Tag: close to New York

Play Snow Snake @ IAIS January 20

The snow snake game was once one of the most popular winter games played in North America. Many Native American Communities played it from Maine to California, Oklahoma to Alaska. Today, this game is being revitalized across the country. On Saturday, January 20 at 1 p.m. at the Institute for American Indian Studies on 38 Curtis Road in Washington Connecticut, competitors can make their very own snow snake and then test their skills playing this traditional game.

Originally, snow snake was the traditional Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) game played during the winter. The sport has its history in hunting when long spears were thrown like snow snakes across the ice and snow to catch prey, without coming too close and scaring them away. Most often, snow snake was played when the men of the village returned from their annual winter hunting trip. It was – and still is – an exciting game of skill to the Haudenosaunee people and many other Native Communities.

Snow Snake!

Snow snakes are hand-made from a flattened piece of wood with a notch at one end that makes them easy to throw. Some sticks are carved in intricate patterns that resemble a snake and then coated with wax. Participants in this workshop will learn how to make their very own snow snake with Susan Scherf, Educator, and wood crafter at the Institute. This workshop includes materials and wood-burning kits. Participants are welcome to bring their whittling knife if they have one although it is not required

A friendly competition follows the snow snake workshop at the specially prepared snow snake track. The object of the game is to see how far participants can throw the snow snake along a snow trench. The person who throws the snake the farthest after a number of rounds is the winner! The snow snake game is a test of both skill and strength, and a good throw can go more than 100 yards.

This game is often referred to as a medicine game because it lifted the spirits of the people during the long winter months. The Institute for American Indian Studies is excited to share this game that is great for socializing, and remembering the traditions of generations of Native Americans who came before us.

Space is limited and pre-registration is required. To register / The price of participation including materials is $20 for non-members and $10 for members. For more information call 860-868-0518, email events@iaismuseum.org, or click here to register online.

About the Institute for American Indian Studies
Located on 15 acres of woodland acres the Institute For American Indian Studies preserves and educates through archeology, research, exhibitions, and programs. They have the 16th c. Algonquian Village, Award-Winning Wigwam Escape, and a museum with temporary and permanent displays of authentic artifacts from prehistory to the present allows visitors to foster a new understanding of the world and the history and culture of Native Americans. The Institute for American Indian Studies is located at 38 Curtis Road, Washington, CT.

JanetLeave a comment

Tina’s Baskets & Woven Arts Offers A Creative Option for Holiday Shopping

Are you ready for holiday shopping? It’s officially gift–giving season, and Tina’s Baskets and Woven Art located in Studio #305 at Whiting Mills in Winsted is here to help. Admittedly gift giving can be kind of selfish… what’s better than that feeling of satisfaction knowing you have found something wonderful and unique for that special someone on your list? At Tina Puckett’s art studio, shoppers will find something unique and not mass–produced for your just as unique friends and family members at various price points. Best of all, this shopping experience lets folks see and feel their choices in person while supporting Connecticut’s artists and the local community.

In an atmospheric studio, visitors will find Master Weaver, Tina Puckett, a national and international award-winning artist known for her woven arts and dimensional weaving creating phantasmagorical pieces that are as beautiful as they are useful. The studio is cheerfully decorated and is open on Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. in December. An added perk of shopping local is that shoppers will meet Tina and learn what inspires her sought-after woven pieces, making it a memorable experience this season. While shopping don’t forget to enter the raffle for a festive handmade basket!

Finding the perfect present can be a tricky business – and yet a local artist Tina Puckett weaves baskets, bowls, wall hangers, and sculptures that are pieces of art. Tina’s Baskets & Woven Art is sure to satisfy even the most discerning on your holiday list. Visiting her rustic art studio is an adventure in itself, especially if you are on the hunt for something special that is sustainable, ready to be used time and time again, and loved for years to come.

Many things make Tina’s Baskets and Woven Arts, unusual. Each piece is inspired by Tina’s imagination and the natural beauty of bittersweet vines that she weaves into the dynamic shapes with hand-dyed reeds that create a mélange of colors that will not be found anywhere else. What enhances the character of each piece is the addition of the bittersweet vine that is foraged by Tina in the woods near her studio in the Northwest Corner of Connecticut.

New this year and perfect for friends and family who love learning and creating works of art is a gift certificate to take one of Tina’s Basket Weaving Classes. The classes offer teens and adults of all abilities the opportunity to learn more about the timeless art of basket weaving from a master in the field.

Tina’s Baskets is also open by appointment and all woven art and baskets are available online at http://www.tinasbaskets.com.

