Wednesday, November 18, 2015

COLUMBUS LETTER COMES HOME TO PEQUOT LIBRARY FOR A SPECIAL GUEST APPEARANCE


 Pequot Library’s Columbus Letter Comes Home event will be a once-in-a-lifetime experience. On Saturday, December 5, 2015, from 5:00pm - 7:00pm the public will be privileged to experience an extraordinary viewing of the letter produced in 1493. As part of the "Pages from Pequot" Special Collections exhibition, Exploring America: Christopher Columbus, Pequot Library's own Columbus letter comes home for a visit after being loaned to Yale University for over 60 years.



George Miles, William Robertson Coe Curator, Yale Collection of Western Americana, Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Yale University, will show the letter and speak about its importance. The letter is the Epistola de insulis nuper inventis, after April 29, 1493, Translated into Latin by Leandro di Cosco (Aliander de Cosco).

Friends of Pequot Library at the $250 Giving Level and up enter free. General admission is $40/person, purchase tickets now at pequotlibrary.org. Location is in the Reading Room and The Perkin Gallery of Pequot Library. For more information please contact: (203) 259-0346 ext. 15.

Please visit www.pequotlibrary.org to learn more about this vibrant library, educational, arts and cultural institution. All classes and programs are open to everyone. For information: (203) 259-0346 ext. 15. For more information on Fairfield County www.visitfairfieldcountyct.com

Tuesday, November 17, 2015

Inspire Your Young Artists at Westport Arts Center’s Family Art Day

Inspire the young artists in your family at Westport Arts Center’s Family Art Day on Sunday, November 22 from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m.  Design, color and construct one-of-a-kind art projects using new processes, unusual materials and your imagination!



The bi-annual Family Art Day event is designed to build on children’s ingenuity and curiosity.  The gallery will be completely transformed into a workshop space, featuring stations designed to enable interaction with different materials and to foster a lifelong love for the arts.  Local teaching artists will be on hand to assist children at each art station.

Kids will work alongside their parents and siblings as they draw on inspiration from the DREAMscapes exhibition featuring 42 member artists and curated by the renowned Alexandra Monroe, Ph.D, Samsung Senior Curator of Asian Art at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York.  Each project will capture the spirit of the exhibition explained by Monroe as “forms, colors and images that an artist might see in real or imagined space…It is whimsical.”

Families can explore the world of dreams and cosmic phenomena as they create dream catchers, embellish treasure stones and decorated pouches, develop unique felt landscapes inspired by their favorite fantasies and dreams, and build magic mirror mandalas.



"Family Art Day is a wonderful opportunity to introduce your children to the arts. With hands-on experiences perfect for all ages, children get to work along side their parents to make, design and create artworks that will embrace their individual imaginations and help to foster curiosity in using arts materials," stated Lindsay Heffernan, the Westport Arts Center’s Director of Education.
Don’t miss this opportunity to explore your family’s creative side and to view the stunning DREAMscapes exhibition of photography, printmaking, sculpture, video, collage, drawings and more.  Admission is $10 per child. Adults and children ages 2 and under are free.

Due to the popularity of this program, advance registration is encouraged. Tickets may be purchased online at www.westportartscenter.org or by phone, 203-222-7070.  Ticket sales at the door will be on a first-come, first-served basis. 

For more area event information www.visitfairfieldcountyct.com

Monday, November 16, 2015

Walk with llama's and more @ White Memorial Foundation

Litchfield's White Memorial Foundation located off Rte. 202 has several late November events not to be missed. There is a "Star Party" on  November 20 that promises to be great fun.  


Participants will hook up with members of the Litchfield Hills Amateur Astronomy Club and the Mattatuck Astronomical Society and discuss supernovas! Weather permitting, there will be Star gazing after the program. The program begins at 7:00 P.M., in the  A.B. Ceder Room. Please note that children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult. You are invited to bring your own telescope or binoculars.

