Go Out…See Art!

Art at Work

2012-02-23T11:38:00.001-05:00

For an alternate venue, workplaces make their walls shine with interest when they adorn them with art. Check out these current shows, including my own work recently installed in Unionville:

Info from Jo McGinnis:
I wanted to let you know that I am currently exhibiting at the Center for Integrative Medicine at St. Francis Hospital in Hartford . I would love to have you join me for a "Meet the Artist" event next Thursday, Feb. 23, 4 - 7 pm. The show runs now through the end of March. The Center is open weekdays from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm. You may wish to give a call to assure the time frame of your visit (860-714-4460). The Center is easily accessible from the 2nd floor parking garage entrance to the hospital, just before the walk-over to the professional medical building. I have attached a flyer with additional information and directions. Hope to see you there!!!!!! Jo

Please join us for a Reception

Thursday, February 23rd

4:00 to 7:00 pm

Center for Integrative Medicine

Saint Francis Care

114 Woodland Street, Hartford

2^nd Level Gengras Connector

A collection of my work in 'black' is now on view at Zinc Salon in Unionville CT. It's a wonderful gallery salon with a great vibe (ask for Chris, the owner, and Sophie, my friend and stylist!)

"Scroop, Sizzle, Swish" series

http://www.zincsalon.org/new_art_gallery

more to do!

2012-02-12T21:50:00.000-05:00

Please join us today

from 2-4 p.m.

Opening Reception

for the

Members

Juried Exhibit

Awards: 3 p.m. Clubhouse

This exhibit was juried by Debra Goertz,

Associate Professor at the Lyme Academy College of Fine Art where she chairs the Foundations Department and teaches 2-dimensional Design and Drawing.

She is also a part-time Assistant Professor of Drawing at Parsons the New School of Design in New York. Debra is represented by Stricoff Fine Art in New York where she has had solo and group exhibitions.

Saltbox and Clubhouse Galleries

37 Buena Vista Road, West Hartford, CT

www.westhartfordart.org

West Hartford Art League

37 Buena Vista Road

West Hartford, Connecticut 06107

Do what you love

2012-02-10T10:00:00.000-05:00

More to see for February, and take someone you love with you!
STONE WORK: ARTISTS' ENCOUNTERS WITH HARD PLACES

Marion Belanger . Frank Bruckmann . Daniel Buttrey . Anne Doris-Eisner

Emilia Dubicki . Keith Johnson . Constance LaPalombara .

Roy Money . Kerry O'Grady . Matthew Weber

Curated by Stephen Vincent Kobasa

The Institute Library . 847 Chapel Street . New Haven, CT

February 11 through March 10, 2012 .

Greeting of the Artists, Saturday, February 11, noon until 2 p.m

Wednesdays, 10:00 to 6:00 and Saturdays, 11:00 to 2:00

I have seen sparks fly out
When two stones are rubbed,
So perhaps it is not dark inside after all;
Perhaps there is a moon shining
From somewhere, as though behind a hill-
Just enough light to make out
The strange writings, the star-charts

On the inner walls.

- from Charles Simic,"Stone"

ILLUSTRATION: Anne Doris-Eisner, The Last Frontier, 2011

Kevin Harty: Hybrids

Outer Gallery at West Cove Studio

30 Elm Street

West Haven, Connecticut
www.westcovestudio.com

Friday and Saturday, 10 until 4

Kevin Harty, Soaked, 2008, paint, glue, fabric, kapok and wood.

Image courtesy of the artist

Get a jump on Valentine's shopping, check out the beautiful book of photos and poetry by Wendy Givens and my colleague Rafael Oses:

If you're interested in purchasing "Gaest", the book of photography and poetry Rafael created with photographer Wendy Given, please go to the link below:

http://wendygiven.com/photography/gaest_book.html

The book is really quite nice, and $25 plus shipping ($3-5).

friends on the scene

2012-02-02T22:11:00.002-05:00

Beginning February 14^th, Littlejohn Contemporary will present an exhibition of new work by an artist new to the gallery.

JENNIFER KNAUS
JENNIFER KNAUS – Portrait of Joan, oil on panel, 23x15 inches
L I T T L E J O H N C O N T E M P O R A R Y
~~ please note new address ~~
547 West 27 Street, Suite 207
New York, NY 10001
mobile 203-451-5050
www.littlejohncontemporary.com
Hours as of February 14th : Tue. - Sun. 10 -6 pm.

Go Live!

2012-01-27T10:51:00.000-05:00

While I always enjoy a quiet gallery for contemplation, nothing gets your heart a'thumping like live interaction with artists! Here are a few upcoming LIVE events to take in:

Beat the Winter Blues Scholarship Fundraiser

Host St. Timothy Middle School

Phone860-236-0614
WhenThursday, February 9 at 6:00 - 9:00 PM
WhereNorthwest Catholic
29 Wampanoag Drive
West Hartford, CT 06117

Come join us for a fantastic night of music and community spirit!

Some of Ct’s best Blues musicians regularly featured at Black Eyed Sally’s in Hartford are coming together for a concert to raise money for the Father Henry P. Cody Scholarship

Where: the Mortensen Auditorium at Northwest Catholic High School,29 Wampanoag Drive, West Hartford, CT

When: Thursday, February 9, 2012 (snow date Feb 16th)

Tickets: $30.00 per person until January 25, 2012, After Jan. 25^th at 5PM the price goes up to $35,

RSVP to the eVite or Email: Laureen Guerriero at St. Timothy Middle School at lguerriero@stmswh.org and send payment to: STMS/Blues Concert, 225 King Philip Dr, West Hartford, CT 06117

Note: The Auditorium only holds 200 seats, last year was a blast and we expect this year to sell out, so order your tickets today! Questions, contact Laureen at 860-236-0614 ext 36

Schedule for the evening:

6:00-7:00 pm Wine/Beer reception

7:00-8:30 pm Bring on the Musicians!

