Tag: things to do in CT

Lost and Found Circus Exhibit at Bridgeport’s PT Barnum Museum

The Barnum Museum is featuring an amazingly original display, Lost and Found Circus: A Creative Balancing Act by Bridgeport artist Susan Tabachnick through August 30.

IMG_9524_Susan_Tabachnick

The exhibition features a circus-themed presentation of small sculptures created with found objects, many of them incorporating old industrial parts and small tools. The components are not altered in any way, but are assembled into whimsical sculptures suggestive of the lively energy and humor that characterizes the circus. The assemblages give “new life” to items originally made for other purposes. Tabachnick never forces the unions and she doesn’t weld or glue the pieces together; they must fit or balance.

Each of Tabachnick’s creations in this exhibition begins with a particular piece of salvaged material to which she is attracted. The sculptures often evolve as a balancing act, as Tabachnick experiments with finding just the right parts, using her own fluid and flexible approach to making art. All of the work in the show is assembled this way; none of the components are permanently affixed. Like a real circus, the components can readily be disassembled and transported to a new venue, and if the artist chooses, the found objects can come together in new ways.

“The Lost and Found Circus is always a work in progress,” explained Tabachnick, “an infinitely creative and organic assemblage of salvaged pieces that invites people to see new possibilities. What is most enjoyable to me are the reactions to my work, and the different references and perceptions that viewers bring to it. I never intended to make a circus. The pieces came together serendipitously, each with its own eccentric personality, not dissimilar to that of traditional circus characters. Over the years, the theme kept percolating to the point where there is now a troupe.”

The Barnum Museum is located on 820 Main Street, Bridgeport in the People’s United Bank Gallery. The entrance to the museum is located at the back of the historic building and the hours are Thursday, Friday and Saturday 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. For more information on the PT Barnum Museum, call 203-331-1104 ext.100, M-F from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. or visit www.barnummuseumexhibitions.org.

JanetLeave a comment

Torrington is New Home for Karen Rossi Studios

Internationally known artist Karen Rossi is excited to call Torrington her new home. Rossi’s grand opening is scheduled for June 28 and 29, to coincide with the Open Your Eyes studio tour sponsored by the Northwest Arts Council. The Allen Building at 27 East Main Street will house a gallery, showroom, workspace and classroom area.

angel

Rossi is highly regarded for her original metal sculptures has created more than 500 original characters… celebrating the seasons, holidays, professions, friends and family, children, hobbies and a host of other life-inspired themes. Her whimsical work features metal as well as broken crystals, charms and other embellishments that make them eye catching and unique.

chef_mobile

Rossi is most known for her giftware designs known as Fanciful FlightsTM, which she has licensed to major companies, enjoying worldwide sales. Fanciful Flights are metal caricatures of people adorned by charms that tell the story of a person’s hobby or profession. Long before Rossi was involved with arts licensing, her originals were commissioned and collected by the likes of Neiman Marcus, Booz, Allen & Hamilton, lobbies of Hospitals, and the Hartford Courant.

gardener

Karen’s themed groupings of artwork include: Animal Kingdom, On the Road, Celestial, Christmas, Halloween, the Glorious Garden, Just for Kids, Paradise Island, Ladies with Red Hats, Festivities of Faith, Bistro, Girlfriends, Celebration and Fanciful Flights TM. For details of this artwork visit http://www.karenrossi.com.

3D_mermaid

The 27 East Main Street destination will feature demos and crafting workshops including painting on glass and Mosaics. Rossi has been hosting Art Parties for over 30 years and is particularly excited to offer, “Make your own T-town ballerinas and Mad River Mermaids.” The artist has been involved with several CT Art communities and is excited to showcase the work of comrades and guest Artisans from Hartford, New Haven, South, and the Litchfield Hills. The new studio will also feature a clearance area for sales of retired Rossi giftware.

JanetLeave a comment

15th Annual Ice Cream Social Woodbury CT

Bring your family, bring your friends and co-workers – come to New Morning Market located on 129 Main Street in Woodbury for the 15th Annual Ice Cream Social that is not only deliciously fun but also a benefit for Safe Haven Shelter for Victims of Domestic Abuse.

Sundae

The Ice Cream Social will take place on Friday June 20th, from 4 p.m.-7 p.m. New Morning is generously donating 100% of your $5.00 donation to Safe Haven Shelter for Victims of Domestic Violence.

Get ready to build your own delicious ice cream sundaes (including dairy or gluten free options) with an array of scrumptious toppings while enjoying the live performance of Bill and Martha Bless. There is even a chance to enter a drawing to win a free folding bike courtesy of Seasnax!

New Morning will be Collecting Your Donations for Safe Haven all Month! The shelter is in need of pantry stuffs, personal care items, toiletries, new clothing and cleaning supplies. You can pick up a wish list at the store!

