Guilford Generations Jubilee Kick Off December 31

On Tuesday, December 31, Guilford Generations Jubilee launches a year of signature celebrations marking the founding of Guilford in 1639. The day-long event (12-8 p.m.) takes place at several venues on and around the Guilford Green.

The day opens in front of Guilford Town Hall, where Katharine Kiernan Photography will take an aerial photo of all gathered below from the bucket of a firetruck. Following the photo, Grand Marshal Sam Allery, the Guilford student who came up with the name Guilford Generations Jubilee, will lead a band of pot-banging, horn-blowing noisemakers in a discordant gig around the Green.
During the afternoon, young and old can participate in varied activities and games, such as glitter tattoos at the Guilford Free Library, and the following at the Community Center:

    Face painting by “Z” Face Painting
    Photo-taking in the Studio 99 Productions photo booth
    Dance lessons – hula, Latin, aerobic, Tai Chi, ballroom line dancing – from groups taught by
    Joanne  Wilder, Christine Reasks, Barbara Corso,   Martin Reichgut, and Karen Pfrommer
    Browsing of Arts & Crafts handmade by senior citizen students Emer Gearhart, Carlotte DeGrado,
    Loise Terrible, and Juliet Calabrese
    Kids Arts & Crafts activities, including snow globes, masks, and mural drawing/painting
    A hands-on, interactive presentation of exotic and unusual animals
    A pool tournament
    Carnival-type games

Not enough to pique your interest? There’s more!
Stop in at the meet-and-greet reception for Anne Kubitsky, creator of the “Look for the Good” Project. Share your own good things 2013 has brought by adding them to the “door,” and learn how you can spread the message in 2014.

Join in on the Bubble Wrap Stomp, courtesy of the Guilford UPS Store and DJ Ron Glick from Studio 99 Productions. Stomp to your heart’s content – all ages welcome!

Also in the afternoon, nearly 20 musical groups will present concerts at Christ Episcopal Church, Christian Science Church, First Congregational Church, and St. George Church (wristbands needed-click here for cost and information). The music and dance festival will provide nonstop musical entertainment – Broadway, classical, jazz – by 16 individual artists and groups. Coordinated by Kevin Buno, they will include:

    Schuyler Beeman
    Bravura Strings
    Kevin Buno
    Joe Cardinale
    Diana Dart Harris
    Brian Gillie
    Guilford Brass Ensemble with Joe Boughton, Dan Fisher, Jeff Tucker and Brian Wolek
    Chad Hardin and Michael Gracco
    Lara Herscovitch
    Keely Baisden Knudsen and Stephanie Stiefel Williams
    Emily Pecoraro
    Apollo Smile
    Mark Sullivan
    The Conn Artists
    GHS Voices and the Student Coffee House Showcase

At twilight, a bonfire will be lit at the northern end of the Green for all the vexations of 2013 to make way for a fresh beginning in 2014. All are invited to watch, get warm, or help fan the flames with bad paperwork, including report cards and “Dear John” letters you’ve received throughout the year.

Lighting up the darkened sky and capping the Guilford Generations Jubilee will be a high-shoot fireworks display visible from the Green and surrounding streets.

Are you ready now to join us? It’s a party for all Guilford Generations and visitors, family and friends and will be remembered by Generations to come!

Ordinary Materials Extraordinary Message

A favorite holiday excursion for my family has been our visit to the Knights of Columbus Museum in New Haven.  Since 2004 the Museum has featured an exhibition of crèches from around the world.  Some have been very rustic made of simple materials and small in size while others have been more elaborate, made with beautiful materials and life-size.  But regardless of size or craftmanship all have been accompanied by the history of the region/country that they represented, which was fascinating and educational.

The Knights of Columbus Museum’s annual crèche exhibition for this season, Ordinary Materials, Extraordinary Message: Christmas Nativities in Paper, is open to the public now through Feb. 2, 2014.

Designed in cooperation with Italy’s Friends of the Crèche Association, the display includes 39 Nativity Scenes from throughout Europe and the United States, ranging from small and simple depictions of the Holy Family to large, multifaceted visuals.

The Nativity scene or Christmas crèche has been an important part of Western Christianity for more than 600 years. The tradition’s roots are traced to St. Francis of Assisi (1182-1226) who devised a living crèche in a stable setting, with actual people and animals, as a visual reminder of the humble birth of Jesus in Bethlehem. This led to the annual practice of using figurines to portray the Nativity scene in villages, churches and homes. During the centuries, crèches have developed into both ornate works of art as well as simple folk pieces.

“The message of the crèche is profound,” said Supreme Knight Carl Anderson. “Through these Nativity scenes we recall and represent the extraordinary gift that God gave us in his son. This exhibition also demonstrates the depth and breadth of Christian devotion across the world.” Read more

The Knights of Columbus Museum has featured crèches as the centerpiece of its yearly Christmas exhibition to show the popularity of the custom and the vastness of cultural expression for several years. Previous exhibitions included collections from Canada, Africa, Asia, Latin America, Poland, Italy and other locations across the world.

The Knights of Columbus Museum has been ranked by USA Today as one of the “10 great places to explore religion in artistic detail.”

Parking and admission to the Museum are free.

So Many Nutcrackers, So Little Time

One holiday event that is always looked forward to is Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker.  This imaginative tale has delighted millions since its inaugural performance in 1892.  The story of a Christmas toy coming to life, leading an army of Gingerbread Men and Tin Soldiers against the Mouse King; dancing with the Snowflakes in the Pine Forest; and finally landing in the Land of Sweets with the Sugar Plum Fairy is reenacted over and over again during the Christmas season.  The Nutcracker is a two-act ballet, originally choreographed by Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov with a score by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. It was adapted from E.T.A. Hoffmann's story The Nutcracker and the Mouse King.  It premiered at the Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg, Russia, on December 18, 1892.  From a historical perspective, the original production was not a huge success, but since the 1960s, it has enjoyed enormous popularity, especially in the U.S., and is now performed by countless ballet companies, primarily during the Christmas season.

For Connecticut residents this coming weekend will provide many opportunities to experience this wonderful ballet.  New York City Ballet’s sensations, Sara Mearns and Amar Ramasar will leave audiences spellbound at Eastern Connecticut Ballet’s 12th Captivating Season of The Nutcracker!  Share Clara’s adventure and be transported by magical sailing vessel to an enchanted seaport in 1850’s New London.  Along the way, shimmering snowflakes dance for Clara and the sparkling Sugar Plum Fairy eagerly awaits her arrival.  Children of all ages will love the opening party scene filled with laughter and surprises as well as the thrill of battle on the high seas between the brave Nutcracker, Sailors, Pirate Rats and the dreaded Rat King.  Enjoy the legendary music of Tchaikovsky performed live by Eastern Connecticut Symphony Orchestra and the energetic dancing of more than 100 professionally-trained Eastern Connecticut Ballet dancers.  Bring family and friends to the Nutcracker of Choice and follow Clara’s journey that takes her around the world in one spectacular night! It all takes place in our own backyard at the historic Garde Arts Center, 325 State Street in New London.  Performances are December 14 at 1:30 pm & 7:00 pm and December 15 at 1:30 pm.  For tickets, call The Garde at (860) 444-7373 or online at gardearts.org.  SPECIAL Military, senior, and group discounts available.