Tim MacDonald: Guitars and vocals, Steve Balkun, 2001STMS Alumni: Guitars and vocals, Tom Petri: Bass, Nick Balkun, 2004 STMS Alumni: Drums, Robert Nasta: Harmonica/Percussion etc…Black Eyed Sally’s Horns: Jim and Scotty and various special guests

8:30-9:15: Coffee and dessert

Look forward to seeing you there and so appreciate your support!

About the Father Cody Scholarship:

Each year three students are awarded a full scholarship in the name of Father Cody. We hope to sell out this evening of music in order to replenish the funds for these scholarships.

Donna Martin

Split Bill Show With Tim McDonald This Sunday!

January 29th - at 7pm

At the Stafford Springs Coffeehouse Series

Old Town Hall, 221 East St., Stafford Springs, CT

Tim McDonald from the McDonald/Teague Band will join me this Sunday. We will each play a solo set and then team up at the end for a few songs.

And then...

I'll be playing a show with my rockin' little trio on March 17th at the Northwest Park Nature Centerin Windsor, CT - www.northwestpark.org

BIG COUNTRY - New release. Now available at CDBaby.com & Amazon.com or visitwww.donnamartin.com

Thanks for all your support!!

Sat. at REAL ART WAYS: Poster Boy w/Marela - it doesn't get any better!!

Poster Boy Panel Discussion

SATURDAY, JANUARY 28, 2012 | 7.30 PM
FREE

aricoco: RUNawayHome
There will be a performance by aricoco before the panel discussion at 7 PM

Street Alchemy, an exhibition by artist collective Poster Boy, was scheduled to go on view at Trinity College in September 2011 but was abruptly canceled. According to the Hartford Courant, school administrators canceled the show due to Poster Boy's alleged practice of using materials stolen from public advertisements.

Poster Boy claimed censorship when Trinity College first postponed and then cancelled the exhibition: "They don't know where the billboards come from, and I'm not going to incriminate myself," a representative for Poster Boy said in an interview with the BBC.

In wake of the cancellation, Real Art Ways made the decision to present the exhibition with the title Street Alchemy 2.0. The exhibition opened on October 20, 2011 with a crowd of more than 500 in attendance.

Real Art Ways will present a panel discussion to address the multiple and wide-ranging topics that have arisen from Poster Boy: Street Alchemy 2.0. Some of the topics include artist’s rights and freedom of expression, legal issues surrounding this work, the transgressive nature of new art and the value of billboards in advertising and society.

Marela Zacarias, an artist based in Brooklyn, NY, will moderate the panel.

Zacarias has painted more than thirty large public murals in the United States. Mexico and Guatemala. She was an Artist-in-residence for the academic year ‘09-’10 at the University of Connecticut, Storrs, where she completed a mural to be part of the William Benton Museum of Art collection. Zacarias’s work is currently part of the 2011 S-Files Biennial at Museo del Barrio in East Harlem, NY. She made a 30 ft long site-specific sculptural painting at the lobby of the museum.

Vessels

2012-01-26T10:30:00.001-05:00

Two shows this week by local accompished ceramic artists:

100 Pearl Street Gallery

100 Pearl Street Gallery is located within the lobby of 100 Pearl Street next to the Greater Hartford Welcome Center and managed by the Greater Hartford Arts Council. The gallery space represents the Arts Council's role in supporting local artists by providing a venue for fine art in a public gallery setting and increasing the awareness of local artists within the Greater Hartford community.

Gallery Hours: Mon-Fri, 8am-7pm.

ON DISPLAY:

And some images of one of my favorite weavers, Fatima from the ICR's Sewing Circle!

Reconstructed Steel
Forms by Vicente Garcia
Vicente Garcia, Simsbury artist and Professor of Art at Central Connecticut State University, presents an exhibit of large-scale sculptures made from re-bar, steel, brass and copper finished with natural rusting, chemical patinas, polishing, grinding and torching in a continued exploration of plasticity, movement and aesthetics.

On view Jan 23-Mar 23 (Reception: Jan 26 5-7pm)
Sponsored by

Cool Art for January

2012-01-20T11:52:00.002-05:00

More events for January around Conn.

Bundle up and get out there!

Elected Artists Exhibit Opening reception

Please join us tonight, January 18, from 6-8 p.m.

Elected Artists have had work juried into three regional CT+6 exhibits over the last four years.

Jurors for this prestigious exhibit held at the West Hartford Art League every May have included Dina Deitsch, Curator at the DeCordova Museum, Patricia Hickson, Curator of Contemporary Art at the Wadsworth Atheneum, painter Linden Frederick and Nancy Peel Gladwell, Associate professor and past chair of the Painting Department at the Lyme Academy College of Fine Arts.

CT+6 is open to artists from Connecticut, the five New England states and New York. The juror for this years exhibit is Susan Cross, curator at MASS MoCA in North Adams, MA.

For information on entering this years exhibit, please log onto our website atwww.westhartfordart.org

The West Hartford Art League | 37 Buena Vista Road | West Hartford, CT

(860) 231-8019 | www.westhartfordart.org

Serving the community since 1934.

Crewel Linen: Unfinished Business

An Installation by Cate Bourke

through March 25, 2012

A centennial/commemorative work in memory of the 146 individual workers who died in the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire in New York City in 1911, made up of an eight foot length of shirtwaist cloth for every one of the victims, with a name embroidered on each panel.

Underwritten in part by Unite Here! International Union.

Also on view by the same artist, a participatory installation entitled Study in Black and White which explores the ways in which U.S. institutions have served to construct and sustain racial disparities in this country's socioeconomic conditions.

