Connecticut Travel

The Glass House, once the home of architect Philip Johnson was built between 1949 and 1955 and is a National Trust Historic Site located in New Canaan, Connecticut. The pastoral 49-acre landscape comprises fourteen structures, including the Glass House (1949), and features a permanent collection of 20th-century painting and sculpture, along with temporary exhibitions. Tours of the site are available in May through November and advance reservations are recommended.

This season a special exhibition organized by Irene Shum will be on display in a building known as Da Monsta – designed by Philip Johnson in 1995 as a visitor center and now a contemporary art gallery. This seasons show, Highlights from the Sculpture Gallery that will be on display through November 30, 2015 includes sculptures by John Chamberlain and Robert Rauschenberg, as well as the debut of a sculpture by Robert Morris never before publicly displayed at the site. This exhibition supports the Sculpture Gallery Restoration Project, also taking place in 2015.

A jagged pavilion of curves and contours, Da Monsta reflects Johnson’s interest in then-current Deconstructivist architecture as well as pre-Modernist sources such as German Expressionism. The dynamic interplay between art and Da Monsta continues inside. Two sculptures — John Chamberlain’s The Archbishop, The Golfer, and Ralph (1982-83) and Robert Rauschenberg’s Empire II, (1961)— occupy the first gallery.

The second gallery will display Robert Morris’ Untitled (Nine Fiberglass Sleeves) (1967), consisting of translucent fiberglass in nine parts, installed in a grid, twelve inches apart that sits within the unique contours of the room. Highlights from the Sculpture Gallery is part of the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s commitment to reinvigorate its historic sites with innovative arts and public programming.
For tour information visit http://theglasshouse.org

August 2015 marks ten years since the devastation of New Orleans by Hurricane Katrina. In the intervening time, many people from Connecticut and the surrounding area have continued to assist in many ways to help in that iconic city’s recovery.

Litchfield Jazz Festival will honor some of those people on June 27 with a concert entitled Litchfield Jazz Fest Salutes New Orleans & Heroes of Katrina. The Big Easy, an ironic name for a city whose recovery was anything but, worked its way up and out with the help of many, many private citizens, some of them from our area, all of them brave and generous young people.
The honorees will be Liza Noone on behalf of College of the Holy Cross, Luke Nelson on behalf of Watkinson School, Camille Richards accepting for Springfield College, and Dr. Laurie Leitch on behalf of Threshold GlobalWorks.

The June 27th concert is The Festival’s first appearance at the gorgeous, new Performing Arts Center at Western CT State University in Danbury. The music is slated to showcase New Orleans at its finest. The band, led by saxophonist Don Braden, Artistic Director of Litchfield Jazz Camp, also includes Albert Rivera, alto sax, multi-Grammy winner Gary Smulyan, baritone sax, Winard Harper, drums, Antoinette Montague, vocals, Avery Sharpe, bass, Peter McEachern, trombone, Nick Roseboro and Dave Ballou, trumpets, Zaccai Curtis, piano, and very special guest New Orleans’ own Donald Harrison.

Proceeds from the concert will help fund need-based scholarships at this summer’s Litchfield Jazz Camp, July 12 – August 7, at Canterbury School, New Milford.
Come for the music, come for the stories. For tickets order online at http://wcsu.showare.com, visit the WCSU Box Office, or call (203) 837-8499. For more information visit www.litchfieldjazzfest.com, email info@litchfieldjazzfest.com, call 860-361-6285.

For more area event information: www.litchfieldhills.com

The Sharon Historical Society located on 18 Main Street in Sharon Connecticut in the Litchfield Hills is hosting a juried exhibition and sale of artworks devoted to the subject of food, running through July 10, 2015 at The Gallery @the SHS.

Judges who will be selecting the entries and judging the artwork for cash prizes of $100, $75, and $50 are Dana Cowin, John Lund and Bowie Zunino.
Dana Cowin, a part-time Amenia resident, has been described as “the first lady of food.” Throughout her career she has focused on the intersection of food, style, design, and innovation. As editor in chief of Food & Wine for over twenty years, she has worked with the world’s most influential superstar chefs and tastemakers and helped launch the careers of countless rising talents. A self-described “pathologically positive” person with an acclaimed critical eye, Cowin is author of the recent book Mastering My Mistakes in the Kitchen.