New Haven Ballet performs the holiday classic with a beautiful production that includes all the costumes, scenery, and magic to bring Clara’s dream to life. Performed in the historic Shubert Theater in downtown New Haven, the 2013 production will feature Maria Kowroski, principal dancer with New York City Ballet and Charles Askegard, former principal dancer at New York City Ballet and the New Haven Ballet Orchestra conducted by Richard Gard.  Performances are Friday, December 13 at7pm, Saturday, December 14 at 1 & 5:30pm, and Sunday, December 15 at 1pm.  For tickets click here.

The Nutcracker Spectacular performed by Mystic Ballet follows the enchanting adventures of Clara, through two acts, with a time travel twist.  You will be caught up in the magic, the excitement, the experience of dance, special effects and interactive sets as the artists dive into, leap from and get “crushed” under. Get ready to expect the unexpected.  Performances are at Foxwoods Resort Casino on Saturday, December 14 & 21 at 7pm; and on Sunday, December 15 & 22 at 2pm.  For tickets click here.

Connecticut Ballet will bring its outstanding performance to the Palace Theatre in Stamford.  Performances will feature American Ballet dancers Veronika Part and Alexandre Hammoudi in the December 14 and 22 program and Julie Kent and Jared Matthews (also from ABT) on the 15 & 21.  All performances are at 2pm.  For tickets click here.

Enjoy!

Create A Memorable Holiday Experience

The Radio City Christmas Spectacular, an annual Christmas stage musical produced by MSG Entertainment, has been a New York Christmas tradition since 1933. What young dancer doesn’t dream about being in the famous Rockette Dance Line?  The perfectly synchronized choreography, the high kicks, the fabulous costumes, the spectacular sets and the incredible talent make the annual Christmas Show a wonderful holiday tradition.  Did you know that you can be a part of that amazing experience?   Have a Rockettes Experience if you are an Intermediate to Advanced Dancer aged 10 and up with training in tap, jazz and ballet!

DANCE WITH THE ROCKETTES gives dancers an opportunity to learn tap and jazz combinations, the world famous kick line and actual Rockettes choreography in a workshop taught by one of the iconic Rockettes.  Demonstrate your skills and stand out in a mock audition, participate in an exclusive Q&A and snap a picture with one of the Rockettes! Complete the experience with the Radio City Stage Door Tour - go backstage and learn the secrets of the Radio City Music Hall.

Participants Receive
•    2-hour dance class taught by a Rockette
•    Mock audition and Q&A session
•    Photo op with a Rockette
•    One (1) Orchestra Ticket to the Radio City Christmas Spectacular®
•    One (1) Radio City Stage Door Tour* Tickets
•    One (1) Popcorn & Soda Voucher

It all happens at the historic Radio City Music Hall.  For schedule, reservations and
pricing click here.

Lyme Academy College Hosts Nationally Recognized Artist & Author - Sarah Louden

Lyme Academy College of Fine Arts is proud to present nationally acclaimed artist and author Sharon Louden, who will give a talk and a book-signing at the College on Tuesday, December 10.  Louden will discuss her new book, Living & Sustaining a Creative Life: 40 Artist Essays at 7pm after a reception with wine and hors d'oeuvres at 6pm.  Louden's talk will take the form of a conversation when she chats with faculty in front of the audience before a question and answer portion open to all in attendance.  A book signing will follow.  Tickets are $10 per person.

A refreshing and honest look at the reality of sustaining a creative practice over time, Louden's book is already in its second printing - the first sold out almost immediately.  The book is a collection of essays from 40 artists who share their approach to juggling their creative lives with making a living.  All are unique stries with the same common thread of sustaining a creative life in and outside the studio.  "It's the truth of the day-to-day living that I am after in this book..." says Louden in the book's preface.  She continues, "The power of creativity does not just lie in an artist's work, but also  in how he or she continues to create regardless of the obstacles life places in the way."  Hear Louden share stories of sustaining a creative practice by turning obstacles into opportunities at this event.  Seating for this event is limited and by reservation only.  For reservations, contact Ann de Selding at 860.434.3571, ext. 117 or by email adeselding@lymeacademy.edu by December 5. 

Lights of the Season

 I have always loved the sights, sounds and smells of this holiday season.   Checking out the window displays in the stores in New York City, smelling the chestnuts on the vendor carts lining the streets, seeing the light display in Rockefeller Plaza and then of course the huge tree twinkling with lights and ornaments has been something that I look forward to each December.  But if a trip into Manhattan is not on your calendar there are plenty of wonderful sights, sounds and smells locally.

Many of our Shoreline towns took advantage of the Thanksgiving weekend to hold their annual tree lighting ceremony.  But many are still to come!  This Thursday, December 5, New Haven will hold its annual tree lighting festivities on the New Haven Green beginning at 4pm - including performances by Neighborhood Music School, opportunities to purchase holiday crafter and of course a visit from Santa Claus.

On Friday, December 6 you can head to Company 1 Firehouse in North Branford for their annual event, which features the North Branford High School Chorus singing holiday songs.

The Guilford Chamber of Commerce will be sponsoring the annual Christmas tree lighting ceremony on the Guilford Town Green so mark your calendars and bring the entire family to this joyous community event, also scheduled on Friday, December 6 starting at 6:00 p.m., to ring in the holiday season.  From 4-5pm enjoy the Firelight Festival at the Henry Whitfield Museum to include a reading of The Night Before Christmas.  At 5:30pm The North Guilford Congregational Church Handbell Choirs will perform a program of holiday favorites at St. George Church (Whitfield Street on the Green).  Free will offerings will benefit Meals on Wheels.  The official tree lighting happens at 6pm after which you can choose from many activites and performances happening around the Green.  The Candlelight Stroll down historic Broad Street is a favorite sponsored each year by the Guilford Garden Club.  The street will be closed to traffic from 6 – 9pm.  Guilford High School Holiday Concert is taking place at the First Congregational Church.  Tickets are still available for the 9pm performances on both Friday and Saturday evening.  Tickets are available at La Rostecceria, 500 Village Walk, Guilford.  The nationally recognized United Girls Choir will be in concert at 7pm at the First Church of Christ, Scientist on Park Street on the Green.  Free will offering will also benefit Meals on Wheels.  Christ Episcopal Church is featuring a performance by the Christ Church Choir and the Greater New Haven Community Chorus- Chamber Choir titled Music for the Philippines.  Free will offering will benefit the typhoon relief efforts. And all are invited to enjoy free Cookies for the Community in the St. George Church Parish Hall sponsored by the Knights of Columbus.

Lyme/Old Lyme will also have their annual tree lighting on Friday, December 6 from 4-5pm at the Town Hall.  Following the tree lighting one can visit the Florence Griswold Museum’s The Magic of Christmas: A Holiday Tradition celebration featuring Fantasy Trees, Miss Florence’s Artist Tree with 140 works by artists from across the country who have donated to this one-of-a-kind tradition, and the Griswold House decorated to celebrate Christmas in 1910. Or head to the Lyme Academy College of Fine Arts for the Student Holiday Art Sale Opening Reception.  Or return to Old Lyme on Saturday for the third annual Light Up Old Lyme. |

Old Saybrook offers a Winter Stroll on December 6, 5:00-9:00 p.m. Join the Main Street Business Association for a fun evening of hayrides, a visit with Santa, music, treats and events at each business along Main Street.

Portland is going to be lighting 55-foot Blue Spruce at an annual Christmas tree lighting ceremony in Monument Square.  The tree was chosen by the city's forestry section and will be lit with more than 3,000 LED lights.  The event is scheduled to start at 5:30 p.m. Friday and includes performances by the Maine State Ballet and Rick Charette and the Bubblegum Band.

