Monday, June 23, 2014

Music Mountain Celebrates 85th Concert Season

Concert aficionados from around the country will want to mark their calendars for Music Mountain, America's oldest continuing summer chamber music festival that is celebrating their 85th concert season this summer through September 14.  To commemorate the milestone, Music Mountain located in the scenic Litchfield Hills of Connecticut will continue their season past Labor Day – making the 85th Anniversary Season the longest running season since the 1930s! The summer will include returning chamber ensembles, first time guests and the ever-popular Saturday Evening Twilight Series featuring Jazz, Country, and Folk Music. Concerts are scheduled through September 14.

Music Mountain photo credit Joan Waldon
The Saturday Evening Twilight Series begins on June 14 (6:30PM) with The West Point Alumni Glee Club. Evening concerts continue with New York Gilbert & Sullivan Players (and the first of several pre-concert dinners, June 21); Jive By Five (June 28); The Sharon Playhouse (July 5); Vince Giordano and the Nighthawks (July 12); Gunsmoke (July 19); Swingtime Big Band (July 26); The New Black Eagle Jazz Band (August 2); The Falcon Ridge Folk Festival (August 9); The Galvanized Jazz Band (August 16); Baroque Italian Opera Arias & Duets (August 23); and Michael Berkeley (September 6). 

This year, the twilight series will broaden its variety of musical offerings to include folk music, opera and the golden age of Broadway. A special concert of Old Time Country Music by Tater Patch, whose bass player Richard Gordon is a grandson of Jacques Gordon, Music Mountain's Founder, and the only descendant of the Founder ever to appear at Music Mountain, will also be presented as the final Twilight concert on September 13.

Orion String Quartet
Music Mountain's 85th Anniversary Season will also include their annual Teaching Program -- bringing master teachers and aspiring young musicians together. Artistic Director of The Next Festival of Emerging Artists at Music Mountain, composer, c. "America's leading oboe recitalist," Humbert Lucarelli returns to Music Mountain for his master Oboe Seminar Sunday, July 20 through Friday, July 25. Returning for the second year, Carol Kastendieck, faculty member at The New York Conservatory for Dramatic Arts, will teach an actors vocal training program in August.

Music Mountain is located in Falls Village, Connecticut on Music Mountain Road, where a short scenic drive will bring you to Gordon Hall atop Music Mountain. Free parking and picnic facilities are available. Food, wine & beer are also available for purchase.

Tickets for the Season Opening Concert & Reception on Saturday, June 7 and End of Season Benefit Concert & Reception on Sunday, August 31 are $75 and include a voucher for one regularly priced concert. Two special mid-summer benefit concerts on Sunday, June 22 with the Juilliard String Quartet and on Sunday, July 20 with Peter Serkin and the Orion String Quartet are $60 per ticket. Pre-concert dinners are $60 and include concert ticket. Chamber Music Concerts are $35 at the door/$30 in advance. Twilight Series Concerts are $30 at the door/$27 in advance. Children ages 5-18 are admitted FREE for ALL CONCERTS when accompanied by a ticket holder (Music Mountain gratefully acknowledges children admission support by the Hellen Plummer Foundation for a gift in memory of James Merrill, Connecticut's first Poet Laureate).

Saturday Twilight Concerts are at 6:30pm. Chamber Music concerts are at 3pm on Sundays. Group rates and pre season ticket vouchers are available. Discounts apply through participating organizations. For a complete summer schedule, special ticket prices, and to download a ticket order form visit www.musicmountain.org or call 860-824-7126.

For information on Litchfield Hills www.litchfieldhills.com

Friday, June 20, 2014

Over There: Washington and The Great War

The Gunn Memorial Museum, on 5 Wykehem Rd in Washington Connecticut has  organized a new exhibition that commemorates the 100th anniversary of World War One, one of the largest and bloodiest conflicts in history, where over 70 million military personnel were mobilized around the world and more than 10 million combatants and 7 million civilians were killed, including several from Washington, CT. Over 100 men and women from Washington, and more than 150 alumni and faculty from The Gunnery served in The Great War.





