Community Calendar

Interested in finding out more about the New Milford Community Emergency Response Team (CERT)? Sign up for our free training program that covers basic first aid, search & rescue, emergency preparedness, fire safety and a lot more. Visit our website www.NewMilfordCERT.org

Classes start April 29th.

“Homage”

With Respect to Someone or Something

Enjoy the images, films, music and poetry from global artist.

“Homage” art show launches online on Friday, April 5th

https://personaland.com/hut/exhibitions/

Personaland - our online global arts village.

https://www.personaland.com

Enriching the internet with an invigorating blend of entertainment, enchantment and culture. Persona Horseback and Dragon rides to our online art shows, showcasing over 625 artists from 60 countries in 25 group and 56 individual art shows, artist profile videos, movies, Art Shop, dancing flowers, wishing well and challenging art games.

For more info:

Stewart Wilson

personaman@snet.net

Call for Art – “Plant Life” and “Plant Life: NYC - Global”

Celebrate Spring by sharing your flora

image, film, music and poetry.

No Entry Fee. Deadline: April 29th

https://personaland.com/submit/plantlife.php

“Plant Life” art show launches online on Friday, May 3rd.

“Plant Life: NYC – Global” is an exhibition and digital event at Prime Produce, 424 West 54th St, New York City, May 17-19 featuring selections from the online show!

Personaland - our online global arts village.

https://www.personaland.com

Enriching the internet with an invigorating blend of entertainment, enchantment and culture. Persona Horseback and Dragon rides to our online art shows, showcasing over 625 artists from 60 countries in 25 group and 56 individual art shows, artist profile videos, movies, Art Shop, dancing flowers, wishing well and challenging art games.

For more info:

Stewart Wilson

personaman@snet.net

Enroll now for an unforgettable summer filled with creativity, learning, and fun at American Mural Project. Your child will thrive in AMP’s small-group programs, guided by their dedicated teaching artist, on AMP's indoor/outdoor campus in Winsted, CT. Scholarships are available!

Programs for Kids 7–11:

STEAM July 8–12

Grow July 15–19

Dabble in Art July 29–August 2

Programs for Teens (12+):

Outdoor Design & Build Full

Theater July 8–11 and 15–19

Teen Art Studio July 22–26

Music July 29–August 2

Registration and Information:

americanmuralproject.org/summer

This year’s Climate Challenge will run from Earth Day (April 22) through May 31st, and it is part of the State’s effort to meet its emission targets to help prevent further worsening of adverse climate impacts. 2024 Climate Challenge - CTrides

Itinerary:

8 AM Promptly depart LCC in Van

10 AM -12 PM Riverquest Cruise

12-2:30 Explore CT River Museum and Essex Village on your own.

Feel free to bring your own bagged lunch to enjoy on the cruise or at the park picnic tables overlooking the river or dine in at the cafes & restaurants nearby including the historic Griswold Inn.

Arrive back at LCC approximately at 4:30 pm.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Experience the beauty and solitude of the lower Connecticut River during this wonderful time of year. With fewer vessels on the water, and the trees and wildlife starting to show their spring colors, it is different than any other time of the year.

Pass by bald eagle nesting territories. Most of the osprey have returned from their wintering grounds and will either be nesting or very busy with their “nestorations”! Nests are in trees along the river and on the navigation day markers. We tell you about the local wildlife and some interesting details that we see along the way!

Naturalists on board narrate and make sure you don’t miss a thing!

\* Pre-registration & Pre-Payment Required. Reservations are subject to $10 fee if refunded is requested at least 24 hours in advance.

What to Bring:

Camera to capture the memories!

Food & Beverages allowed onboard.

Water Bottle recommended.

Dress in layers for the weather.

Binoculars (limited supply onboard)

You are invited to visit....

A Showing of Liz Rosiello's Floral Watercolor Paintings

Roxbury Senior Center - 7 South St. Roxbury CT

April 1 - May 31

Artist Reception: Saturday May 4th - 2pm to 5pm

Washington's wonderful restaurants and wineries are partnering with local artists, galleries and cultural businesses to make our restaurant week especially distinctive and memorable. Not only will the restaurants be serving special offerings, but there are also raffles and other swell surprises!

The Judy Black Memorial Park and Gardens hosts an art exhibit featuring works by AP art students at Shepaug Valley School and The Frederick Gunn School, on view Friday, April 12 through Sunday, April 28.

Throughout the school year, each student has been exploring a theme in art, and their works reflect their year-long study of that theme.

"The students possess this exuberance of youth that keeps them excited about the possibility that their art brings to them. They all approach their art in different ways but their enthusiasm shines through in all that they do," says Andrew Richards, Visual Arts Chair at The Frederick Gunn School.

This show will be open for viewing during scheduled events at the park or by appointment. 

Lola Baltzell grew up in rural northwest Iowa, and when she was very young, her mother would invite her to explore the woods behind their farmhouse. She called it the “friendly forest”. Love of the woods has been an enduring aspect of Ms. Baltzell’s life. These days she is fortunate to share a house in Bethlehem that abuts hundreds of acres of forests, woods and streams and enjoys with her dogs and anyone else who cares to go for a hike. Ms. Baltzell works in different mediums, but the work shown in the Library’s Gallery Space is encaustic. Encaustic painting, also known as hot wax painting, is a form of painting that involves a heated wax medium to which colored pigments have been added. The molten mix is applied to a firm surface, usually prepared wood. Encaustic medium is a mixture of beeswax and damar resin. The color comes from dried powdered pigments or oil paints. Once the surface has cooled, you can carve, add collage and continue to add opaque or transparent layers. It is an extremely responsive and creative medium. Ms. Baltzell is a self-taught artist. She is a member of several galleries including Galatea Fine Art in Boston, Atlantic Gallery in New York City. She is a member of Cambridge Arts Association, New England Wax as well as a contributing artist to the Corporate Program at Decordova Museum and Sculpture Park in Lincoln, MA.

Children and parents learn to play, sing, create and laugh together while romping to music, exploring our indoor play land, and meeting new friends. This program helps children develop sensory awareness and build motor skills. If needed, siblings are welcome to attend, but for safety reasons, they are not permitted on any of the equipment.

Requirements:

Guardians must be present

Coordinator:

Michele Gasiewski

Residents $70.00, Non-Residents $90.00

Sessions:

Ages 1y-2y - 9:15am-10am

Ages 2y-3y4m - 10:15am-11am

“Atmospheric Abstractions”

Presented by: Edward Muszala

Edward Muszala will be sharing his extraordinary collection of oil paintings. His work will be on display from Saturday, March 23rd -  Saturday, May 18th 2024. 

 

Pilot and artist, Edward Muszala, finds inspiration in the sky. “As a pilot I was aware of the constantly changing play of air and light in the atmosphere, the warmth of the sun, the speed of the wind, the water in the clouds” he says. Through the lens of a seasoned aviator, he captures the ever-shifting tapestry of light, color, and temperature in the atmosphere, translating this awe-inspiring spectacle onto canvas with his mastery of oil and encaustic techniques bringing these atmospheric scenes to life, evoking feelings of calm and awe in every brushstroke.

https://www.gunnlibrary.org/stairwell-gallery/

Visit the Morris Public Library during the month of April as we participate in the Connecticut Library Association Passport to Connecticut Libraries Program. Patrons can obtain their Library Passport here at the Morris Library and begin their journey to multiple participating CT Libraries. Each Library will stamp their visitors’ passports and give each visitor a small gift!

There will be winners in two categories, and four $200 gift cards, one for adults and one for children in each category.

Category One: Each participant who visits at least five participating public libraries and has the corresponding stamps (and returns their passport to a participating library by the deadline) will earn an entry into that library's drawing. There will be a final "all libraries" drawing among the contestants who have visited at least five libraries. 

Category Two: Each library will select the adult and the child who have visited the most participating public libraries. There will be a final "all libraries" drawing among the contestants who have visited the most libraries.

Details: 860-567-7440 or https://morrispubliclibrary.net

The Tremaine Art Gallery at The Hotchkiss School at 11 Interlaken Road, Lakeville CT is pleased to present Dialogue: Art in Conversation, featuring works by Valerie Hammond and Nathaniel (Tate) Klacsmann, from April 2 through June 2, 2024, with an opening reception on Saturday, April 6 from 4 to 6 p.m. This exhibition explores the creative processes of two artists whose work reverberates around questions of social inequity, magic, myth, and the environment. Together, their pieces begin a conversation filled with reflective echoes, offering opportunity for intersection around creativity and process. Curated by Joan Baldwin and Terri Moore, Dialogue also includes video and photography by Colleen Macmillan, Ann Villano, and Hotchkiss film students. The gallery is open Tuesday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 4 p.m.

