SAVE THE DATE FOR PEQUOT LIBRARY’S MID-WINTER BOOK SALE PRESIDENT’S DAY WEEKEND

 Pequot Library's Mid-Winter Book Sale is the little sister of the Library's nationally known Summer Book Sale. The Mid-Winter Sale is smaller but more intimate with many treasures and bargains to be found. The sale runs from Saturday, February 18- 19, from 9 am – 5 pm daily. The sale is in Pequot Library's Auditorium and admission is free.

Book Sale Categories include: Fiction/Classics; Mystery; Biography; History; Cookbooks; LPs; Children; CDs/DVDs/other media; Signed books; Vintage magazines (Life, photography journals -- e.g. Aperture and Eyemazing, and others, including a large collection of automotive magazines from the 70's). 

In addition to great books at great prices, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame pianist, Mark Naftalin, and his talented friends will be performing live at Pequot Library's book sale from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. both days.

Please visit www.pequotlibrary.org to learn more about this vibrant library, educational, arts and cultural institution.

A great way to spend a winter afternoon - Exploring the Mattatuck Museum

A perfect way to spend a cold winter afternoon is to wander through the galleries of the Mattatuck Museum located on 144 West Main Street in Waterbury. The museum is hosting several evocative exhibitions that run through March 12 including Components, the Art of Robert Cottingham, Winter Scenes, Linda Nelson, Ceramics by Mindy Horn and Ann Mallory and Zing by James Biederman.

 Robert Cottingham is known for his paintings and and prints of the urban landscape with its neon signs, movie marquees, and shop fronts, Robert Cottingham often uses letters and words, isolated and treated like objects, as carriers of style and meaning. This exhibition features subjects that were originally derived from engineering textbooks. These "components" are machine parts that were likely, facets of large industrial machines.

Another exhibition, Winter Scenes by folk artist Linda Nelson are the folksy scenes of simple life inspired by her childhood days on a farm in Illinois. Small towns and country settings provided imagery for the calendars and cards that has made her work familiar. More than 25 works of are make up this show and focus on Nelson's winter and holiday scenes. 

 If you like work in clay, don't miss the ceramic exhibit by Mindy Horn and Ann Mallory. Their works vary in size: some are delicately small, inviting close-up inspection, while others are imposing in scale. These technically and aesthetically ambitious works are experimental in shape and dazzle in an array of glazes. 

 Zing is an exhibition that features the artwork of  James Biederman who started painting minimalist drawings and wall sculptures that examined two-and three-dimensional ways of seeing in the 1970s. In recent years he has moved to painting boldly colored gestural abstractions. This exhibition of works completed since 2010 shows the current state of the artistic journey, the legacy of both abstract expressionism and minimalism, and the manner in which Biederman has taken these movements and reshaped them in new ways.

The Gallery is open Tues. - Sat. 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. and Sun. noon to 5 p.m. For a free newsletter on events and things to do and places to go  visit www.litchfieldhills.com to sign up!

A Special Valentine's Day Tea @ New Canaan Historical Society

A ritual that once began as a way to quell hunger pangs between lunch and dinner has become a highly anticipated tradition hosted by the New Canaan Historical Society.

  Once again, this year the New Canaan Historical Society is hosting its 16th Annual Valentine Tea on Tuesday, February 14, from 1:00 to 4:00 pm. There will be two tea sittings: the first at 1 pm and the second at 3 p.m.  A highlight of this event will be a performance by Ellen Taylor Sisson, a talented soprano from New Canaan that will entertain guests with her renditions of favorite love songs.

Sisson has appeared as soloist with the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields (Sir Neville Marriner, conducting) and in the choruses with many of the world's leading orchestras. She has sung on The Late Show with David Letterman Show, A Prairie Home Companion, and for the New York City Ballet, to name just a few of her performances.

