Franklin Street Works presents new art show

Franklin Street Works, www.franklinstreetworks.org presents Neuromast: Certain Uncertainty and Contemporary Art. The group exhibition explores “emergence,” the theory that says unforeseeable results happen when a system reaches a certain level of complexity. The show’s title is inspired by a very specific emergent phenomenon, “neuromast,” which is the sensory organ that allows fish to effectively behave in unison against the threat of predators. Neuromast features sculpture, videos, text-based works, photographs and more by contemporary artists, writers and theorists interested in theories of emergence.

Exhibiting artists are: Kari Altmann, Christian Bök and Micah Lexier, Ingrid Burrington, Kaye Cain-Nielsen, Mircea Cantor, David Horvitz, Brian House and Jason Rabie, Juliana Huxtable, Thilde Jensen, Carolyn Lazard, M. M. Mantua, Preemptive Media, Robert Spahr, Elizabeth Stephens and Annie Sprinkle’sSexecology collaboration, and The Waterwhisper Ilse.

The exhibition is curated by Taliesin Gilkes-Bower and Terri C Smith and is on view from December 12, 2013 through February 23, 2014. It will open with a free, public reception on Thursday December 12 from 5:00 – 8:00 pm.

With Neuromast: Certain Uncertainty and Contemporary Art, several shared themes arose among the thirty-one works, including: how culture and gender contribute to constructing identity; the dynamic between an individual’s health and the medical industry, commerce, or the natural environment; and the collection and distribution of digital information as it relates to business, personal security, and persona.

A primary inspiration of the show was a series of photographs by Thilde Jensen called The Canaries, which served as an inspiration for the exhibition. Her photographs document the lives of individuals living with heightened levels of sensitivity to the toxic chemicals and powerful electromagnetic radiation found in modern, built environments. Preemptive Media’s Air project also explores emergence and the environment. Their portable air quality measurement kits demand reflection on the proliferation of smart phones and pocket computers that do little beyond promise increased entertainment and productivity. Mircea Cantor’s video installation Deeparture juxtaposes predator and prey by placing a wolf and a deer in a typical white cube gallery space. The artist calls into question traditional narratives of danger and the inevitability of death while he simultaneously hijacks the gallery by excluding art objects and audience. With Elizabeth Stephens and Annie Sprinkle’s Sexecology project, the artists approach nature very differently, creating performative weddings that link the concept of a couple’s love to our love of the planet via inclusive, largely unscripted community events.

Neuromast also approaches personal identity as a microcosm of larger complex systems. Juliana Huxtable’s portrait series Seven Archetypes explores her process of gender transitioning through cultural expectations of performance. M. M. Mantua’s sculptures ask viewers direct questions that hint at the unequal distribution of privacy between viewer and artist while creating cognitive engagement through language. Brain House and Jason Rabie’s Facebook Portraits present identity through algorithm and data, attempting to humanize the ways in which social networks identify and classify their users. Kari Altman’s site- specific iteration of her Smart Mobility/Invisible Protection series calls into question abstract ideals of security as they relate to identity in finance and branding.

Moving out in scale to broader social phenomena, lngrid Burrington’s Center for Missed Connectionsidentifies configurations of socially and sexually disconnected people in New York City through the missed connections section of Craigslist. David Horvitz also tried to change collectively authored online information through his zine documenting the artist’s attempted removal of himself from the group-edited encyclopedia site Wikipedia. Another text-based work that involves collaboration and an unpredictable outcome is Two Equal Texts by Christian Bök and Micah Lexier. The large vinyl wall work is an elaborate anagram that consists of two texts placed on either side of a freestanding wall. One side features Lexier’s descriptive text, which outlines the terms of the collaboration; the other side hosts Christian Bök’s elegantly resolved anagram of Lexier’s original text. Kaye Cain-Nielsen’s installation Mirandafurther explores the social consequences of shared responsibility in relationship to her own experience as a potential paid egg donor to an infertile couple.

Using contemporary art as its starting point, the artists in Neuromast investigate complex systems within social, environmental, and personal fields. The exhibition shows ways in which collective small-scale actions can prevail against seemingly insurmountable odds. Writer and activist Adrienne Marie Brown adds, “Rather than laying out big strategic plans for our work, many of us have been coming together in community, in authentic relationships, and seeing what emerges from our conversations, visions and needs. …We can define emergent strategy as intentional, strong because it is decentralized, adaptive, interdependent, and creating more possibilities.” The artists in Neuromast: Certain Uncertainty and Contemporary Art join in an interdisciplinary conversation on emergence via the adaptive and generate approach Brown sites, giving us insights into the often invisible, yet shared, complex systems that pervade our everyday lives.