"Tangled in Color": an exhibition of works in oil and acrylic by Kathleen L'Hommedieu.

Kathleen L'Hommedieu, born and raised in Connecticut, finds inspiration through light and color in the landscape and sky. Many years of traveling for business and rowing competitions through Europe are also a major influence.

"We are immersed in light, color and energy from all that surrounds us no matter where we find ourselves."

Layering is nothing new for Kathleen. It is a technique that comes naturally as she builds a canvas and is guided through its evolution. Using a series of tools - from brush to palette knife - she lets the layers deepen, a process that can take years while perfecting a canvas. "The background tells me where to go," is how she explains the method, "and I add color or texture." Recently, the layers have led to new revelations of shadow and light as the colors intermingle and intertwine, creating interrelationships within a work of art informed by past canvases. Her abstracts are often memories of moments she has experienced - inspired by a foggy window after a storm by the sea, the turbulence of winter by the ocean, a still-life in its vivid interplay of color and form, or a grove of young saplings lit by the sun.

This show is a series of explorations in interwoven color to share the journey of an artist's growing perception, but expressing a universal message. Kathleen's quest leads the viewer to experience a deepening vision of fleeting color play and brilliant moments in our surroundings. "Art teaches you to see," she says, "and I strive to capture that energy."

We are excited to share news about Washington Restaurant Week happening on Friday, April 19th – Sunday, April 28th, 2024! Have you ever wondered about that restaurant you’ve heard about or driven by all those times? Washington Restaurant Week 2024 is your chance to give it a try and experience “The Arts” while you’re doing it.

Restaurants throughout Washington will be featuring special menus and fabulous tastings that will be sure to satisfy your taste buds. Select restaurants will also host live music and special pop-up galleries on site for a chance to enjoy an arts and dining experience.

Washington Restaurant Week, Where Food and the Arts Meet, is proudly organized by the Washington Business Association, Washington Arts Council, Town of Washington – Economic Development Committee and Litchfield.co.

View all participating restaurants:

Community Table

GW Tavern

Hopkins Inn

Hopkins Vineyard

Inari Asian Bistro

Marty’s Cafe

Mayflower Inn & Spa

The 202 Tavern

The Owl Wine & Food Bar

The Pantry

Po Care

Smithy Cafe at 9 Main

The White Hose

Washington Pizza House

View exciting art shows at:

Eckert Fine Art

KMR Arts

The Hen’s Nest

Washington Art Association

Judy Black Park

Gunn Museum Stairwell Gallery

Marty’s Cafe

 

Give Local Information

Music and Rhyme for Children from Birth to 3s! A program for babies and their caretakers that incorporates music, rhythm, stories, and nursery rhymes to spur language development, body awareness, pre-reading skills, self-confidence, and cooperation. Gathering at 10:15, the program begins at 10:30.

Registration appreciated, drop-ins welcome!

Noonan Gallery

January 21, 2024 – May 19, 2024

If artists and museums use their platform to raise awareness about climate impacts on our oceans, perhaps we will see change. Featuring the work of five award-winning visual artists, Daniel Baxter, Jeffrey Blondes, Zoe Matthiessen, Samantha Schwann, and Matthew Wood, and poet Sandy Carlson, this exhibition explores the world’s oceans with a focus on the Arctic. In a variety of media, including painting, photography, video, drawing, and sculpture, the artwork in this exhibition celebrates the beauty of our oceans and the tragedy of their degradation. By tempering a dire message with beauty and humor, this exhibition makes a clear case for protecting the ocean.

Free with admission

Whittemore Gallery

January 21, 2024 – May 19, 2024

(Re)Work It! Women Artists on Women’s Labor explores the many types of labor that women are often expected to manage – from caring for one’s family to participating in the labor force, from negotiating beauty standards to handling emotional labor, and more. A reprisal of a smaller exhibition from 2022, this new show delves more deeply into the topic by incorporating a wider range of voices and perspectives. Including artwork from approximately 30 contemporary female-identifying artists, (Re)Work It! broadens our definition and understanding of women's labor in 21st century America.

Free with Admission

On View: March 10, 2024 – May 12, 2024

With large-scale and mysterious photographs, screenwriter and film producer Carolyn Marks Blackwood invites the viewer to participate in the creation of meaning. By associating brief caption lines with images of deserted streets, isolated forests, and houses lit from within, visitors are encouraged to supply their own narrative inspired by their unique experiences. Both haunting and profound, The Story Series provides an opportunity for creative engagement and deep reflection.

12:00 Light Lunch will be served followed with the presentation.

"GIVE LOCAL" DONATIONS WELCOME

Registration required for lunch

Join us for an afternoon of Live, Learn, and Lunch with the dynamic duo, Bob & Claudia Hughes! Immerse yourself in the timeless melodies of "The Great American Songbook" as this talented pair brings classic tunes to life in a performance that will transport you through the golden era of music.

The show will not only entertain but also educate as they interweave informative commentary, sharing fascinating insights into the history and stories behind the songs.

Claudia Hughes has been a professional singer for many years having performed both as a soloist and lead singer in numerous bands and musical settings in the area. In 2006 she released her jazz CD "My Romance". She is also a singer and keyboard player with an all girl band. Claudia has studied voice with Rosemary and Bill Finnegan, Marianna Vagnini, and Richard DeRosa.

Bob Hughes performs with the Connecticut Choral Society and their a capella sub-group, the Chamber Singers. From 2009-2012 he was President of CCS. Additionally, he performs a solo repertoire of both classical and standard baritone pieces with Mark Templeton as accompanist. He has studied with Danbury’s opera singer Perry Price and currently studies with Valerie Sorel, a former Montreal Opera star.

From April 13 through May 18, The Cornwall Library is presenting Live It Up!, a selection of bold, vivid landscape and abstract works by artist Joelle Sander (1942–2023) that fully justify the name of the show. The opening reception on April 13 from 5 to 7 pm, with registration requested at https://cornwalllibrary.org/events/.

Sander was already an award-winning author in her late 40s when she began painting seriously. She pursued painting with characteristic zeal, putting it on equal footing with writing, and attending studio classes in New York until the week before her passing. Early on, she took to heart a comment by artist Wolf Kahn, who noticed in one of her pastels an unusual color choice. "Ah ha," he said, "You see, you are a colorist!"

Steve Ninteman, a fellow artist and friend, says “Color is what Joelle celebrated the most in all her work. She also pursued themes of movement, fire, scale, trees and light. What is inspiring is that she took whatever idea she was interested in and brought it directly to a large canvas. Joelle did lovely personal drawings around her Connecticut home, in museums and Central Park, but she didn't do many preparatory sketches for paintings. Instead she would make a few simple outlines with her brush and dive in. Her color choices appeared quickly in assured passages…Looking at her surroundings with love and attention, Joelle transformed them with her personal form making, then gave them a life of their own with color choices that only she could imagine. ”

Sander was inspired by painters as diverse as turn-of-the-20th-century Canadian landscapist Tom Thomson and American abstract expressionist Joan Mitchell.

She lived in New York City and West Cornwall, Connecticut. Live it Up! will offer oil paintings for sale, with proceeds benefiting art and poetry programs at The Cornwall Library.

Discover the Mattatuck Museum through the perspective of our staff. Join Deputy Director Stephanie Harris as she shares her personal favorites from our collection, offering insights into the pieces that resonate with her the most.

$10 per person

Register Here

Support provided by Christine & Eugene Shugrue

An exhibition of framed vintage photographs from The Mabel Hallaway Collection of Early 20th Century Photography from the Falls Village-Canaan Historical Society.

Advanced Beginner Crocheting Class

- Come learn in a class designed just for you…an advanced beginner!!

- You will learn 3 ways to begin crocheting "in the round", how to read a yarn label (if you don’t already know how to do this), how to read a crochet pattern, and more!

- Projects include a coaster set as your 1st project and a hat as your ongoing project 

- 6 weekly classes, 1.5 hours each

- Requirements: This is NOT a beginner class! You MUST KNOW the basic crochet stitches -- the chain stitch, single crochet, half double crochet, and double crochet! Other stitches, including 2 different ways to make a brim on your hat, will be taught

Instructor: Andrea Dener

Residents $110.00, Non-Residents $130.00

Location: Library Children’s Room (Upper Level)Have fun learning how to code with one of our librarians. For Grades 3-12. Younger children may need adult assistance.