Attendees will enjoy samplings from a table loaded with petite sandwiches, scones, fancy cakes and chocolates following in the tradition of the earliest teas said to have begun in 1840 by Anna, the Seventh Duchess of Bedford. Reservations are required. $12 members and $15 non-members. Please call (203) 966-1776. The New Canaan Historical Society is located on 13 Oenoke Ridge, New Canaan, CT 06840. www.nchistory.org

In Their Footsteps – Deborah Bonnell Paints Weir Farm @ Greenwich Historical Society

The Greenwich Historical Society will present In Their Footsteps – Deborah Bonnell Paints Weir Farm at the Storehouse Gallery Museum Shop from February 1 through 28. The exhibition will feature works painted by Bonnell as a 2016 artist-in-residence at Weir Farm.

Bonnell first became interested in American Impressionism as a docent at Bush-Holley Historic Site, where she studied and lectured on Cos Cob art colony history. Artist J. Alden Weir painted in Cos Cob and later settled with his family at Weir Farm, in Branchville (Wilton) CT, his home for thirty-plus years. Now a National Historic Site, Weir Farm was a setting, like Cos Cob, that American Impressionists loved and painted frequently. Weir's circle of friends, noted American artists John Twachtman, Childe Hassam, John Singer Sargent and Albert Pinkham Ryder, often visited and drew inspiration from the farm's bucolic vistas, many of which remain intact today.

Bonnell, as artist-in-residence in September 2016, was able to spend three weeks exploring the very same paths, meadows and woods that these prominent artists walked a century ago. Using oil on canvas, encaustic on panel, watercolor on paper and even iPad digital paintings, she captured her own impressions. Says Bonnell, "As a landscape painter, I was able to immerse myself, not only in the beauty of the place, but in being removed from our hectic, modern sense of time and to imagine what it must have been like there at the turn of the twentieth century. I have come full circle. By working on the same ground as these artists whom I have come to love, I have connected on even more levels."

Deborah Bonnell holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the Rhode Island School of Design, has studied at the R&F Pigments Encaustic Workshop in Kingston, NY and has done various residencies at Vermont Studio Center in Johnson, VT. She is a former resident of Greenwich and currently resides in Norwalk. Her work has been exhibited at shows and galleries in Connecticut, New York and Texas since 1985.

The Greenwich Historical Society is located on 39 Strickland Road in Cos Cob.  The Gallery is open all year, Wed. - Sun. 12 - 4 p.m. 

Adopt-A-Tree @ New Canaan Nature Center

The New Canaan Nature Center lhttp://www.newcanaannature.org/ocated on 144 Oenoke Ridge is offering an "adopt a tree" program once again this year...not just any tree, but one that produced maple sugar!  Families, individuals or groups get a chance each year to adopt the New Canaan Nature Center's sugar maple trees and enjoy the nature center from a unique and exciting perspective where they actually participate in this time honored tradition of New England...the art of maple sugaring!  The New Canaan Nature Center taps nearly 50 trees throughout the property with some trees being robust enough to handle 2-3 taps each!

This program begins with the Adopt a Tree Kickoff Event on Feb. 11, 2017 when families or groups come to the center to choose their tree and put a tap in it, a process that takes around an hour to complete.  After the tap is put in the tree, participants are invited to come to the center to collect sap  between one to three times a week - depending on sap flow conditions for the entire syrup season  that typically  lasts four to six weeks.  After all the sap is collected, participants are invited to take part in the boiling down process where the sap is transformed into "real" maple syrup.  

Participants are also invited to two maple themed events including a  Maple Syrup Pot-Luck Dinner where each family or group will receive their own bottle of New Canaan Nature Center maple syrup and the  March 18th Syrup Saturday Festival - a pancakes & pjs brunch with tons of fun syrup-related activities! 