Franklin Street Works is located at 41 Franklin Street in downtown Stamford, Connecticut, near the UCONN campus and less than one hour from New York City via Metro North. Franklin Street Works is approximately one mile (a 15 minute walk) from the Stamford train station. On street parking is available on Franklin Street (metered until 6 pm except on Sunday), and paid parking is available nearby in a lot on Franklin Street and in the Summer Street Garage (100 Summer Street), behind Target. The art space and café are open to the public on Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday: 12:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. with extended hours on Thursdays, 12:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. Franklin Street Works does not charge for admission during regular gallery hours.

Franklin Street Works is a not-for-profit contemporary art space, café, and social gathering place in Stamford, Connecticut. It produces original on-site and off-site exhibitions, artist projects, and related programming. Located in renovated row houses on Franklin Street, the two-story space includes three galleries and a café. Franklin Street Works embraces innovative art and exhibition practices, a DIY attitude, and a workshop approach to its programming, audiences, and organizational structure. The activities and attitudes of the café reflect and expand on the organization’s mission as a contemporary art venue.

For area information www.visitfairfieldcountyct.com

GREENWICH, CT SHOWS OFF ITS EXCEPTIONAL HOMES IN 26th ANNUAL HOLIDAY HOUSE TOUR

Many communities have popular house tours during the Christmas season, but few can equal the five spectacularly decorated homes to be seen at the Holiday House Tour on Wednesday, December 11^th in Greenwich, a town in Fairfield County, Connecticut famed for its fabulous residences.   

The tour, now in its 26^th year, is the grand finale of the annual Antiquarius fund raiser, a series of events to benefit the Greenwich Historical Society, which also includes the Greenwich Winter Antiques show and Design Forum December 7 and 8 and a Holiday Boutique December 10 and 11.

                                               

 Homes to Tour, Holiday Boutique

The House Tour, chaired by mother/daughter designer team Sandra Morgan and Laird Morgan Tolan, will feature homes from wooded backcountry Greenwich to the shore. Among the show-stoppers are a Hamptons-style seaside home that was featured on the cover of House Beautiful Magazine and a Gustavian-styled Federal era residence surrounded by formal gardens and filled with Swedish antiques, fine art and textiles and rugs hand-loomed by the owner. 

Also included in the five homes are a 1930s Georgian with classical details and decor done in collaboration with well known interior designer Bunny Williams, a magnificent Normandy-inspired guest cottage that has been described as “jaw-dropping,” and a post-Civil War jewel with a barn addition showcasing a surprising combination--collections of both American scrimshaw and hot rod cars.

All of the homes will have lavish holiday decorations sure to inspire visitors with ideas for their own homes.  Hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.  

The Holiday Boutique, with many original gift ideas, will take place at the Christ Church Parish Hall, 254 East Putnam Avenue in Greenwich on the evening of December 10 from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. and on the day of the House Tour, Wednesday, December 11, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Fine Antiques, Designer Forum

The house tour will be preceded by Winter Antiques Show on December 7 and 8, at the Eastern Greenwich Civic Center in Old Greenwich. The event, which always attracts top exhibitors, this year will feature period to mid-century antiques, fine art and exceptional jewelry.  Hours are Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The Design Forum, with talks by designers and celebrity guest speakers is a popular feature each year. On Saturday from10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Mary McDonald, a celebrated Los Angeles-based interior designer will talk on  A Life in Design, The Honorary Chair of Antiquarius 2013, Ms. McDonald has been ranked as one of House Beautiful’s Top 100 designers, and her work for international clients has been featured in major publications. She will be available after the talk to autograph her book, Mary McDonald Interiors, The Allure of Style.

On Saturday from 2:30 p.m. to 4 p.m., editorial director D.J. Carey of CT Cottages & Gardens will lead a panel discussion with three of today’s most sought-after New York-based designers Amanda Nisbet, Matthew Patrick Smyth, and Ashley Whittaker.

Tickets for the Holiday House Tour must be purchased in advance at www.greenwichhitory.org.  Admission to the Holiday Boutique is free. Tickets for the Greenwich Winter Antiques Show may be purchased at the door on Saturday and Sunday, December 7 and 8. Space for Designer Forum talks is limited and advance reservations are strongly advised.  Further information is available online or by calling (203) 869-6899, ext. 10.

For more information about holiday activities and a free copy of UNWIND, a full-color, 152-page booklet detailing what to do and see, and where to stay, shop and dine in Fairfield and Litchfield Counties in Western Connecticut, contact the Western Connecticut Visitors Bureau, PO Box 968, Litchfield, CT 06759, (860) 567-4506, or visit their web site at www.litchfieldhills.com

Coming to America: Washington's Swedish Immigrants

The Gunn Memorial Museum on 5 Wykeham Road in Washington Connecticut is exploring its' European roots with a new exhibit that runs through January 12, 2014 called Coming to America: Washington's Swedish Immigrants.  This exhibition shares the little-known story of Swedish immigration to this small New England town.