Join us to play Magic: The Gathering casually with preconstructed decks or explore various formats for added fun. Whether you're new to the game or aiming to play competitively, we've got you covered. Join us to build a deck, bring your own decks, or prep for prerelease nights and local tournaments, and let the "magic" unfold! For grades 6-12.

Join us every Wednesday for a night of cornhole fun! 6 pm at Salt 2.0 (next to the Warner)

Location: Library Auditorium (Lower Level) Learn the basics of DND 5th Edition through a tutorial campaign.

Frank songs his songs just for you - we love music Wednesdays! Plus, two great beers are back on tap: Mad River Pilsner and Cream of the Crop!

Join Albert Ruggiero for his humorous book talk “Pearls from Carol” at the Morris Public Library, on Wednesday, April 24, 6:30 PM.

The speaker will share the funny yet thought-provoking essays and poems from his late wife Carol. The book is a compilation of 20 years’ writings devotedly collected by the local writers’ group and published by her husband.

Learn about Carol’s life and stories, and enjoy the participatory saxophone sing-a-long - compliments of Albert!

To register for the FREE

event: 860-567-7440 or https://morrispubliclibrary.net/library-calendar-event-registration/

Are you ready to be part of something truly beautiful and unifying?! Every week, synagogues around the world come together to study the same weekly Torah portion. Let's unite in our love for Torah and join this incredible global community.

Don't miss out on this opportunity to connect in spirit with the world and with friends from all over Northwest CT and deepen your understanding of our shared heritage.

Join us every Wednesday at 8:00 PM for an unforgettable journey into the teachings of the Torah. From the comfort of your own home, you'll discover how to love to the greatest of heights and live a life filled with purpose and meaning. Don't miss out on this incredible opportunity to learn and grow with us! Tune in via zoom at chabadnw.org/live or on facebook live at fb.com/chabadNW. See you there!

The Sherman Library is pleased to announce the next art show: ”Waters Calming Peace” – Watercolors by Charlene Leichter.   With water as the focal point, Leichter’s paintings capture nature’s colors, moods and beauty. They give a sense of calm, of peace. The opening reception will be Friday March 29, 2024 from 6-8pm. The show will be on display at the Sherman Library from March 29 – May 8, 2024 both at the Library and on their website, [www.ShermanLibrary.org](http://www.shermanlibrary.org). “When I look at a finished painting, I want to feel peace and comfort, then I know it’s ready to provide the same to others.  I want my work to make someone feel warmth, peace and happiness in their heart.” Says Leichter. A native New Yorker, Leichter now resides in Sherman CT. She has a BA in Economics from Stony Brook and a career in Information Technology as a developer and database administrator. Currently she is working part time, being fully retired at the end of the year.  In 2022, post-surgery, needing to find a diversion from the pain and discomfort, she turned to her past love of watercolor painting. Just as she had taught herself database and IT technology, she began to teach herself how to paint. Not having done any drawing or painting since high school, she started watching YouTube videos of drawing, perspective and watercolor tutorials for hours on end.  Luckily, in her house there were art supplies in storage containers that she opened and dusted off.  Followed by practice, practice, practice! Trying and testing different techniques and eventually finding her own style. Through this came a love of landscapes, especially with water as a focal point. No surprise here, as she grew up on Long Island’s great South Bay and was no stranger to the ways of water and how peaceful yet powerful it can be.  What a wonderful way to celebrate her first solo show by paying tribute to water and its calming and peaceful ways. For more information about this show and the Sherman Library, visit: www.[shermanlibrary.org](http://shermanlibrary.org).

Interested in finding out more about the New Milford Community Emergency Response Team (CERT)? Sign up for our free training program that covers basic first aid, search & rescue, emergency preparedness, fire safety and a lot more. Visit our website www.NewMilfordCERT.org

Classes start April 29th.

“Homage”

With Respect to Someone or Something

Enjoy the images, films, music and poetry from global artist.

“Homage” art show launches online on Friday, April 5th

https://personaland.com/hut/exhibitions/

Personaland - our online global arts village.

https://www.personaland.com

Enriching the internet with an invigorating blend of entertainment, enchantment and culture. Persona Horseback and Dragon rides to our online art shows, showcasing over 625 artists from 60 countries in 25 group and 56 individual art shows, artist profile videos, movies, Art Shop, dancing flowers, wishing well and challenging art games.

For more info:

Stewart Wilson

personaman@snet.net

Call for Art – “Plant Life” and “Plant Life: NYC - Global”

Celebrate Spring by sharing your flora

image, film, music and poetry.

No Entry Fee. Deadline: April 29th

https://personaland.com/submit/plantlife.php

“Plant Life” art show launches online on Friday, May 3rd.

“Plant Life: NYC – Global” is an exhibition and digital event at Prime Produce, 424 West 54th St, New York City, May 17-19 featuring selections from the online show!

Personaland - our online global arts village.

https://www.personaland.com

Enriching the internet with an invigorating blend of entertainment, enchantment and culture. Persona Horseback and Dragon rides to our online art shows, showcasing over 625 artists from 60 countries in 25 group and 56 individual art shows, artist profile videos, movies, Art Shop, dancing flowers, wishing well and challenging art games.

For more info:

Stewart Wilson

personaman@snet.net

Enroll now for an unforgettable summer filled with creativity, learning, and fun at American Mural Project. Your child will thrive in AMP’s small-group programs, guided by their dedicated teaching artist, on AMP's indoor/outdoor campus in Winsted, CT. Scholarships are available!

Programs for Kids 7–11:

STEAM July 8–12

Grow July 15–19

Dabble in Art July 29–August 2

Programs for Teens (12+):

Outdoor Design & Build Full

Theater July 8–11 and 15–19

Teen Art Studio July 22–26

Music July 29–August 2

Registration and Information:

americanmuralproject.org/summer

This year’s Climate Challenge will run from Earth Day (April 22) through May 31st, and it is part of the State’s effort to meet its emission targets to help prevent further worsening of adverse climate impacts. 2024 Climate Challenge - CTrides

You are invited to visit....

A Showing of Liz Rosiello's Floral Watercolor Paintings

Roxbury Senior Center - 7 South St. Roxbury CT

April 1 - May 31

Artist Reception: Saturday May 4th - 2pm to 5pm

Washington's wonderful restaurants and wineries are partnering with local artists, galleries and cultural businesses to make our restaurant week especially distinctive and memorable. Not only will the restaurants be serving special offerings, but there are also raffles and other swell surprises!

The Judy Black Memorial Park and Gardens hosts an art exhibit featuring works by AP art students at Shepaug Valley School and The Frederick Gunn School, on view Friday, April 12 through Sunday, April 28.

Throughout the school year, each student has been exploring a theme in art, and their works reflect their year-long study of that theme.

"The students possess this exuberance of youth that keeps them excited about the possibility that their art brings to them. They all approach their art in different ways but their enthusiasm shines through in all that they do," says Andrew Richards, Visual Arts Chair at The Frederick Gunn School.

This show will be open for viewing during scheduled events at the park or by appointment. 

Lola Baltzell grew up in rural northwest Iowa, and when she was very young, her mother would invite her to explore the woods behind their farmhouse. She called it the “friendly forest”. Love of the woods has been an enduring aspect of Ms. Baltzell’s life. These days she is fortunate to share a house in Bethlehem that abuts hundreds of acres of forests, woods and streams and enjoys with her dogs and anyone else who cares to go for a hike. Ms. Baltzell works in different mediums, but the work shown in the Library’s Gallery Space is encaustic. Encaustic painting, also known as hot wax painting, is a form of painting that involves a heated wax medium to which colored pigments have been added. The molten mix is applied to a firm surface, usually prepared wood. Encaustic medium is a mixture of beeswax and damar resin. The color comes from dried powdered pigments or oil paints. Once the surface has cooled, you can carve, add collage and continue to add opaque or transparent layers. It is an extremely responsive and creative medium. Ms. Baltzell is a self-taught artist. She is a member of several galleries including Galatea Fine Art in Boston, Atlantic Gallery in New York City. She is a member of Cambridge Arts Association, New England Wax as well as a contributing artist to the Corporate Program at Decordova Museum and Sculpture Park in Lincoln, MA.