A-Space Gallery at West Cove Studio

30 Elm Street

West Haven, Connecticut

http://www.westcovestudio.com/exhibitions.html

Friday and Saturday, 10 until 4

or by appointment, phone 203-500-0268

MIDDLESEX COMMUNITY COLLEGE

The Niche: Middlesex Community College 100 Training Hill Road, Middletown, Connecticut 06457

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

In the Niche

TRACY WALTER FERRY "GENETICALLY MODIFIED ORGANISMS"

JANUARY 30—MARCH 2, 2012

JOINT ARTIST’S RECEPTION ON MONDAY, FEBRUARY 6th, 4:30-6:00 PM AT THE NICHE AND IN PEGASUS GALLERY.

The Niche is located in Founders Hall across from the Registrar’s Office and open: Mondays through Fridays 8:30am-4:00pm when classes are in session.

For more information please contact: Matthew Weber, Art Curator 860.343.5806, mweber@mxcc.commnet.edu http://www.mxcc.commnet.edu/Content/Art_Exhibits.asp

John Slade Ely House
Center for Contemporary Art
51 Trumbull Street
New Haven, Ct 06510
203-624-8055
www.elyhouse.org
January 15- February 26, 2012
Exploded Views
Aimée Burg, Geoffrey Detrani, Martha W. Lewis, Mark Wilson
Reception: Sunday, January 22, 2-5pm
The John Slade Ely House is pleased to announce the first exhibit of 2012 “Exploded Views” which runs from January 15 through February 26. Participating artists are Aimée Burg, Geoffrey Detrani, Martha W. Lewis, and Mark Wilson. “Exploded Views” includes drawing, painting, installation, sculpture, video, and digital printing. A reception for the artists will take place on Sunday, January 22 from 2- 5pm. The event is free and open to the public.
“Exploded Views” refers to the practice in technical drawing of representing the parts of a whole in exploded or diagrammatic form for the purpose of clarity, instruction, and to make visible the relationship of scale, position, orientation. The artists in “Exploded Views” utilize this mode of representation to address a variety of issues from the interaction of planning and nature, the aesthetic quality of technical and scientific instrumentation, and as metaphor for insight and understanding.
Gallery Hours:
Wed-Fri, 11am-4pm
Sat & Sun, 2-5pm
Free and Open to the Public

Somethin's a Strummin'

2012-01-16T11:45:00.002-05:00

For you guitar buffs:
new cd from Donna Martin,
new guitars from Balkun Guitars,
new project from Sam Moss.

Donna's cd release show was outstanding! Great music, good audience vibes, lots of travel stories - all coming from the heart. Thanks Donna, we love you!

Buy "Big Country" here: Big Country is on sale!

Available in digital downloads or cd format from cdbaby.com

Just click the link below.

http://www.cdbaby.com/Search/ZG9ubmEgbWFydGlu/0

Now the latest guitars from the custom workshop of Balkun Guitars:

my art-sy version after 3 hrs with that Rebel T2i !

And finally, a Kickstarter project by Sam Moss and Jackson Emmer. Here is the latest from Sam's newsletter, why not support "Free Music"??

:::FREE IS ART KICKSTARTER:::
As I mentioned in my last newsletter, I work for a program called Free Is Art here in Brattleboro, VT. The purpose of the program is to provide free music lessons to those who otherwise would not be able to afford them. Any resident of Windham County, VT that qualifies for food stamps qualifies for the program. Free Is Art has been a huge success since launching in July 2011, but we need help to continue. We are currently running a campaign through Kickstarter to raise $2,000 for the program. In exchange for your donation you will receive a reward! These include CD's from STRING BAND, myself, and Jackson Emmer, and even private concerts, depending on your donation level. The one catch with Kickstarter is that if we don't reach our goal, we don't get any of the money raised. We would be so grateful for your help, either in the form of donations or simply spreading the word about the project. Head here to learn more.

Go ahead, scare me

2012-01-03T23:21:00.000-05:00

Yo-Yo Ma, Meryl Streep, Neil Diamond, Sonny Rollins, Barbara Cook

Did anyone catch the Kennedy Center honors last week? I am in awe of these inspiring artists from all disciplines because of their dedication to their craft and humanity. One of the memorable statements late in the show was from Yo Yo Ma about his life as a cellist. He said that every day he moves towards the "unknown" and that it's scary to do so. He also said he must like being scared, because he keeps doing it!

So…get out there and do something that scares you, and love every minute!

Bring it on, 2012

p.s. I just took my first hip-hop class (even if I did stay in the back row). Go for it!

Jump into January

2012-01-01T11:24:00.001-05:00

Happy New Year everyone!!

Start off the New Year with lots of art, of course! Did you resolve to get out there?? Here's your chance to make a fresh grab at the awesome art around here:

Also: Donna Martin's CD Release Party!!!

direct from Donna's studio:

The CD release of Big Country was all set to go. All the gear was packed, the rehearsals complete, the press went out, radio interviews too. Then, along came one of the worst storms CT has seen in many years and we all sat at home with flashlights and generators burning into the night instead.

Let's try this again.

New CD Release Show Date

January 6, 2012 at 7:30pm

949 Main Street, South Glastonbury

(at the South Congregational Church)

I've got a great acoustic trio this time around. Joining me will be Jeff Lorello on upright bass and Danny Reilert on acoustic guitar. We've got toe tapping, finger snapping tunes to lift you up for the night. We've got three part harmonies!

Come join us.

Tickets: $15 available at the door

Art in the Libraries of New Haven

2011-12-16T10:53:00.001-05:00

Need some quiet from the holiday craziness? Explore these libraries in New Haven for a suprisingly fun place to find art, including my Grandfather's!