Known for their superior agricultural skills, 1.3 million Swedes immigrated to America during the 19th and 20th centuries, escaping conscription, famine, and poverty. Washington, Connecticut became one of their new homes, where many found employment as laborers and servants on local farms and estates owned by wealthy New Yorkers.

Beginning in 1870, over one hundred Swedish families settled in Washington and built two churches across the street from each other. One, the Salem Covenant Church, is celebrating its 125th anniversary this year. Swedes made up 22% of Washington's population in 1910, and many of their descendants still reside in town today. This exhibit tells their story.

The Gunn Museum is located at 5 Wykeham Road, at the intersection of Wykeham Road and Rt. 47, on Washington Green. The Museum is open to the public Thursday through Saturday 10am-4pm and Sunday from 12pm-4pm. Call the Museum at 860-868-7756 or view www.gunnlibrary.org for more information.

Kissable Camels At Connecticut's Beardsley Zoo

Connecticut's Beardsley Zoo is known for offering special family programming during the summer months. In years past, the zoo has featured a free flight bird show, Rainforest Reptiles, and last year's Galapagos tortoises were a huge hit with the public. This summer, two camels have called Connecticut's Beardsley Zoo home through Labor Day.

The camels, named Toby and Goliath, may be found on the greenhouse lawn and rides will be available from 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. for $5 per person, which includes photos. Visitors will be able to purchase ride tickets at the front gate, gift shop, carousel, and at the camel ride. While there are no age restrictions for riders, anyone five years old and younger requires an adult rider with them. The zoo also is offering a combo ticket for both a carousel and camel ride for $6.00.

Fun camel facts, courtesy of Environmental Graffiti:

Bactrian camels have two humps while Dromedary camels have one hump. (Toby and Goliath are Dromedary camels.)
The name camel comes from Arabic, meaning "beauty."
A camel's hump stores fat - not water - as many believe.
Camels can drink up to 40 gallons at one time.
Camels can go for long periods of time without drinking because of the shape of their red blood cells, which are oval, and allows them to flow easily without clumping. They are the only mammals to have this kind of blood cell.
Camels can kick in all four directions with each leg.
Camels can eat anything without injuring their mouths - including thorny twigs.
Camels can close their nostrils against wind and sand when necessary.
Their coats reflect sunlight and insulate them from the desert heat.
"Spitting" is actually a way that camels defend themselves. They don't actually spit but rather throw up a nasty smelling fluid when provoked.

For more information about Connecticut's only zoo visit www.beardsleyzoo.org. For area information www.visitfairfieldcountyct.com

Family Fun is guaranteed, rain or shine in Litchfield Hills and Fairfield County

When the beach outing or the picnic is rained out, what to do with restless kids on a wet summer weekend?  Plenty of possibilities await in Western Connecticut’s Litchfield Hills and Fairfield County, where special indoor exhibits from bats to dinosaurs to a working carousel are guaranteed to bring smiles. Families can join a workshop learning how to make their own clocks or even have a “stay-cation” at a resort with an indoor water park.

In Norwalk, the Maritime Aquarium is featuring Africa from Dessert to Sea starring amazing creatures from exotic fish to adorable meerkats, geckos and awesome giant boas. Playful meerkats are a favorite, and special windows allow following them into their underground burrows. A viewing bubble even lets young visitors stand up right among the meerkats. www.maritimeaquarium.org.

 Not far away in Norwalk at the Stepping Stones Museum for Children, Dinosaur Revolution, a special exhibit through September 8, lets youngsters uncover fossils and facts about dinosaurs as they navigate a giant maze. www.steppingstonesmuseum.org

The Stamford Museum and Nature Center has a new exhibit through September 2 called Masters of the Night, starring bats, those mysterious and often misunderstood mammals. Visitors can try out a variety of fun and informative interactive stations featuring life-like models, such as "Bat Ears," “Feast in Flight," and the "Echo - Echo Unit."  www.stamfordmuseum.org.

In Greenwich, Eggs-hibition: Unscrambling Their History at the Bruce Museum through October 20 promises to enthrall all with its array of bird eggs, edible eggs, and eggs both ugly and beautiful. www.brucemuseum.org.

LITCHFIELD HILLS TREATS

A ride on an old-fashioned merry-go-round is a treat for all ages, and it is included in the price of admission at the Carousel Museum in Bristol. This unique museum offers one of largest collections of antique carousel pieces in the country in its "Golden Age of the Carousel" exhibit. Visitors also see the workshop where antique carousel creations are restored. Upstairs, a Museum of Fire history awaits and the museum includes a changing art gallery and a children’s craft center, as well. www.thecarouselmuseum.org.