“Atmospheric Abstractions”

Presented by: Edward Muszala

Edward Muszala will be sharing his extraordinary collection of oil paintings. His work will be on display from Saturday, March 23rd -  Saturday, May 18th 2024. 

 

Pilot and artist, Edward Muszala, finds inspiration in the sky. “As a pilot I was aware of the constantly changing play of air and light in the atmosphere, the warmth of the sun, the speed of the wind, the water in the clouds” he says. Through the lens of a seasoned aviator, he captures the ever-shifting tapestry of light, color, and temperature in the atmosphere, translating this awe-inspiring spectacle onto canvas with his mastery of oil and encaustic techniques bringing these atmospheric scenes to life, evoking feelings of calm and awe in every brushstroke.

https://www.gunnlibrary.org/stairwell-gallery/

Visit the Morris Public Library during the month of April as we participate in the Connecticut Library Association Passport to Connecticut Libraries Program. Patrons can obtain their Library Passport here at the Morris Library and begin their journey to multiple participating CT Libraries. Each Library will stamp their visitors’ passports and give each visitor a small gift!

There will be winners in two categories, and four $200 gift cards, one for adults and one for children in each category.

Category One: Each participant who visits at least five participating public libraries and has the corresponding stamps (and returns their passport to a participating library by the deadline) will earn an entry into that library's drawing. There will be a final "all libraries" drawing among the contestants who have visited at least five libraries. 

Category Two: Each library will select the adult and the child who have visited the most participating public libraries. There will be a final "all libraries" drawing among the contestants who have visited the most libraries.

Details: 860-567-7440 or https://morrispubliclibrary.net

An exhibition of framed vintage photographs from The Mabel Hallaway Collection of Early 20th Century Photography from the Falls Village-Canaan Historical Society.

The Tremaine Art Gallery at The Hotchkiss School at 11 Interlaken Road, Lakeville CT is pleased to present Dialogue: Art in Conversation, featuring works by Valerie Hammond and Nathaniel (Tate) Klacsmann, from April 2 through June 2, 2024, with an opening reception on Saturday, April 6 from 4 to 6 p.m. This exhibition explores the creative processes of two artists whose work reverberates around questions of social inequity, magic, myth, and the environment. Together, their pieces begin a conversation filled with reflective echoes, offering opportunity for intersection around creativity and process. Curated by Joan Baldwin and Terri Moore, Dialogue also includes video and photography by Colleen Macmillan, Ann Villano, and Hotchkiss film students. The gallery is open Tuesday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 4 p.m.

Color Me Creative is back!! 

Ages 2 1/2 - 5 years old

This very popular preschool arts and crafts program uses every imaginable medium to stir the creative impulse in your child. Parents and children will have fun finger painting, gluing and creating together! Each week your child will bring home several themed-based projects. Children should wear an old shirt or art smock. 

Parents, please bring a bag or box to transport projects home. 

Instructor: Michele Gasiewski

Residents $85.00, Non-residents $105.00

Two Sessions

Class 1 10:00 AM - 10:45 AM

Class 2 11:00 AM - 11:45 AM

We are excited to share news about Washington Restaurant Week happening on Friday, April 19th – Sunday, April 28th, 2024! Have you ever wondered about that restaurant you’ve heard about or driven by all those times? Washington Restaurant Week 2024 is your chance to give it a try and experience “The Arts” while you’re doing it.

Restaurants throughout Washington will be featuring special menus and fabulous tastings that will be sure to satisfy your taste buds. Select restaurants will also host live music and special pop-up galleries on site for a chance to enjoy an arts and dining experience.

Washington Restaurant Week, Where Food and the Arts Meet, is proudly organized by the Washington Business Association, Washington Arts Council, Town of Washington – Economic Development Committee and Litchfield.co.

View all participating restaurants:

Community Table

GW Tavern

Hopkins Inn

Hopkins Vineyard

Inari Asian Bistro

Marty’s Cafe

Mayflower Inn & Spa

The 202 Tavern

The Owl Wine & Food Bar

The Pantry

Po Care

Smithy Cafe at 9 Main

The White Hose

Washington Pizza House

View exciting art shows at:

Eckert Fine Art

KMR Arts

The Hen’s Nest

Washington Art Association

Judy Black Park

Gunn Museum Stairwell Gallery

Marty’s Cafe

 

Location: Library Picture Book Room (Upper Level) Join us for interactive stories, rhymes, fables and songs. For ages 2-4.

Kids of all ages are welcome to join us for Bilingual Story Time on Thursdays at 10:30! This program includes stories in Spanish and English, songs, a craft and a snack.

iInvitamos a los niños de todas las edades a unirnos por Hora de Cuentos Bilingües los jueves a 10:30! Esta programa incluye los cuentos en español y ingles, canciones, un proyecto de manualidades y un tentempié.

Perfect for 3-5 year olds, but fun for everyone!

Join Mrs. Tricia for a classic library storytime--books, songs, bubbles, and more! Come for early literacy skills, social connections, and fun! We will have process-based art activities after each week’s stories and songs.

Whittemore Gallery

January 21, 2024 – May 19, 2024

(Re)Work It! Women Artists on Women’s Labor explores the many types of labor that women are often expected to manage – from caring for one’s family to participating in the labor force, from negotiating beauty standards to handling emotional labor, and more. A reprisal of a smaller exhibition from 2022, this new show delves more deeply into the topic by incorporating a wider range of voices and perspectives. Including artwork from approximately 30 contemporary female-identifying artists, (Re)Work It! broadens our definition and understanding of women's labor in 21st century America.

Free with Admission

Noonan Gallery

January 21, 2024 – May 19, 2024

If artists and museums use their platform to raise awareness about climate impacts on our oceans, perhaps we will see change. Featuring the work of five award-winning visual artists, Daniel Baxter, Jeffrey Blondes, Zoe Matthiessen, Samantha Schwann, and Matthew Wood, and poet Sandy Carlson, this exhibition explores the world’s oceans with a focus on the Arctic. In a variety of media, including painting, photography, video, drawing, and sculpture, the artwork in this exhibition celebrates the beauty of our oceans and the tragedy of their degradation. By tempering a dire message with beauty and humor, this exhibition makes a clear case for protecting the ocean.

Free with admission

On View: March 10, 2024 – May 12, 2024

With large-scale and mysterious photographs, screenwriter and film producer Carolyn Marks Blackwood invites the viewer to participate in the creation of meaning. By associating brief caption lines with images of deserted streets, isolated forests, and houses lit from within, visitors are encouraged to supply their own narrative inspired by their unique experiences. Both haunting and profound, The Story Series provides an opportunity for creative engagement and deep reflection.

Kenise Barnes Fine Art is pleased to announce the representation and first solo show of accomplished mid-career artist KK Kozik.

 

“As to me," wrote Walt Whitman in 1881, "I know of nothing else but miracles.” Whitman goes on to list some very ordinary phenomena as miracles, from “stars shining quiet and bright,” to standing under trees in the woods, to observing birds in flight. The vein of American mysticism links the natural world with the spiritual and has found form in artists as disparate as Rockwell Kent and Agnes Pelton and KK Kozik: all artists who process what they see, what they experience and what they imagine into a painted image.

 

Kozik’s minor miracles mostly surface from the rhythms of her day. Prosaic encounters of beauty during hikes, strolls and swims simmer on the back burner of her mind until stirred up and warmed they knock on her door, demanding to be painted. Ideas and images never come out quite the way they went into the pot. Kozik is not a realist, slavishly painting a tree branch by branch, but rather a transcendental hunter-gatherer, a sly burglar of ideas and colors. An island of trees in a lake is what was seen, but Miracle Island is what she painted. The artist releases beauty from the prosaic, her work meeting in the center of the everyday world and the way imagination processes memory and the way her hand executes it.

 

KK Kozik’s work has been exhibited widely in the United States, Greece, Netherlands, and Germany. She has been honored with William and Susan Picotte Award, Albany Institute of History and Art, Connecticut Artist Fellowship in Painting, Commission, “Flights of Imagination,” Fitchburg Art Museum and Fitchburg State University, Commission, MTA Arts & Design, Rockaway Park Beach 116th St subway station, Weir Farm Trust Visiting Artist Fellowship, Marie Walsh Sharpe Art Foundation Grant, to name a few. The artist’s work has been featured in The New York Times, The Village Voice, New York Magazine, and Art in America among others. KK Kozik earned an MA from Syracuse University, a BA from University of Virginia, and attended Edinburgh University. She lives and works in CT.

