Month: April 2017

Celebrate Earth Day this year at the Woodcock Nature Center on 56 Deer Run Road in Wilton from 8 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. on April 22. They are hosting a series of events throughout the morning and are inviting you to join them. Please be sure to register in advance for the programing online.

At 8 a.m there is a guided bird hike with local bird enthusiast, Noah Sferra, as he leads participants along the Woodcock Trails in search of returning migrating birds and year round residents.

At 9 a.m. and again at 10:30 a.m. join a Master Naturalist, Jim Nordgren, as he leads participants along the Woodcock Trails to see what can be discovered. Participates will learn about the spring season as spring wildflowers are in bloom, trees and shrubs are just beginning to leaf out and returning warblers and other migrating birds are near peak. It’s a perfect time to come out and see what’s popping up in the wetlands and woods.

Gather around at 9:30 a.m. to hear Staff Educator, Jennifer Bradshaw, read the fantastic tale called “The Lorax” by Dr. Suess. Learn why it is so important to be kind to our environment. Next Staff Educator, Sarah Breznen, will lead families on an exploratory hike on our trails where we will stop throughout to learn about the woodlands, search for salamanders and scoop in our vernal pools and look out for characters from “The Lorax” reading.

The morning finishes at 11 a.m. with a native animal encounter lead by Staff Educator, Jennifer Bradshaw. During this program she will share a few fun facts about the some of the native species resident to WNC. Meet our Painted Turtles, Wood Frogs, Spring Peepers, Snapping Turtles and a Box Turtle.

The Silo at Hunt Hill Farm’s cooking school in New Milford is offering a new series of classes called Preserving the Bounty that runs from May 6 through September 16. Each class offers techniques on how to work with the season’s freshest vegetables. The techniques you learn in each class with help you extend the season with simple easy to use recipes. Every class covers food safety and general procedures for a successful seal every time! These are “Hands-on” classes with each participant taking home recipes and 2 freshly made jars of seasonal goodness- plus the confidence to DIY at home.

Preserving the Bounty kicks off on May 6 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. with a class, Pickles int he Pantry with chef Pam Lillis. As a participant you will become part of the farm to table movement as you learn to pickle almost anything! The class will start with creating your own jars of garlic dills or string beans, and pickled fruit or ginger …and then can them from start to finish. Participants will learn about the brines, technique, and about the science of pickling.

On Saturday, June 17 participants will learn how to preserve the spring and summer bounty of fruits, and berries. Learn to make sweet and savory jams and jellies and take full advantage of what we wait for all year long here in the New England! Recipes using the best of the season will become favorites as you explore fresh flavor profiles to accommodate favorite flavors such as chai and cardamom.

The class on July 22 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. will be an intro to infusions: Oils, Vinegar, and Shrubs. This class will show students how to make their own herb infused oils for dipping and recipes. Participants will create flavored vinegar’s that are not only delicious but beautiful to look at. They will also explore fruit shrubs in creative combinations for cocktails and mocktails!

The final class on Saturday, September 16 from 11 a.m. to 2 pm is all about tomatoes ! A perfect class to take if you have a bumper crop! Recipes include Original Gazpacho Salsa & Roasted Tomato Puree. A highlight of this class is the focus on the methods used to safely can whole or diced tomatoes that you can serve all winter long.

Art that represents music, tones paired with visions of grandeur, will be on exhibit at the Maritime Garage Gallery from March 7 through June 2, 2017. The Gallery is located in the Maritime Parking Garage exhibit space in Norwalk, CT. The exhibit is free and open to the public from 9:00am -5:00pm, Monday through Friday.

The exhibit, entitled “Chromatic,” features art that shows the visual crossing of the sense of hearing and sight. Exhibiting artists include Binnie Birstein of Norwalk; Tania Canteli of Beacon, NY; Ashley Nelson and Mary Grace Leone of West Haven; Lori Slotkin of Darien; Eric Chiang of Westport; Heidi Lewis Coleman and Mari Gyorgyey of Stamford. Jeanine Esposito and Frederic Chiu of Beachwood Arts in Westport, CT were ​guest jurors for “Chromatic”.

The Maritime Garage Gallery is part of the Parking Authority’s “Art in Parking Places” initiative, an effort to support art in public spaces. For more information, call 203- 831-9063, or visit http://www.norwalkpark.org/public-art .

Westport’s First Selectman, Jim Marpe, will proclaim April 2017 “American Revolution Month” in recognition of the 240th anniversary of The Danbury Raid when the British landed at Compo Beach and raided Patriot supplies in Danbury.