Out of Nature:

An Exhibition of Alternatives

Works in various media by Amy Arledge,
Mia Brownell, Paul Daukas, Brian Huff,
Barbara Marks, Laura Marsh, Kim Mikenis,

Michael Oatman, Amy Jean Porter

and Joseph Smolinski

Curated by Stephen Vincent Kobasa

The Institute Library
847 Chapel Street
New Haven, CT
203-562-4045
www.institutelibrary.org

December 17, 2011, through January 14, 2012

Greeting of the Artists, Saturday, December 17, noon until 2 p.m

Wednesdays, 10:00 to 6:00 and Saturdays, 11:00 to 2:00

At Artspace New Haven:

Come for a visit! Current exhibitions at Artspace (through Jan. 28)

Revisit the strange joys of card catalogs and theDewey Decimal System as Artspace’s newest exhibition, Library Science, continues. The exhibit, curated by Rachel Gugelberger of Exit Art (New York), brings together seventeen international artists who explore the changing nature of our personal, intellectual, and physical relationships with libraries. Artists include Erica Baum, Jorge Méndez Blake, David Bunn, Chris Coffin, Madeline Djerjian, Melissa Dubbin & Aaron S. Davidson, Phillipe Gronon, José Hernández, Candida Höfer, Nina Katchadourian, Reynard Loki, Loren Madsen, Allen Ruppersberg, Mickey Smith, Blane De St. Croix, and Xiaoze Xie.

Then, step outside the walls of Artspace as the Library Science exhibition extends into the libraries of New Haven, where local artists have been invited to create site-specific work that engages library users in new ways. Visit Colin Burke at the Whitney Library of the New Haven Museum; Heather Lawless at the New Haven Free Public Library; Andy Deck & Carol Padberg at Yale’s Sterling Memorial Library; Tyler Starr at the Robert B. Hass Family Arts Library at Yale; and Meredith Miller & Rob Rocke at The Institute Library.

Coming up: a special Library Science artist talk! On Wednesday, Dec. 7 at 5:30 PM, artist Colin Burke will discuss his work, Deliquescence, at the New Haven Museum. Learn how Colin used thousands of feet of library microfilm—destined for the trash—to both evoke and explore the history of the Elm City.

Nathan Hale School Library: includes mural artwork by my grandfather Francis M. Coiro, completed in 1934. The 5 panels depict the life of Nathan Hale. Way cool!!

panel 'spacer' detail

painted marker with the artists identified

My Aunt Mary under her father's artwork.

Free Movie!

2011-12-04T21:36:00.003-05:00

If you haven't seen this yet, go for free this thursday at the West Hartford main library!

'The Help' Playing At Area Libraries

Viola Davis got Oscar buzz for her performance in “The Help,” and if haven’t seen it yet, you can for free on Thursday at 6:30 p.m. at West Hartford Public Library, 20 S. Main St.; on Friday at 1 p.m. and Dec. 13 at 7 p.m. at Hall Memorial Library in Ellington; and on Monday, Dec. 12, at 6:30 p.m. at Cora J. Belden Library, 33 Church St., Rocky Hill. It is rated PG-13.

Holiday show openings!

2011-11-29T09:19:00.008-05:00

Get into the holiday spirit with inspiration from these fine galleries, all have openings this Friday:

(I have one piece in each of the Putnam and Rochester galleries)

You are invited to attend the opening of

"Trashformations: From Trash to Treasure"

Holiday Art Exhibit

Opening Friday December 2nd, 6-8pm

Silver Circle Gallery, Putnam CT

On Display November 30- December 31, 2011

The Silver Circle Gallery in Putnam, CT is proud to announce the upcoming exhibit Trashformations: From Trash to Treasure, a holiday display showcasing contemporary artwork by nineteen artists that live locally, regionally, and even internationally. The opening reception, Friday December 2nd from 6-8pm, is a free event that will allow the public to view the artwork and meet many of the artists.

Co-curator and exhibiting artist Debora J. Aldo of Pietre Dure Design, is a nationally known CT -based mosaic artist who has studied with highly regarded instructors from Europe and across the US. Deb first conceptualized the show in hopes of bringing something new and unusual to the typical holiday art displays often seen in regional galleries. With that in mind, not only are the pieces chosen for the show beautiful and affordable, they make a larger statement because of their quirky origins. In a time of consumerism and waste, especially around the holidays, Deb and Silver Circle Gallery owner Carly Martin both feel that showcasing artwork that epitomizes the up-cycling trend will capture the ideal notion of downsizing in a fun, unpredictable, and meaningful way.

Trashformations will feature artwork in a wide variety of mediums with a high level of craftsmanship and sophistication despite their humble origins. Included in the show are mosaics, textiles, sculpture, furniture, fashion accessories, collage, assemblage, functional home accessories, and purely conceptual artistic statements that were chosen for dramatic effect (such as a twenty foot paper mache dragon to be hung from the ceiling). Most pieces, however, are suitable in scale and price for one-of-a-kind "green" holiday gift-giving purposes.

Exhibiting artists include Debora J. Aldo, Anita Gangi Balkun, Gwen Basilica, Banu Cevikel, Lisa M.Corson, Linda Dadak, Ted Demers, Jennifer Flanagan, Frances Kornbluth, Luci Lytle, Cheryl Martin, Audrey Mucci, Donna O'Scolaigh Lange, Jane Pettit, Sumukha Ravishankar, Shaun Rock, Nikki Sullivan, Carol Talkov, Kaarina Talvila, and Paul Zelanski

* * *

Silver Circle Gallery is located at 75 Main Street in Downtown Putnam. Since 2008, Silver Circle has been a fresh, contemporary space where local and regional visual artists collaborate to show and sell their work, educate others, and inspire one another and their community. Visit www.SilverCircleGallery.com for more information.