The Killingworth Chamber of Commerce welcomes you to attend Christmas at the Farm on Saturday, December 7th at Parmelee Farm on Route 81, Killingworth.  The Chamber has partnered with the Killingworth Lions Club and TD Bank to sponsor this annual holiday gathering. The event will open at 2:00 PM and conclude with the tree lighting at 4:30 PM. Come out and enjoy horse drawn carriage rides across the Farm's picturesque fields, storytelling with Santa, refreshments and crafts.  The highlight of the evening will be sing-a-long caroling with local children's choirs and the lighting of our fabulous Christmas tree on the Farm's front lawn. There will also be Shop Local opportunities from some of Killingworth's local businesses inside our heated tent. Vendors will offer gifts, crafts, gift certificates and food as well as home improvement and end of year planning advice.  Event parking is at the adjacent HK Middle School. There is a well-lit trail from the parking area to this FREE event.

The 25th Annual Niantic Light Parade & Winterfest 2013 will take place on Saturday, December 7th and promises to be the biggest and best ever. Two great events, one awesome holiday tradition. The day starts with the 2013 Winterfest beginning at 2:00 pm on Main St. This prelude to the parade, will feature the popular Chowder & Chili Cook-off, Pictures with Santa, Magic Shows, Face Painting, Horse Drawn Carriage Rides, Ice Sculptures and much, much more!  Then, beginning at 6:30 p.m., Fireworks will kick off the 25th Annual Light Parade. Come see the beautifully built and lighted parade floats, dance groups and Santa himself as they parade down beautiful Main St. in Niantic.

On Sunday December 8 you can venture to Madison and/or Westbrook for their annual holiday festivals.  Meet on the Westbrook Town Green at 4pm for the annual Holiday Parade and Tree Lighting.  Bring the family and visit with Mr. and Mrs. Claus, sing carols, make crafts, watch some great performances, decorate your bikes, take a carriage ride, or make S’mores.

In Madison, Santa will be available for children’s visits from 1:30 to 3:30pm on the porch of the Cafe Allegre, 725 Boston Post Road, Madison.  The parade will begin at 4pm at the eastern end of the Stop & Shop and continue down the Post Road, through the center of town and end at the Town Green for the tree lighting.  This year people are encouraged to march in the parade to help usher Santa into town.  Participants may start at the beginning of the parade route or join in the fun along the way, and pets are welcome.  Luminarias will light the parade route so that parade participants and Santa can find their way.  Caroling and cocoa will accompany the tree lighting. The Madison A Better Chance (ABC) Program will present its Holiday Concert at 4pm in the First Congregational Church.  This annual event features many local performers including the Shoreline Youth Symphony Orchestra, Daniel Hand High School’s ENCORE, Guilford High School’s Voices, Shoreline Chorale and a special appearance by Yale’s oldest co-ed a cappella group, Redhot and Blue.

It’s the most wonderful time of the year. Enjoy!

New Haven Symphony Performs Britten's "St. Nicolas"

The New Haven Symphony Orchestra (NHSO) welcomes the Christmas season with festive performances of Benjamin Britten’s St. Nicolas on Thursday, December 5 at 7:30pm at Trinity Church on the New Haven Green, on Friday, December 6 at 7:30pm at Sacred Heart University, and on December 7 at 7:30pm at the First Congregational Church of Madison.
  
The program, featuring the talents of the Trinity Church Choirs, will immediately follow the annual tree lighting on the New Haven Green.  In the spirit of the season, proceeds from the concert will benefit ‘R Kids CT, a New Haven non-profit committed to providing specialized, high-quality services to children in out-of-home care.

St. Nicolas, composed by Benjamin Britten in 1948, explores the myths and legends that gradually evolved the Bishop of Smyrna into the much-loved figure of Santa Claus.  The wild tales bring to mind the medieval exaggerations of Carmina Burana: three purses of gold secretly tossed through a cottage window rescue three girls from prostitution.  St. Nicolas rescues three sailors from drowning (making him the patron saint of sailors).  He miraculously restores the lives of three small boys who, at a time of dreadful famine, had been pickled in brine by a wicked butcher.  From this macabre tale emerged the practice of giving presents to deserving children.  The unlikely score features mixed and children’s choruses, a tenor soloist in the role of St. Nicolas, and musical accompaniment on piano, organ, percussion, and strings.  There is even an opportunity for the congregation to join in the singing.

Continuing in the vein of including child performers in music that will surely delight children, Britten composed the Ceremony of Carols for children’s chorus, child soloists and solo harp.  The music is inspired by an anthology of medieval English poetry and draws from the tradition of English folk music.  Both are well-loved pieces that capture the glory and joy of the holiday season.

THE TRINITY CHURCH CHOIR is comprised of two vocal groups. The Choir of Men and Boys is the oldest choir in the parish, having been founded in 1885, and is the seventh oldest such choir in America.  The Men and Boys sing at weekly services and other special occasions, including Evensongs.  The Choir of Men and Girls was founded in the fall of 2003 and includes girls from grades 5-10, who form the soprano section of the choir, accompanied by adult altos, tenors, and basses.

Tickets ($35, $45) for the performances at Trinity Church in New Haven and the First Congregational Church in Madison can be purchased at through the NHSO Box Office at 203.865.0831 x10 or www.NewHavenSymphony.org.  Student tickets are always $10.  KidTix are free for kids ages 6-17, with a paying adult.  Blue Star tickets are free for the families of active duty military.

To purchase tickets ($35) for the performance at Sacred Heart’s Edgerton Center for the Performing Arts, visit www.edgertoncenter.org/special_events. 

Holiday Brass Concert - New Haven Symphony Orchestra

The New Haven Symphony Orchestra (NHSO) brings Christmas cheer to New Haven with a festive Holiday Brass concert on Sunday, December 8 at 6:00pm at Christ Church.  The Christ Church Choir will join the NHSO Brass Quintet for a concert of secular and sacred holiday favorites.  In the spirit of the season, proceeds from the concert will benefit the Community Soup Kitchen, a non-profit organization committed to providing free, nutritious meals to underprivileged individuals, located at Christ Church in downtown New Haven.

The NHSO Brass Quintet (Ken Tedeschi, trumpet, Rich Clymer, trumpet, Scott Cranston, trombone, Philip Browne, horn, and Adam Crowe, tuba) have crafted a program of their favorite holiday tunes to perform with narrator Ruben Ortiz and the Christ Church Choir.  Audiences will want to sing along to such familiar tunes as Silent Night, We Wish You a Merry Christmas and White Christmas and will be treated to traditional pieces such as Sleigh Ride, choruses from Handel’s Messiah, and a reading from Dylan Thomas’s A Child’s Christmas in Wales.  

The Christ Church Choir, conducted by Dr. Nathaniel Adam, is a fully-professional chamber ensemble that supports weekly worship at historic Christ Church through the singing of Solemn Mass and the Office of Compline.  The Choir specializes in the polyphony of the early Renaissance and Baroque eras, music of the Anglo-Catholic tradition from the 19th and 20th centuries, and is committed to performing new works in the repertoire.  The Church’s music library contains choral works dedicated to the ensemble by several 20th and 21st century composers, including Horatio Parker, the first conductor of the New Haven Symphony.  In 2012, the Choir sang Handel’s Messiah with the New Haven Symphony Orchestra as a fundraising event for the Community Soup Kitchen, to great acclaim.

Prior to the December 8 concert, the public is invited to visit the Community Soup Kitchen for a fundraising reception beginning at 4:00pm. Enjoy delicious hors d'oeuvres, desserts, open wine bar, and premium seating at the concert, all for $60.  This collaborative event is coordinated by a dedicated team of volunteers who are honored to continue the tradition of community partnership and performance in support of the Community Soup Kitchen. 