About Tina’s Baskets
Tina Puckett is an internationally awarded weaver of baskets and woven arts. You can see her works in studio #305/ Tina’s Baskets. Located at Whiting Mills in Winsted, Connecticut. Tina has been weaving since 1981 using hand-dyed reeds, bittersweet vines, and a variety of found objects like beads or seagrass. Her work is showcased at galleries across the World and at her gallery/studio where you will often find her weaving on weekends from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Appointments are preferred and can be arranged by texting 860-309-6934.

JanetLeave a comment

BraeVal’s Scottish Roots Offers Holiday Gifts Inspired by Heritage

Admittedly gift giving can be kind of selfish… what’s better than that feeling of satisfaction knowing you have found something wonderful for that special someone on your list? At BraeVal, one of Connecticut’s treasures located in the heart of Litchfield, shoppers will find something that is unique and not mass–produced at a variety of price points. Best of all, this is a shopping experience where folks not only get to see and feel the quality of this upmarket brand in person, but they also get to meet the founder of the company and learn how his heritage inspired him.

The story of BraeVal goes way back in American and Scottish history. It all began when Gregor McCluskey’s Great Uncle, Big Jock McCluskey was caught poaching on the land of a great Scottish Lord, not once but twice! It was then that Big Jock decided to leave Scotland for America because he believed that he would be free to hunt, fish, and wander, without trespassing on any royal estates.

In America, Big Jock McCluskey became a bounty hunter, fur trader, and gold miner. It was as a fur trader with Native Americans where Big Jock stuck gold. He became famous for trading his red and black tartan plaid with many Native Americans who were amazed at its deep red color. Legend has it that Native Americans had never seen such cloth dyed a brighter red and believed it was made from the blood of McCluskey’s prey and enemies. Today, we know this fabric as Buffalo Plaid.

BraeVal, a Scottish word for Upland Rivers is a love affair between Gregor McCluskey’s American soul and his Scottish heritage. Today’s clothing conceptualized by Gregor, a relative of Big Jock, exemplifies this because each piece is not designed; rather each piece is engineered with features found nowhere else and accented with authentically made Buffalo Plaid. McCluskey often says he channels his Great Uncle’s love of the great outdoors and the many summers he spent in Scotland when creating something new for BraeVal.

There are many things that make BraeVal’s clothing distinctive. First off, it is engineered to be the best of the best because it is infused with the style and finish of European sporting fashion that has been time-tested in the field, out on the town, and then merged with American comfort. The shirts are made of proprietary Tierra fabric made of ring-spun Merino wool and long staple Egyptian cotton developed by McCluskey that results in an eco-friendly machine washable garment. The shirts are comfortable, durable, breathable, and a natural alternative to synthetics. All of BraeVal’s limited designed tartans and checks are an exclusive contemporary interpretation of historic patterns found nowhere else, ensuring that BraeVal’s customers stand out in the crowd. Best of all, and too many to mention, BraeVal’s garments offer many unique features – shirts for example, have a hidden bi-swing back, triple stitching, roll-up sleeve stays, below-the-waist pockets, and many more features.

BraeVal is located at 3 South Street in Litchfield and is open from 11 a.m. through 5 p.m. through December. For online orders http://braeval.net.

About BRÃEVAL

BraeVal is a Scottish word for the Upland River Valleys that exist between the mountains and rugged brae of the Scottish highlands, where streams and rivers tumble to loch and sea. It is pronounced ‘brave-all’. It is a land of arduous challenges in a place where sporting adventure is welcomed as part of a very robust lifestyle. The name was chosen because it symbolizes the special sense of outdoor adventure that excites all sportsmen and women. At BraeVal, they believe that this imagery holds the heart of every sporting adventurer who ever hiked beyond the view of the town. BraeVal is a lifestyle brand of clothing that has endured for generations. They are an original American design born of comfort that offers time-tested classics in the Scottish tradition. Located in Litchfield Connecticut.

JanetLeave a comment

Holiday Market Features Indigenous Artists & @ Institute for American Indian Studies November 25 & 26, December 2 & 3, 9 & 10

Once again this year, the Institute for American Indian Studies located at 38 Curtis Road in Washington is hosting a one-of-a-kind holiday shopping experience that celebrates Native American culture. What makes this Holiday Market unique is that it offers both deeply traditional crafts and more contemporary artistic expressions rooted in Native American cultural experience. Artists represented here are some of the finest working in the area today. It is a celebration of Native American diversity and inspiration.

The Holiday Market throughout the Institute’s impressive exhibition galleries takes place on Saturday, November 25 and Sunday, November 26, and Saturday, December 2, and Sunday, December 3. The final weekend for the holiday market is on Saturday, December 9, and Sunday, December 10. The market is free and open to the public from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day. This is one of the few Holiday Markets that showcases only Native American-inspired artwork.