At the Rochester Contemporary Art Center:

December 2 – January 8, 2012
Patron Preview: Thurs Dec. 1, 6-8pm;
     15% off any artwork purchase
Opening Reception: Dec. 2, 6-10pm
The Days the Artists Spoke: Dec. 3 & 4
Art of the Mix - Leap Day: Feb. 29, 6-8pm
     Enjoy your extra evening with Rochester's top mixologists.
     80 tickets available ($50 each) Call to purchase.
Artwork Pick-up: January 8, 5-7pm, January 9-10, 12-6pm
Closed to the public for Holidays: December 23-January 2
Exhibition Closes: Jan. 8, 5pm

Each year Rochester Contemporary Art Center welcomes all current members to show their artwork. Over 300 artists are participating this year!

Rochester Contemporary Art Center
137 East Avenue
Rochester, NY 14604 Map
585.461.2222
www.rochestercontemporary.org

And the Wadsworth just opened their Festival of Trees, a yearly favorite!

Festival of Trees and Traditions

Welcome and celebrate the holiday season at the 38th Annual Festival of Trees & Traditions! Enjoy musical entertainment and festive family activities throughout the museum as we showcase fanciful, fabulous and romantic trees and wreaths decorated by more than 200 creative artists and individuals from our community. All trees and decorations are for sale and all profits are used to fund special exhibitions, educational programs and operating expenses. The Festival of Trees & Traditions is presented by the Women’s Committee of the Wadsworth Atheneum and made possible by support from Presenting Sponsor People’s United Bank, Silver Sponsor United Technologies Corporation, and Bronze Sponsors Bradley, Foster & Sargent and Bingham McCutchen.

For a day-by-day- schedule of Festival programs, click here.

Festival of Trees & Traditions 2011 opens December 2 and closes on December 11.

Check in with Sean Scully

2011-11-24T23:40:00.000-05:00

The Wadsworth Atheneum is one of my favorite places to visit, even just to recharge my artistic battery. It's even better when they invite a renown artist to come and talk about their work! I was first introduced to Sean Scully's paintings during my MFA critiques with master painter Stephen Brown, whose grace and knowledge I truly miss. Stephen opened my eyes to so many amazing artists, so in Stephen's honor, here's Sean Scully.

Sean discussed his process and inspiration for his 'brick like" structured paintings. It surprised me that many were actually built sculpturally by inserting one painting next to or into another. He was most animated when retelling stories from his childhood in South London and how those experiences continue to enrich his artistic process. Scully's stories about his cerulean blue tricycle and describing his church 'like a drum' (candles, robes, incense) were most entertaining!

photo courtesy of Diana Guay Dixon, staff photographer for the Atheneum, check her out at:

Diana Guay Dixon

dianaguay.com

I was lucky enough to shake Sean's hand and add this to my sketchbook notes

Instant Atheneum

Sean Scully

Emily Hall Tremaine Lecture in Contemporary Art presented an artist talk by contemporary artist Sean Scully on Wed. Nov. 9th.

Scully, born in 1945 in Dublin, Ireland, has exhibited his work widely throughoutEurope and the United States. Among numerous solo exhibitions, he has had a major retrospective at the Whitechapel Gallery, London, in 1989 and a traveling exhibition initiated in 1995 at the Hirshhorn Museum, Washington, D.C. He is represented in the collections of numerous museums, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Museum of Modern Art and the Guggenheim Museum in New York; the National Gallery and the Smithsonian American Art Museum in Washington, D.C.; the Tate Gallery in London; the Reina Sofia in Madrid; and in many other private and public collections worldwide. Scully has twice been named a Turner Prize nominee in 1989 and 1993 and received a Guggenheim Fellowship in 1983. He currently lives in New York, Barcelona, and Munich.

Bits n pieces

2011-11-17T23:08:00.001-05:00

Well, Alfred really knocked me out of the blog seat for a bit, but I was never too far from an art adventure. When the lights go out….go out and see art (of course!)

last week my class visited with collage artist Joy Floyd at the Hartford Public Library to see "The Good Earth" show at the Artwalk gallery. Joy told us about her process inspired by 'old and worn things', the students especially loved the ones with jeans!

Joy's collages inspired from old quilt pieces

I also ran into Joy at another wonderful collage show, just opened at the Pond House featuring the graceful work of Nancy Doherty. Her show "Small Stories" includes collages all created from the pages of the same book based on the Tao Te Ching (her whole body of work totals 100!).

Nancy Doherty and Joy Floyd, Nancy's art in the background

At the scene

2011-10-28T12:47:00.000-04:00

Recent events, lots of art: People, Places n Faces!

The work of Alison Walsh on the 3rd floor of CityWide New Haven. Alison cast these pieces directly from the driftwood, altered the porcelain forms and finished them with pigment. They were stunning (as is Alison's wonderful personality)!

Real Artways Hartford opened its latest show at their Creative Cocktail Hour: Poster Boy Street Alchemy 2.0. From the RAW website: The installation Street Alchemy 2.0 is an immersive spatial experience created with altered billboards. Billboards typically loom over us. Poster Boy subverts this relationship by bringing them down to eye level within a gallery space and manipulating their meaning.

Keep the guests guessing!!

Opening night (First Thurs. in Putnam) at the Silver Circle Gallery: work on display for the 3rd Annual Women's Show to benefit breast cancer awareness. There was a constant flow of people through the gallery all night, thanks to Carly's hospitality!

my piece: "One Less for Tea"

Erik carving a figure from wood outside the gallery.

Art in some of my favorite places:

2011-10-26T21:51:00.001-04:00

Last chance to show your support!