Letters, pictures, and an interesting array of period artifacts from the museum, local families, and collectors, including Peter Tragni and Dr. Robert Jacobs, among others, are used to explore the dramatic experiences of Washington's soldiers, along with the extensive support efforts that were happening on the home front in Washington through such organizations as the Sister Susie Society, the Red Cross, the Women's Land Army, and the Home Guard. All of their fascinating stories will be shared in this exhibit and a diverse series of public programs (see below) through the year, sponsored in part by the Connecticut Community Foundation.

Art director Chris Zaima, designer Sandy Booth, and painter Keith Templeton, along with a team of other volunteers and staff, have created another visual masterpiece. Local history will come alive as visitors step back in time and explore the lives of Washington's residents during World War One, through their own words, and the impact this war had on our small town.

Admission to the exhibit is free, and this exhibit will be on display through January 18, 2015. For more information, call the Museum at 860-868-7756 or view www.gunnlibrary.org for more information or email gunnmuseum@sbcglobal.net.

On June 28 at 11 a.m. at the Gunn Library, there will be a lecture, The Beginning of the End: The Origins of World War I.  Dr. Michael Nolan, a professor of European History at Western Connecticut State University, will present a lecture to mark the 100th anniversary of the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of the Austrian Empire, the spark that ignited World War One. On June 28, 1914 Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife Sophie were assassinated by a Serbian nationalist who was a Black Hand Terrorist as they visited the city of Sarajevo. This assassination was the catalyst of World War One, a four-year event that claimed the lives of over 10 million soldiers and 7 million civilians around the globe.


Dr. Nolan will discuss the contentious years leading up to the assassination, how the events of that day unfolded, the impact the resulting war had on the 20th century, and who was really to blame for the origins of the war, the answer to which is not as clear cut as many might think and has vexed historians for the past century. Dr. Nolan is a 2001 graduate of Brandeis University and is the author of The Inverted Mirror: Mythologizing the Enemy in France and Germany, 1898-1914 (New York, Berghahn Books, 2005).

On Tuesday, July 14 & 28 and August 11 & 25 at 1:00 p.m. at the Gunn Library and Museum there will be a WWI Film Series featuring: The African QueenA Farewell to ArmsFly Boys, and War Horse.

Wednesday, June 18, 2014

Walking Tour of Historic Litchfield June 21

Litchfield is often referred to as the most well preserved colonial town in America  and with good reason as the center was the first in Connecticut to be placed on the National Register of Historic Places in the state in 1959.



The Litchfield Historical Society’s annual slate of walking tours for June begins at 10:00 am. During each tour, a museum educator or guest tour guide offers participants a new way to look at their surroundings with themed walks through Litchfield’s history. Each tour lasts about an hour—make sure to bring a bottle of water and wear comfortable shoes!

Saturday, June 21 is a very special "Curators" tour of Litchfield's colonial revival architecture. In conjunction with the Society's new exhibit on Litchfield during the Colonial Revival, The Lure of the Litchfield Hills, curator of collections Jessica Jenkins will lead a walking tour exploring some of the Colonial Revival hot spots around town.



Taking the stories of the Colonial Revival out of the museum, participants will have a chance to hear about how areas of town, such as the business block and town green, underwent major changes in the first part of the 20th century. Ms. Jenkins will also explore the motives behind the social movement and touch on the evolution of the appearance of private homes as well as such iconic building as the Congregational Church. Join them for a intimate look at the Colonial Revival Movement in Litchfield and take a walk through history as you learn why Litchfield looks the way it does today. 

This program is free for members and $10 for non-members; registration is required. Please call (860) 567-4501 or email egistration@litchfieldhistoricalsociety.org to register. 

The Litchfield History Museum is located at 7 South St., Litchfield, CT. For more information about this or other programs, please see www.litchfieldhistoricalsociety.org or call (860) 567-4501.

For information on where to stay, dine and shop visit www.litchifeldhills.com.

Tuesday, June 17, 2014

Victorian Ice Cream Social at Lockwood Mathews Mansion

On June 22, 2014, 12-5 p.m., the Lockwood-Mathews Mansion Museum located on 295 West Ave. in Norwalk will recreate the atmosphere of a bygone era in Mathews Park by bringing back a highlight of summer during the Gilded Age from 12 noon to 5 p.m.