The cost to participate in this program is $75 per group/family. Multiple families can adopt the same tree and share the cost. However, at the end of the program, only one jar of syrup is provided. There will be three tap times on Saturday, February 11th at 10:00 A.M., 11:30 A.M., and 1:00 P.M.. At registration, you will be asked to select one of these three time slots.  Can't make it on the 11th but still want to participate? No worries! Once registration opens in early January, give us a call at (203)-966-9577 x20 and we'll be happy to set up a makeup date for you and your family/group to come select your tree. 

For more event information on Litchfield Hills and Fairfield County and to sign up for a monthly newsletter visit www.visitfairfieldcountyct.comhttp://www.visitfairfieldcountyct.com

Confessions of an Urban Archaeologist: An Afternoon with Greg Van Antwerp in Easton

One man's trash is another man's treasure and for more than 30 years, Greg Van Antwerp has been digging for treasure through every estate, garage and tag sale he could find. What does he have to show for it?  If you are curious then head to the Easton Public Library on Feb. 11 at 1 p.m. to find out! 

In 2009, Greg began blogging about his discoveries by creating: Confessions of an Urban Archeologist. There he presents over 500 posts with photos, videos, and stories documenting the “best of” what he has discovered in his journeys. His approach is to not only share his “finds” but asks readers for their assistance in helping him understand what he has found, while inviting readers to share stories of their finds as well. Greg’s blog has benefited from the community of the curious who have stopped by to read, comment, or contribute articles. 

In 2011, Greg began writing for Patch.com. Under an earlier version he was able to reach over 200 locations across the country. Today he is back to posting on a single patch town. Greg can still be found in the "Patch Voices" section which is distributed nationally to over 900 Patch locations. It is more difficult to engage readers than before, but the exposure is appreciated.

In early 2013, he was invited to speak before an audience in New Canaan, CT; this began an on-going lecture series for libraries, historical societies and community groups in and around Connecticut. In a 60-minute interactive presentation using digital images and video clips, Greg provides a look at some believable, and some unbelievable discoveries, taking pleasure in the rescue, restoration and return of these items when possible.

Greg’s professional life has been spent working in community television for over 20 years. He also enjoys cartooning, photography, and writing. He is a devoted father and husband and during his weekend treasure hunts Greg is known to travel with his favorite companion/assistant - his daughter by his side. 

Center for Contemporary Printmaking New Show & Feb. Workshops

On January 22, the The Second East Coast Screenprint Biennial show opened at the Center for Contemporary Printmaking located on 299 West Ave. in Norwalk and will run through March 25, 2017.

The Screenprint Biennial is an art exhibition that showcases a range of screenprint-based art applications, from framed, editioned prints, to installation, sculpture, video, ephemera, and posters. This exhibition, juried by Nathan Meltz, printmaker and lecturer in the Art Department of the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, NY, will showcase artists from around the country who utilize adventurous, relevant and passionate impressions within the screenprint medium.

In addition, this February, the Center is offering a series of workshops including a three day workshop from Feb. 1-3 with Nomi Silverman that combines etchings with woodcuts. Participants will learn how to combine mediums to give prints depth and textural creativity. Woodcuts can be added as either tonal/color shapes under etchings, or etchings can be added for a dark mark to a woodcut. Use either an existing etching or woodcut. Participants will work with existing matrix, or create simple plates to explore cross process layering.

Another class, Silkscreen and Encaustic with Jeff Hirst is scheduled for Feb. 13-17.  This workshop will introduce and explore various approaches to combining screen printing and encaustic, utilizing line and halftone photo-based imagery. The technical information will be presented through a hands-on approach with emphasis on achieving each individual artist's aesthetic goals. All equipment will be provided for each student to work at a fixed screen printing station.

The final class offered this Feb. is the  Photo Lithography course with James Reed on Feb. 18 and 19 and again on Feb. 25 - 26. Photo lithography allows the opportunity to explore a wide variety of mark making in this contemporary lithographic process. Participants will learn to combine both photo and analog forms of imagery with the use of digital output onto transparency film, as well as a variety of drawing materials on frosted mylar. This 2-weekend workshop will cover how to create these different type of film positives, both digital and hand drawn, exposing and developing the plate, and how to print and edition using a litho or etching press. (Prior knowledge of printmaking processes is helpful.)

