History Bites Free Lecture to be Presented at Torrington Historical Society

The Torrington Historical Society located on 192 Main Street is once again hosting History Bites, a free lunchtime lecture series which is intended to bring topics of local history that will delight residents and visitors alike.

 On April 20 at noon attendees will learn about the history of the Charlotte Hungerford Hospital from host, Tom LeBouthillier who will present a program titled Charlotte Hungerford Hospital:  A Cornerstone Story.   

 In 1929, Charlotte Hungerford Hospital sealed a copper box in the cornerstone during the dedication of one of its buildings but it wasn’t until the hospital’s 100^th anniversary in 2016 that the box was finally opened, revealing a treasure trove of documents and artifacts that record an amazing story of the hospital’s early history.   Guests are invited to join the host  for an intimate look as he digs deep into that mysterious copper box and uncover the story of one of Torrington’s most important institutions.   

 Tim LeBouthillier is the Director of Community Relations & Development at Charlotte Hungerford Hospital where he administers its marketing, communications, fundraising, and community outreach efforts. Prior to entering the healthcare field, he directed membership services at the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art and the Greater Hartford Chamber of Commerce. Tim has a Masters in Non-Profit Management and Public Policy from NYU and a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration and History from Saint Michael’s College.   

The Torrington Historical Society program will begin promptly at noon on April 20^th in the Torrington Historical Society Carriage House, 192 Main Street, Torrington.  Reservations are requested for the History Bites programs, but are not required. 

The next program in the “Preserved in Layers” will take place on Thursday, April 27^th at the Woodbury Library, 269 Main Street South, Woodbury CT.  Presented by the Glebe House Museum & Gertrude Jekyll Garden, this program will share information gained from archaeological excavations in Woodbury.       For more information call 203-263-2855.

To sign up for a  free monthly newsletter on Litchfield Hills or Fairfield County on things to do and see and special deals visit  www.litchfieldhills.com or www.visitfairfieldcountyct.com

  

A Trio of Art Events @ Silvermine Art Center

Celebrate April with two art themed events and a tag sale at the Silvermine Art Center located on 1037 Silvermine Road in New Canaan. The month of April kicks off with the popular one night stand series, this one in honor of spring is themed painting flowers with watercolors and takes place on April 7 from 7 pm to 9 pm. Participants will create lovely little flower paintings while learning the basic techniques of watercolors. There is something so lovely about painting fresh flowers in watercolor. Through demonstrations, create washes, work from the color wheel for mixing shadows participants will learn other watercolor techniques to create fresh flower paintings.

The one night stand series is a unique opportunity to experience various forms of fine art in a relaxed and fun atmosphere, without the long commitment. These mini evening workshops 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 will have 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 and all levels are welcome.

The next event is the highly anticipated annual art materials and equipment sale that is taking place on April 22 in the school building from 10 am to 4 pm. This sale is the perfect time to purchase a variety of donated art materials and equipment at a really good price. Some of the items that will be available are a variety of sizes and shapes of frames, stretcher bars, paints, (oil, acrylic, watercolor or pastels), cameras, ceramic equipment, sculpture supplies and art books. The best part of this sale is that all proceeds go to the Silvermine School for Children.

The final April event is another one night stand class, this one is on crackle bowls on the potters wheel.  This session is open to both beginners and those who have been on the potter's wheel before. This workshop will kick up the wow factor on your pottery creations. Not only will instructors go over all the basic skills to form the raw clay into a bowl but they will use a liquid glass solution to make a wonderful textured crackle finish on the outside of your bowl. Lastly color will be added by using tinted liquid clays called slips. Project will take approximately six weeks to be fired.

For more information visit the Silvermine Arts Center online. Remember to sign up for the monthly newsletter of travel tips and deals published by Western Connecticut Convention and Visitors Bureau.