.

& Music from Dean Snellback and the BluesyLand Band!

More info coming soon! Dancing is always encouraged!

Free outdoor family movie nights are back at The Judy Black Memorial Park and Gardens on the third Friday of each month June through September, this time with an exciting new twist. Each screening will be part of a themed evening experience, featuring pre-movie fun which might include trivia, games, live music, sing-alongs and interactive audience activities.

On June 20, we'll be screening "The Birdcage," sponsored by National Iron Bank. In this 1996 remake of the classic French farce La Cage aux Folles, engaged couple Val Goldman (Dan Futterman) and Barbara Keeley (Calista Flockhart) nervously arrange a dinner to introduce their very different families. Val’s father, Armand (the late Robin Williams), who runs a flashy Miami nightclub, agrees to tone things down for the evening and hide his long-time relationship with Albert (Nathan Lane), the club’s larger-than-life star. The goal? To impress Barbara’s father, played by the late Gene Hackman, a buttoned-up political figure with traditional views.

Movie rolls at dusk. Check our website, Instagram or Facebook accounts for any changes or updates.

The Sherman Players Present: Much Ado About Nothing

Directed by Robin Frome

Much Ado About Nothing, directed by Robin Frome runs for three weekends at the Sherman Playhouse.

We want your wildest image, film, music or poem. NO ENTRY FEE

Deadline for submissions - June 30

https://personaland.com/submit/wearing-wild.php

Personaland is an artist-driven global village transforming the world of art by using technology to bridge time zones and cultural boundaries. Our mission is to promote humanity, creativity, and community through a mix of entertainment, enchantment, and imagination.

Since its 2018 launch, Personaland, in its global reach, has showcased over 800 visual artists, filmmakers, musicians, and poets from 68 countries in 32 group art shows and 55 individual exhibitions, many with videos of artist profiles.  https://www.personaland.com

Mail artists have sent in their creative post cards from 17 countries.

Snail mail has never been so creative and clever.

https://personaland.com/hut/exhibition/going-postal-2-gallery-1-of-2

Personaland is an artist-driven global village transforming the world of art by using technology to bridge time zones and cultural boundaries. Our mission is to promote humanity, creativity, and community through a mix of entertainment, enchantment, and imagination.

Since its 2018 launch, Personaland, in its global reach, has showcased over 800 visual artists, filmmakers, musicians, and poets from 68 countries in 32 group art shows and 55 individual exhibitions, many with videos of artist profiles.  https://www.personaland.com

CALL FOR PHOTOGRAPHERS!

Gallery 25 proudly presents EXPOSURES 2025 Open Juried Photography Show!

Now accepting submissions!

Drop off Images to Gallery 25: Sunday, August 17 (11am-3pm)

Photography Show Runs from August 21-Sept 7

Opening Reception is Saturday, August 23 from 2-4pm

Whether you're a seasoned pro or an emerging talent behind the lens, this is your chance to showcase your vision and compete for cash prizes—including a $350 First Place Award!

We’re looking for original, striking, and creative photography in all styles and subjects.

Hosted at Gallery 25 in the Historic Train Station, New Milford

Submit your work online at Gallery25CT.com by Thursday, August 14

All levels welcome

Please Note: While we celebrate artistic expression, we ask that displayed artwork be suitable for viewing by all ages. Please review the prospectus for eligibility prior to submission.

Aspire. Inspire. Get Exposed.

Submit your work today and be part of one of the region’s most exciting annual photography exhibitions!

Gallery 25 in the Historic Train Station

11 Railroad Street

New Milford, CT

Gallery25CT.com

Call for Artists: August Light 2025 at the Kent Art Association

Presented by Sherman Artists

Sherman Artists invites you to be part of August Light 2025, a juried art show celebrating brilliance, beauty, and inspiration. This vibrant exhibit will be held in Kent, CT, and is open to both 2D and 3D original artworks created by the submitting artist.