Come in to get your raffle tickets and support the show through Sunday Oct. 30th

3rd Annual Women's Exhibit & Benefit

featuring 19 local female artists with partial proceeds benefit the Deary Fund

Also featuring our Annual Raffle

handcrafted gifts donated by local artisansJewelry, glass, fine art, mosaic, and more

Ticket Prices: 1/$2, 3/$5, 8/$10, 20/$20

100% proceeds to benefit the Deary Fund

On Display October 5 - October 30, 2011

Silver Circle Gallery is located at 75 Main Street in Downtown Putnam, CT. Since 2008, Silver Circle has been a fresh, contemporary space where local and regional visual artists convene to show and sell their work, educate others, and inspire one another and the community.

Visit www.silvercirclegallery.com for more information

860.928.2900 info@silvercirclegallery.com

Gallery Hours: Tuesday-Saturday 11-5pm, Sunday 12-4pm

opening this weekend

Celebration of American Crafts

October 29 - December 24
Mon-Sat 11 to 6 | Thu 11 to 8 | Sun 1 to 5 | Dec 24 11 to 2

Celebrating 43 years of fine contemporary crafts, Creative Arts Workshop is holding its annual Celebration of American Crafts from October 29 through December 24. The sale features a spectacular array of fine ceramics, decorative and wearable fiber, wood furnishings, blown glass, hand crafted jewelry, whimsical toys, and so much more by over 300 artists from across the country.

Whether you're starting your holiday shopping or adding to your personal collection, the Celebration has items to fit every style and budget. All purchases from the Celebration directly support the artists and CAW's community programming, including community outreach programs and scholarships.

The Celebration is generously sponsored by: Updike, Kelly & Spellacy, P.C.; Arlene & Cheryl Szczarba, Realtors at Seabury Hill Realtors; First Niagara; Connecticut Commission on Culture & Tourism; New Haven Register (Media Sponsor)

Research Partnerships for Healthy Communities

ICR eNews | Fall 2011 Donate

Rugs of Remembrance:Bosnian Weaving in Hartford

Nov. 3, 2011 | 5-7PM

Bosnian weavers living in Hartford will display their handwoven carpets in an exhibit highlighting their exquisite skills and their work in ICR's Sewing Circle Project. A special memorial quilt from Bosnia will also be on view, loaned by the social justice organization Advocacy Net. The opening event will include weaving demonstrations as well as Bosnian music and food.

City-Wide Open Studios at the Alternative Space

Saturday and Sunday, October 29 and 30, noon-5pm

Think you’ve seen it all? Join us for the FINAL weekend of City-Wide Open Studios at the Alternative Space, 195-212 College Street (Saturday and Sunday) and at 300 George St. (Saturday only) in New Haven. Our artists have turned an empty building into a fantastic, wild gallery space for performances and site-specific art. A not-to-be-missed end to a really fantastic month.

more openings and a blues challenge!

2011-10-20T23:25:00.001-04:00

A few local places with lots of great art/music, get yourself out the door!!

New Britain Museum of American Art, 42nd Annual Juried Exhibition

When: Sunday, October 30, 2 to 3:30 p.m.

Where : 56 Lexington St., New Britain, CT, 06052
Exhibition Dates: Oct. 29 – Nov. 13, 2011

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Central Connecticut State University Art Galleries present

PHILIP PEARLSTEIN

PAINTINGS, DRAWINGS, AND WATERCOLORS

October 20^th – November 18^th, 2011

Opening Reception, October 20^th, 4 – 7 PM

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Don't Forget !!!

Show opens this Saturday.

Red Triangle 1 by: Paul Sakren

AbStRaCt

Running from Oct. 22 through Nov. 13

Opening reception: Sat. Oct. 22, 6-8 pm

Refreshments and Hors d'oeuvres available.

Open to the public (donations accepted)

For more information, please contact Artwell Gallery:

19 Water St.

Torrington, Ct. 06790

860-482-5122

www.artwellgallery.org

artwell@sbcglobal.net

Gallery hours: Thurs. - Sun. 12 - 5 pm or by appointment

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Connecticut Blues Society:

CTBS presents the 2011 8th Annual Solo / Duo Challenge Finals on 10/23.

Hosted by The Pine Loft, 1474 Berlin Turnpike, Berlin. Sponsored by Blue Moon Beer.
The first ten people arriving get a free copy of the Ct. Blues Society compilation cd "Blues State Blues" !!
The winner will compete in the International Blues Challenge, in Memphis.

Steve V. Balkun will be playing in the finals challenge at 8 pm. Come and cheer him on!!

Check out more pics of Steve in the first round at: http://BFormaker.zenfolio.com/pineloft9-25-2011/e324b3c8

Vote for GHAA!!

2011-10-19T21:40:00.000-04:00

Now I know you are the most awesome voting community ever, so here's an opportunity to help out my school. If you are so inclined and have the time, Press that 'vote' button for GHAA!

The Greater Hartford Academy of the Arts has entered to win a grant for its music department and they need everyone’s vote! Awards will range from $10K to $50K.

Go to http://www.gleegiveanote.com and vote for the GHAA video. You can vote once daily from one IP Address. Type in "Academy of the Arts" under search by school. Please note, depending on your location, your entire school may count as one IP address so you may have to do this from home.

Voting ends November 11^th.

Thank You!

Music in the air!

2011-10-14T12:09:00.003-04:00

Followin' the Fonk Cirkis tour and Donna Martin's new cd!!

November 4th - Toad's Place Upstairs (Lilly's Pad) - New Haven CT

November 12th - Pub 32 - Storrs CT

January 7th - Iron Frog Tavern - Simsbury CT

Ck out the Three Wheeled Fonk Cirkis on their new website:

http://www.wix.com/nicholasbalkun/threewheeledfonkcirkis

and here is the webpage for the toad's place show to get tickets:

https://tickets.aftonshows.com/ThreeWheeledFonkCirkis

Promo code is: THREE662

AND

Donna Martin's new cd release party coming in November, we can't wait!!