About New Morning Market
New Morning Market of Woodbury, CT is a leading natural and organic, independent retailer for healthy sustainable living. Owner John Pittari and his staff continually create an environment that fosters meaningful exchanges of knowledge, services and products. New Morning has been in business for well over 40 years and has been in their brand new facility at 129 Main Street North in Woodbury for almost 2 years. Boasting more than 9,000 square feet of retail space and a large community room for classes and presentations, New Morning has become a popular destination and an important part of the local community. More information can be found at www.newmorn.com, on Facebook or by calling 203-263-4868.

JanetLeave a comment

Bob Gregson: Archi/Abstracts at New Canaan’s Gores Pavilion

This summer and fall, the New Canaan Historical Society is presenting the photography of Bob Gregson entitled Archi/Abstracts at the Gores Pavilion in Irwin Park located on 848 Weed Street in New Canaan Connecticut.

Bob_Gregson

Bob is an artist who has a passion for architecture and modern design. The photographs in this exhibit are details of familiar buildings by well-known architects. Originally taken to document his trips to architectural icons, these photos are shot on the run and thus have a fresh and immediate look to them. As Gregson explains, “It was not necessary to document the buildings as much as to capture a spontaneous moment that expressed, in a simple detail, the heart and spirit of my experience.” Since these are done on the fly the essence of the building needs to be sized up quickly.
When viewing the exhibition it is clear that there is a focus on the details and characteristics that embody the personality of each building. The translation from a three dimensional experience to a flat image is not easy to achieve but these photographs show great skill in doing this.

Bob Gregson received a B.F.A. from the Hartford Art School and an M.F.A. from the Art Institute of Chicago. His work ranges from large-scale participatory pieces to drawing and photography. He has exhibited nationally as well as his home state of Connecticut. He is a Silvermine Guild Artist in New Canaan, Connecticut and is the creative director of the Connecticut Office of Culture & Tourism.

The Gores Pavilion is located in Irwin Park, New Canaan. The exhibit runs through November 7, 2014. The Gores Pavilion is open from Friday to Sunday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., or by appointment; call 203-966-1776. Admission is free to Society members and $5 for non-members.

JanetLeave a comment

Norfolk Chamber Music Festival Announces its 2014 Season

Located in the heart of the Litchfield Hills, the Norfolk Chamber Music Festival, presented by the Yale School of Music, celebrates its 73rd season this year with performances and residencies of internationally esteemed ensembles and chamber musicians alongside students and young professionals from around the world.

BHI# 08-029 Yale Norfolk

From June 14 to August 16 Norfolk will host a roster of outstanding ensembles including: the Artis Quartet, the Brentano Quartet, the Emerson String Quartet, the Leschetizky Trio (Vienna), the Yale Choral Artists, and San Francisco’s Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra.
In 2014 the Norfolk Festival is proud to honor its patroness, Ellen Battell Stoeckel, who passed away seventy-five years ago, in 1939. It was her dream that resulted in the glorious Music Shed, and it was her wish that after she died, music would continue in the small village of Norfolk, CT through a summer school for the Yale School of Music.

Norfolk director Paul Hawkshaw says, “In keeping with Ellen Battell Stoeckel’s wishes, our mission at Norfolk is to cultivate the performance and teaching of chamber music at the highest level. We always want our audiences, students, and performing artists to have fun exploring the chamber music repertoire, and this year we are especially fortunate to have a truly international group of performers for our audiences to enjoy.”

BHI# 08-029 Yale Norfolk

Something new for Norfolk will this year’s festival on Saturday, June 14. To honor Ellen Battell Stoeckel, and as a fund raising event for its educational programs, the Norfolk Festival is presenting an evening of classic big band music from the 30’s and 40’s, with dancing in the Music Shed. The Shed will be transformed into a supper club for the evening, with music provided by the Flipside Big Band directed by Thomas Duffy.

The following weekend is a choral program by the Yale Choral Artists, a new ensemble of 24 professional singers from around the country under the direction of the Yale Glee Club’s Jeffrey Douma. The Choral Artists will perform a program of new music inspired by early works: J.S. Bach’s motet Singet dem Herrn will be coupled with a new work by Sven-David Sandstrom; a work by Thomas Tallis will be paired with a new, Tallis-inspired piece by Ted Hearne; and a work by Josquin des Pres will be coupled with a new Josquin-inspired piece by Hannah Lash.

11-038-Norfolk Chamber Music Festival

From July 4 to August 9 Norfolk will host a six-week Chamber Music Session. Among the twelve concerts each Friday and Saturday night in July and August will be a concert of string sextets pairing the Dvořák Sextet, Op 48, with Schoenberg’s Verklärte Nacht; and a program of chamber music to celebrate the Fourth of July including works by Leonard Bernstein, Charles Griffes and Dvořák. Of special note is a program on July 11 honoring clarinetist Keith Wilson who was Director of the Norfolk Festival from 1960 to 1982. Richard Stoltzman will perform works by Hindemith, Peter Sculthorpe and Brahms’ Clarinet Quintet.