The NHSO was recognized with the Annual Award for Commitment at the Soup Kitchen’s Annual Meeting on November 14.  Governor Dannel P. Malloy acknowledged that “a group like the New Haven Symphony helps to foster a sense of unity.  Music is a universal language and one that has the unique ability to bring together groups of all diversities and backgrounds in celebration.  I am confident that the New Haven Symphony’s efforts this past year have helped make all of the Community Soup Kitchen’s accomplishments a reality.” 

Tickets ($30-$45, $60 for both reception and concert) can be purchased through the NHSO Box Office at 203.865.0831 x10 or www.NewHavenSymphony.org.  Student tickets are always $10; KidTix (ages 6-17) are free with a paying adult.  Blue Star tickets are free for the families of active duty military.

Repeat performances featuring a full program by the NHSO Brass Quintet will take place on December 1 at Essex Meadows (www.EssexMeadows.com), December 7 at Elim Park’s Nelson Hall (www.NelsonHallElimPark.org) and December 22 at Infinity Hall (www.InfinityHall.com).

PRE-CONCERT ACTIVITIES
Fundraising Reception: 4:00pm December 8 at the Community Soup Kitchen; enjoy delicious hors d'oeuvres, desserts, open wine bar, and premium seating at the concert all for $60.

Come to Ivoryton for the Fourth Annual Ivoryton Illuminations

Looking for a different way to celebrate Christmas? Then head down to Ivoryton for the Fourth Annual Ivoryton Illuminations on November 30th from 5pm to 8pm. The entire village of Ivoryton will be participating in this Holiday Extravaganza with carol singing, Santa’s Grotto, Holiday Craft Bazaar, and culminating with the lighting of the Ivoryton Illuminations at 6pm (over 200,000 lights!) and the arrival of Santa.

This year, the Alliance has chosen not to light the Giant Christmas tree as the decorations were causing some of the boughs to droop and even break. So the tree is resting and recuperating this year and instead, there will be a variety of animated lighting displays throughout the village,

Family activities include writing letters to Santa and cards to our soldiers and Toys for Tots at the Ivoryton Library; Santa’s Grotto and visiting with Santa in the Playhouse (bring your camera if you want a picture!); Santa’s Christmas Workshop and Holiday Bazaar run by local church groups; Christmas books display at Essex Books: and music by The Sweet Adeline’s, VRHS Madrigals, The New Horizons Band, and the CT Barbershop Quartet who will be playing at various locations throughout the village. George Martin will play the bagpipes to herald the spectacular arrival of Santa!

Chestnuts roasting on an open fire plus more, provided by the Essex Lions Club, and special menus at The Ivoryton Tavern, The Blue Hound Cookery and The Copper Beech Inn.

Free parking will be available at the First Congregational Church and the Ivoryton Piano Factory with a shuttle bus service to the village. The Illuminations will remain through January 6th and visitors can tune their radios to 101.5FM and watch as the lights dance to the music!

Families in the tri-town area can join in the fun by entering our Outdoor Lights Competition. Pretty and white or wild and crazy – celebrate in your own style! Lots of great prizes from hometown businesses. The judges’ criteria are creativity, number of lights and colored lights are looked upon favorably. Registration is free – you can register in person at Gather in Ivoryton or online at gather.ivoryton@yahoo.com

This event is supported entirely by volunteers and corporate sponsors including Essex Lions, First Niagara, Essex Savings Bank, Citizens Bank, Guilford Savings Bank, Essex Meadows, Valley Courier, Riggio’s General Contractors and Essex Rotary Club.

If you want to experience some real Christmas cheer, then come and join the party in Ivoryton, the brightest village in Connecticut!
For more information, visit us online at www.ivorytonalliance.org

Shoreline Arts Trail 2013

Banana Break by Stuart Alan Lerner-Found Object Sculptor

 Return Trip #1-Oil Painting by Molly McDonald

Follow the yellow brick road…or at least the yellow Open Studio signs for the 12th annual Shoreline Arts Trail Open Studios Weekend.  You may not run into a wizard or munchkins but you are guaranteed to meet some very interesting and creative folks along the way.  The creation of art is often a very solitary experience but this coming weekend will provide visitors with the opportunity to witness these creative processes first-hand.  Whether it is a ceramist throwing a pot, a weaver working on a loom, a painter capturing a scene, a sculptor working with found objects, or jeweler designing a one-of-a-kind piece of wearable art, visitors and residents can spend Saturday, November 23 and Sunday, November 24 getting up close and personal with more than 40 artists.

Shoreline Arts Trail was first launched in 2002 to help promote artists working in the Shoreline towns of Branford, Guilford and Madison as well as providing visitors a chance to do some early holiday shopping by purchasing unique, handmade and local arts and crafts.  We all face the challenge of gift shopping for relatives and friends who seem to have everything.  But now, you can not only find something 'outside of the box' but also support local artisans at the same time.  The Shoreline Arts Trail will take you through the marshes and hills, into old barns and professional studios.  So many of these artists get their inspiration from their surroundings and the beautiful Connecticut towns in which they live and work.

This year’s arts trail features 47 working artists including potters, painters, photographers, goldsmiths, sculptors, while others work in cut paper, glass, fiber, prints and mixed media.  So, for certain, there is something for everyone.  Several artists will be located at the Guilford Art Center, a good starting point, where one can also get trail maps to the studios in the tri-town area.  It is a family-friendly outing and you can download the Family Activities brochure to make it a learning and fun experience for the whole family.  For the Shoreline Arts Trail map and guide click here.

Enjoy!

Terra Tractus: The Earth Moves

 Photos courtesy of Judy Sirota Rosenthal

Last August an article appeared in Quotable & Notable about the Projects 2K Terra Tractus event.  The event, originally slated to happen during the Autumn Equinox, was rescheduled for the Summer Solstice and will take place June 19-22.  For those who have attended Projects 2K extravaganzas in the past, you know what an amazing, impressive production it always is!  For those who have not had the opportunity to participate in past presentations you are in for a breathtaking experience.  Projects 2K's fundraising efforts for the June 19-22, 2014, 20th anniversary program are on-going and a very important part of the overall project.   Help them reach their goal. Donate Now!

Projects2k is a leader in local art and science classroom programs for both children and university students, and will be fusing performance, education, arts and ecology to present this special anniversary show TERRA TRACTUS: The Earth Moves.  It is "truly a life-changing phenomenon of art and theater, unlike anything you have ever witnessed before..."

Projects2k has brought two decades of spectacular, thought provoking and educational programming.  Against the cavernous backdrop of the historical Stony Creek Quarry, TERRA TRACTUS is a spectacle of light, lasers, projections, fog, pyrotechnics, music and climbing dancers, recounting the geological history of Earth, Connecticut, and the Quarry itself.

This Art/Science/Environmental not-for-profit is well known for collaborating with artists, scientists, geologists and environmentalists, inspiring generations to the wonders of nature and history through the arts. These presentations kindle audience's imaginations through dynamic multi-media marvels that combine light, music, theater, dance and more. Children and adults of all ages experience a deeper connection to the beauty and fragility of the natural world through this educational programming.

Read bios of the team members that make it all happen HERE, including internationally renowned sculptor and environmental artist Joy Wulke, Jamie Burnett of acclaimed Luminous Environments LLC, composer and Fulbright scholar Istvan B’racz, dramaturg Tom Burnett, invaluable makers and coordinators Margret Carl, Robin Comey and more!