Annual Fishing CT Ice Gala on Bantam Lake

If you are a lover of the great outdoors and winter fishing then head over to Bantam Lake on Palmer Road in Bantam on February 11 for the third annual Fishing CT Ice Gala that is taking place from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.  This is the perfect opportunity to enjoy the brisk New England weather in a setting of great natural beauty with the chance to win some cash prizes!

The entry fee is $25 and is limited to one-hundred entries. It is important to note that all fish that are weighed must be accompanied by your "gala" registration slip and that you cannot pay with your fish in hand!  The registration table will open at 6:30 p.m. on Saturday morning; you may also pre-register online.

There will be three categories of prizes awarded including: pike, blackbass and panfish. To register visit the website online.

Celebrate Winter @ the Winter Carnival in Torrington Feb. 4

Once again this year the City of Torrington is hosting a "Winter Carnival" on Feb. 4 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. at Major Besse Park on Riverdale Road that promises tons of family fun.

There will be many old fashioned outdoor activities like: hay and pony rides, ice skating and sledding and even a home run challenge. There is plenty to do indoors as well as this carnival offers arts and crafts, face painting and a mad science fire and ice show at 2 p.m. that is followed by a family concert at 3 p.m. Keep your eyes peeled for the clown balloon artist that is sure to delight and for the special visit from Chew Chew, the Mascot of the Hartford Yard Goats! 

The Torrington First Congregational Church will be offering food for sale including hot dogs, popcorn, hot chocolate and soda. The Northwest Hills Credit Union will provide free cotton candy that is sure to round out the fun!

Remember to dress warm and to bring your sleds and ice skates !  The admission to this event is free.

The Spirits of Love - Litchfield Performing Arts

Tired of the same old options for Valentine's Day? Litchfield Jazz has the answer! This February, the Litchfield Performing Arts, organizers of the popular Jazz Festival  has teamed up with the one of the the newest and hippest attractions in Northwest Connecticut, the Litchfield Hills Distillery for a special Valentine's Day celebration on February 11 from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. 

The chic and comfortable Litchfield Hills Distillery sets the perfect scene for this romantic celebration where guests will enjoy a special Litchfield Distillery Signature Cocktail, hors d'oeuvres, dinner; and of course,  great live jazz for listening and dancing. Take a tour of the distillery while enjoying top-shelf wines and get into the "spirit" with a select tasting of the products carefully crafted at Litchfield Hills Distillery. Ciesco Catering will prepare a delicious meal wrapped up with chocolates from the iconic Fascia's Chocolates of Waterbury. What would Valentine's be without roses? There will be one for each guest!

In addition to the music, food and spirits, there will also be a silent auction so don't worry about shopping in advance. Do your gift giving on the spot! Couples, singles and friends are all welcome. This is an equal-opportunity great time to get in the Spirits of Love this Valentine's Day with Litchfield Jazz.

Proceeds support music education and scholarships at the Litchfield Jazz Camp. 50% of your ticket purchase is tax deductible.
Tickets are sold online.

One Night Stand @ Silvermine Arts Center

Bring your date and a bottle of champagne and learn how to throw on the potter’s wheel on Friday, February 10 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Silvermine Arts Center in New Canaan.  

The class will start with the raw brown stoneware clay.  Instructors  will  go over all the basic skills to form the clay into a bowl. After creating the bowl an optional demo participants will be shown how to alter the shape of the bowl into a heart. The addition of color will be the final touch and will be done by using tinted liquid clays called slips. This project will take approximately six weeks to be fired.