On the afternoon of November 21 get ready to spend some quality time with your family meeting and greeting internationally acclaimed artist and author Wendell Minor as he reads and signs his latest book for children, Daylight Starlight Wildlife. Enjoy cider and cookies during the book signing. Chat with White Memorial's court photographer, Leo Kulinski, Jr and hear about the role he played in Mr. Minor's beautiful book!
Wendell Minor's 45-year career as an illustrator and author in the world of books has brought him international acclaim. He has produced over 2000 book covers and 60 children's books. He has been the exclusive designer of the covers for David McCullough and Pat Conroy for the past four decades. Minor's children's books celebrate the world of nature, historic figures and moments in America's story. His books have been published around the globe in several languages. Minor's work can be found in many museum collections, including the Norman Rockwell Museum, Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery, The Library of Congress, The New Britain Museum of American Art, Kennedy Space Center, University of Connecticut, and the United States Postal Service.

A highlight of the month takes place at 10 a.m. on November 28 when participants are invited to go on a llama walk with with Debbie Labbe from Country Quilt Llama Farm.  Stroll along the trails  of White Memorial with a new friend! Meet in the Museum parking lot. 10:00 A.M., $20.00 per person. A portion of the fee will be donated to the Conservation Center. Please register by calling Debbie at 860-248-0355 or email: countryquiltllamafarm@gmail.com or to schedule a private walk!
 Also on November 28 visitors are invited to take a walk on Cranberry Pond Trail with Gerri Griswold. This is the 6th Annual Edition of this popular walk! Nothing could cap off a wonderful "on the cusp of winter" stroll along this spectacular trail better than a cup of hot coffee and a thick wedge of Crimson Pie swimming in a pool of thick ginger crème anglaise! Meet in the Museum. 2:00 

For more area information www.litchfieldhills.com

Friday, November 13, 2015

Westport Historical Society's One of a Kind Artisans’ Boutique

On Friday, Nov. 13 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturday, November 14 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. the Westport HIstorical Society is hosting a one of a kind Artisans Boutique for visitors and residents alike to get a jump start on holiday gifts.


The "One of a Kind" boutique is offering a unique selection of jewelry, ceramics, scarves and handbags made by Westport area artisans. To add to the fesitive spirit, there will be  wine, cheese and music in the Society's Sheffer Gallery.
This event will be like an artisan's atelier and will provide an "artistic, intimate, gift-giving setting" featuring local people who are highly skilled in their medium. Karen Ford will be selling her functional porcelain and glass pieces, that are a fusion of clay, fire and glass and reflect her love of nature and her Chinese heritage.  Judy Henderson showcases her artful approach to clay shows and her love for painting.
Another artist, Nancy Weir-Geaney, sells handmade organic, sustainable, hand dyed, printed and vintage fabrics. Her scarves, shawls, sarongs, bags, pillows, quilts and table linens are made using sustainable fabrics and natural dyes and inks. "Each hand-dyed piece is one of a kind.
Eda Miyazaki is the creative director of Te+Te, a company whose name translates as hand + hand. She is a former textile designer in New York whose silk handbags are done in a style that is a result of her upbringing in Japan, combined with many years of living in America. She will also be selling her natural aromas line from Japan.
Connie Pappas and Christina Coopersino operate Leaf & Ardor Tea Co. in Fairfield, providers of premium, all-natural, organic teas and herbal blends, and serving pieces.
Lindsay Bartlett makes precious metal and beaded jewelry. Some of her custom jewelry features the fingerprint of the wearer. This is accomplished using precious metal clay, usually silver or gold, which can be molded by hand. When the clay is fired in a kiln the clay matrix burns away and only the metal is left. Bartlett's line includes cufflinks for a groom with impressions of the bride's fingerprints as well as other iconic imagery on the silver clay.F
or more area event information visit www.visitfairfieldcountyct.com

Wednesday, November 11, 2015

Masterful Tips for Holiday Entertaining at the Lockwood-Mathews Mansion Museum

The Lockwood-Mathews Mansion Museum will host, Setting the Table for the Holidays: Edward's Table on November 15th at 2 p.m. where tabletop guru Edward Lent will share a wealth of table setting and entertaining ideas, just in time for the holiday season.

Whether you are planning a joyous family gathering or a year-end "need to impress" business party, holiday entertaining will be at your fingertips with Edward's Table. Throughout his 20-plus year career, Lent has worked with Tabletop industry giants such as Noritake, Mikasa and Simon Pearce. His philosophy, "Stop keeping your dinnerware hostage. Let me show you how to set the mood and set a table with today's trends and tips using what you probably already own."
While setting thousands of tables, Lent developed a unique sense of entertaining styles. He is a renowned expert in the visual merchandising industry, whose table setting and merchandising work has taken him around the country and around the globe, including Europe, Japan and South America. Lent holds a degree in Art Education and was associate editor of the industry trade journal Tableware Today.