“The 1777 raid was the most important military action by the British in Southwest Connecticut during the war,” Marpe said. “Today it is mostly remembered in the cannons at Compo Beach, the Minute Man Monument and a plaque showing where the Red Coats forded the Saugatuck River on their way back to their ships at Compo. American Revolution Month will give everyone an opportunity to take a more complete look at Westport’s most historic event.”

The Westport Historical Society will join the town in memorializing the raid – and the resistance by militia troops under the command of Brigadier General Benedict Arnold – with a month-long exhibit at Wheeler House, 25 Avery Place. The main exhibit, in the Sheffer Gallery, will feature maps of the British troop movements, accounts of skirmishes between Red Coats and Patriots at Ridgefield and Compo Hill, portraits of the principal commanders, and displays of uniforms and weaponry. The smaller Mollie Donovan Room will have an exhibit about life in Westport during the Revolution.

The Danbury Raid was prompted by intelligence from Loyalists indicating that the Patriots had gathered a large store of military supplies and food in Danbury. The British thought their raid would encounter only scant resistance since most of Connecticut’s Continental Army regulars had been sent to New Jersey to reinforce Gen. George Washington.

After the skirmish at Ridgefield, Arnold withdrew to Westport’s Old Hill, where he would have a commanding position from which to fire his cannons at the British as they approached the King’s Highway Bridge over the Saugatuck. Arnold’s plan failed, however, when loyalists accompanying the British led them to an upstream ford known only to locals. This incident is recounted in “The Bridge Not Taken,” a book published by the Westport Historical Society and available in the Gift Shop, in 2002 to mark the 225th anniversary of The Danbury Raid.

The 7th Annual Northlight Art Center Student Show will be on display at the Sharon Historical Society & Museum Art Gallery through April 28. Visitors will enjoy diverse artworks created over the past year by students of all ages, including drawings, pastels, watercolor, acrylic and oil paintings representing a wide range of subject matter.

Northlight Art Center was founded in 2010 by artist Pieter Lefferts. NAC, originally located in Sharon and now operating in Amenia, offers art classes for all ages taught by working professional artists in drawing, painting, photography and more. Much of the artwork will be available for purchase. All purchases support the Sharon Historical Society & Museum’s mission.

The Gallery @the SHS is located in the Sharon Historical Society & Museum at 18 Main Street in Sharon, CT. Museum hours are Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from noon to 4:00 PM, Saturday from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM and by appointment. For more information and directions to The Gallery @the SHS, call (860) 364-5688. For additional information about the Sharon Historical Society & Museum, visit www.sharonhist.org.

Celebrate April with two art themed events and a tag sale at the Silvermine Art Center located on 1037 Silvermine Road in New Canaan. The month of April kicks off with the popular one night stand series, this one in honor of spring is themed painting flowers with watercolors and takes place on April 7 from 7 pm to 9 pm. Participants will create lovely little flower paintings while learning the basic techniques of watercolors. There is something so lovely about painting fresh flowers in watercolor. Through demonstrations, create washes, work from the color wheel for mixing shadows participants will learn other watercolor techniques to create fresh flower paintings.

The one night stand series is a unique opportunity to experience various forms of fine art in a relaxed and fun atmosphere, without the long commitment. These mini evening workshops are perfect for participants with no experience in the arts or for those who have experience but not in that area of study. Each session will have a different instructor and a different art experience. You can invite your spouse, friends and family to spend time together while creating works of art and enjoying each other’s company. You are welcome to bring a bottle of wine and some snacks, and be creative. These workshops are for ages 17 and up only. Art materials will be provided for all workshops and all levels are welcome.

The next event is the highly anticipated annual art materials and equipment sale that is taking place on April 22 in the school building from 10 am to 4 pm. This sale is the perfect time to purchase a variety of donated art materials and equipment at a really good price. Some of the items that will be available are a variety of sizes and shapes of frames, stretcher bars, paints, (oil, acrylic, watercolor or pastels), cameras, ceramic equipment, sculpture supplies and art books. The best part of this sale is that all proceeds go to the Silvermine School for Children.

The final April event is another one night stand class, this one is on crackle bowls on the potters wheel. This session is open to both beginners and those who have been on the potter’s wheel before. This workshop will kick up the wow factor on your pottery creations. Not only will instructors go over all the basic skills to form the raw clay into a bowl but they will use a liquid glass solution to make a wonderful textured crackle finish on the outside of your bowl. Lastly color will be added by using tinted liquid clays called slips. Project will take approximately six weeks to be fired.

For more information visit the Silvermine Arts Center online. Remember to sign up for the monthly newsletter of travel tips and deals published by Western Connecticut Convention and Visitors Bureau.