For more on the history and mission of P2k, and how it has been inspiring audiences of all ages over the past two decades, click HERE.
Why we need you…

Producing a highly technical project requires state-of-the-art equipment and top rate professionals. Your tax-deductible donations will go to:

- LASERS, LIGHTING & PYRO EQUIPMENT
State of the art lasers, environmentally friendly LED theatrical lighting, moving lighting equipment, pyrotechnic equipment, lighting control equipment and lighted prop construction.

- THEATRICAL & CLIMBING EQUIPMENT & PERFORMERS
Rigging and climbing gear, run crew, puppeteer crew and puppet construction.

- SOUND EQUIPMENT & PERFORMERS
Rental, set-up and break-down of a concert outdoor sound system with live-mixed soundtrack.

- VIDEO EQUIPMENT & PRODUCTION

- DESIGN TEAM
P2k Projects . Videos . Accolades . Press

Check out  past projects and events HERE, including past Quarry projects Terra Mirabila, Terra Alchemica, Terra Lumina, Terra Continuum and A Visualization of Time.

Check out their videos on YouTube, including a short video about the mission behind P2k - 20 Years in 10 Minutes video, and past quarry promos HERE!

Projects2k has received Artistic Excellence Awards from the Connecticut Commission on Culture & Tourism in 1996, 1998 and 2000-2006, as well as Partnership Awards from the Connecticut Commission of the Arts in 1995, 1997 and 1999.  Founder Joy Wulke received the 2009 Women of Innovation in the Community Award from the Connecticut Technology Council.  It is also the featured Member Project this month in the Americans for the Arts newsletter. Projects2k has also been awarded numerous prestigious grants. The works of Projects2k and its founder have been featured in the New York Times twice!

"P2k explores the ancient and modern worlds in wildly creative ways, creating the most interesting environmental installations you will ever see." -- Faith Middleton, Connecticut Public Radio

"Projects for a New Millennium has impressed and engaged me since my first association...I applaud their efforts to build new connections between art and science." -- Dava Sobel, Author of Longitude, Galileo's Daughter, The Planets & A More Perfect Heaven

"Projects2k is the best in artist-driven cultural interventions into the public sphere." -- Michael Rush, Director, Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum, Michigan State University. Author of New Media in Art

TERRA TRACTUS: The Earth Moves continues the Projects2k tradition of tremendous and multifaceted performance making. This year we look at the geological history of the Earth, and the Stony Creek Quarry itself, as they have evolved through ancient history and into the projected future through elemental, tectonic, and man-made affects.
Help Projects 2K bring this once-in-a-lifetime show to life.... Please donate today, and plan on being a part of TERRA TRACTUS: The Earth Moves next June!

RJ Julia's Film & Fashion Weekend

In support of local, neighboring businesses here in town, R.J. Julia Booksellers is excited to partner with Madison Art Cinemas and Robertson Madison for two exciting events during our Film & Fashion Weekend!

Pete Hamill and Bob Giraldi, A Poet Long Ago Film Screening

Co-sponsored with Madison Art Cinemas, join us for a discussion and screening of filmmaker Bob Giraldi’s adaptation of Pete Hamill’s short story, A Poet Long Ago. Capturing Brooklyn before it was the trendy haven it is today, get a glimpse of the borough’s past by following two friends on two very different paths. Starring Steve Schirrippa of HBO’s The Sopranos. Tickets are $5 each.

BOB GIRALDI is an award-winning film and television director. From Michael Jackson’s music video for “Beat It” to his latest short film “A Poet Long Ago,” Giraldi has produced and directed over 4,000 unique visual masterpieces.

PETE HAMILL is a novelist, journalist, editor, and screenwriter. He is the author of 15 previous books including the bestselling novels Snow in August and Forever and the bestselling memoir A Drinking Life. He writes a column for the New York Daily News and lives in New York City.

Date and time: Saturday, November 16 at 11 am
    Location: Madison Art Cinemas, 761 Boston Post Road, Madison, CT  06443
    Admission: Tickets are $5 each

Jane Weitzman, Art and Sole | Fashion Show presented by Robertson Madison

Stylish shoe-lovers unite! Join Jane Weitzman, former EVP of Stuart Weitzman, for a carefully curated collection of the world’s most beautiful shoes. We’ll also feature a fun fashion show by Robertson Madison shoe store – mark the date as a shoe-in on your calendar today!

JANE WEITZMAN was the EVP of Stuart Weitzman and the first vice president of Stuart Weitzman retail. She spearheaded philanthropy for the company by generating funds to support breast and ovarian cancer research and awareness. She serves on the Trust Board of Boston Children’s Hospital.

    Date and time: Sunday, November 17 at 12:30 pm
    Location: R.J. Julia Booksellers, 768 Boston Post Road, Madison, CT  06443
    Admission: Free and open to the public

And All That Jazz

The Arts Center Killingworth presents its first Fall Jazz NightOut concert on Saturday, November 16 at 7:30 p.m. at the Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center, 300 Main Street, Old Saybrook.  Gregory Generet is the guest artist, a blues, jazz and soul singer that “has a voice so strong and forceful that it seems to erupt from deep within” says Stephen Holden of the New York Times.  The opening act is the

Mike Asetta Quartet with special guest jazz trumpeter, Cindy Bradley. Tickets are $25 for balcony seating or $35 which include orchestra seating and hors d’oeuvres.  Cash wine bar and desserts are available for all.  Click here to purchase tickets.

Gregory Generet's career in show business did not begin behind the microphone but rather behind the camera.  A three time Emmy Award winner he was a post-production editor on some of the finest news broadcasts on television including The Evening News with Dan Rather, CBS News 48 Hours, The NFL Today for CBS Sports and many other CBS network programs.  But his love and appreciation of jazz never wavered and he began to hone his craft as a jazz singer.  Working with pianist, producer and arranger, Onaje Allan Gumbs he produced his debut CD titled (re)generet-ion produced by Monsieur Music/Mosaic Records.  Here is a link to some of the tracks on that CD. 

Taking on the theme of romance, Generet has re-imagined the Standards, adding his own unique styling and vocal flexibility.  Once his CD project was completed Gregory went on to work with his band and they had sold out performances at Dizzy’s Club Coca Cola at Jazz at Lincoln Center. From there he performed at other renowned venues such as Joe’s Pub, The Highline Ballroom, The Kitano, Feinsteins at the Lowes Regency in New York City and Smoke Jazz Club, where he’s currently in residence. Mr. Generet has performed with: Wycliffe Gordon, Branford Marsalis, Mike Renzi, Bucky Pizzarelli, Victor Goines, Kenny Werner, Sherman Irby, and Billy Stritch, among others.
His music continues to receive rave reviews from critics, listeners and colleagues alike. Sheila Anderson of WBGO-Jazz 88 says, “Gregory is a welcomed addition to the music scene. Not locked into any style of music, he is a true performer. Be it ballads or blues, (he) delivers and he swings too!"

Order your tickets now as the Jazz NightOut concerts are always and sell out. Don't miss the chance to see this new star on the jazz scene!