Tickets for the event are $25 for members and $35 for non-members. Proceeds will go to support the Museum and its artistic, cultural and educational programs.
For reservations please contact: info@lockwoodmathewsmansion.com or 203-838-9799 ext. 4. The Lockwood-Mathews Mansion Museum is a National Historic Landmark. Tours are offered Wednesdays through Sundays, at Noon, 1 p.m., 2 p.m., and 3 p.m. Admission is $10 for adults, $8 for seniors and $6 for children. Children under 8 are admitted free. For more information, visit www.lockwoodmathewsmansion.com  or call 203-838-9799.
For more area event information www.visitfairfieldcountyct.com

Tuesday, November 10, 2015

REMINDER OF DAILY VETERANS DISCOUNT, PLUS DAY-OFF FUN FOR KIDS, AT THE MARITIME AQUARIUM AT NORWALK

As we honor the men and women who have served – and are serving – our country on Wed., Nov. 11, The Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk offers a reminder of its year-round admission discounts for veterans and active-duty military.



Every day – not just on Veterans Day – active-duty members of the armed forces receive free admission and veterans receive a $10 admission discount. (Admission is regularly $19.95 for adults, and $17.95 for seniors 65+.)  ID/proof of service is required to receive these discounts.

For kids whose schools are closed Wednesday, a visit to The Maritime Aquarium is a fun way to get close to sharks, seals, sea turtles, jellies, river otters and other fascinating creatures – and maybe learn something new too.

Children and veterans may especially appreciate that The Maritime Aquarium is home to a real Navy seal:  in the 1980s, Rasal the harbor seal was trained by the U.S. Navy to retrieve objects from the sea floor.

IMAX® movies playing Wednesday (and every day through Nov. 24) on The Maritime Aquarium’s six-story screen are: “Humpback Whales” at 11 a.m and 3 p.m.; “Born to Be Wild” at noon; “Great White Shark” at 1 & 4 p.m.; and “Flight of the Butterflies” at 2 p.m.

Users of TripAdvisor.com rate The Maritime Aquarium as one of the Top 25 aquariums in the U.S. and No. 1 in New England.


Get details about all of the Aquarium’s exhibits, programs, IMAX movies and more at www.maritimeaquarium.org.  For more area information www.visitfairfieldcountyct.com

Monday, November 9, 2015

Modern Design – Collecting from the Jazz Age to the Space Age at the Fairfield Museum and History Center Nov. 19

On November 19 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., The Fairfield History Center is hosting John Stuart Gordon, the Benjamin Attmore Hewitt Assistant Curator of American Decorative Arts at the Yale University Art Gallery.  This  lively lecture will be about his role in acquiring design objects for Yale's collection and the current decorative arts market. What objects and eras are hot among collectors? What aesthetics and issues are of interest to auction houses, scholars, and museums?

Bio: John Stuart Gordon, the Benjamin Attmore Hewitt Assistant Curator of American Decorative Arts at the Yale University Art Gallery, has a Ph.D. from Boston University and is the author of A Modern World: American Design from the Yale University Art Gallery, 1920–1950 (Yale University Press, 2011). He specializes in American design from the late 19th through 21st centuries. In addition, he supervises the Furniture Study, the Yale University Art Gallery's large study collection of American furniture and wooden objects.
A Modern World: American Design from the Yale University Art Gallery, 1920–1950:
Americans living in the first decades of the twentieth century felt they inhabited a modern age. A spirit of excitement and experimentation transformed the world around them, in particular the consumer goods that filled their homes and offices. A Modern World draws upon the renowned collection of American decorative arts at the Yale University Art Gallery to explore the appearance and dissemination of modern design in the United States.
This catalogue organizes roughly 300 examples of silver, glass, industrial design, furniture, medals, jewelry, and printed textiles into thematic groups that chart the aesthetic and social trends that defined American design from the Jazz Age to the Space Age. The authors consider modernism broadly—from handmade luxury goods to mass-produced housewares—establishing a context for the objects within larger international developments in architecture, avant-garde art, and scientific innovation. New research and compelling juxtapositions offer an expanded understanding of the era, and designer biographies and corporate chronologies help make this catalogue a valuable resource.
For more area information www.visitfairfieldcountyct.com

