Category: Connecticut Travel

Where’s Waldo? In Washington Depot, of course. The famous children’s book character in the striped shirt and black-rimmed specs is visiting over twenty local businesses throughout the community this July. Those who spot him can win prizes, including buttons, book coupons and more. From The Hickory Stick Bookshop at 2 Green Hill Road to The Washington Pizza House at 13 River Road, from The Pantry and KMR Arts, Titus Road to The Washington Art Association at 4 Bryan Plaza, Waldo figures will be well hidden in local business establishments. Find Waldo Local is a great summer vacation activity, and a wonderful way for residents to support local business and the Shop Local movement.

Anyone who wishes to participate can pick up a “Find Waldo Local in Washington Depot!” passport with the names of all the participating sites, and get their passport stamped or signed for each Waldo they spot. Waldo seekers who get their passports stamped or signed at ten or more sites can bring their passports back to The Hickory Stick Bookshop to collect prizes. Collecting store stamps or signatures at all of the businesses will entitle diligent seekers entry into a grand prize drawing on July 31, with the top prize being a 6-volume deluxe set of Waldo books.

Where’s Waldo is the creation of Martin Handford, whose entertaining drawings of crowd scenes swept the world in the late eighties. Since then, the Where’s Waldo books have held a cherished spot on bookstore shelves the world over. There are now over 63 million Waldo books in print worldwide and they’ve been translated into over 30 languages. An entire generation has grown up searching for Waldo and his cast of wandering companions.

In celebration of Waldo’s longevity and popularity, his American publisher, Candlewick Press, is once again teaming up with the American Booksellers Association and 250 independent bookstores all across the country, including The Hickory Stick Bookshop here in Washington Depot for some hide and seek fun as well as to encourage communities to patronize their local businesses. There is no charge to participate, and the hunt lasts for the entire month of July. For more information about hunting for Waldo and Woof in Washington Depot, call The Hickory Stick Bookshop at 860-868-0525.

For more area information www.litchfieldhills.com

Five Points Gallery will open a new exhibition on Thursday, July 2, 2015. The show, which will feature the work of Cecilia Mandrile, Dee Shapiro and Ed Jaffe, will run through August 1, 2015. Five Points Gallery, which is free, will be open to the public Thursdays through Sundays. Hours are Thursdays from 1- 9 p.m.; Friday through Sundays from 1 to 5 p.m. An opening reception for this show will take place on Friday, July 17, 2015 at 6 p.m. and an artist talk will be held on Friday, July 31, 2015 at 6 p.m. The public is encouraged to attend both events.

The featured artist in the East Gallery will be Cecilia Mandrile in a show titled: “The Perfume of Absence”. This exhibition will focus on a traveling project (1998-2004) of the same name which was developed as the artist journeyed throughout Argentina, Cuba, United States, Europe and the Middle East. Cecilia Mandrile, in commenting on this project wrote: “Through traveling projects, I search to portray impermanence. During years of moving, I was performing and recording ephemeral installations, observing cities and their crevices through a portable reference: hand-made sight-less dolls. Several versions of a disguised self-portrait were printed on canvas, attached to objects found or given in various locations.” The exhibition at Five Points Gallery will include some of the traveling dolls but will also include a recent series of sketches of the dolls. In addition, Solitaire (2014), a set of laser cut-cards made from their shadows will be on view, accompanied by the corresponding publications documenting the projects.

Every Which Way”, an exhibition featuring the work of Dee Shapiro, will take place in the West Gallery. Shapiro’s recent works are an explosion of past obsessions with pattern; patterns that occur in nature, craft and women’s work. According to the artist, the relationship to geometry has always been a focus from her earliest work to her current work. Her pieces, which are drawn in ink and paint on paper and board, create color and form with endless possible variations. Of her work, Shapiro writes: ” I borrow from many sources for collage material including other artist’s work in a collaborative effort where the results form an integrated
piece.”

The TDP Gallery will feature an exhibition titled: “Ed Jaffe: Sculpture”. Jaffe refers to himself as a “self taught second career artist”. Born in Connecticut, he studied Advertising Photography at the Art Center in L.A., and then served in the army until his discharge in 1954. Shortly thereafter, he established his business in New York City where he enjoyed a long, successful career as an advertising photographer. Jaffe later lived in Vermont then moved to Virginia where for the last 20 years, he had his own gallery. In the spring of 2014, he moved back to New England and he is currently in the process of setting up a studio in an old barn. His work is in private collections across the country. In describing his work, Jaffe states: ” Looking back over the past 40 years or so I find that certain elements have been showing up my work whether it’s sculpture or painting. I love the interlocking of major and minor space. Triangle and pyramid shapes abound. One form appears over another. Texture blends into something smooth. It’s all about watching light play on and in the surface. It’s all about physical and visual touch.”