From Donna: "I'll be performing the show with a great little trio. Jeff Lorello will be joining me on upright bass and Danny Reilert on guitar. These great musicians stepped up at a moments notice to join me in the studio and make Big Country happen in record time. So, if you are in the mood to tap your toes, clap your hands and have an all around good time I hope you'll join us."

Donna Martin CD Release

November 5th, 2011

7:30pm

Northwest Park Nature Center

145 Lang Road, Windsor CT

Tickets $15.00

www.northwestpark.org

Open Studio: New Haven

2011-10-14T11:52:00.001-04:00

Lots of great artists in one unique place! I'll be checking this out, you should too!

CITY-WIDE OPEN STUDIOS BEGINS TONIGHT!

Grand Opening Reception: Friday, October 14, 5pm-late

Join us at Artspace (50 Orange Street) to celebrate the grand opening of the Open Studios Festival Exhibition, featuring one work by each participating CWOS artist. Free! At 6pm, take a break from gallery-gazing and start dancing as Outdoor Salsa has its final hurrah in the Artspace Lot (corner of Orange and Chapel). After 8pm, stroll around the neighborhood as L.A.M.P. (Light Artists Making Places) joins forces with Project Storefronts and merchants of the Ninth Square to light up the night and keep our party going after dark.

Erector Square Open Studios: Saturday and Sunday, October 15-16, noon-5pm

For the first Open Studios weekend, 100 artists in the former Erector Set factory will open their studios to the public—visit our artists as we celebrate their practice, share their process, and showcase the vitality and diversity of New Haven as a creative hub. With demonstrations and live music! 315 Peck St, New Haven.

More at cwos.org

Art opening!

2011-10-05T09:53:00.000-04:00

I am honored to be included in this show in a charming gallery in Putnam CT. The gallery is sponsoring the show on behalf of Breast Cancer awareness.

YOU ARE INVITED TO THE NEXT GALLERY OPENING:

"3rd Annual Women's Show:

A Breast Cancer Benefit" Art Exhibit

Silver Circle Gallery, Putnam CT

On Display October 5 - October 30, 2011

Opening Friday October 7th, 2011, 6-8pm (free to the public)

Look, Inna Linov, Mixed Media

October, 2011...The Silver Circle Gallery in Putnam, CT is pleased to announce the upcoming exhibit "The 3^rd Annual Women's Show: a Breast Cancer Benefit,"on display from October 5 - 30, 2011. The opening reception, Friday October 7th, 2011 from 6-8pm, is a free event that will allow the public to view the artwork and meet the artists.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness month--the perfect time to honor women and men who have courageously battled the disease and to support causes that may help save lives. Breast cancer affects hundreds of thousands a year in our country alone, but touches everyone in some way. The close-knit community in northeastern Connecticut is no exception.

Inspired by many friends and family member's diagnoses, owner Carly Martin felt passionate about spearheading a cause so personal and yet so widespread. "This is my chance to give back and help others who may not have the resources to detect and treat breast cancer. I want to turn awareness into a hands-on effort that directly impacts lives in our area."

Again this year a percentage of the sales from the exhibit will be donated to Day Kimball Hospital Deary Memorial Cancer Fund, which supports local women and men's mammograms, ultrasounds, biopsies, surgeries, lab tests, oncology therapies, and education for aspiring radiographers.

This year Silver Circle Gallery is proud to present eighteen local and regional female artists who have created artwork exploring issues pertaining to life as a woman, many of them touched by breast cancer in some way. This year's show has a wide range of visual art that includes drawings, paintings, photography, sculpture, multi -media and conceptual work.

October Openings

2011-10-01T20:42:00.013-04:00

Here are upcoming events involving some of my talented artist friends, go out and support their amazing work!

Artist's Statement

Joseph Cornell said that collage is the work that comes from “the sacred search”; the seeking and finding of used and abandoned materials.

For example, during a recent visit with her daughter in California, Ms. Floyd found small plastic bags of Japanese kimono scraps for sale. Those cloth bits, along with odd crochet pieces, a Chinese doily, and the corner of a discarded paint drop cloth became a collage. From something old came something new. This transformation is her work.

Ms. Floyd’s process begins with the search, opening her eyes to see the beauty of discarded fabrics, papers, rusted metal, scraps of wood, even buttons and feathers that can be rescued and restored. Then follows the mysterious puzzle of fitting the parts together, using a background of foam core or plywood instead of canvas, and paste and polymer rather than paint.

The materials themselves are Ms. Floyd’s inspiration. She does not aim to make a realistic “picture”. Her goal is to honor the materials with a new identity while retaining the elements of their old life.

Creating the collage with its bits and pieces, textures, and colors, is Ms. Floyd’s joy.

As a working artist who lived in Hartford for over 20 years, Floyd continues to work in her studio in the Arbor Art Center in Hartford.

Artist's Reception

Please join us on October 7, 2011 (6 p.m.–8 p.m.) to celebrate this new exhibition in the ArtWalk at Hartford Public Library, located in the heart of the city at 500 Main Street.

Clay Workshop: Farmington CT

2011-09-29T09:19:00.001-04:00

Close by and hands-on opportunity to make art!! offered through Miss Porter's School:

Miss Porter’s School Presents a

Taino Ceramic Workshop
with Angels Tello Pardo

Artist and founder of AMUCA Association of Farming Women Artists

Los Marranitos, Dominican Republic
Workshops (Open to all skill levels):

Saturday, October 15 and Sunday, October 16

9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Pottery & Photography Exhibit and Reception

Friday, October 14

6:00 to 9:00 p.m.

Registration fee of $100 per day includes clay, firing, and lunch.