Friday, November 6, 2015

THE KLEIN@75: THE CELEBRATION CONCERT Paul Shaffer will host November 14th event

On Saturday, November 14th, the Klein in Bridgeport will celebrate its 75th Anniversary with an unprecedented concert featuring resident performing arts companies that regularly perform in the historic 1,450-seat theater.  This is the first time that all of them have appeared together on the Klein’s stage.  The emcee for the event is the popular television personality and musician Paul Shaffer, longtime bandleader of “Late Night with David Letterman”. 



Featured companies are: Greater Bridgeport Symphony (which has performed at the Klein for the past 70 years), New England Ballet, Fairfield County Children’s Choir, Greater Bridgeport Youth Orchestras, student singers and dancers from the Klein’s innovative after school program ASK as well as from All Stars Project of Bridgeport, and noted jazz musician Joel Martin, creator of “Jazzical” and the Klein’s annual “Footsteps of Peace” concerts.   Also included are special appearances by Mayor Bill Finch, George Mintz, president of the Bridgeport chapter of the NAACP, Kathleen Maher, executive director of the Barnum Museum, a segment about Fairfield Theatre Company, which has presented over 100 concerts at the Klein in recent years, representatives from the Barnum Festival, and others yet to be announced.

During the concert each company will perform its own segments.  They will all assemble together in a spectacular musical finale.  The concert will be held at the Klein on Saturday, November 14th at 8 pm.  Tickets  can be purchased at the Klein’s box office, on-line at www.info@theklein.org, or by calling 800-424-0160.  Tickets are priced at $75 / $40 / $25 and $15.

As a thank-you to patrons of the resident companies that are performing that evening, the Klein and its performance partners have also announced a special subscription discount offer in a package of 4 upcoming events at the Klein.  By calling the Klein box office, patrons who purchase tickets to all four of the following events will receive a twenty per cent discount on the entire package.  The events in the package include:

WYNTON MARSALIS AND THE LINCOLN CENTER JAZZ ENSEMBLE (November 5th), presented by Fairfield Theatre Company

THE KLEIN@75: THE CELEBRATION CONCERT (November 14th)

BEETHOVEN’S NINTH SYMPHONY with the MENDELSSOHN CHOIR (December 12th) performed by the Greater Bridgeport Symphony

24TH ANNUAL NUTCRACKER PERFORMANCES (December 19th and 20th) by New England Ballet Company

RESTAURANT PROMOTION: The Klein is also conducting an exclusive discount offer through 4 restaurants in downtown Bridgeport.  Beginning October 15 and running until the day of the concert, patrons of these restaurants can receive a card with a discount code entitling them to 15% off the ticket price of the November 14th concert.  Participating restaurants are: Trattoria ‘A vucchella, Two Boots, Joseph’s Steakhouse, and the Holiday Inn.  This promotion is in collaboration with the Downtown Special Services District of Bridgeport.

ABOUT THE KLEIN: 

The Klein is a 1,450-seat historic American theater that was built in the 1930s with funds willed to the City of Bridgeport by Jacob Klein.  Designed by local architect Leonard Asheim, the auditorium was built in the Art Deco style and features bronze doors, a marble lobby, inlaid wood and geometric motifs.


After opening its doors for performances in 1940, The Klein has played host to programs ranging in scope to symphonies, operas, theater, folk, blues and rock concerts, local dance recitals and political debates. It also operates ASK, a tuition-free after school program where up to 100 Bridgeport students receive instruction in music, dance, drama and acting for the camera.  In earlier years, the Klein has hosted such luminaries as Leonard Bernstein, Isaac Stern, Arthur Fiedler, Eleanor Roosevelt, Martin Luther King, Jr., Paul Robeson, Milton Berle, Victor Borge, and Gloria Swanson.  More recently such diverse musical acts as Vienna Boys Choir, Alice Cooper, B.B. King, Boz Scaggs, Ziggy Marley, Taj Mahal, Herbie Hancock, George Carlin, Peter Frampton, Boyz II Men, the B-52s, the Parris Island Marine Band,  comic Elizardi Castro, and satiric comedy group Capitol Steps have appeared on the Klein stage.