Submission Details:

🎨 Submit up to four (4) high-quality digital images of your artwork at ShermanArtists.org or use the QR code.

📅 Deadline: Midnight on Monday, July 11, 2025.

📩 Notification of acceptance and contracts will be sent by July 18, 2025.

💸 Submission is free, but please review the full submission rules for entry fee details and prospectus.

Don't miss this opportunity to showcase your work in one of Litchfield County's most picturesque towns, where art and nature meet in perfect harmony.

Support our food, beverage and retail businesses. Get your Taste of Burlington card stamped at at least 12 of the following businesses between June 21, 2025 and September 1, 2025 for a chance to win gift certificates.

The B. Hive www.thebhiveburlington.com

Burlington Spirit Shoppe www.burlingtonspirit.com

Charming Thai Restaurant www.charming-thai.com

China Garden (860) 675-6666

Daily Mart (860) 675-7243

Delta Pizza www.delta-pizza.com

Enclave Grille www.enclavegrille.com

Greenhouse Tavern www.greenhousecafeandtavern.com

Happy Hippie Homestead www.facebook.com/people/Happy-Hippie-Homestead/61564351782316/

A Healing Trail Wellness Center www.massage4ct.com

Hogan's Cider Mill www.hoganscidermill.com

I Know A Guy Deli www.iknowaguyfoodsllc.com

Kyle's Doghouse (860) 729-6146

Lamothe's Sugar House www.lamothesugarhouse.com

Larson's Garden Center www.larsonsgardencenter.com

Little Axe Market www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61569260639474#

Little Laurel's Cookie Co. www.littlelaurels.com

The Nevermind Shop www.nevermindshop.com

Sabrina's Restaurant & successor www.sabrinasrestaurantct.com

The Swimming Pool Store www.theswimmingpoolstore.com

Tonn's Marketplace www.tonnsmarketplace.com

The Judy Black Memorial Park and Gardens is pleased to present Just Passing Through, an art exhibition by Brooke Hirsheimer, on view beginning Friday, June 6.

An opening reception will be held at the park on Saturday, June 7, from 3 to 5 p.m. The public is invited to attend.

Brooke Hirsheimer is a contemporary mixed media artist whose work explores the whimsical and grounding relationship between humans and the natural world. Her playful yet introspective style combines color and abstraction, reminding us that we’re all here navigating a beautiful and wild planet.

This show will remain on view through Sunday, June 29. Check our social media for weekly open hours: @judyblackpark on Instagram and Facebook.

Join us at Deer Pond Farm for the national annual summer bird count. We expect to observe breeding songbirds, raptors, and more! We may also see some young fledgling birds at our nest boxes and purple martin gourds. 

Please register here

$5 member; $10 non-member

Landscapes: an exhibit of oil paintings by Pete Bergeron.

Connecticut artist Pete Bergeron has been painting since early childhood, inspired by the classic television instruction series "You Are an Artist", hosted by Jon Gnagy. Pete's formal art training began at Paier School of Art in Hamden, CT, studying illustration. Eventually he turned to large scale painting and, like artist James Rosenquist before him, he worked as a billboard painter, creating giant images of hamburgers, beer bottles, cars and other colorful oversized advertisements.

In 1990 he studied with Frank Covino of Waitsfield, VT, learning the Classical Academic approach to painting: a systematic method that begins with a detailed monochromatic under painting superimposed with many layers of thinly applied colored glazes. The resulting effect gives an overall luminous quality to the finished painting. His commitment to fine art was a natural direction that led to a consuming full-time passion for creating lasting and timeless works of art.

Pete’s paintings are reminiscent of the late nineteenth century American landscape painters of the Hudson River School, including John Frederick Kensett, Sanford Robinson Gifford and William Trost Richards, and of the Tonalist painters of that period.

His work hangs in many collections throughout the country.