Children will play popular Victorian lawn games such as croquet and badminton and participate in turn-of-the-century activities like Maypole dancing. Visitors will learn how ice cream was made in the mid-to-late nineteenth century and how it became widely popular with the invention of the hand-cranked ice cream machine.

Featured entertainment will include: James Miller and his antique "High Wheeler" bicycles, (a 1887 New Mail and an 1898 Liberty Tribune made in Bridgeport, CT); music by The Norwalk Community Chorale and the Usual Suspects Barbershop Quartet; 15 year old magician Ben Zabin; illusionist, juggler, comedian Jason Pipitone; and much more.

LMMM's costumed historical interpreters will wander through the crowds, interacting with children and adults alike while they bring the Mansion's history to life. Palm readers will tell the future as visitors explore the past, Irene and Gisella Surapine will offer face painting to children of all ages, and Victorian interpreters Paul and Hadley Veeder will narrate the Mouse Mansion story written by author Judith Rodriguez. A children's hat contest for 12 year olds and under will feature special prizes for the most original creations.



While general admission to the event is free and so are selected programs, the museum will charge for some of the activities and for all food sold during the event. Tickets will be available at LMMM's booths at the designated locations in Mathews Park. The Museum will be open for mini-tours. Guests will be invited to walk throughout the Museum's period rooms on the first floor and enjoy the beauty of this Victorian era Mansion for only $5.

For more information on the schedule of events, food stands, and prices please email us at info@lockwoodmathewsmansion.com or visit www.lockwoodmathewsmansion.com.

For information on Fairfield County www.visitfairfieldcountyct.com 
FB https://www.facebook.com/LitchfieldHills.FairfieldCounty.CT?ref=hl

Monday, June 16, 2014

15th Annual Ice Cream Social at New Morning Market in Woodbury

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.


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.

Thursday, June 12, 2014

Take Dad to the Goshen Stampede

Promising the best Stampede ever and one of the most unique Fathers Day events anywhere, the 7th Annual Goshen Stampede will go into action for three days, June 13 to 15, bringing Western style rodeo thrills to Connecticut's Litchfield Hills Champion roping, racing and the challenge of cowboy versus bucking bull and bronco will be the highlights of this busy weekend, which will feature two official Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association Rodeos.

Two traditional fair favorites, Demolition Derbies, and Truck Pull competitions, will also be on the schedule. Fireworks on Saturday night, non-stop music on the main stage, a kids' rodeo and free Petting Zoo and plenty of great food fill out the agenda and insure a good time for all. Proceeds from the event help support local charities as well as national organizations supporting the men, women, and families of the United States Armed Services.


This year, there will be a Motor Sports Arena with Full size cars Friday night and a Figure 8 race with Compact cars Sunday afternoon with special guest driver "AJ" from the WPLR morning radio show. There will also be 2 Pro Rodeos Saturday and Sunday in the Kicks 105.5 Arena with Bulls, Broncs, and Cowboys from Las Vegas and Madison Square Gardens, 2 Days of Truck Warz.


The three day Music Festival  will features country stars  including Blackjack Billy and Chris Janson as well as 10 other regional favorites on the Country 92.5 Stage.


There will also be an action Packed Midway, Free WZBG Petting Zoo and Kids Rodeo as well as Redneck games on the WZBG Family Stage, plus great food and lots of vendors to round out the fun. Don't forget that prizes will be awarded for the best event themed attire so dress up and have some fun!
The Stampede will be take place at the Goshen Fair Grounds, 116 Old Middle Street in Goshen. Hours are Friday, June 13th, 2 p.m. to 10 p.m; Saturday, June 14th 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.; and Sunday, June 15th 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Admission is Adults, $12 online and 14 at the gate, ages 10-17, $8 online and $10 at the gate and under 10 $6 at Gate or Free with Coupon & Paid Adult. Advance purchase is available at www.goshenstampede.com, where a complete schedule of events is also posted

Wednesday, June 11, 2014

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.



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.
T
hroughout 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.