Waterbury’s Timexpo: The Timex Museum is a fascinating place for older kids with its Time Tunnel and a colorful history of watch making. Fun for all is the museum’s Make A Clock workshops offered every Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Workshop participants choose among many designs, decorate and assemble their own working clock. http://timexpo.com.

Waterbury also offers a unique splurge solution for a rainy weekend. It is always 84 degrees and sunny at the Coco Key Water Resort and Conference Center, where a 50,000 square foot indoor water playground offers an Adventure River, water slides, raft rides, activity pools with water basketball and the Parrot's Perch Interactive Play Island with a special shallow Kiddie Entry Area.  If you don’t want to stay the night, day passes are available. www.cocokeywaterbury.comwww.cocokeywaterbury.com.

For more information about family activities and a free copy of UNWIND, a full-color,

152-page booklet detailing what to do and see, and where to stay, shop and dine in

Western Connecticut, contact the Western Connecticut Visitors Bureau, PO Box 968,

Litchfield, CT 06759, (860) 567-4506, or visit their web site at www.visitlitchfieldhills.com and www.visitfairfieldcountyct.com

Sail away this summer at Soundwaters in Stamford CT

If you ever dreamed of sailing on a tall ship, Soundwaters in Stamford Connecticut can make your dreams come true.

Once again this summer Soundwaters is offering afternoon and sunset sails on their 80 foot three masted schooner in June, July, August and September on selected weekends.  

The afternoon sails that take place from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. are perfect for families.  Participants will enjoy the wonder of Long Island Sound as they help raise the sails and examine first hand the rich diversity of aquatic life that exists beneath the waves.  Educators on board will teach participants about the quality of the water, how to test it and how to analyze groundwater.

The sunset sails are perfect for adults and a romantic cruise along Connecticut’s “gold coast”.  Guests on the sunset cruise are invited to bring their dinner aboard and favorite beverage and relax as the sun dips below the horizon of the Sound.

The schooner is located on 333 Ludlow Street in the Stamford Harbor Park Marina in Stamford just off of I-95.  To reserve your spot on the schooner visit http://www.soundwaters.org for dates and times and your reservation.  If you have additional questions call 203-406-3335 or email hstarks@soundwaters.org.

About Soundwaters

Soundwaters is a leading environmental education organization in Stamford CT located on Long Island Sound.  Their award winning programs take place at their Coastal Education Center and on the Soundwaters, an 80-foot three-masted schooner as well as at schools, community centers and field sites throughout the region.  Their mission is to protect Long Island Sound through education.  

For area information www.visitfairfieldcountyct.com.

The art of George Lawrence Nelson in Kent

Portrait of the Hirschberg/Nelson family by George Laurence Nelson, Kent Historical Society

The Seven Hearths, the Kent Historical Society Museum, will re-open this summer after being closed for two years with a series of new art exhibits focusing on the life and work of George Laurence Nelson. The Seven Hearths Museum is located on Rte. 7 north of Kent center on the corner of Studio Hill Road in Kent in the historic Flanders area that was once the original center of Kent.

George Laurence Nelson, trained at the Art Students League and the National Academy, and began teaching at the Art Students League in his early 20s. Nelson was among the founders of the Litchfield Hills Art Colony, and later one of the nine founders of the Kent Art Association. 

The Litchfield Hills Art Colony played a meaningful role on a national scale in twentieth century American art. George Laurence Nelson's studio in Seven Hearths is the only remnant of the colony that is open to the public today.

Set within Nelson's beloved pre-Revolutionary Seven Hearths, which he donated to the Historical Society located on Rte. 7 in Kent Connecticut in the heart of the Litchfield Hills, the Historical Society is presenting three changing exhibits of Nelson’s work in August, September and October.

Floral Painting by Nelson

The August exhibit beginning on the 3^rd and running through the 25^th will feature large and interesting selection of Nelson portraits.  He made his money by doing portraits, and the subjects range from well-known celebrities such as Arturo Toscanini, to NYC society dames, to familiar local faces such as Frank Goodsell as a child.

In September from the 1^st to the 29^th Nelson’s floral paintings will be on display.  While he made money-painting portraits, his heart was devoted to stunning renditions of the lovely flowers that he and his wife Helen grew in their gardens at Seven Hearths. Some are exquisitely colored oil paintings and some are perfectly detailed pencil drawings. Some even are featured on the cover of matchboxes!

Toscanini by Nelson

A show that will fill the Seven Hearths Museum with works by Nelson that are borrowed from private collections will be the final exhibit of the season and will take place from October 5 – 27. 

The museum is open Saturdays and Sundays from10 a.m. to 4 p.m. throughout the month.

Call the Historical Society office, 860-927-4587 or visit the web site for more information www.kenthistoricalsociety.org.

For area information www.litchfieldhills.com