Souper Bowl Sunday

I know it is only November but this Sunday, November 17, you can enjoy a wonderful late afternoon/early evening gathering with friends and family and support two worthy organizations at the same time.  From 4:30 – 7pm Guilford Art Center invites guests to come and share a hearty bowl of soup, fresh bread, dessert and a glass of wine with the proceeds providing funding for the Community Dining Room, Branford and Guilford Art Center.  Each diner will also be able to select the bowl of their choice from the many that have been hand made by GAC potters.  These bowls are yours to keep and will be washed and dried for you to take home.  A special added extra for this Sunday event is that you can come early or stay after your meal for some holiday shopping at Guilford Art Center’s annual Artistry: American Crafts for the Holidays.  Along with your one-of-a-kind soup bowl you can handpick those one-of a kind gifts crafted by 250 artists from across America.  Gifts include ceramics, glass, jewelry, fiber, ornaments, accessories, toys, specialty foods, candles and more.  This year’s Artistry will feature scores of new artists and new works but also welcomes back many returning artists.  Shoppers will have a huge array of unique gift ideas to choose from.  So score a touchdown this weekend by lending your support to the Community Dining Room committed to serving the shoreline community by feeding the hungry and helping with other basic human needs; Guilford Art Center’s educational and community programs which nurture and support excellence in the arts through education communication and outreach; and the many artists whose work is included in Artistry!  Tickets for the Soup for Good event are $30 in advance and may be purchased here.  Tickets  are $35 at the door.

AHA! Eyes on the Hand” an Interactive Evening at Lyme Academy College

 Illustration by David Wenzel

Keep your eyes on the hand . . . the artist’s hand that is!  On Saturday, Nov. 9, from 5:30 to 8 p.m., Lyme Academy College of Fine Arts presents, ‘Aha! Eyes on the Hand, which offers you a chance to witness the creative journey imagination takes as it to travels from the artist’s eye to the hand that holds artistic tools.   This behind-the-scenes studio stroll features informal demonstrations in painting, sculpture, and printmaking, a silent auction of selected artwork and art classes, as well as opportunities for casual conversations with faculty, alumni and student artists.  This interactive evening includes a light seasonal supper and full bar.

Want to try your own hand at painting or sculpting? Come earlier at 4 p.m. for a special art class with professional artists, faculty and alumni before joining the studio stroll at 5:30 p.m.

An enjoyable, entertaining, and educational evening is promised.  Tickets are $50 per person, ($25 additional for the special art class), $500 at the Patron level (includes two tickets) and $1,000 at the Benefactor level (includes four tickets).  The College wishes to express its gratitude to Outthink and Smith Insurance for sponsoring the event. Appreciation also goes to our Benefactors and Patrons for their generosity and support. Our Benefactors include Scott and Christine Colley; Sue and Don Joffray; Diana Atwood Johnson and John Johnson; Ann and Bob Pratt; and Bettie and Alan Proctor. Our Patrons include Eye Doctors Elgart Pinn Gordon & Elgart; Kaslow Fine Art, LLC; Jerry and Suzanne Litner; Alden and James B. Murphy; Alex Richardson and Liddy Karter; and Tula Telfair and Spencer Davidson

For more information or ticket reservations, contact Ann de Selding at 860.434.3571 ext. 117 or adeselding@lymeacademy.edu.

Lyme Academy College of Fine Arts is a four–year, nationally-accredited college offering Bachelor of Fine Arts degrees in Drawing, Illustration, Painting, and Sculpture. Its mission is to provide the best education in drawing, illustration, painting, and sculpture through study of the history, traditions, and principles of the fine arts and the liberal arts, thereby establishing a comprehensive foundation for the development of the artist.

Four Celebratory Concerts in Four Days

Community Music School Faculty 

 The Laid Back Jazz Quartet

Music lovers are in for a treat with 4 fabulous concerts scheduled from Thursday through Sunday.  On Thursday evening, November 7, maestro William Boughton will lead the New Haven Symphony Orchestra and the Yale Glee Club in a concert at Woolsey Hall titled Lyricism and Longing.  The orchestra will perform works by English composers William Walton and Ralph Vaughn Williams, German composer Kurt Weill and American composers Charles Ives and Samuel Barber.  Charles Ives, a Danbury, CT native holds the title of the Official Composer of the State of CT.  The concert celebrates the 50th anniversary of the Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library at Yale University. The Symphony’s performance of Walton’s Crown Imperial March and Symphony No.2 will be recorded live for a commercial CD to be released on Nimbus records.  NHSO will also perform Samuel Barber’s aching Adagio for Strings and works by William Walton; the Yale Glee Club will join the Orchestra for selections from Charles Ives, and Concertmaster Ani Kavafian will take on Vaughan Williams’ soaring Lark Ascending. 

Pre-concert activities are also scheduled including a pre-concert lecture from 6:30 -7pm with Jeffrey Douma, Director of Yale Glee Club at Sudler Hall; and a student showcase at 6:45pm in the Woolsey Hall Rotunda featuring the Music Haven Orchestra directed by Tina Lee Hadari.  In addition to these events program notes for kids and program notes and audio clips for adults are available on the New Haven Symphony Orchestra website.  Tickets for the concert are also available on the NHSO website.

This coming Friday, November 8, the Musical Art Society of Branford presents its annual scholarship fundraiser concert at 7:30pm in the First Congregational Church of Branford’s Pilgrim Hall.  For more than 90 years MAS has been bringing quality musical performances to the public and providing music scholarships to a senior student at Branford High School. This Friday’s concert will feature the Laid Back Jazz Quartet with special guests and vocalist.  The opening act will be the Walsh Intermediate School Jazz Band under the direction of Carol Titcomb.  Tickets are $15/$10 for students.

The Laid Backs include Sal Caruso on guitar, Keith Coakley on keyboard, David Mix on bass, Rich Calitro and Luke Rodney on drums and Julie Bjornberg, vocalist. This group regularly performs at Old Saybrook's Paperback Cafe, playing a casually sophisticated jazz with vocals that brings listeners from all over the Northeast. This will be a lively concert in the church hall with room to dance. Branford's own David Mix is also known locally as an experienced luthier specializing in double bass repairs.

Musical Art Society is a non-profit cultural arts group founded in 1920, presenting several free concerts in the community each year and awarding an annual music scholarship. New members and sponsors are welcome.  Information: musicalartsociety@snet.net or Barbara Shaw:  (203) 481-2819.

On Saturday, November 9th Greater New Haven Community Chorus will perform a concert of American Music - from Billings to Broadway, rounds to Rock 'n' Roll and more, featuring a commissioned work by award-winning composer Joshua Hummel.  This commissioned work entitled Beginnings is in celebration of the 50-year history of GNHCC and founding director Ronald Dean Konetchy.  Joshua Hummel is a sought-after composer and recipient of the Leonard Bernstein Award and Frederick Fennel Prize.  The chorus will perform under the direction of Noah Blocker-Glynn at 7:30pm at Hamden Middle School.  Following the concert there will be a reception.  Join members of GNHCC, the Artistic Team, distinguished guests and sponsors to celebrate this silver anniversary at a lovely wine and cheese event. Concert tickets are $21.00; concert with reception tickets are $31.00.  Tickets may be purchased on-line here.

On Sunday, November 10, thirty years of music education and community will be celebrated when the Community Music School faculty takes to the stage for its annual concert at the Centerbrook Meeting House.  This year’s performance, which is open to the public and free of charge, promises to be unlike any before it.  More than 20 members of the esteemed group along with students will close the program with an ambitious musical piece commissioned by the school and composed by CMS Music Director Thomas Briggs.

According to Mr. Briggs, “The Community Music School has been a huge part of my life so this project is very special for me. I was given a blank score to musically reflect, dream, and explore. The challenge was to create music that was inclusive and summarized the history of the school yet was also interesting for the listener and our talented faculty musicians to play.  I also had to find a balance writing for a large chamber ensemble with very limited rehearsal opportunities.”