Tuesday, June 10, 2014

New Season for the Clay and Wattles Theatre in Bethlehem

The 2014 Season at The Gary-The Olivia Theater in Bethlehem (on the grounds of the Abbey of Regina Laudis) begins with two one-act plays written by American Playwright Horton Foote. "Blind Date" and "The Actor" will be performed on 
June 13, 14, 20, 21 at 7:30 pm and June 15 and 22 at 2:30 pm. 


These beautifully written comedies set in the fictional town of Harrison, Texas are guaranteed to delight audiences with their poetry, insight into human nature and comic touch.

A prolific writer and winner of many awards. Mr. Foote wrote over 60 plays, television dramas and screenplays spanning a sixty year career. Perhaps most widely know for his screenplays for the films To Kill a Mockingbird (1962) and Tender Mercies (1983), winning the Oscar for both, Mr. Foote received the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1995 for the play, The Young Man From Atlanta.

Both comedies deal with conflicts between the generations. In Blind Date, a former beauty pageant queen tries to persuade her recalcitrant and unwilling niece on the art of "How to attract a suitor," and in The Actor, the well-intentioned parents try to dissuade their young son from pursuing a career in the theater.

Set in the fictional South Texas town of Harrison in the 1930's, these plays bring out both the charm and pitfalls of small town USA in a humorous and engaging way.

On Friday, June 13, 2014, our opening night gala performance for Blind Date and The Actor will include complimentary wines from Walker Road Vineyards and local artisan made cheeses. Tickets are $25 per person for opening night and $20 per person for the run of the show. Season Subscription Package and Senior Discounts are available at: www.thegarytheolivia.com. 11 yrs and younger are admitted free.

Admission for opening night and details on our 2014 season is at: thegarytheolivia.com. More information:info@thegarytheolivia.com or 203-273-5669.

Monday, June 9, 2014

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. 


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."

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.

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.




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


Friday, June 6, 2014

June fun at the Greenwich Historical Society

The Greenwich Historical Society has planned four fun filled events for the month of June beginning with a lecture on June 10 by Dr. Jackson Lears on Two Gilded Ages from 7 p.m. - 8 p.m. at the Vanderbilt Education Center.  


For some years, historians have theorized that we are living in a second Gilded Age, a reprise of the era that occurred a century ago. The decades between the1980s and the 2010s hold a remarkable similarity to those between the 1880s and the 1910s, both periods characterized by unregulated economic expansion, flagrant corruption on Wall Street, growing class divisions, the concentration of wealth within a conspicuously consuming elite and a series of imperial adventures (or misadventures) abroad.

Dr. Jackson Lears will examine the parallels and differences between the two eras to explain why the growth of inequality 100 years ago provoked widespread demands for reform among the populace (even among the well-to-do, motivated then by a paternalistic sense of responsibility), while contemporary comment on the situation is largely absent.



Connecticut's Open House Day falls on June 14 this year and the Greenwich Historical Society is planning a collage workshop that will focus on creating two-dimensional collages crafted from papers, fabrics, photographs, found objects and natural materials such as dried grasses, twigs, leaves, or petals. All materials will be provided, but participants may also bring copies of favorite photos, newspaper articles or other items to incorporate into their work. The workshop will take place in the Vanderbilt Education Center from noon to 2:00 pm, and all ages are welcome.



On June 21, from 1:30 to 3:00 pm the Greenwich Historical Society is planning a two-wheeled adventure and will provide a historical bike tour of Greenwich Point as a part of the annual Experience the Sound event. Participants are invited to explore the rich history of Greenwich point looking at everything from its geology to the many features that make it the beloved town park it is today. Participants will meet at the first parking lot on the right after entering the park. As the group travels around the point they will stop to hear stories, take a closer look at some of the ruins and see vintage photos from the Historical Society's collection. There will also be a scavenger hunt for children. Participants must bring their own bike and helmet and a water bottle is highly recommended. No reservations required and participation is free, but a park or guest pass is required for entry to Greenwich Point. All ages are welcome but children must be able to ride a bike.