 

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

Join us for a weekly dose of inspiration with Rebbetzin Mina as she delves into the weekly Torah portion. Take a break from your busy schedule every Thursday from 11:30-12:30 at Chabad on the Green located at 69 West Litchfield, CT 06759.Come prepared to gain new insights and connect with a community of like-minded individuals. Let Rebbetzin guide you on a journey of self-discovery and spiritual growth. Don't miss out on this opportunity to nourish your soul and elevate your week. We can't wait to see you there!

"Tangled in Color": an exhibition of works in oil and acrylic by Kathleen L'Hommedieu.

Kathleen L'Hommedieu, born and raised in Connecticut, finds inspiration through light and color in the landscape and sky. Many years of traveling for business and rowing competitions through Europe are also a major influence.

"We are immersed in light, color and energy from all that surrounds us no matter where we find ourselves."

Layering is nothing new for Kathleen. It is a technique that comes naturally as she builds a canvas and is guided through its evolution. Using a series of tools - from brush to palette knife - she lets the layers deepen, a process that can take years while perfecting a canvas. "The background tells me where to go," is how she explains the method, "and I add color or texture." Recently, the layers have led to new revelations of shadow and light as the colors intermingle and intertwine, creating interrelationships within a work of art informed by past canvases. Her abstracts are often memories of moments she has experienced - inspired by a foggy window after a storm by the sea, the turbulence of winter by the ocean, a still-life in its vivid interplay of color and form, or a grove of young saplings lit by the sun.

This show is a series of explorations in interwoven color to share the journey of an artist's growing perception, but expressing a universal message. Kathleen's quest leads the viewer to experience a deepening vision of fleeting color play and brilliant moments in our surroundings. "Art teaches you to see," she says, "and I strive to capture that energy."

From April 13 through May 18, The Cornwall Library is presenting Live It Up!, a selection of bold, vivid landscape and abstract works by artist Joelle Sander (1942–2023) that fully justify the name of the show. The opening reception on April 13 from 5 to 7 pm, with registration requested at https://cornwalllibrary.org/events/.

Sander was already an award-winning author in her late 40s when she began painting seriously. She pursued painting with characteristic zeal, putting it on equal footing with writing, and attending studio classes in New York until the week before her passing. Early on, she took to heart a comment by artist Wolf Kahn, who noticed in one of her pastels an unusual color choice. "Ah ha," he said, "You see, you are a colorist!"

Steve Ninteman, a fellow artist and friend, says “Color is what Joelle celebrated the most in all her work. She also pursued themes of movement, fire, scale, trees and light. What is inspiring is that she took whatever idea she was interested in and brought it directly to a large canvas. Joelle did lovely personal drawings around her Connecticut home, in museums and Central Park, but she didn't do many preparatory sketches for paintings. Instead she would make a few simple outlines with her brush and dive in. Her color choices appeared quickly in assured passages…Looking at her surroundings with love and attention, Joelle transformed them with her personal form making, then gave them a life of their own with color choices that only she could imagine. ”

Sander was inspired by painters as diverse as turn-of-the-20th-century Canadian landscapist Tom Thomson and American abstract expressionist Joan Mitchell.

She lived in New York City and West Cornwall, Connecticut. Live it Up! will offer oil paintings for sale, with proceeds benefiting art and poetry programs at The Cornwall Library.

Bring your lunch, listen to stories, and enjoy a fun craft. Individual craft kits will be available. All are welcome, this program is intended for preschool-aged children. This event will be offered in person in the Junior Room of the Library.

Registration is appreciated but not required.

Are you a writer needing to carve out some creative time?

A non-writer who has always wanted to write?

An artist who wants to venture into a new medium?

This workshop is for you!

Once a week, for six weeks, we’ll pause from our personal and professional obligations to play with words, with a promise that we’ll repeat it as a habit. Each class, I’ll present an inspirational reading, image, or activity and we’ll discuss. We’ll let that prompt us to write for about 30 of uninterrupted time to see what bits of ourselves escape onto paper. Then we’ll reconvene and chat. We won’t critique each other’s work. Instead, we’ll offer encouragement and gratefulness for any bit of our voices and stories we’re willing to share.

No pressure, no judgment, and no homework. The practice of writing is just that—practice. Prompts lead to the discovery of ideas, emotions, characters, and other special bits. My hope is that you will find a comfortable, safe, and brave space that meets you where you are on your own unique journey as a writer.

Location: Library Auditorium (Lower Level) Meet and chat during our Coloring and Conversation Club. Whether you are looking to relax and de-stress, practice your English conversation skills, or meet new people, you are welcome to join us! Coloring pages and supplies will be provided.

Want to get involved at the Library? Come to our Teen Advisory Board meeting and help us plan upcoming events! For book club, we will be discussing The Peculiar Incident on Shady Street by Lindsay Currie. Stop by the Junior Room to pick up a copy of the book. Grades 5 and up are welcome to join.

Springtime Fun (ages 3–9) Wear your pj’s, bring a stuffed pal and experience a fun-filled evening at The MATT! Take a short tour of our galleries and then decorate a mask to match your stuffed friend.

Support provided by the American Savings Foundation

More Info

African Drumming with Angaza Mwando

Every Thursday at Howard's Bookstore

Free Event

This lecture series, led by Jay Iganaszewski, will speak to the history of visual storytelling from the first film projects in the 1880's to the digital world of the present day. In these lectures, he will break down significant moments of film history from the very beginning with the French inventors, to Thomas Edison, silent films, and finally the origins of Hollywood.

https://fivepointsarts.org/workshops/

Join instructor, Sarah Segovia, for a comprehensive introduction to the art of stained glass. Starting with basic techniques, this workshop will cover how to use a variety of tools to cut, shape and solder glass through the construction of a suncatcher. From brainstorming ideas to selecting colors and textures of glass, this project will demonstrate how to employ pattern and composition to achieve your design.

https://fivepointsarts.org/workshops/

In April, our Thursday evening book club will discuss the New York Times Bestseller,  Lady Tan’s Circle of Women, by Lisa See. Copies of the book are available at the Gunn Memorial Library circulation desk.

According to Confucius, “an educated woman is a worthless woman” but Tan Yunxian—born into an elite family, yet haunted by death, separations, and loneliness—is being raised by her grandparents to be of use. Her grandmother is one of only a handful of female doctors in China, and she teaches Yunxian the pillars of Chinese medicine, the Four Examinations—looking, listening, touching, and asking—something a man can never do with a female patient.

Yunxian learns about women’s illnesses from a young age, many of which relate to childbearing, alongside a young midwife-in-training, Meiling. The two girls find fast friendship, a mutual purpose and vow to be forever friends, sharing in each other’s joys and struggles. 

But when Yunxian is sent into an arranged marriage, her mother-in-law forbids her from seeing Meiling and helping the women and girls in the household. Yunxian is to act like a proper wife—embroider bound-foot slippers, recite poetry, give birth to sons, and stay forever within the walls of the family compound, the Garden of Fragrant Delights.

The Rotary Club of Thomaston is pleased to announce this year’s Citizen of the Year.

Mary Beth Johnson has been selected as the 40th citizen to be honored by the Rotary Club as this year’s Distinguished Citizen for her decades of selfless service to support and provide for the viability of the Thomaston community.

A banquet in Mary Beth’s honor will be held on Thursday, April 25, 2024, 6:00pm Social, 6:30pm Buffet Dinner at The Grand Oak Villa, 550 Sylvan Lake Road, Oakville, CT.

The criteria for this award: individuals who have donated numerous hours for an extended period, not for recognition or remuneration rather to benefit others and the Thomaston Community.

Mary Beth has offered her time, talents, and treasures to support a multitude of events, fundraisers, boards and committees. She has had an impact on the look and quality of life in the community of Thomaston for many decades. Every planting and flower bed that you see on our town owned properties has most likely had her hand in the soil bringing us the most beautiful gardens.

She has been chair of the Thomaston Beautification Committee for decades and is currently co-chairing the Seth Thomas Park Revitalization Committee which is a major renovation of our largest downtown park to better accommodate accessibility, recreation, and quality of life in our downtown area.

The Rotary Club of Thomaston, a 501-C-3 organization, actively supports the community’s needs with its’ Fuel Fund, Crisis Fund, Community Grants, as well as the Scholarship Fund which this event’s proceeds will directly benefit. Each year the Rotary Club of Thomaston awards over $15,000 in scholarship to students of Thomaston. This year’s scholarships will be awarded in honor of Mary Beth.