The end result is “Music For A CMS Celebration”, a one movement, three-part composition that begins with an ethereal section called “Reflection” featuring a multitude of wind chimes to be sounded by CMS vocal instructors stationed throughout the hall.  The second part titled “Dedication”, focuses on the history and foundation of the school, while the third and final section “Jubilation” appropriately ends the piece in a celebratory manner.  The concert is scheduled for 4:00 pm and also includes performances by various faculty ensemble groups and a post-performance reception.   At-will donations to Community Music School will gratefully be accepted. (CMS article reprinted from Valley News Now).

The Centerbrook Meeting House is located at 51 Main Street in the Centerbrook section of Essex.  For more information on this or other Community Music School events, go to www.community-music-school.org or call 860.767.0026.  The Community Music School is a private, non-profit organization dedicated to enriching the community through outstanding private and public music instruction and performances for all ages since 1983

Time To TELLABRATE!

Who among us has not at some point been an oral storyteller?  It may have happened sitting at the dinner table relating an incident or an encounter of the day.  It may be grandma telling her grandchildren about her five mile walk through the snow to school.  Or perhaps, it is making up a bedtime story on the spot to get your child to sleep.  The point is we have all engaged in this art form – perhaps without even realizing it.

Well, once upon a time before radio, tv, facebook, and twitter and even before ‘writing and the printing press, telling stories was the only way cultures had to pass down their history, educate their people, teach the rules.  It is perhaps the most enduring method of communications we have ever known.’ (John Tedstrom)  This ancient tradition of oral storytelling is perhaps the most personal and intimate form of storytelling.  Both the teller and the listener are actively engaged in the process, which is constantly evolving.  According to the National Storytelling Network storytelling is described as the interactive art of using words and actions to reveal the elements and images of a story while encouraging the listener’s imagination.  It is interactive involving a two-way relationship between the teller and the listener.  It encourages the active imagination of the listener.  As a listener you create vivid, multi-sensory images, actions, characters and events.  The flexibility of oral storytelling extends to the teller.  “Each teller will bring their own personality and character to the story.  Some tellers consider anything outside the simple telling as extraneous while other storytellers choose to enhance their telling of the tale with the addition of visual and audio tools, specific actions and creative strategies and devices.” (Wikipedia)

Every November, thousands of tellers and listeners gather on every continent (except Antarctica) to celebrate the joys of storytelling in an event trade-marked as TELLABRATION!  TELLABRATION! originator J. G. Pinkerton envisioned this international event as a means of building community support for storytelling. In 1988 the event was launched by the Connecticut Storytelling Center in six locations across the state. A great success, TELLABRATION! extended to several other states the following year, and then, in 1990, expanded nationwide under the umbrella of the National Storytelling Network and then spread into the international arena.

Connecticut’s Tellabration! 2013 will be happening in conjunction with the world-wide event.  Connecticut Storytellers have a month-long list of activities and events to bring this ancient art to all of us.  Connecitcut’s Tellabration! will bring together the area’s most celebrated storytellers to delight, captivate, and mesmerize audiences with their tales.  For a listing of events or to find one happening in your area visit their calendar.  An interesting side note is that one of Connecticut’s Storytellers was the first storyteller ever to audition for America’s Got Talent.  Most of the November events are designed for children and families.  There are some that are for adults only.  So join in the tellabration and hear some wonderful stories by some of Connecticut’s most accomplished tellers!
The Connecticut Storytelling Center was founded in 1984, to build upon the success of the annual Storytelling Festival.  The organization is based at Connecticut College in New London and it strives to provide the means for people of all ages to experience stories as a means of expression and communication, as a tool for thinking, reflecting, teaching and learning, and as a catalyst for change.  To learn more about them and the many ways that they outreach to the citizenry of CT visit their website.

Snapshots!

"Funny and bittersweet, Snapshots brings into focus all the wonders and frustrations of trusting your heart and believing your memories." Drama Desk Award nominee Karen Mason and Tony Award nominee Mark Jacoby lead the cast of the fall 2013 production of Snapshots: A Musical Scrapbook at Goodspeed's Norma Terris Theatre.  The production opens October 24 and runs through November 17.

Snapshots tells the story of Sue, who is about to leave Dan, her husband of about twenty years. As Sue retrieves some items from the attic, Dan unexpectedly comes home early. Before Sue can tell Dan that their marriage is over, they come across some photographs that stir up memories from their past, which then comes alive in front of them. The circumstances and emotions associated with each picture play out as the couple watches two sets of their younger selves, school-aged Danny and Susie, and young adults Daniel and Susan.

Few musicals could boast a stronger score than Snapshots.  This romantic comedy blends some of the best-loved music from composer Stephen Schwartz’s Broadway shows (Wicked, Pippin, Godspell, The Baker’s Wife) with some of his lesser known gems.  Featuring fresh lyrics and orchestrations, the couple discovers the humorous twists of how love united them and why life has pushed them apart. Every couple will see themselves in Snapshots!  For tickets click here.

For almost 30 years, The Norma Terris Theatre has been Goodspeed’s home for developing fresh, innovative, and original new musicals. These new works have been developed right here in Chester before they’ve moved on to other theatres. Because this is a developmental theatre, the show can change on a day-to-day basis. New scenes are added, songs are moved, costumes are changed, dialogue is tweaked - all based on audience response and feedback.  Be a part of the process and be among the first to enjoy the Broadway hits of tomorrow.

Never Judge a Book By Its Cover?

 Illustration: Jennifer Thermes

We have all heard that saying.  Yet, in the world of children's books, the cover is the first thing that grabs our attention and makes us want to look inside.  For the next two months eight award-winning children’s book artists from the New Haven area, in collaboration with the Arts Council of Greater New Haven, have curated an exhibition of their work, with an eye toward revealing the fascinating process of creating original work for young readers. The exhibition, THE ART OF PICTURE BOOKS: CREATIVE PROCESS IN VISUAL STORYTELLING, features the work of Doe Boyle, Frank W. Dormer, Deborah Freedman, Lynn Reiser, Sanna Stanley, Marcela Staudenmaier, Jennifer Thermes, and Nancy Elizabeth Wallace. Following an opening reception on the evening of November 7, the exhibition runs from November 8, 2013, through January 3, 2014. Several of these illustrators are winners of the Tassy Walden Awards competition and others are founders of this juried competition.

In this exhibition, the eight diverse authors and illustrators, working in a variety of media, have pooled talents to showcase the many inventive ways that artists reach the imaginations of children. Each artist will present work that illuminates a single aspect of developing a picture book that creatively melds words and pictures into a seamless unit. Long a literary staple as well as a first introduction to the dramatic and engaging world of art, picture books are a memorable element of childhood, carefully designed to entertain and/or educate audiences of eager listeners and emergent readers.  The creation of such a finely balanced work of art requires a particular magic, and these seven illustrators will unveil the precision and intuition that goes into every picture story.

Illustration: Nancy Elizabeth Wallace

Nancy Elizabeth Wallace, for instance, uses found and recycled materials to create the striking and colorful cut-paper collages that are the trademark of her nearly thirty picture books. Her portion of the exhibition invites viewers to look at swatches of her recycled materials and find them in her illustrations. Once-upon-a-time architect Deborah Freedman, who now builds new worlds in children’s books, will display works that showcase her drawing and watercolor techniques, used to fabulous effect in such early-childhood tales as Scribble (Knopf, 2007), Blue Chicken (Viking, 2011), and The Story of Fish and Snail (Viking, 2013). The secret to her success is a modern-day piece of equipment: a scanner, which she uses to combine separately created images done in pencil and watercolor.  Old-school techniques can be found in the work of printmaker Sanna Stanley, who collected mental images of the Congo during her own childhood there. She will display the many-layered effects of the delicately etched and hand-painted chine collé prints she has made for such African tales as Monkey for Sale, Monkey Sunday (Farrar, Straus, and Giroux), and The Rains Are Coming (Greenwillow).