The month ends with a Festa Al Fresco, on June 29 from 4 pm to 7 pm  a potluck supper to celebrate the history and the community of Italian immigrants who settled in Greenwich in the early twentieth century. The family "festa" was launched last year as part of the Historical Society's programming for the exhibition From Italy to America and in celebration of the Town of Greenwich's twinning ( "Gemallagio") with the Italian cities of Rose and Morra di Sanctis, where many of Greenwich's Italian early immigrants came from. The event proved so successful that it's back by popular demand. Guests are invited to demonstrate their culinary skills and to show off favorite family recipes (enough to share with 6-8) in one of four categories: antipasti/appetizers, pasta/main dishes, sides and salads or desserts. Wine, musical entertainment and crafts for kids are included in the price of admission. Mangiamo!
For more information about the Greenwich Historical Society visit http://greenwichhistory.org



Wednesday, June 4, 2014

Pathways: Exploring White’s Woods

From the first day Kerwin Mayers stepped onto the boardwalk at White’s Woods, which is part of White Memorial Foundation located off Rte. 202 in Litchfield  she knew this special area would beckon her again and again. Before moving to Litchfield Hills in 2007, she had not been a landscape painter, but the beauty of the region became a beacon that directed her work down this path.
Two years ago, she thought she would try a series of twelve paintings representing each month. Quickly the project expanded to more than thirty paintings taken from many spots in White’s Woods at all times of the year and all times of the day.  She is indebted to the Alaine White family for providing this amazing preservation for all to enjoy and for her, a blank canvas to fill. 
Kerwin started painting in oil at Sarah Lawrence College and has since studied for many years with Pamela duLong Williams. Her art education has been broadened through workshops with Wolf Kahn, Charles Sovek and Robert Burridge. In recent years her paintings have been in juried shows at the New Britain Museum of American Art, the Rowayton Arts Center and Kent Art Association.

A portion of all art sales benefit the Oliver Wolcott Library.  In addition, the artist will be giving an additional portion to the White Memorial Foundation for their boardwalk. In the gallery: through June 28. The Oliver Wolcott Library is located on 160 South Street, Litchfield, CT. 06759. 860-567-8030. www.owlibrary.org
From the first day Kerwin Mayers stepped onto the boardwalk at White’s Woods, which is part of White Memorial Foundation located off Rte. 202 in Litchfield  she knew this special area would beckon her again and again. Before moving to Litchfield Hills in 2007, she had not been a landscape painter, but the beauty of the region became a beacon that directed her work down this path.
Two years ago, she thought she would try a series of twelve paintings representing each month. Quickly the project expanded to more than thirty paintings taken from many spots in White’s Woods at all times of the year and all times of the day.  She is indebted to the Alaine White family for providing this amazing preservation for all to enjoy and for her, a blank canvas to fill. 
Kerwin started painting in oil at Sarah Lawrence College and has since studied for many years with Pamela duLong Williams. Her art education has been broadened through workshops with Wolf Kahn, Charles Sovek and Robert Burridge. In recent years her paintings have been in juried shows atthe New Britain Museum of American Art, the Rowayton Arts Center and Kent Art Association.

A portion of all art sales benefit the Oliver Wolcott Library.  In addition, the artist will be giving an additional portion to the White Memorial Foundation for their boardwalk. In the gallery: through June 28. The Oliver Wolcott Library is located on 160 South Street, Litchfield, CT. 06759. 860-567-8030. www.owlibrary.org
About White Memorial Foundation
The White Memorial Conservation Center, an Environmental Education Center and Nature Museum, is located in the heart of the 4000-acre White Memorial Foundation in the hills of northwestern Connecticut.
In 1964 the Center was established in the former home of Alain White and his sister, May. Their vision and generosity led to the formation of the White Memorial Foundation in 1913. A non-profit tax exempt organization, the Center was incorporated to add the goal of Education to the Conservation, Research, and Recreation purposes for which the foundation was formed.
The Conservation Center operates a Nature Museum with exhibits focusing on the interpretation of local natural history, conservation, and ecology, as well as a museum store, classrooms and dormitory. The outdoor arena includes the wildlife sanctuary maintained by the White Memorial Foundation. The Foundation today comprises 4000 acres of fields, water, and woodlands, trails, campgrounds, boating facilities, and special areas for large outdoor education and recreational gatherings. 
For more information about White Memorial www.whitememorialcc.org.  For information on Litchfield Hills www.litchfieldhills.com.