Tickets for the Thursday, April 25th, banquet to honor Mary Beth are $55 and available at the Thomaston Public Library, Patti’s Place, Landmark Community Theatre and from Thomaston Rotarians.

You may also purchase tickets online at the Landmark Community Theatre website https://tickets.landmarkcommunitytheatre.org/.../tmEvent6...

Seating will be limited. No tickets will be available at the door.

If you cannot attend the banquet and would like to donate in Mary Beth’s honor, please send a check to:

Rotary Scholarship Fund

P. O, Box 87

Thomaston, CT 06787.

For more information please contact: Co-Chairs Caroline Osowiecki and Anne-Marie Fenn at: thomastonrotarycoty@gmail.com.

**Location:** Library Auditorium (Lower Level) Come relax with a weekly board game night. Bring a friend or make new friends!

April 25, 2024 at 6:30pm

Taconic Ridge Farm, Hillsdale, NY

Boondocks Film Society is absolutely encantada to be back at picturesque Taconic Ridge Farm in Hillsdale NY, partnering with Fancy Feast Supper Club for a very special screening of Pedro Almodóvar’s VOLVER! This acclaimed film will be preceded by our signature happy hour, which will feature a Spanish-inspired tasting menu as well as soundtrack-inspired live music, movie-themed cocktails and a free artist-designed commemorative poster. Tickets are available now at boondocksfilmsociety.org

Join us for an unforgettable experience that's packed with fun, knowledge, and surprises. Don't miss out on our next event! Winning team receives a **$30** Little Red Barn Brewers gift card. $20 gift card for second place and a **$10** gift card for third place. Join us this Thursday for some real trivia fun!

All levels of Spanish are welcome to join us at the Library for casual conversation and refreshments!

Improve your Spanish and get to know other hispanophones in the community.

Led by Yaznic Mateos

2nd Home Welcomes Sherry Steiner for the first time. Sherry describes her performance as soothing solo improvisational instrumental piano music, and we are very much looking forward to a relaxing evening. Kind of what 2nd Home was designed for. Great music, food, drinks, and relaxation. Come down and enjoy!

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

Google Street View

https://goo.gl/maps/eC7A4ZDEjenNqzpb6

https://goo.gl/maps/NWGK4NRyk6MNfmWZ6

2nd Home Lounge

524 Main Street, Winsted

2ndhomelounge.com

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

Advanced Beginner Knitting Class

- Come learn in a class designed just for you…an advanced beginner!!

- You will learn how to knit "in the round" using circular needles, how to knit cables, how to read a yarn label (if you don’t already know how to do this), how to read a knitting pattern, how to fix mistakes, and more!

- 6 weekly classes, 1.5 hours each

- Projects include your choice of 3 hat patterns and cable ear warmers 

- All materials and supplies will be provided at the 1st class

- Requirements: This is NOT a beginner class! You MUST KNOW the basic knit stitches -- the knit stitch and the purl stitch – all other stitches and techniques will be taught!

Instructor: Andrea Dener

Residents $110.00, Non-Residents $130.00

In-Person & on Zoom:

We, all of us together, are the Litchfield Land Trust. Find out what the Land Trust does and how we collaborate locally and regionally. Learn why our work and our partnerships with private landowners is essential for a vibrant future.

We will identify currently protected lands as well as regions of strategic importance for future considerations. We will also discuss different approaches to land protections. Finally, we will learn how to work more effectively as individuals and as a community of people that appreciate the wonderful natural resources in northwestern Connecticut.

Dean Birdsall is the Litchfield Land Trust Executive Director. Previously, he served on the Land Trust's Board including serving as the Stewardship Chairperson. He is a passionate outdoor enthusiast, environmental advocate, and committed community volunteer. He lives in Litchfield and is the proud father of two daughters. 

Registration & Zoom link can be found at: https://www.owlibrary.org/adult-events.aspx

French choir DIÈZ'ELLES joins forces with Chorus Angelicus and Gospel Soloist Theresa Thomason for Spectacular US Concert Tour

All United in Song - Tous Unis en Chanson

A fusion of French flair, American spirit, and the joy of choral singing

Chorus Angelicus, the premier children's choir school of Northwest Connecticut, is thrilled to announce a series of enchanting concerts featuring the French choir Dièz'Elles, along with renowned gospel soloist Theresa Thomason. These captivating performances promise to delight audiences with a fusion of French flair, American spirit, and the joy of choral singing.

The highlight of the tour is a celebration of American music and the spirit of camaraderie, titled "Tous Unis en Chanson — All United in Song." These special events will take place at the historic St. George Episcopal Church in New York City on Monday, April 22 at 6:30 p.m., followed by performances at the Franciscan Center for Urban Ministry in Hartford, Connecticut, on Thursday, April 25, and North Congregational Church in New Hartford on Friday, April 26.

The concert will feature the extraordinary gospel soloist Theresa Thomason, whose vocal prowess and high notes are sure to mesmerize audiences. Adding to the ensemble's dynamic energy will be a talented rhythm section, including keys, percussion, and bass.

This collaboration promises an unforgettable musical experience, blending the rich harmonies of French choral music with the soulful sounds of American gospel. Audiences can expect an evening of uplifting music, vibrant performances, and the joyous celebration of unity through song.

The Sherman Library is pleased to announce the next art show: ”Waters Calming Peace” – Watercolors by Charlene Leichter.   With water as the focal point, Leichter’s paintings capture nature’s colors, moods and beauty. They give a sense of calm, of peace. The opening reception will be Friday March 29, 2024 from 6-8pm. The show will be on display at the Sherman Library from March 29 – May 8, 2024 both at the Library and on their website, [www.ShermanLibrary.org](http://www.shermanlibrary.org). “When I look at a finished painting, I want to feel peace and comfort, then I know it’s ready to provide the same to others.  I want my work to make someone feel warmth, peace and happiness in their heart.” Says Leichter. A native New Yorker, Leichter now resides in Sherman CT. She has a BA in Economics from Stony Brook and a career in Information Technology as a developer and database administrator. Currently she is working part time, being fully retired at the end of the year.  In 2022, post-surgery, needing to find a diversion from the pain and discomfort, she turned to her past love of watercolor painting. Just as she had taught herself database and IT technology, she began to teach herself how to paint. Not having done any drawing or painting since high school, she started watching YouTube videos of drawing, perspective and watercolor tutorials for hours on end.  Luckily, in her house there were art supplies in storage containers that she opened and dusted off.  Followed by practice, practice, practice! Trying and testing different techniques and eventually finding her own style. Through this came a love of landscapes, especially with water as a focal point. No surprise here, as she grew up on Long Island’s great South Bay and was no stranger to the ways of water and how peaceful yet powerful it can be.  What a wonderful way to celebrate her first solo show by paying tribute to water and its calming and peaceful ways. For more information about this show and the Sherman Library, visit: www.[shermanlibrary.org](http://shermanlibrary.org).

Interested in finding out more about the New Milford Community Emergency Response Team (CERT)? Sign up for our free training program that covers basic first aid, search & rescue, emergency preparedness, fire safety and a lot more. Visit our website www.NewMilfordCERT.org

Classes start April 29th.

Call for Art – “Plant Life” and “Plant Life: NYC - Global”

Celebrate Spring by sharing your flora

image, film, music and poetry.

No Entry Fee. Deadline: April 29th

https://personaland.com/submit/plantlife.php

“Plant Life” art show launches online on Friday, May 3rd.

“Plant Life: NYC – Global” is an exhibition and digital event at Prime Produce, 424 West 54th St, New York City, May 17-19 featuring selections from the online show!

Personaland - our online global arts village.

https://www.personaland.com

Enriching the internet with an invigorating blend of entertainment, enchantment and culture. Persona Horseback and Dragon rides to our online art shows, showcasing over 625 artists from 60 countries in 25 group and 56 individual art shows, artist profile videos, movies, Art Shop, dancing flowers, wishing well and challenging art games.

For more info:

Stewart Wilson

personaman@snet.net

“Homage”

With Respect to Someone or Something

Enjoy the images, films, music and poetry from global artist.

“Homage” art show launches online on Friday, April 5th

https://personaland.com/hut/exhibitions/

Personaland - our online global arts village.

https://www.personaland.com

Enriching the internet with an invigorating blend of entertainment, enchantment and culture. Persona Horseback and Dragon rides to our online art shows, showcasing over 625 artists from 60 countries in 25 group and 56 individual art shows, artist profile videos, movies, Art Shop, dancing flowers, wishing well and challenging art games.