Illustration: Lynn Reiser

To delightful effect in more than two dozen books that capture the essence of childhood, Lynn Reiser uses materials found in most households: Post-it Notes, Sharpie markers, Wite-Out, Scotch Magic tape, scissors, and watercolors. At the exhibition, visitors will see that, with these ubiquitous materials, Reiser can draw a puppy—lots of puppies—more charmingly than one might imagine is possible.  Ordinary ink and watercolors are also the media of Frank Dormer, whose many books feature engaging characters that children can’t resist. Among his latest books is The Obstinate Pen (Henry Holt, 2012), which tells the tale of a decidedly extraordinary fountain pen that has a mind of its own. Jennifer Thermes, also the author of stories about such inanimate objects as a house and a pair of shoes, has recently illustrated the picture books The Iciest, Diciest, Scariest Sled Ride Ever! by Rebecca Rule; Helen Keller’s Best Friend Belle by Holly M. Barry; and There Are No Moose On This Island! by Stephanie Calmenson. Jennifer loves the variety of creating art in both black & white and color, using pencil and watercolor paint, and she intends to show how she relies on frequent re-sketching to develop her books. Says Thermes, “Sketching is my way of problem-solving and thinking through the issues unique to each story.”

Marcela Staudenmaier, who spearheaded this exhibition, also begins with detailed pencil sketches, but then she cuts out all the elements of the composition from sheets of colored paper. She curls, bends, scores, folds, and overlaps these paper pieces to create the illusion of depth. When she is happy with the results, she glues down the pieces. Once this three-dimensional collage is ready, she takes a photo that becomes the final illustration.

In words and pictures mounted in the Crosby Gallery and on the corridor walls of the Arts Council, each illustrator will reveal the special balance that sets picture books apart from all other works of literature. A work-in-process from children’s book author Doe Boyle will also appear on these walls, revealing how writers choose every word in a manuscript with exacting precision, in hopes that a visual artist will bring the bare-bones text to life in surprising ways. 

All picture-book readers--families, students, teachers, librarians, illustrators, and writers—are invited to attend the opening of the exhibition on Thursday, November 7, from 5:00 to 7:00 pm at the Sumner
McKnight Crosby, Jr. Gallery, 2nd floor, at 70 Audubon Street in New Haven. Refreshments will be served, and R. J. Julia Booksellers of Madison will provide books for sale; the illustrators will be happy to sign books. A limited number of original illustrations or prints may also be available for purchase. The exhibition will also be open to the public during regular office hours of the Council, from Monday through Friday, 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. No fee is charged to attend either the opening reception or to view the exhibit at any other time. Group visits can be arranged, by advance appointment, by calling the Council at 203.772.2788.

Press Release from Arts Council of Greater New Haven

APPLY NOW - YOUNG ARTS FOUNDATION

 APPLY NOW!!

YoungArts provides emerging artists (ages 15-18 or grades 10-12) with life-changing experiences with renowned mentors, access to significant scholarships, national recognition, and other opportunities throughout their careers to help ensure that the nation’s most outstanding young artists are encouraged to pursue careers in the arts. Support is offered in ten artistic disciplines: cinematic arts, dance, design, jazz, music, photography, theater, visual arts, voice and writing.

To date, YoungArts has honored more than 17,000 young artists with over $6 million in monetary awards; facilitated in excess of $150 million in college scholarship opportunities; and enabled its participants to work with master teachers who are among the most distinguished artists in the world, such as Mikhail Baryshnikov, Jacques d'Amboise, Plácido Domingo, Bill T. Jones, Quincy Jones and Martin Scorsese. In addition, YoungArts serves as the exclusive nominating agency for the U.S. Presidential Scholars in the Arts, the country's highest honor for young artists.  

YoungArts alumni who have gone on to become leading professionals in their fields include actresses Vanessa Williams, Viola Davis, and Kerry Washington; four-time Tony Award nominee Raúl Esparza; CEO of American Ballet Theatre Rachel Moore; recording artists Nicki Minaj and Chris Young; musicians Terence Blanchard, Eric Owens, and Jennifer Koh; choreographer Desmond Richardson; visual artist Hernan Bas; and internationally acclaimed multimedia artist Doug Aitken.

By applying to the YoungArts program winners are eligible for:

• Up to $10,000 monetary award (total awarded each year is over $500,000)
• Exclusive eligibility for recognition as a U.S. Presidential Scholar in the Arts
• Master classes with world-renowned artists
• Access to scholarships, career opportunities and professional contacts

Every year up to 700 students are selected from up to 10,000 applicants from across the country as national winners.  Winners have the opportunity to attend YoungArts programs and partake in master classes with internationally renowned artists, workshops, interdisciplinary activities, performances and exhibitions. In addition, all YoungArts Winners join the ranks of our 17,000 YoungArts alumni, many of whom have gone to the top universities and conservatories across the country and/or have become leading professionals in their fields.

Recognition Levels

Merit: Receive a Certificate of Achievement, a Recommendation Letter and possible invitation to participate in regional programs.   High School receives engraved trophy for display.

Honorable Mention:  Receive a $250 award, a Certificate of Achievement, a Recommendation Letter, and possible invitation to participate in regional programs. High School receives engraved trophy for display.

Finalist:  Receive an invitation to our annual YoungArts Week, held in January, for final adjudication to determine award designation (Gold $10,000, Silver $5000, Level 1 $3000, Level 2 $1500, Level 3 $1000), a Certificate of Achievement, a Recommendation Letter and possible invitation to participate in regional programs. High School receives engraved trophy for display.

Approximately 170 Finalists spanning ten disciplines, converge in Miami for YoungArts Week each January. Finalists continue to be adjudicated during YoungArts Week while participating in master classes, performances, exhibitions, and interdisciplinary sessions. Finalists who are graduating high school seniors and meet all eligibility requirements, also have the opportunity to be nominated by YoungArts to the U.S. Presidential Scholars Commission and possibly selected as a U.S. Presidential Scholar in the Arts. If selected, they are invited to participate in National Recognition Week in Washington, D.C. where they will participate in a medal ceremony and have the opportunity to showcase their work in a performance at the Kennedy Center or an exhibition and presentation at the Smithsonian Museum of American Art.

To apply to YoungArts you must meet the requirements, complete an online application, pay a $35 (non-refundable) application fee (per category; fee waivers are available) and submit an online audition portfolio. Students may apply to more than one discipline/category.

Deadline for submission (of both application and audition portfolio) is October, 18, 2013 at 11:59 p.m. (Eastern Standard Time). If an application is not complete by the deadline, it will not be reviewed.

Citizens or legal residents of the United States or U.S. Territories who are age 15-18 on December 1, 2013, or in grades 10-12, may apply. International students who are studying in the U.S. on a student visa are eligible to apply.  YoungArts reserves the right to extend eligibility on a case by case basis provided the applicant’s birthdate falls within 90 days before or after the designated guidelines.

Each of our 10 disciplines (cinematic arts, dance, design arts, jazz, music, photography, theater, visual arts, voice, and writing) has specific requirements for the audition portfolio. Once you open the application, a drop down list of available disciplines and categories will be available to you. Please review these requirements carefully.