Five Points Gallery is located at 33 Main Street, Torrington, CT. For more information about the gallery please visit www.fivepointsgallery.org.

Immigrants now comprise approximately 13 percent of the total U.S. population (41.3 million), of which over a fourth are undocumented (11.4 million) and close to a fifth live in poverty. Despite numerous roadblocks, many in the United States have called for an overhaul of the immigration system, seeing it as a necessary and crucial step in the development of a more humane and just American society. Yet many others still fail to acknowledge immigrant hardships or to empathize with their conditions, prompting individuals, such as community activists and artists like those in Acting on Dreams, to attempt to fill the enormous gaps in immigration services and knowledge.

With a recent surge in border crossings on the one hand, and stalled legislation in Congress and increased deportations on the other—the work of community and grassroots groups to raise awareness and ease immigrant living conditions has become more essential. The works included in this exhibition chronicle several efforts of immigrants and their advocates, while drawing connections between various communities and concerns within this highly complex issue. The artists apply their creative skills to further compassionate and respectful policies, and strive to communicate the immigrant experience in the United States—the frequent sense of isolation and uncertainty, but also courageousness, pride, and anticipation.

The projects presented in Acting On Dreams include installation, sculpture, and video. Together, these artists present informed perspectives on U.S. immigration today via strategies such as research, storytelling and activism. Acting on Dreams explores the work of artists who use creative, often process-oriented, strategies and community collaborations to advocate for authorized and undocumented immigrants and propose innovative alternatives to immigration reform.

Exhibiting artists are: Andrea Bowers, CultureStrike & JustSeeds, Chitra Ganesh and Mariam Ghani, Ghana ThinkTank, Marisa Morán Jahn (Studio REV-) in collaboration with National Domestic Workers Alliance and Caring Across Generations, Jenny Polak, QUEEROCRACY in collaboration with Carlos Motta, and Favianna Rodriguez.

The gallery, located on 41 Franklin Street in Stamford is closed Monday and Tuesday and is open Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday: noon – 5:00PM Thursdays: noon – 7:00PM.

For more information http://www.franklinstreetworks.org
For area information www.visitfairfieldcountyct.com

Families can escape the heat this summer at the Stamford Museum & Nature Center’s new exhibition – Nature’s Numbers. This cool, colorful, and interactive exhibition, developed and produced by the Franklin Institute, stimulates numerical thinking, builds math skills, and promotes a positive attitude towards math through play with math concepts in nature. Four themes: Repeating Patterns, Basic Shapes and Structures, Designs in Nature, and Nature’s Puzzles make it fun to learn about math in the natural world.

Concept-driven content is designed to introduce, explain, or reinforce concepts and skills for visitors from preschool through middle school. Games, puzzles, and live animals make it fun for everyone. Exhibits from the Natural History Collections of the Stamford Museum & Nature Center will reinforce math skills including counting, ordering, patterning, measurements, and classification. Insects, reptiles, birds, plants, shells, crystals, and fossils illustrate the amazing role math plays in nature.

The Stamford Museum Galleries are open, Monday – Saturday 9 am – 5 pm; Sundays 11 am – 5 pm. Members: Free /Non-Members: Free with gate admission. For more information visit www.stamfordmuseum.org or call 203.977.6521.

Related Programming:
NATURE IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE NUMBER…
Thursdays, June 25 – August 20, 3:30 – 4:30 pm
Discover the wondrous ways that numbers play a role in nature. Each week we will focus on a different number and will include live animal visits, field experiences, or hikes to explore a natural numeral. Six will introduce us to the world of the insect and the bee’s honeycomb, eight to the world of spiders and arachnids, 21 to fabulous flowers and more. Meet at the Museum Building.
Members: FREE | Non-Members: FREE with gate admission

PATTERNS & FORMS: NUMBERS IN NATURE
Sunday, August 2, 11 am – 3 pm
Join us for a special celebration of the summer exhibition, Nature’s Numbers, with a look at the patterns and sequences of numbers in nature. Explore the spirals in seeds and shells, discover the family tree of our honeybees with an “open hive” (weather permitting), and take a closer look at our favorite fruits and veggies to see their patterns. Discover the Fibonacci sequence in nature and learn about the animals that he studied by meeting our rabbits and cows. Plant seeds to take home, create great Fibonacci-inspired art, and learn about this special numbers pattern through some Fibonacci hopscotch. A schedule of events will be posted at stamfordmuseum.org closer to the event.
Members: FREE | Non-Members: FREE with gate admission

Stamford Museum & Nature Center
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.