 “Landscapes” is an exhibition of paintings of unique locations the artist has visited many times, and through the use of strong composition, a wide range of values and a complex layering of color, the artist turns the otherwise commonplace – a crashing wave, the quiet of a passing cloud or the early light of a new day – into moments of awe and inspiration and creates a connection to the eternal beauty and reassuring qualities of Nature.

Make Music Day is an international day of free live music. Musicians of all types, skill sets, and ages come together with venues to put on concerts all day. This day is all about bringing live music experiences to our community.

Make Music Day happens every year, June 21st. This year, the event falls on a Saturday. 2025 is the eighth year that Northwest CT is participating. Register as a venue or performer and start promoting your participation in Make Music NWCT!

Register to participate!

Learn more and see performances in the area!

Cartographer Scott Reinhard's exhibition features a 16-foot-long installation of 24 x 24 inch square maps printed on Tyvek and cyanotype paper covering 445 sq miles from Millerton to Barkhamsted Reservoir and from North Canaan down to Cornwall Bridge. Reinhard uses USGS elevation data to create literal and abstract topographical images. Prints will be available to order.

Gallery 25 Presents: Heatwaves & Hues – A Summer Art Show

Heatwaves & Hues, running from Friday, May 2 – Sunday, August 17. This vibrant exhibition will showcase works bursting with color and inspired by the warmth and energy of summer.

Plan a Fun Weekend in New Milford!

New Milford is an exciting destination, offering a variety of activities for visitors. Enjoy well-reviewed restaurants, pubs, and unique shops, take in a film at our charming Art Deco movie theater, or catch a live performance at the innovative TheatreWorks playhouse. Stroll through our beautiful historic New England Green, a perfect spot to relax and soak in the town’s charm.

Experience Gallery 25

Gallery 25 is an artist-run gallery featuring 25 members working across all genres. Along with our exciting exhibitions, we invite you to take part in our workshops, live demonstrations, artist discussions, and photography walks!

We welcome you to explore, create, and be inspired!

Join the Housatonic Valley Association for a pond exploration program at The Silo at Hunt Hill Farm in New Milford, CT! From 10 am to 12 pm, discover the interesting critters that live in the waters of this beautiful Connecticut property and learn about their habits, life cycles, and what we can do to keep these ecosystems healthy. 

Families and participants of all ages are welcome! Nets and buckets will be available for the collection of specimens who will be observed and safely released at the end of the program. We encourage participants to wear rubber boots and rain pants/waders. 

🎨🌟 Get ready for a weekend of art, creativity, and community at Sherman ARTfest 2025! 🌟🎨

Join us for this much-anticipated celebration of local talent, featuring artists from New Milford, Sherman, and surrounding towns—all coming together to showcase their incredible work in a beautiful mix of indoor and outdoor spaces.

🖼️ Opening Reception:

Friday, June 20 • 6–8 PM

Mingle with the artists, enjoy light refreshments, and get a first look at the show!

🎨 Show Hours:

Saturday & Sunday, June 21–22 • 10 AM–4 PM

📍 Explore two stunning venues:

• Indoors in the bright, spacious Charter Hall (top floor of Sherman’s Firehouse)

• Outdoors on the charming Sherman Town Green

Come for the art, stay for the atmosphere—this is your chance to meet the makers, discover original works, and support the thriving creative community of western Connecticut.

🖌️ Free & open to the public!

For more info, email: shermanartists@gmail.com

Kick off your Saturday and build Lego's with Noah!

For grades 1st-4th

Theme: Summer Party

Check out our website for our summer full of actitivites for kids and family!

Please join us at the West Cornwall Farm Market on The Wish House Lawn Saturday June 21. 10am-1pm

and meet local author Steven Gleason. Books will be available for purchase and signing ; )

The Seasons of the Flynns

In 1960s America, traditional values are giving way to new perspectives on love, politics, and women’s place in society. Against this turbulent backdrop, The Seasons of the Flynns charts the intertwined fates of Sara Michaels, a college student set on an acting career, and Bob Flynn, a young Bostonian struggling to emerge from the shadow of a domineering father.