There are so many gifts to choose from including Native American jewelry, paintings, photography, apparel, and candles, to decorative gourds, pottery, rattles, flutes and more at a variety of price points. The chance to talk with the artists who have created these one-of-a-kind objects and to learn about the culture that inspired them makes your gift purchase even more meaningful.

For music lovers, musicians, and collectors, the magical-sounding authentic Woodland Native American flutes handcrafted by Allen Madahbee are truly unique. Madahbee is an Anishinaabe, born on Manitoulin Island, and is a registered Native American in Canada and the United States. In addition to the one-of-a-kind flutes, Madahbee is offering handmade beaded moccasins, woodcarvings, rock sculptures, and original paintings inspired by his ancestors and experiences.

Another vendor, Kim Lewis from Native Visions will be offering an astounding array of Native American Art from Oklahoma and the Southwest including a fine selection of original paintings and prints, Zuni Fetishes, silver jewelry, pottery by Mel Cornshucker, plus Hopi, and Navajo Kachinas.

A long-time favorite of the Holiday Market is Primitive Technologies, a nationally known small business that has worked with everyone from filmmakers to museum curators to recreate the material culture of prehistoric Native American life. They offer exquisite wood-fired replica pottery, hand-constructed from local river clay, hand-carved flint arrowheads and flint animal necklaces, carved stone art, traditional stone tools, containers made out of natural materials, unusual jewelry, and decorative gourds.

Jeanne Morningstar Kent, a recognized Abenaki artist and enrolled member of the Nulhegan Band, Coosuk-Abenaki of Vermont will be offering her artfully crafted decorative gourds in all sizes. Kent’s work is housed in many museum collections including the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American Indian Studies, Lake Champlain Maritime Museum, Roger Williams University, Chimney Point Museum, and many more. What makes these gourds unusual is that they utilize traditional Abenaki and Wabanaki designs.

Brandy Sawyer Emmans of Cherokee descent and owner of bthunder will once again be at the holiday market. Runway model for the Sky Eagle Collection, Native American educator, and advocate for MMIW (Missing, Murdered Indigenous Women), which offers an evocative selection of contemporary Native American-inspired art, jewelry, apparel, candles, and accessories.

Not to be missed is Eva Newell, an enrolled citizen of the Pokanoket Tribe, Pokanoket Nation in Rhode Island. Eva is a multi-talented artist who offers a range of artwork including beadwork, coil baskets, paintings, and glass mosaic storyteller vases. When she is not vending, Eva is an exhibit artist and craft instructor who has worked with institutions throughout New England.”Newell’s beadwork and baskets are also extraordinary. Eva will be participating during the December 9th and 10th market only.

The Museum’s Gift Shop will be open and brimming with gifts large and small in many price ranges. Here you will find a distinctive collection of Native American jewelry, including wampum jewelry crafted by Annawon Weeden, Mashpee Wampanoag, and Pequot artist Dan Simonds, head of the Wampum Wear Collective. A highlight is the jewelry and gift items from Eighth Generation, owned by the Snoqualmie Tribe in Seattle, which partners with Native artists across the country. The result is some of the most beautiful and authentic items available.

For foodies, there is a wonderful selection of traditional Native American food products from Sweet Grass Trading Company from the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska. And, in the spirit of the Metis culture, Pemmican Patty’s products offer a selection of bison berry-blended jerky that will connect you with Native foodways and nutrition. The gift shop also has a good selection of books and children’s items.

Although entrance to the museum and the Holiday Market are free, donations are always appreciated. A tour of the museum for a nominal fee is a fun and insightful experience that compliments this unique shopping experience.

About The Institute for American Indian Studies
Located on 15 acres of woodland acres the Institute For American Indian Studies preserves and educates through archeology, research, exhibitions, and programs. They have a 16th c. Algonquian Village, Award-Winning Wigwam Escape, and a museum with temporary and permanent displays of authentic artifacts from prehistory to the present allows visitors to foster a new understanding of the world and the history and culture of Native Americans. The Institute for American Indian Studies is located at 38 Curtis Road, Washington, CT.

JanetLeave a comment

Annual Holiday Open Studios at Whiting Mills: A Creative Extravaganza for the Whole Family December 2 and 3

The historic Whiting Mills at 100 Whiting Street in Winsted, Connecticut, invites friends from far and wide to join them for their Annual Holiday Open Studios event on December 2nd and 3rd, from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. This unique venue, which opened its doors in 2004, is a hub for artists, craftspeople, retail shops, and small manufacturing companies, and a center for the artistic community, and social events. Once again this year, visitors will find that the holiday spirit is alive and well at Whiting Mills!