Stamford Museum & Nature Center is located at 39 Scofieldtown Road, Stamford, CT (3/4 mile North of Merritt Parkway Exit 35.) For more information call 203.322.1646 or visit www.tamfordmuseum.org.. For area information www.visitfairfieldcountyct.com

The galleries of the Bruce Museum will be bursting with pride this summer, and into fall: The Museum opens The Seven Deadly Sins: Pride through October 18 part of a groundbreaking series of area exhibitions exploring the Seven Deadly Sins. Presented by seven members of the Fairfield/Westchester Museum Alliance (FWMA), the Seven Deadly Sins exhibitions represent the group’s first ever collaborative effort.

The Seven Deadly Sins have played a significant role in theology, literature and art since the Middle Ages. The exhibition’s curators point out that the show is intended not only to put the sin of pride within a historical context, but also to encourage discussion, raising questions about the history of morality and moralizing.

The Bruce Museum exhibition places the sin of Pride within a historical context, presenting nearly 50 works ranging from Dürer works on paper from as far back as 1498 to Fay Ku’s 2014 graphite and oil on mylar. Susan Ball and Co-Curator Amanda Skehan have selected paintings, engravings, etchings, lithographs, illustrated books, magazines, three-dimensional objects and more from private collections, galleries, and institutions that include Yale University Art Gallery, Minneapolis Institute of Art, National Gallery of Art, Princeton Art Museum, Philadelphia Museum of Art, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Brooklyn Museum, and The Clark Art Institute.

The Pride exhibition at the Bruce will be complemented by some unique programming, including the Superbia Soirée at the Museum on Friday, July 17, and a Puppet Show Family Day on Sunday, July 19.

The Superbia Soirée, a lively after-hours event open to the public, will take place on Friday, July 17 from 6 to 8 pm. The event will offer special evening access to the exhibition, as well as a variety of activities to celebrate the show including a grown-up scavenger hunt and a special curator’s tour that includes an opportunity to hear from some of the featured artists. Admission is $15 for Museum members and $20 for non-members. Reservations are recommended, visit https://brucemuseum.org.

On Sunday, July 19, the Museum presents a Puppet Show Family Day from 1 to 4 pm. At 2 pm, Magpie Puppets will entertain children and adults alike with the interactive puppet show The Emperor’s New Clothes. Craft activities will be available in the Museum’s Education Workshop. No reservations are necessary, and the event is free with Museum admission.

For area event information www.visitfairfieldcountyct.com.

The Fairfield Museum has organized two fun events on July 18 and 19 that brings history to life while getting some fresh air and exercise in the bargain!

On Saturday, July 18, take a walk around the historic town green from 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Participants will walk on the site of Fairfield’s 1639 colonial settlement and find out more about Roger Ludlow, Fairfield’s Puritan roots, and the 17th century “witch ducking experiments.” You will also stroll by the 1780 Burr Homestead where John Hancock married Dorothy Quincy. These stories and more await you on this fascinating journey. The walking tour is limited to 30 people and advanced, online registration is required

On Sunday, July 19, the Fairfield Museum and the Town of Fairfield Bicycle and Pedestrian Committee, have teamed up and are offering a unique cycling tour that will cover approximately 10 miles, starting and ending at the Museum and the historic Town Green, site of the town’s founding in 1639.
The cycling tour will explore several historic Fairfield locations including the 1750 Ogden House and the Southport setting of the Pequot Indian Swamp Fight. Bicycle tour participants are required to wear helmets and the group is limited to the first 25 people who sign up in advance.

Both tours will be led by Walter D. Matis, Program Volunteer Coordinator for the Fairfield Museum. The walking tour and the cycling tour are each priced at $5 for museum members and $8 for non-members, which includes admission to the Museum. Children interested in the cycling tour must be age 14 or older, capable of riding 10 miles and must be accompanied by a parent. Rain dates will be announced as needed.

To register and for more information http://www.fairfieldhistory.org. For area information www.visitfairfieldcountyct.com