On Friday, August 15 San Francisco’s Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra, under the direction of Nicholas McGegan (OBE) will return to Norfolk with a program of vocal and instrumental works by Corelli, Handel and Rameau. Soprano Celine Ricci and countertenor Robin Blaze join the orchestra in scenes from Handel’s opera Teseo.

BHI# 08-029 Yale Norfolk

The Norfolk Festival, under the leadership of Paul Hawkshaw since 2004, includes a New Music Workshop led by composer Martin Bresnick and guitarist/composer Benjamin Verdery and special guest Bryce Dessner of the ‘indie’ band The National, a Lecture series, a Young Artists’ Performance Series (Thursday nights and Saturday mornings; free admission), Festival Artist concerts (Friday and Saturday nights), and a Family Day on July 13. This year’s festival concludes on August 16 with a performance of works for chorus and orchestra from the Renaissance to the contemporary by the
Norfolk Festival Chorus and Orchestra directed by Simon Carrington.

For tickets and information contact The Music Shed, 20 Litchfield Rd. (Rtes. 44 and 272) Norfolk by phone: 203-432-1966 or visit the website www.norfolkmusic.org. For information on where to dine and stay in the Litchfield Hills www.litchfieldhills.com

JanetLeave a comment

Dog Days of Summer arrives early at the Stepping Stones Museum for Children

Stepping Stones Museum for Children is once again going to the dogs on Saturday, June 14…and they couldn’t be happier. The museum will host its fourth annual, day-long festival celebrating the powerful and important bonds between humans and their animal friends. BooZoo™’s Canine Carnival, where play and learning go hand-in-paw, will take place at Stepping Stones on June 14 between 10:00 am – 5:00 pm. The event is free with museum admission.

get-attachment

The Canine Carnival is hosted by BooZoo, the museum’s fictional puppy mascot for early childhood learning and literacy, and will feature carnival games for families and dogs, pooch and people pics in our prop-laden photo booth, a meet-and-greet with BooZoo, a “pampered pooch” area featuring a dog wash and day spa, story times with BooZoo, bobbing for doggie treats and so much more. All canine friends, accompanied by owners, are welcome to take part in carnival activities under the tent of the museum’s Celebration Courtyard.

Visitors are invited to enter their dog(s) in the museum’s Crazy Canine Contest at 11:30 am.

A panel will judge the dogs in the following categories: best dressed, fastest tail wager, fluffiest, best smile, best ears and walks with attitude. Each dog will be judged in all categories. And who says you can’t teach an old dog new tricks? Visitors will be able to sign up for a 5-minute time slot to give their four-legged, furry friends an opportunity to show off his or her tricks. Dogs must be licensed and accompanied by people who are 15 years or older. Owners are responsible for cleaning up after their dogs.

A highlight of the day is sure to be when assistance dogs from the Canine Companions for Independence® conduct a demonstration in the museum’s Multimedia Gallery. Founded in 1975, the world-renowned Canine Companions for Independence is a national non-profit which provides highly-skilled assistance dogs to adults, veterans and children with disabilities free of charge. Canine Companions created the concept of assistance dogs for people with physical disabilities. During BooZoo’s Canine Carnival, the assistance dogs will be put through a routine demonstrating their ability to follow commands, open doors, flip on light switches, pick up dropped items and complete other important daily tasks. A Canine Companions staff member will talk about how the dogs are bred, trained and matched with their human counterparts, transforming the lives of people with disabilities by increasing their independence and providing loving companionship.

Another special component of the event will take place when Milford’s John Tartaglio, an inspirational speaker, shares his story with the audience. Tartaglio was 17 years old when he contracted an extremely rare bacterial infection. With his condition dire, doctors were left with no choice but to amputate his legs and left bicep. Tartaglio was only given a 20% chance to live, but he survived and now thrives. He graduated cum laude from Fairfield University. Told by medical professionals that he would never walk again, Tartaglio has completed marathons and triathlons. As a motivational speaker, he speaks to audiences about overcoming adversity, building a positive attitude and turning it into positive actions, leadership and teamwork. Empowering his audiences with his story, Tartaglio challenges people to reach their goals, raise their personal standard and expect more out of themselves because he is living proof that anything is possible.

Throughout the event, the mobile unit of the North Shore Animal League, the world’s largest no-kill animal rescue and adoption organization, will be on hand with staff members available to answer questions and showcase some of their adoptable friends. Between noon and 2:00 pm, Shake Shack will be on hand in our courtyard serving “Pooch-ini®,” a custard-based doggy snack.

About BooZoo

Building on the commitment to promote early childhood development and reading literacy for young children, the museum developed the BooZoo character three years ago. BooZoo is a toy puppy who lives in Tot Town™, the museum’s toddler exhibit. He’s smart, incurably curious and loves reading books.

For additional information about BooZoo’s Canine Carnival, visit www.steppingstonesmuseum.org/CanineCarnival.

Copyright © 2001-2012 Catalytic Group Inc.

JanetLeave a comment