For more info:

Stewart Wilson

personaman@snet.net

Enroll now for an unforgettable summer filled with creativity, learning, and fun at American Mural Project. Your child will thrive in AMP’s small-group programs, guided by their dedicated teaching artist, on AMP's indoor/outdoor campus in Winsted, CT. Scholarships are available!

Programs for Kids 7–11:

STEAM July 8–12

Grow July 15–19

Dabble in Art July 29–August 2

Programs for Teens (12+):

Outdoor Design & Build Full

Theater July 8–11 and 15–19

Teen Art Studio July 22–26

Music July 29–August 2

Registration and Information:

americanmuralproject.org/summer

This year’s Climate Challenge will run from Earth Day (April 22) through May 31st, and it is part of the State’s effort to meet its emission targets to help prevent further worsening of adverse climate impacts. 2024 Climate Challenge - CTrides

You are invited to visit....

A Showing of Liz Rosiello's Floral Watercolor Paintings

Roxbury Senior Center - 7 South St. Roxbury CT

April 1 - May 31

Artist Reception: Saturday May 4th - 2pm to 5pm

Washington's wonderful restaurants and wineries are partnering with local artists, galleries and cultural businesses to make our restaurant week especially distinctive and memorable. Not only will the restaurants be serving special offerings, but there are also raffles and other swell surprises!

The Judy Black Memorial Park and Gardens hosts an art exhibit featuring works by AP art students at Shepaug Valley School and The Frederick Gunn School, on view Friday, April 12 through Sunday, April 28.

Throughout the school year, each student has been exploring a theme in art, and their works reflect their year-long study of that theme.

"The students possess this exuberance of youth that keeps them excited about the possibility that their art brings to them. They all approach their art in different ways but their enthusiasm shines through in all that they do," says Andrew Richards, Visual Arts Chair at The Frederick Gunn School.

This show will be open for viewing during scheduled events at the park or by appointment. 

Lola Baltzell grew up in rural northwest Iowa, and when she was very young, her mother would invite her to explore the woods behind their farmhouse. She called it the “friendly forest”. Love of the woods has been an enduring aspect of Ms. Baltzell’s life. These days she is fortunate to share a house in Bethlehem that abuts hundreds of acres of forests, woods and streams and enjoys with her dogs and anyone else who cares to go for a hike. Ms. Baltzell works in different mediums, but the work shown in the Library’s Gallery Space is encaustic. Encaustic painting, also known as hot wax painting, is a form of painting that involves a heated wax medium to which colored pigments have been added. The molten mix is applied to a firm surface, usually prepared wood. Encaustic medium is a mixture of beeswax and damar resin. The color comes from dried powdered pigments or oil paints. Once the surface has cooled, you can carve, add collage and continue to add opaque or transparent layers. It is an extremely responsive and creative medium. Ms. Baltzell is a self-taught artist. She is a member of several galleries including Galatea Fine Art in Boston, Atlantic Gallery in New York City. She is a member of Cambridge Arts Association, New England Wax as well as a contributing artist to the Corporate Program at Decordova Museum and Sculpture Park in Lincoln, MA.

“Atmospheric Abstractions”

Presented by: Edward Muszala

Edward Muszala will be sharing his extraordinary collection of oil paintings. His work will be on display from Saturday, March 23rd -  Saturday, May 18th 2024. 

 

Pilot and artist, Edward Muszala, finds inspiration in the sky. “As a pilot I was aware of the constantly changing play of air and light in the atmosphere, the warmth of the sun, the speed of the wind, the water in the clouds” he says. Through the lens of a seasoned aviator, he captures the ever-shifting tapestry of light, color, and temperature in the atmosphere, translating this awe-inspiring spectacle onto canvas with his mastery of oil and encaustic techniques bringing these atmospheric scenes to life, evoking feelings of calm and awe in every brushstroke.

https://www.gunnlibrary.org/stairwell-gallery/

Visit the Morris Public Library during the month of April as we participate in the Connecticut Library Association Passport to Connecticut Libraries Program. Patrons can obtain their Library Passport here at the Morris Library and begin their journey to multiple participating CT Libraries. Each Library will stamp their visitors’ passports and give each visitor a small gift!

There will be winners in two categories, and four $200 gift cards, one for adults and one for children in each category.

Category One: Each participant who visits at least five participating public libraries and has the corresponding stamps (and returns their passport to a participating library by the deadline) will earn an entry into that library's drawing. There will be a final "all libraries" drawing among the contestants who have visited at least five libraries. 

Category Two: Each library will select the adult and the child who have visited the most participating public libraries. There will be a final "all libraries" drawing among the contestants who have visited the most libraries.

Details: 860-567-7440 or https://morrispubliclibrary.net

The Tremaine Art Gallery at The Hotchkiss School at 11 Interlaken Road, Lakeville CT is pleased to present Dialogue: Art in Conversation, featuring works by Valerie Hammond and Nathaniel (Tate) Klacsmann, from April 2 through June 2, 2024, with an opening reception on Saturday, April 6 from 4 to 6 p.m. This exhibition explores the creative processes of two artists whose work reverberates around questions of social inequity, magic, myth, and the environment. Together, their pieces begin a conversation filled with reflective echoes, offering opportunity for intersection around creativity and process. Curated by Joan Baldwin and Terri Moore, Dialogue also includes video and photography by Colleen Macmillan, Ann Villano, and Hotchkiss film students. The gallery is open Tuesday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 4 p.m.

Mother’s Day gifts and local art is a focus at the seventh annual Spring Arts and Fine Crafts Show at the historic Merwinsville Hotel in Gaylordsville, CT. The organization will offer six days to shop over two weekends before Mother’s Day. The show will again be on two weekends, April 26-28 and May 3-5, for three days each weekend (Friday, Saturday and Sunday) from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day.

 

Over 90 local artists and artisans will have work on display at the show and all is for sale. A portion of all sales benefit the Merwinsville Hotel Restoration, a 100 percent volunteer nonprofit that has worked to restore the building for over 50 years. The 181-year-old building needs constant maintenance and renovation.

 

The show features artwork in glass, photography, jewelry, sculpture, fiber, woodwork, pottery and paintings in watercolors, oil and acrylic. Locally grown plants are also available for sale from Meadowbrook Garden in New Milford and The Village Farm Shop and Greenhouse in Gaylordsville.

 

One of the features of the spring show is live artist demonstrations and all six days from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. will have artists on hand. Past years have included spinners, weavers, jewelry making, wood carvers and many more.

 

There is a suggested $2 donation per person for the Spring Show. Children under 10 are free. Members are admitted free and those at the sponsor level and above will receive a discount on art purchased at one of the three annual shows.

 

The Merwinsville Hotel is a national historic landmark located at 1 Browns Forge Road in Gaylordsville, CT, only 15 minutes from Kent, Sherman, New Milford and the Harlem Valley/Wingdale Railroad Station. For further information, call 860-350-4443 or visit www.merwinsvillehotel.org

 

"Tangled in Color": an exhibition of works in oil and acrylic by Kathleen L'Hommedieu.

Kathleen L'Hommedieu, born and raised in Connecticut, finds inspiration through light and color in the landscape and sky. Many years of traveling for business and rowing competitions through Europe are also a major influence.

"We are immersed in light, color and energy from all that surrounds us no matter where we find ourselves."

Layering is nothing new for Kathleen. It is a technique that comes naturally as she builds a canvas and is guided through its evolution. Using a series of tools - from brush to palette knife - she lets the layers deepen, a process that can take years while perfecting a canvas. "The background tells me where to go," is how she explains the method, "and I add color or texture." Recently, the layers have led to new revelations of shadow and light as the colors intermingle and intertwine, creating interrelationships within a work of art informed by past canvases. Her abstracts are often memories of moments she has experienced - inspired by a foggy window after a storm by the sea, the turbulence of winter by the ocean, a still-life in its vivid interplay of color and form, or a grove of young saplings lit by the sun.

This show is a series of explorations in interwoven color to share the journey of an artist's growing perception, but expressing a universal message. Kathleen's quest leads the viewer to experience a deepening vision of fleeting color play and brilliant moments in our surroundings. "Art teaches you to see," she says, "and I strive to capture that energy."

