Month: September 2015

Flanders will host its annual fall fundraising auction titled, “Forces of Nature” this year on Saturday evening, October 3rd, at the Southbury Crowne Plaza Hotel. Legendary for its many diverse offerings in the silent and live auction part of the program, this year’s event also includes a cocktail reception with hors d’oeuvres, delicious family style dinner, and dessert table.

The live auction will feature artwork from this year’s headliner artist Danielle Mailer, who has donated her piece entitled, “Night Bird One”, as well as the work of other noted regional artists. Up for bidding in both the live and silent auctions will be more than 100 unique items including trips and tickets, home and garden items, dinners, gift certificates and one-of-a-kind experiences.

Artwork that has been donated by area artists for live bidding can be viewed at Clapp & Tuttle Fine Art and Framing Gallery, 742 Main Street South, in Woodbury from September 19 through October 2 during galley hours which are Tues. – Fri. 9:30 to 5:30 pm and Sat. 9:30 to 4 pm.

Tickets are available at $85 /person or in groups of 10 for $765. All proceeds from the event will benefit the environmental education and land preservation programs of Flanders. For more information visit Flanders website at www.flandersnaturecenter.org. or call Flanders at (203) 263-3711; Ext 10.

For area event information www.litchfieldhills.com

As summer fades it’s time to return to the business of making and selling art and craft. At Cornwall Bridge Pottery located on 415 Sharon Goshen Turnpike in West Cornwall Connecticut they are busy making pots for their now-legendary wood-kiln. It’s the first and still largest wood burning kiln in New England. Built and first fired in 1974, it takes 6 cords and 10 days to load and fire. Once finished 6000 lbs of finished wares will flood their shelves. In order to make room for this massive influx they are clearing our shelves during this once-a-year SUPERClearance. During this weekend many of the items throughout the entire Store, not just the pottery, will be on Sale — kitchenware, frames, iron goods, home accessories and much more.

In addition, in their 1500 sq. ft. Covered Bridge Gallery, we are featuring the work of Sybil Perry. Her show, “For the Love of the Land” featuring thirty NEW landscape paintings, will officially OPEN on Saturday October 10th from 3-5pm, wine and hor’s oeuvres will be served. On Saturday October 24th at 3 pm Sybil will be in Gallery giving a talk about the source of her inspiration and the techniques she uses when creating. She has said, “When I come upon a scene, it must be something that stops my heart and makes my throat ache. My process is first to take photos. I often combine several photos to arrive at something even better. My real love is color, and pastel— so fresh, alive and direct— is now my medium of choice. Pastels from the 16th century exist today as fresh as the day they were painted. I let myself “play with the colors,” experimenting to create the specific ones I
will use.

As an added incentive there will be a discount of 10% on all sales of Shaker furniture transacted during this Columbus Day Weekend period (good for ordered furniture as well as items from showroom floor). They will have ongoing demonstrations of wheel-throwing as well as discussions and in-depth videos of the making and firing process. They are proud to be one of the few truly native craft business still hard at work in the Northeastern part of the United States.

For more area information www.litchfieldhills.com

The Center for Contemporary Printmaking (CCP) announces the opening of 20th Retrospective: Highlights From the Past 20 Years, on display September 12 through December 13, 2015.

As the culminating event celebrating its twentieth anniversary, the retrospective features work by artists who have exhibited at CCP’s Grace Ross Shanley Gallery—many of whom have been integral to the Center’s development: Donald Sultan, Michael Mazur, Helen Frankenthaler, Gabor Peterdi, Robert Andrew Parker and Robert Cottingham, among others

It is wonderful to see exhibiting artists from the past twenty years brought together to celebrate the art of printmaking at this show. An extraordinarily powerful image, Donald Sultan’s Yellow Poppies September 12, 2013 is an eight–color screenprint with flocking, on loan to the Center by Mary Ryan Gallery. Sultan was the first artist selected to create a limited edition print for CCP’s Edition Club—now an annual fundraiser at the Center.

The Helen Frankenthaler Foundation has loaned three of her prints for the exhibition. The eponymous Helen Frankenthaler Printmaking Cottage—home to the Center’s Artist-in-Residence program— was supported early on by the generosity of Frankenthaler who donated printing presses and other material support to CCP and was a member of its Advisory Board. Gabor Peterdi Studio has loaned an early work showing Peterdi’s signature small moveable intaglio plates and the Dremel drill as a drawing tool; and, Still Life in Germany (1946), a rare pure line engraving. Michael Mazur ‘s monotype portrait of Peterdi at work is also on loan. Mazur had been a student of his at Yale and a lifelong friend. Peterdi lived and worked in Norwalk (Rowayton) for fifty years and had been an early advisor to Grace Shanley. Coincidentally, the 20th Retrospective brackets Peterdi’s 100th birthday.

About the Center
The Center for Contemporary Printmaking (CCP) is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to the art of the print: intaglio, lithography, monotype, silkscreen, woodblock printing, paperworks, book arts, and digital arts. Housed in a 19th–century stone carriage house, this 5,000–square–foot historical landmark is located at 299 West Avenue in Mathews Park, Norwalk, Connecticut. The CCP gallery and offices are open Tuesday–Sunday, 9 am–5 pm. Closed Monday. Grace Ross Shanley Gallery features acclaimed juried exhibitions throughout the year and is handicapped accessible.
The CCP curriculum includes over 75 printmaking workshops per year. Artists who participate in the Artist-in-Residence Program have the opportunity to live and work in Helen Frankenthaler Printmaking Cottage close to the main building. Edition printing is offered by the CCP master printer and an associate printer on staff. For more information, please call 203-899-7999 or visit www.contemprints.org.