The Whiting Mills’ semi-annual Open Studio events have earned a stellar reputation, drawing visitors from near and far. It’s a destination for the public to connect with our resident and guest artists, explore their creations, and immerse themselves in the vibrant local art scene.

Attendees can expect a diverse range of artists showcasing their creations, making it the perfect opportunity to find exceptional holiday gifts. From exquisite greeting cards, handmade jewelry, and elegant pottery to scented candles, original paintings, evocative curiosities, and much more, there’s something for everyone’s holiday wish list. The first studio you will see when entering the Mill- #305 is Tina’s Baskets. Master weaver, Tina Puckett is a national and international award-winning artist known for her woven art, artful baskets, and dimensional weaving. Visiting her colorful studio is an adventure in itself, especially if you are on the hunt for something special that is sustainable, ready to be used time and time again, and cherished for years to come. When visiting Tina’s Baskets don’t forget to enter the drawing to win a free basket that is ideal for holiday merriment.

Tina’s Baskets decorated for the holidays!

Whiting Mills has organized a thrilling scavenger hunt for the young ones on Sunday that will provide hours of entertainment for the kids. Additionally, Santa Claus himself will be available for photos on Sunday from noon to 3:00 p.m., ensuring magical memories for the entire family. And for the adults, they’re spicing up the event with an “Ugly Sweater Contest” on Saturday around 3:30 p.m. So don’t forget to put on your most outlandish holiday sweater and compete for the title of the merriest and ugliest! Cash prizes will be awarded to the top three winners.

If you have worked up an appetite, no worries, there is plenty to eat and drink. To tantalize your taste buds, Whiting Mills is thrilled to have the Kraftwich Food Truck on-site. Kraftwich specializes in American comfort food, and its delicious offerings will be available for purchase.

This event is made possible through collaboration with the Warner Theater in Torrington, CT, and we’re excited to join forces to celebrate the arts and the holiday season.

Best of all, admission to the Annual Holiday Open Studios at Whiting Mills is free, and we offer ample free parking for your convenience.

Join us on December 2nd and 3rd for a weekend of art, entertainment, and holiday cheer. Don’t miss this opportunity to connect with local artists and support their incredible work.

JanetLeave a comment

The New Mayor of Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoo Is Tahu the River Otter!

The election to decide Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoo’s next mayor was neck and neck for the last two days between Tahu the River Otter and Alli the Eastern Box Turtle, and in the end it came down to a difference of just 15 votes. Once all votes were counted, Tahu the River Otter was declared the Mayor of the Zoo—by a whisker. The mother of four thanked her supporters and promised to be a mayor for all the animals.

Insisting that she’ll test the waters before issuing new edicts, Tahu the North American River Otter (Lutra canadensis) said she was honored to be chosen and complimented the other candidates on running a clean campaign: Alli the Box Turtle, Major Tom the Narragansett Turkey, Daisy the Prairie Dog, and Ella the Howler Monkey. The four candidates have all conceded the race. The Rainforest Party issued a statement on behalf of the current mayor, Rhubarb the Two-Toed Sloth, promising allegiance to Tahu and a smooth transfer of power. As the second-place winner, Alli the Box Turtle will serve as Deputy Mayor and will step in if Tahu is unable to fulfill her duties through the duration of her term.

The highly contested race was decided by online votes, with the public voting for the candidate of their choice by making a one-dollar donation for each vote. “We’re all behind Tahu as our new mayor, but the real winner of this election is the Zoo,” said Zoo Director Gregg Dancho. “We thank everyone who voted for their generosity in supporting this fundraiser. Details regarding Tahu’s swearing-in ceremony will be available soon.” The winning Mayor will hold a 12-month term. All donations to the ballot box will be used to support the Zoo’s mission of conservation, education, research, and fun.

About Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoo

Get your ticket to adventure! Connecticut’s only zoo, celebrating its 101st year, features 350 animals representing primarily North and South American and Northern Asian species. Guests won’t want to miss our Amur leopards, maned wolves, Mexican gray wolves, and American red wolves. Other highlights include our new Andean Bear Habitat, Spider Monkey Habitat, the prairie dog exhibit, and the Pampas Plain with giant anteaters and Chacoan peccaries. Guests can grab a bite from the Peacock Café and eat in the Picnic Grove. As an accredited member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) and participant in its Species Survival Plan (SSP) programs, the non-profit Zoo is committed to the preservation of endangered animals and wild habitats. Tickets must be purchased on the Zoo’s website at beardsleyzoo.org.

JanetLeave a comment