Six days of shopping offered at Spring Arts and Fine Crafts Show

 

Mother’s Day gifts and local art is a focus at the seventh annual Spring Arts and Fine Crafts Show at the historic Merwinsville Hotel in Gaylordsville, CT. The organization will offer six days to shop over two weekends before Mother’s Day. The show will again be on two weekends, April 26-28 and May 3-5, for three days each weekend (Friday, Saturday and Sunday) from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day.

 

Over 90 local artists and artisans will have work on display at the show and all is for sale. A portion of all sales benefit the Merwinsville Hotel Restoration, a 100 percent volunteer nonprofit that has worked to restore the building for over 50 years. The 181-year-old building needs constant maintenance and renovation.

 

The show features artwork in glass, photography, jewelry, sculpture, fiber, woodwork, pottery and paintings in watercolors, oil and acrylic. Locally grown plants are also available for sale from Meadowbrook Garden in New Milford and The Village Farm Shop and Greenhouse in Gaylordsville.

 

One of the features of the spring show is live artist demonstrations during both weekend days from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Past years have included spinners, weavers, jewelry making, wood carvers and many more.

 

There is a suggested $2 donation per person for the Spring Show. Children under 10 are free. Members are admitted free and those at the sponsor level and above will receive a discount on art purchased at one of the three annual shows.

 

The Merwinsville Hotel is a national historic landmark located at 1 Browns Forge Road in Gaylordsville, CT, only 15 minutes from Kent, Sherman, New Milford and the Harlem Valley/Wingdale Railroad Station. For further information, call 860-350-4443 or visit www.merwinsvillehotel.org

We are excited to share news about Washington Restaurant Week happening on Friday, April 19th – Sunday, April 28th, 2024! Have you ever wondered about that restaurant you’ve heard about or driven by all those times? Washington Restaurant Week 2024 is your chance to give it a try and experience “The Arts” while you’re doing it.

Restaurants throughout Washington will be featuring special menus and fabulous tastings that will be sure to satisfy your taste buds. Select restaurants will also host live music and special pop-up galleries on site for a chance to enjoy an arts and dining experience.

Washington Restaurant Week, Where Food and the Arts Meet, is proudly organized by the Washington Business Association, Washington Arts Council, Town of Washington – Economic Development Committee and Litchfield.co.

View all participating restaurants:

Community Table

GW Tavern

Hopkins Inn

Hopkins Vineyard

Inari Asian Bistro

Marty’s Cafe

Mayflower Inn & Spa

The 202 Tavern

The Owl Wine & Food Bar

The Pantry

Po Care

Smithy Cafe at 9 Main

The White Hose

Washington Pizza House

View exciting art shows at:

Eckert Fine Art

KMR Arts

The Hen’s Nest

Washington Art Association

Judy Black Park

Gunn Museum Stairwell Gallery

Marty’s Cafe

 

A special exhibit in celebration of National Poetry Month,

inspired by AMP’s “art of work” mural

The Mural as Muse exhibit grew out of the poetry workshop of the same name, led by poet Ed Lent (Ezra Lovecroft) at AMP. This exhibit draws from the ekphrastic poetry selections composed by workshop participants in response to AMP’s mural. 

In Greek, ékphrasis means “description.” Ekphrastic writing describes a work of visual art, using the artwork as a source for personal and imaginative interpretation. In AMP’s gallery, workshop participants could take in the mural from the three viewing levels, reflect, and respond to the artwork through creative writing. 

Curated by poet Ed Lent, The Mural as Muse poetry exhibit shares examples of poems created in response to the art, showing the breadth and depth of the genre and offering inspiration. 

You can participate in the poetry exhibit. 

Write your own poem in response to the mural, the poetry exhibit, or the provided prompts at the activity table downstairs. All ages are welcome to participate.

About Ed Lent, Exhibit Curator

In 2023, Ed Lent (Ezra Lovecroft) was a featured poet in the Connecticut Poetry Society project, “Poems Illuminating Art,” a video collection of ekphrastic poetry created for the New Britain Museum of American Art in response to works of art in the museum’s collection.

 

This year, Ed is bringing his passion for the intersection of art and poetry to the American Mural Project as the curator of The Mural as Muse poetry exhibit and facilitator of the workshop of the same name. The ekphrastic poetry selections on display were created in response to AMP’s five-story, collaborative mural that celebrates American workers on a grand scale.

About the Venue

The American Mural Project (AMP) is an arts and education center located in a renovated mill in Winsted, CT. Its incredible indoor mural—120 feet long and five stories high—celebrates American workers on a grand scale. With the mural as a backdrop, workshop participants have an enriched experience that inspires learning. In addition to workshops, AMP offers live performances and education programs for all ages. For more information, visit americanmuralproject.org.

AMP is located at 90 Whiting Street, Winsted CT.

Sponsors

Made possible by a grant from Connecticut Humanities (CTH), an independent, nonprofit affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities. CTH connects people to the humanities through grants, partnerships, and collaborative programs.

Presented in part with support from CT State Northwestern and with funding from the Northwestern Community College Foundation.

Six days of shopping offered at Spring Arts and Fine Crafts Show

 

Mother’s Day gifts and local art is a focus at the seventh annual Spring Arts and Fine Crafts Show at the historic Merwinsville Hotel in Gaylordsville, CT. The organization will offer six days to shop over two weekends before Mother’s Day. The show will again be on two weekends, April 26-28 and May 3-5, for three days each weekend (Friday, Saturday and Sunday) from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day.

 

Over 90 local artists and artisans will have work on display at the show and all is for sale. A portion of all sales benefit the Merwinsville Hotel Restoration, a 100 percent volunteer nonprofit that has worked to restore the building for over 50 years. The 181-year-old building needs constant maintenance and renovation.

 

The show features artwork in glass, photography, jewelry, sculpture, fiber, woodwork, pottery and paintings in watercolors, oil and acrylic. Locally grown plants are also available for sale from Meadowbrook Garden in New Milford and The Village Farm Shop and Greenhouse in Gaylordsville.

 

One of the features of the spring show is live artist demonstrations during both weekend days from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Past years have included spinners, weavers, jewelry making, wood carvers and many more.

 

There is a suggested $2 donation per person for the Spring Show. Children under 10 are free. Members are admitted free and those at the sponsor level and above will receive a discount on art purchased at one of the three annual shows.

 

The Merwinsville Hotel is a national historic landmark located at 1 Browns Forge Road in Gaylordsville, CT, only 15 minutes from Kent, Sherman, New Milford and the Harlem Valley/Wingdale Railroad Station. For further information, call 860-350-4443 or visit www.merwinsvillehotel.org

Friday morning story hour for children 10:30am

Story, snack, craft

Preschool to 6 yrs

Douglas Library

108 Main St

N. Canaan, CT 06018

860-824-7863

douglaslibrary@comcast.net

Live, In-Person & on Zoom:

There’s nothing like a Faulkner novel: breath-taking yet suffocating, untamed yet structured. The prose is haunting; the diction, erudite yet home-spun. And the plots strike at the heart of the tragedy and comedy that is our U. S. project. Then there’s the man: an uneducated alcoholic, ill-prepared to be a Nobel laureate. The mere mention of Faulkner strikes fear into undergrads! But skip the jitters and join us to explore one of the greatest American authors. In six weeks, we’ll cover three masterworks written within a ten-year span. We’ll discuss the art, history, and culture surrounding the novels. We’ll also get a too-close-for-comfort glimpse at U. S. rancor, Southern defeat, and the happy ending Faulkner believed was the sum of human existence. (Note that the first novel should be read in its entirety for the first session.)

• Reading Schedule:
• 4/05/2024 -  The Wild Palms (If I Forget Thee, Jerusalem 1939)
• 4/12/2024 -  The Wild Palms (If I Forget Thee, Jerusalem 1939)
• 4/19/2024 -  Light in August (1932), chapters 1 – 11
• 4/26/2024 -  Light in August (1932), chapters 12 – 21
• 5/03/2024 - The Sound and the Fury (1929), first two chapters 
• 5/10/2024 - The Sound and the Fury (1929), completed 

Mark Scarbrough is a former English Professor and author who teaches seminars on Virginia Woolf, William Faulkner and Toni Morrison. He also hosts three literary podcasts. To learn more about Mark, visit his website at markscarbrough.com.

Books are available at OWL to borrow plus instant e-book and e-audio copies are available as well.

Registration & Zoom link are at https://www.owlibrary.org/adult-events.aspx