The next "one night stand" is scheduled for March 3 and the subject is The Art of Decoupage.  Participants will make unique glass plates done with decoupage-cut and glued paper-that make great gifts for all occasions. Any type of imagery, color and the ability to personalize these plates let you express your creative ideas. The plates can be used for display or serving. These plates are fun and quick to create- come join us. Participants will be shown quick and simple steps to finish their plates at home. If you wish to use personal photos to use on your plate, please bring them.

This class  is an opportunity to experience various forms of fine art in a relaxed and fun atmosphere, without the long commitment. These mini evening workshops hosted by the Silvermine are perfect for participants with no experience in the arts or for those who have experience but not in that area of study.

Each session has a different instructor and a different art experience. You can invite your spouse, friends and family to spend time together while creating works of art and enjoying each other’s company. You are welcome to bring a bottle of wine and some snacks, and be creative. These workshops are for ages 17 and up only. Art materials will be provided for all workshops. All Levels are Welcome, the cost is $50 and you can sign up online or by calling 203-966-9700.

Celebrate the year of the Rooster @ Beardsley Zoo!

Connecticut's Beardsley Zoo, the state's only zoo, invites families to celebrate Asian New Year on Saturday, February 4, 2017 from Noon to 3:00 p.m. This year marks the year of the Rooster and the Zoo will celebrate all the fowl that resides at the zoo! To the Chinese, the Rooster is almost the epitome of fidelity and punctuality. For ancestors who had no alarm clocks, the crowing was significant, as it could awaken people to get up and start to work. In Chinese culture, another symbolic meaning of chicken carries is exorcising evil spirits.

At the Beardsley Zoo Year of the Monkey festivities will feature activities for the entire family including a special children's parade around the Zoo grounds, storytime, crafts, and many more fun activities. Don't miss a visit to the colorful indoor Carousel. Here you will meet some of the Zoo's  special lizard guests and be invited to partake in the festivities. A special "Zoo" highlight  is the Rochan, a visiting Red Panda, has been charming Zoo guests since his arrival in October. The Zoo is currently raising funds to give Rochan a permanent home and has a $75,000 challenge grant, so every dollar  given  will be matched dollar for dollar to help make Rochan's new home a reality.  Another exhibit not to be missed is the miniature horses in the New England Farmyard.

About Connecticut's Beardsley Zoo

Connecticut's Beardsley Zoo celebrates its 94th birthday in 2016 and is closer than you think! Connecticut's only zoo features 300 animals representing primarily North and South American species. Visitors won't want to miss our Amur (Siberian) tigers, Brazilian ocelots, Red wolves, and Golden Lion tamarins. Other highlights include our South American rainforest with free-flight aviary, the prairie dog exhibit with "pop-up" viewing areas, the New England Farmyard with goats, cows, pigs, sheep, and other barnyard critters, plus the hoofstock trail featuring bison, pronghorn, deer, and more. Visitors can grab a bite at the Peacock Café, eat in the Picnic Grove, and enjoy a ride on our colorful carousel. For more information, visit http://www.beardsleyzoo.org

Stitch Your Heart Out Cross Stich Sachet Workshop for Kids

The Wilton Historical Society located on 224 Danbury Road is hosting a fun and easy workshop for kids.  During this workshop kids  will stitch up their own lavender-scented 4” square sachet.

Children will be working with a Heather Lins Home kit, which includes a 5” wood embroidery hoop, heart artwork printed on organic hemp/cotton blend fabric, organic lavender buds, embroidery floss, and embroidery needle. This is perfect for Valentine's Day because it is fun to slip the lavender-scented sachet into a drawer and enjoy the fragrance.  

The cost of this program is: Members: $10, plus $10 materials fee; Non-members $15 plus $10 materials fee. Please register by contacting info@wiltonhistorical.org or call 203-762-7257.

Did You Know?
“Have you ever used a needle and thread? Do you like to sew? There was a time in American history when girls were REQUIRED to sew! Young girls took classes in school and outside of school to learn cross stitch, which is a form of embroidery that looks like tiny “X’s” and can be found all over the world.