Having married and found a home in the suburbs of New York, Sara and Bob seem settled on a conventional course in life. But they soon find their union troubled by unresolved questions about who they are and what they want for themselves. Can Bob stay committed to his young wife and his corporate law job while more exotic possibilities beckon? Will Sara have to trade her dream of a life in the theater for the role of suburban wife and helpmate? As they struggle with these quandaries, their lives are transformed in ways that reflect the changes roiling the society around them.

Steven Gleason

Local author Steven Gleason took up fiction writing after a decades-long career in international affairs. He published a novella, "Carmen's Passion," in December 2022. His first full-length novel, "The Seasons of the Flynns," appeared in March 2024.

A graduate of McGill University and NYU, Gleason lived for many years in New York City while traveling widely for business and pleasure. In retirement he returned to his native New England, where he enjoys reading, cooking and outdoor sports when not engaged in his second career of writing fiction.

The Litchfield Farmers Market is one of the few year-round markets in the Connecticut. The weekly Saturday market offers fresh seasonal produce, fruit, berries, herbs, sustainably sourced fish; artisanal cheeses, breads and baked goods, local honey, maple syrup and gifts - all raised, grown or crafted by 15+ local vendors. 

The market occasionally hosts live music and supports non-profits from throughout the Litchfield area.

INDOOR MARKET - November through mid-June (intermittent Saturdays through the winter months -- check the website for dates.) Open Saturdays 10am - 1pm at the Litchfield Community Center located at 421 Litchfield Road, Litchfield, CT.

OUTDOOR MARKET - mid- June through October located at Center School, Litchfield.

Join Litchfield Hills Audubon Nature Explorers at Kalmia LHAS Sanctuary in Harwinton, Ct to celebrate birds, bees, butterflies, and all the other creatures that make our gardens grow. Gather by the beautiful butterfly garden to watch them in action. Learn about the vital role they play in our environment and how we can protect them.

Enjoy fun activities and yummy snacks! Take home a free plant for your pollinators!

Saturday, June 21, 2025 10:00am (rain date Sunday, June 22, 2025 10:00am)

Pre-registration appreciated at lhasjunior@gmail.com.

Questions: Vickie Dauphinais 860-805-9167

Kalmia Butterfly Garden is on the Harwinton Pollinator Pathway

Dive into a world teeming with life at the Housatonic Valley Association "Pond Critter Exploration" event! On Saturday, June 21st, from 10 AM to 12 PM, Hunt Hill Farm and the Housatonic Valley Association are teaming up to bring you an unforgettable hands-on adventure. Join us at the charming silo pond as we uncover the fascinating aquatic critters that call it home.

From darting water bugs to playful tadpoles, you’ll get to explore the vibrant ecosystem right under the surface. Perfect for families, nature lovers, and the young at heart, this event is an exciting way to connect with the natural world. Every splash and discovery is sure to spark curiosity and wonder.

Don’t miss out on this chance to learn, explore, and share in the fun. Mark your calendar, grab your curiosity, and come be a part of this delightful outdoor adventure absolutely Free!

Have you ever wondered how handcrafted brooms are created? Join us for this day-long hands-on class taught by Massachusetts broom maker Alan Curboy. Students will learn the basics of broom material selection and layout while using traditional tools and methods to create a hand-crafted finished product. As a group, we will discuss the various aspects of the craft and go step by step, making both a Whisk broom and Cobweb style broom.

Begin your story-filled summer adventure at the Gunn Jr. Library on Saturday, June 21 from 10am to 12pm during a special Summer Reading Kick-Off event in collaboration with The GIANT Room, a NYC-based innovation hub for kids.

This community event invites kids and families to level up your imagination with hands-on activity stations led by The GIANT Room. You can create characters, build new worlds, try stop motion animation, and more! It’s the perfect way to jumpstart your summer reading and dive into a season of creativity.