Master printmaker John Lund, a native of Minnesota who now lives in Sharon, was trained in lithography and intaglio printing while in college at St. Olaf College and the University of Minnesota. Engaged in the field ever since his graduation, Lund spent the first half of his career at renowned fine art print publisher ULAE where he worked with many celebrated artists including Robert Rauschenberg, James Rosenquist, Jim Dine, Claus Oldenberg as well as then-emerging artists Terry Winters, Elizabeth Murray, Carroll Dunham and Susan Rothenberg. He met and began working with iconic American artist Jasper Johns in the early 1970’s and has been Johns’ exclusive intaglio printer since 1996. Together, Lund and Johns have a established a notable collaboration resulting in over 70 editions. Lund’s technical expertise as a printmaker has been credited with assisting Johns to achieve his creative vision.

Wassaic resident Bowie Zunino is a co-founder and co-executive director of The Wassaic Project, the arts organization based in the hamlet of Wassaic (Amenia), which provides a context for art making through inspiration, promotion and creation of contemporary visual and performing art, advancing the philosophy that art should foster and build community. She has a background in community-based art and education and has worked for a number of non-profits including Creative Time. Zunino has an MFA from the Rhode Island School of Design in sculpture and holds two degrees from Williams College in psychology and fine art. She has exhibited nationally.

The Gallery is open Wed. – Fri. from noon to 4 p.m. and on Sat. from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. For area information visit www.litchfieldhills.com and for informaiton on the Sharon Historical Society visit http://sharonhist.org

The Institute for American Indian Studies located on 38 Curtis Road in the lovely town of Washington Connecticut located in the heart of the Litchfield Hills is offering a series of programs perfect for families to enjoy this June.

Food for Thought, a living history event is scheduled for June 27 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Foods were the center of many Native American celebrations and ceremonies The forests and rivers of New England provided a great variety of animals, fish, trees and plants. Tribes hunted, gathered, fished and engaged in horticulture. Today, Native Peoples retain that rich culture of traditional cuisine, some of which have become iconic of present-day Native American social gatherings Stop by between the hours of 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. to learn the various cook- ing techniques and sample traditionally dishes prepared onsite in our outdoor replicated village. This event is free of charge with museum entrance.

If you have discovered something during your spring cleaning, stop by the Institute on June 28 between 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. for Artifact Identification Day. Bring your local stone artifacts or American Indian cultural items to IAIS for iden- tification by IAIS Director of Research and Collections, Dr. Lucianne Lavin, a specialist in Eastern Woodland material culture. Limit 12 items per person please. This event is free with museum admission.

For more information about the Institute for American Indian Studies visit http://iaismuseum.org. For area information on Litchfield Hills www.litchfieldhills.com

More than 150 artisans showing one-of-a-kind works of art in ceramics, jewelry, wearable art and other fine arts and fine crafts will be featured at the 3rd Annual Norwalk Art Festival on Saturday and Sunday, June 27 and 28, from 10 am to 5 pm, rain or shine. Juried exhibitors specializing in sculpture, wood, wearable and decorative fiber, metalwork, leather, painting, printmaking, glass, ceramics, and jewelry will share their unique talents at this nationally recognized event held in Mathews Park at 295 West Avenue in Norwalk, Connecticut. In addition to showing their work, the exhibiting artists will be available on site to share their artistic process with patrons. There will demonstrations, hands-on art projects and plenty complimentary art supplies available for inspired children and adults to enjoy throughout the weekend event.

The 3rd Annual Norwalk Art Festival also includes fun, educational activities for children and adults, international cuisine, and live music performances. Hands-on Art activities for all ages are offered free in the Art Workshop Area, and the Art Center and Museum’s will be open. Guided art tours and demonstrations will be scheduled throughout the weekend event. At 12 noon on June 27, Mayor Harry Rilling will be creating the first original work of art to officially open the 2015 Norwalk Art Festival.

Admission to the Norwalk Art Festival is free. The Center for Contemporary Printmaking will be open during Festival hours. Current exhibitions include the Miniature Print Show. The Lockwood Mathews Mansion Museum will offer special discounted mini tours and Stepping Stones Children’s Museum will be open all weekend to enjoy.

Visitors are asked to park in Mathews Park or in the SoNo area. Mathews Park is located near exits 14N or 15S off I-95, turn west on West Ave. Mathews Park is also short walk from SoNo’s many parking lots and garages. Taking the waterfront stroll to Mathews Park you will enjoy Norwalk’s best views! For information, visit www.NorwalkArtFestival.org.

For area information www.visitfairfieldcountyct.com