Participants may attend one or both days.

To register, contact Susan Reeder Moss at (860) 409-3701 or susan_reeder_moss@missporters.org.

AMUCA is a non-profit dedicated to revitalizing the traditions of Taino ceramics and clay

sculpture by teaching farm women in the Dominican Republic to work in clay.

For more information, please visit www.amuca-art.org.

Clothesline Addendum

2011-09-28T09:14:00.002-04:00

You know my affection for clotheslines, so when the West Hartford Art League sponsored an exhibition via the clothesline, I was there! The WHAL had a wonderful turnout to the event assembled on the green by Blue Back Square including: individuals together with families making mosaics, and kids along side pros painting their hearts out!

"Balkun-Batch-Bidwell" section of the exhibit line!

A few weeks before, I enjoyed some 'student time' with my artist/teacher friend Susan, who graciously invited me for batik lessons. Here are some of the results:

Tools of the trade: hand made print blocks and buckets of dye.

Susan's backyard improv studio and her batiks.

My fabrics getting a second layer of wax.

Thanks for sharing your time and knowledge, Susan! I hope to try this again.

Art show - Hartford Art School

2011-09-27T21:28:00.000-04:00

Hartford Art School Alumni Juried Exhibtition

Opening Reception & Awards

Silpe Gallery of the Hartford Art School
Gallery Show: October 10 - October 25, 2011
Opening Reception: October 12, 2011
5:30 to 8:00 p.m. with Awards program at 7:00 p.m.

Join us as we celebrate the first ever alumni juried exhibition. Ninty eight alumni works will be displayed, all chosen by our juror Helen Hsu, Assistant Curator at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum. Several of the artworks are also available for purchase with a portion of the proceeds benefiting HAS alumni programs.

call for Artists: West Hartford & Putnam CT shows

2011-09-23T09:59:00.002-04:00

Above: an image of Tuscany, Italy from Sean Kernan's bookAmong Trees.

Sean is the juror for this years Exposures, our annual Juried Photography Exhibit, coming in November.

Exposures 2011

Juried Photography Exhibit

CALL FOR ARTISTS:

November 4-27, 2011

Clubhouse and Saltbox Galleries

Click here to download an entry form.

Juror of Selection and Awards:

Sean Kernan

Sean Kernan is an award-winning photographer and

writer who lives and works on the Connecticut coast.

His photographs have been shown in museums

around the world, including the Bibliotheca

Alexandrina, the Museum of Photography in Greece,

and the Whitney Museum in the United States, and he

has appeared in The New York Times Magazine,

Communication Arts, Graphis, and the Atlantic

Monthly. He is the author of Among Trees (Published

by Artisan Books, May 2003) and The Secret Books,

with Jorge Luis Borges.

The West Hartford Art League

860.231.8019

www.westhartfordart.org

Call For Entries

EXHIBIT NAME:

"Trashformations": Trash to Treasures

EXHIBIT DESCRIPTION:

Artists are often on the cutting edge and see things a bit differently than others. For instance there is now a very large movement using items we discard on a daily basis to create something entirely different and novel - contemporary art. This is the practice of "upcycling", transforming everyday trash into treasure troves of creativity. There have been hotels and places of worship made of garbage, as well as furniture and vehicles. We are looking for small-scale work for this show-- an art piece worthy of gift-giving for the holiday season exhibiting a sophisticated level of craftsmanship only. Make a mosaic or other mixed media work and exhibit your creativity. Compositions can be made from recycled paper or plastic bags, rubber bands, dried paint chips, recycled bottles, cans, bike parts. We ask that you do not submit perishable items like food as art.

IMPORTANT DATES:
*Submission Due Date: Friday October 7, 2011
Notification of Acceptance: Friday October 14, 2011
Exhibit Dates: November 30-December 31, 2011
Artist Reception: Friday, December 2, 6-8pm

HOW TO SUBMIT ARTWORK:
download the prospectus here for submission details

email us for more information

*contact us if you have any questions or concerns about deadlines*

Sky in flux

2011-09-20T10:31:00.000-04:00

Anyone catch this overcast sunset last thurs.? These were taken on Whiting Lane, a great spot to catch the full sky (also ck out So. Main by Rockledge and the ultimate spot at Buckland Hills mall). Look for the wash of orange cast on the ridges from the lowering sun. It all looks like quilt batting!

art show - Fairfield CT

2011-09-16T20:05:00.001-04:00

art opening tonight!

2011-09-16T08:21:00.000-04:00

Lots going on today and tomorrow down on Broad Street behind Trinity, come and join in the community celebrations!

ART OPENING RECEPTION:

Friday, September 16, 2011, 5pm-8pm

BROAD STREET GALLERY

(Trinity College, across from Trinfo-Cafe)

Artists Exhibiting: Andres Chaparro, Amaris Harris, Harmal Cuevas, Kevin Hernandez, Lindaluz Carrillo, Mozes, Zabu and others.

Peace, & Light

Andres Chaparro

Also an invite from Trinity's "Big Read", remember all those wonderful pics of my students working on the wave mural?? Ck out the previous blog post and join us on sat. as we celebrate!!

"As the final coda to our Big Read initiative of last spring, we will be
holding an "unveiling" and celebration of the Big Read Mural on the side of
Trinfo Café on Saturday, September 17, from 12-1 p.m. Marela
Zacarias, the artist who designed the mural and instructed dozens of
schoolchildren and Trinity students in mural making as part of the Big Read,
will be on hand, and final credits will have been added to complete the
mural and demonstrate its role in this community project.

We hope that you can attend and lift a glass with us as we celebrate last
spring's Big Read and look forward to more community alliances. Please let
me know if you have any questions or thoughts about this brief event."

Many thanks!
Lucy