Whether you participated in the GIANT Room remix stations this spring or are joining in for the first time, this is a great opportunity to dive into storytelling through hands-on play and shared creativity.

This program is made possible with generous support from the Connecticut State Library.

Registration Encouraged.

STEVE PARLATO BIO

Middlebury artist Steven Parlato’s work has graced theater posters and book covers, and he’s exhibited his collage series, They Are Not Disposable, throughout CT and in NJ, PA, and OH. An award-winning poet and college professor emeritus, Parlato is the author of two young adult novels, The Namesake (winner of the 2011 Tassy Walden Award for New Voices in YA Fiction) and The Precious Dreadful. Both explore grief, loss, and hope. His poetry has appeared in Freshwater, MARGIE, Borderlands, Peregrine, CT River Review, and other journals. On stage, he’s played roles ranging from the Scarecrow to Macbeth. Parlato offers writing workshops at venues throughout CT and creates artwork on commission. Follow him on FB at Steven Parlato Author and IG: @stevenparlato.

ARTIST’S STATEMENT

They Are Not Disposable should not need to exist. However, the persistent plague of systemic racism in America (and beyond) makes this artwork necessary. With the collage series complete, the sixteen initials within the works unite to make the declaration, “BLACK LIVES MATTER.” It is absurd this statement should need to be made; tragic it should still be met with resistance. 

Since this is the reality of our world, I ask that you meet threats to justice with your own resistance, in whatever creative form you choose. The only wrong way to approach racism, and all other forms of evil, is to remain silent. As I reflect on the creation of these images, I’m daunted by the work to be done—and overwhelmed by the fact that there are a near-infinite number of potential subjects, countless lives stolen by the evil of white supremacy. 

My hope is that this work leaves an impression, reminding viewers of the intrinsic humanity of each subject, and that of each individual we encounter. If my portraits of the stolen have touched you, I encourage you to learn more about these sixteen people, to keep their memories alive as I’ve attempted to do. And together, let’s confront the issues of inequity and racial violence that continue to claim innocent lives.

The Souterrain Gallery invites you to view and pruchase the current works by Ken Krug .

Open Th-Su 11-5 and by appointment

more info at www.souterraingallery.net

About the Artist

Ken Krug is a fine artist, illustrator, and author. He illustrated Michele Obama’s book about the

White House Garden and wrote and illustrated the children’s book, No, Silly! which was on the

Bank Street College Best Books of 2016 list. His paintings have been exhibited in numerous art

shows and were featured on the set of the movie “You Can Count on Me.” Ken Krug is also an

Adjunct Assistant Professor, Fashion Institute of Technology, SUNY

www.kenkrug.com

Ken spends much of his weekends , summers and other times with his wife Liz Van Doren in Cornwall where the family is deeply rooted .

on display at the Souterrain Gallery through July :

“Frank Rosen a nontraditional woodworker who also uses wood for painting and sculpture. His work moves in different directions: geometric to flowing, flat to textural, colorful to subdued. Surprise and humor are also media in which he dabbles.”   

more info at www.souterraingallery.net

open Th-Su 11-5

Embellished Notifications by British textile designer and fiber artist Kate Lewis offers an analog interpretation of the messages and notifications we receive digitally from various apps, brands and the outside world in general.

Conceived as an “antidote to the news” this series of work aims to capture the good feelings and happiness these digital messages offer, carrying those emotions and momentary dopamine triggers into the future.

“I thought about the relationship our phones have with brands, how we receive information digitally and which brands and phrases exactly gave me that hit of dopamine,” Kate says. “These notifications have become integral to our modern lives, with food deliveries, take out, online dating, transport...”

With a nod to traditional cross-stitch samplers, these colorful and slightly subversive hand made works aim to lift your spirits, and will look great in your kitchen.