Cross stitch samplers became a requirement for girls in schools by the seventeenth century. The first sampler by young girls was called a “marking” sampler, designed with letters and numbers. Girls learned their alphabet while practicing the job of labeling clothing and linens. Textiles were very expensive and took time to make, so putting a household’s initials on them was a valuable skill.

In addition to teaching girls their alphabet and numbers, schools also had the girls sew verses, poems and messages of pious behavior.” — From the New-York Historical Society

PALACE THEATER TOURS OFFER BACKSTAGE ACCESS

After taking a hiatus through the holidays and the month of January, the Palace Theater will resume its popular monthly tours beginning Friday, February 3 at 11:00am. The tour that lasts approximately an hour and a half, is an opportunity to stroll through 95 years of theater history and view this outstanding example of early 20^th century architecture, that went through a thirty-million dollar restoration before reopening in 2004. Admission is $5.00 per person and can be purchased online  by phone at 203-346-2000, or in person at the Box Office, 100 East Main St. in Waterbury. Groups larger than ten people are asked to contact the Box Office to book their reservations in advance.

During the tour, attendees are led on an educational exploration through nine decades of stunning architecture and backstage magic related to the Palace’s rich history. A new feature of the tour will include information about the recent infrastructure work to the theater’s ceiling to accommodate the chandelier in the production of Phantom of the Opera that is slated to play the venue for a two-week engagement in November.  In addition to exploring the theater, tour patrons also have the opportunity to visit areas normally hidden from public view - the green room, wig room and star dressing rooms, plus have a chance to walk across the stage and view the venue’s hidden backstage murals featuring artwork painted and signed by past performers and Broadway touring companies. Guests are also invited to browse a rarely seen collection of the theater’s pre-restoration photos, in addition to viewing elements from the Palace’s Tenth Anniversary History Exhibit, which include a visual timeline of historic milestones dating back to 1922, as well as original theater seats from the 1920s.

Each tour is led by a team of engaging volunteers well-versed in the theater’s rich history, architectural design and entertaining anecdotal information. It is important to note that the walking tour covers five floors of history and architecture, including grand staircases from the 1920’s. While elevator access is available, guests with walking challenges or other health concerns, are asked to inform the Box Office ahead of time, so that the tour guides can make the proper accommodations.

For more information, visit www.palacetheaterct.orghttp://www.palacetheaterct.org/. 

New Photography Show @ Sharon Historical Society

The Gallery @the SHS of the Sharon Historical Society & Museum presents an exhibition and sale of photographs by eight members of the Housatonic Camera Club, which runs from January 14 through March 3, 2017. An opening wine and hors d'oeuvres reception to which the public is invited free of charge will be held on Saturday, January 14 from 5:00 to 7:00PM. All purchases support the Sharon Historical Society & Museum's mission.

The Housatonic Camera Club was started in the mid-1950's by Sharon resident Ward Hutchinson and is now composed of members from communities in Connecticut, Massachusetts, and New York who meet to share their love of photography, their experiences, travels, and expertise, and to educate one another and the public. Members work in prints, film, digital, color, and black & white mediums. Members exhibiting in this The Gallery @the SHS show are Jeffrey Breitman, William DeVoti, Lazlo Gyorsok, John Landon, George Mudge, Birgitt Pajarola, Jane Rossman and Bert Schmitz.

The Gallery @the SHS is located at the Sharon Historical Society & Museum, 18 Main Street, Route 41, Sharon, CT. The Gallery and Museum are open Wednesday through Friday from 12-4, Saturday from 10am-2pm and by appointment. For more information and directions to The Gallery @the SHS, call (860) 364-5688. For additional information about the Sharon Historical Society & Museum and The Gallery @the SHS, visit www.sharonhist.org.

Photo: Jane Rosssman http://www.housatoniccameraclub.com