The American Museum of Tort Law, the nation’s first museum devoted to the legal system,
opens on September 26 in the Litchfield Hills town of Winsted, the home town of the museum’s
President, consumers advocate Ralph Nader.

After dedicating nearly half a century to battling businesses over issues such as dangerous
products, the 81-year-old Nader is spearheading the museum in a former downtown bank
building to celebrate the branch of law that offers relief to anyone who suffers injury from
wrongful acts of others, from careless drivers or neighbors to negligent corporations. The
nonprofit, educational institution hopes to make people aware of the pivotal role of tort law in
the protection of personal freedom and safety. And it will celebrate the historical and
contemporary achievements of the civil justice system.

According to museum director Richard L. Newman, former president of the Connecticut Trial
Lawyers Association, the new facility will include a timeline of the development of tort law and
a theater. Exhibits will tell in compelling fashion of cases large and small where tort law and the
right to trial by jury has protected individuals against wrongful injury. Two dramatic examples
are Liebeck vs McDonalds, a case concerning scalding coffee, and Cipollone v. Liggett, where
the plaintiff alleged that cigarette manufacturers knew — but did not warn consumers — that
smoking caused lung cancer and that cigarettes were addictive. The public will learn a lot more
than they generally know about these and other important issues, Newman promises.

Details of museum hours and events will be available on the web site www.tortmuseum.org.

For information about lodging, dining and other activities in the area and a free copy of UNWIND, a full-color, 152-page booklet detailing what to do and see, and where to stay, shop and dine throughout Fairfield County and the Litchfield Hills of Western Connecticut, contact the Western Connecticut Visitors Bureau, PO Box 968, Litchfield, CT 06759, (860) 567-4506, or visit their web site at www.visitlitchfieldhills.com

The Stamford Museum and Nature Center will be hosting its Fall Farm to Table Supper on Saturday, September 26 at 6 pm and will feature Executive Chef Joe Jenkins of Apogee Events. This exceptional dining experience, sponsored by First County Bank, will take place in the intimate setting of the Bendel Mansion. The evening will begin with artisanal hors d’oeuvres and cocktails to be enjoyed during an exclusive gallery tour with artist and environmental advocate Nancy Judd in her new exhibition, ReDress: Upcycled Style by Nancy Judd.

Chef Joe Jenkins honed his cooking skills at the prestigious Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, NY. Jenkins and wife founded the successful Le Potager Catering in 1999 which was later acquired by Glorious Food. He served as Executive Chef for fifteen years at Glorious Food in New York City, where he tempted the elite with his exquisite, delectable food. During his career he has had the distinct pleasure of creating memorable dinners for some of New York’s most prestigious organizations including, The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Ball; Robin Hood Foundation, the US Open Tennis Corporate Tents at Arthur Ashe Stadium; and the New York City Ballet. Jenkins currently resides with his family in Stamford, CT.

Tickets are currently on sale for the Fall Farm to Table Supper. The cost is $200 per person or $2,500 for a table sponsorship of ten tickets. Seating is limited. To purchase tickets online or for more information, visit www.stamfordmuseum.org/farmtotable or call Madeline Raleigh at 203.977.6546. Proceeds will support the mission and vision of the Stamford Museum & Nature Center. Table settings for the event will be provided by Juliska with flowers being created by the Stamford Garden Club. The media sponsor is Moffly Media.

The Stamford Museum & Nature Center, a 501(c) (3) not-for-profit organization, is dedicated to the preservation and interpretation of art and popular culture, the natural and agricultural sciences, and history. The Museum is a vital cultural and educational resource for the community, and a focal point for family activity and interaction, seeking to inspire creativity, foster self-discovery, promote environmental stewardship, and nurture an appreciation for lifelong learning through exhibitions, educational programs, and special events that enhance the visitor’s experience of its unique site.

The Stamford Museum & Nature Center is located at 39 Scofieldtown Road, Stamford, CT.

On Sunday, September 20th,from 1 p.m. ro 4 p.m. Silvermine’s FREE annual ArtsFest celebrates its 5th year. Join Fairfield County’s premier arts center for an afternoon of fun for all ages. The day will include art exhibitions, hands-on art activities for children and adults, a performance of Street Beat’s Parkour Percussion, and the continuing outdoor exhibit of Carole Eisner’s steel sculptures. The Silvermine Art Center is located on 1037 Silvermine Road · New Canaan, CT 06840.

Street Beat is a kinetic, maximum energy explosion of urban rhythm and dance, utilizing junk, household items and found objects for drums and percussion and featuring modern “street” choreography. Merging African, Cuban, Latin, West African and jazz concepts this show is as thrilling to watch as it is to hear. The infectious nature of Street Beat takes the most ancient of art forms – drumming and dancing – and brings it to the modern stage.

Founder Ben Hansen created Street Beat as a creative response to funding cuts. He designed the production to use found objects and household items everyone could find. The group turned heads in the entertainment industry for its synthesis of hip-hop dance and urban rhythms and was signed to Columbia Artists. With their explosion of energy and their troupe of drummers and dancers, they play to sold-out crowds at contemporary dance festivals and other venues. Their dynamic stage production is contagious fun.

ArtsFest began as a festive launch of Silvermine’s Sculpture Walk. Each year, new works are added to the Walk, and this year it is complemented by an additional outdoor exhibition of Carole Eisner’s painted steel sculptures. The Silvermine Arts Center will run shuttles between Silvermine’s campus and the Silvermine Elementary School parking lot at 157 Perry Avenue in Norwalk, less than a mile from the Arts Center campus. All parking for the general public will be at the Silvermine School. Handicapped parking will be available at the Arts Center itself.

See more at: http://www.silvermineart.org