For more information about the opening and exhibit email hithere@peggymercury.com or send us a DM on Instagram

@itspeggymercury

For more information about Kate Lewis:

@katelewisstudio

katelewisstudio.com

Come anytime between 11am and 12pm on Saturday the 21st of June to see a real firetruck and the Harwinton firefighters! Touch the truck, sit in the truck, and check out some firefighter gear! See the flashing lights! Ask the firemen any questions you might have and learn about what it means to be a firefighter! (all are welcome, not just dads) For kids of all ages. Please register @harwintonlibrary.org/events

Join Lee Sohl and her dogs for some Father’s Day stories! We will be meeting in the Junior Room. Children of all ages are welcome to participate.

Dates:  June 14 – July 27, 2025

Reception: Saturday June 14, 4 – 6 PM, public invited

Gallery hours: Thursday – Saturday 11:00 – 5:30, Sunday 12:00 – 4:00 and by appointment

Kenise Barnes Fine Art is honored to present a solo exhibition of new paintings by Janna Watson. Watson is a conceptual painter based in Toronto, Canada. Poems Without Words is Watson’s fourth solo exhibition with the gallery who has included Watson in eight other exhibitions and placed her work in numerous private collections. The gallery has represented the artist since 2017.

Through her practice, Watson works to reframe spirituality into objects that reflect fluidity, agility, and joy. She communicates this through a queering of the painterly process, into one that is diversely applied, gestural, and multi-oriented. Janna intentionally forgoes the use of borders on her paintings to create a sense of the infinite, and the inherent vulnerability of a spirituality that is not contained by a canon.

Janna Watson’s compositions and color choices are both careful and spontaneous, each gesture evoking an unstated emotional response. The paintings are generous passages of vivid color with swooping buttery paint strokes, and calligraphic marks floating on fields of saturated color. They are not spare, but they have an implied economy of language, each gesture gathered towards the others with an unseen gravitational force coalescing into a graceful equilibrium.

Part of the exhilaration I acquire from painting is being able to see shifts within myself manifested into a physical reality. The most truthful form of expression I have found in my life thus far has been the abstract language of painting.  – Janna Watson, 2025

Janna Watson’s work is widely exhibited internationally including in Canada, the United States and Taiwan. Watson’s paintings can be found in significant collections including Google, Air Canada, TD Bank Financial Group, Toronto, CIBC, Toronto, Ritz-Carlton Hotel, Toronto, HBC Global Art Collection, New York, to name a few. Watson earned a BFA in Drawing and Painting from Ontario College of Art and Design University, Toronto.

Please contact Lani Ming Holloway, Associate Director, Lani@kbfa.com, 860 560 3085 with inquires or to arrange a preview of the exhibition.

Sipping and shopping, who could say no? Join us the weekend of 6/21-6/22 for our Summer Market in June! Joining us as vendors:

Medicinal Synergy:

Organic and natural skincare products that’ll make your skin happy!

Jen Wyz Art:

Jen creates beautiful watercolor pieces that’ll make your house pop for the summer!

Paparazzi Jewelry:

A selection of classic and modern jewelry, you’re guaranteed to find something that matches you!

Beaded by Bae:

Beaded designs from bottle stoppers to bookmarks, spice up your collection!

Looking for a bite too? Have no fear, Greenhouse Tavern Food Truck will be here!

It's Make Music Day!

And New Milford is celebrating with a special FREE Family performance by the Sherman Chamber Ensemble. Hear musical retellings of favorite stories like "Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus" and "Ferdinand" - plus sing-a-longs and a mini classical music presentation.

Featuring Susan Rotholtz (flute); Owen Chung (flute); Jane Chung (violin); and Eliot Bailen (cello).

Seating is limited Reserve your places at: Theatreworks.us.

Sponsored by the New Milford Commission on the Arts, The NW CT Arts Council, The Town of New Milford and with the support of the Department of Economic

and Community Development, Office of Arts