Have Whale of a Time @ Maritime Aquarium Norwalk

This January, museum goers are invited to walk through a giant inflatable whale at the Maritime Aquarium located on ten North Water Street in Norwalk.  Guests will see what it's like to stand beside – and inside – a 43-foot life-sized humpback whale, centerpiece of the fun as we invite guests to "Celebrate Whales." All activities offer bonus family fun, and will appeal to teachers and students on field trips too!

This special event places a 43-foot inflatable humpback whale into the Aquarium's central Newman's Own Hall. Stand next to the whale to get a real sense of the creatures' size – especially to realize that some humpbacks (and some other whale species) can grow even bigger. Have your phone ready too, because it's a great 'selfie' – you and a whale! There's even an opening that allows guests to play Jonah and go inside the whale to see its internal organs, including its lungs, heart and stomachs. (Most baleen whales have three stomach compartments.)

Also during "Celebrate Whales" Jan. 7-16, bonus educational stations will let Maritime Aquarium guests touch real baleen, experience first-hand how blubber keeps whales warm, and – in displays created by NOAA's Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary – learn the dangers that whales face on their annual migration.

And check for special screenings of the IMAX movie "Humpback Whales" daily Jan. 7-16 on the Aquarium's six-story screen.

Wilton Historical Society Offers Two Workshops for Kids to Honor the Ideals of Martin Luther King

In honor of Martin Luther King Day on Monday, Jan. 16 the Wilton Historical Society located on 224 Danbury Road in Wilton has scheduled two workshops for kids that demonstrate the beauty of diversity.

 The first workshop, "The Seeds of Diversity", will take place on Jan. 14 from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.  Martin Luther King's dream was to see people of all countries, races, and religions living together in harmony

 During this workshop kids will explore his dream during a workshop at the Wilton Historical Society.  Museum Educator Lola Chen will talk about Dr. King’s ideals as the children plant seeds of different shapes, sizes, and colors, which will soon sprout side by side.  The kids will be taking home their planters to watch the seeds grow.  Once the plants are large enough, they can be transplanted into a pot and later to the garden. The workshop includes a "birds of pizza snack that the children will make. The cost for this workshop is $10 per child with a maximum of $25 per family. The fee for non-members is $15 per child with a maximum of  $35 per family.  Please register: info@wiltonhistorical.org or call 203-762-7257. 

 The second workshop will take place on Monday, January 16, there will be a Hands of Friendship drop in workshop from 1 pm - 3 pm for kids ages 1 - 3, that demonstrates that people of all colors are part of one family.  They will be creating outstretched hands, representing diversity in the world.  This is the final day of the Great Trains Holiday exhibition that will be open until 4 pm. 

The Wilton Historical Society, 224 Danbury Road, Wilton, CT  06897   203-762-7257   www.wiltonhistorical.org

New Winter Exhibits @ Mattatuck Museum

The Mattatuck Museum is delighted to present four new art exhibitions  that will remain on view through March 12, 2017. From abstract to representational painting and experimental ceramics, there is something for everyone this winter @ The MATT. 

Components: The Art of Robert Cottingham features subjects derived from cameras, typewriters and machine parts. The "components" are isolated against boldly colored backgrounds in contrasting light and shadow that highlight these manufacturing details in depth, celebrating them as symbols of American industry.

In her lifetime, self-taught artist Linda Nelson produced 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. Her estate of original paintings is administrated by the Connecticut Community Foundation which has lent more than 25 works for this exhibit at the Museum, Winter Scenes: Linda Nelson, focusing on Nelson's winter and holiday scenes.

Line and Volume: Mindy Horn and Ann Mallory features work by two contemporary artists who contribute to the rich tradition of ceramic art with vibrant and original expressions in clay. 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.

In the 1970s, James Biederman created minimalist drawings and wall sculptures that examined two-and three-dimensional ways of seeing. In recent years he has moved to painting boldly colored gestural abstractions. This exhibition, Zing! Recent Works by James Biederman, consists of works completed since 2010 that show 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.

For more information on all of the museum's programs, events, and exhibits visit the website www.mattmuseum.org or call (203) 753-0381. Located on the green in Waterbury, CT at 144 West Main Street, the museum is open Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday, noon to 5 p.m. Convenient, free parking is located behind the museum in the lots on Park Place.

Flanders’ "Winter Scape” Photo Contest

Flanders Nature Center located in Woodbury Connecticut is holding a photography contest from January 9th through February 15th with prizes for the best submissions based on composition, image quality, originality and the story the image tells.  

This "Winter Scape” photo contest is an invitation to capture the spirit and beauty of the winter season in all of its beauty with images that might include landscapes, or wildlife pictured in a wintery context. The photos do not need to be taken on a Flanders’ property but instead can be taken anywhere that provides the photographer inspiration. Entries must be in digital formats of 6MB or less in size.  

All the submitted images will be judged by Flanders staff and experienced photography associates and shared in a special gallery on the Flanders web site after the winners have been announced.

The cost for one submission is $5.00, 2/$7.00, 3/ $10.00, 4/$13 and 5/$15. All proceeds to benefit Flanders programming. 

 Entry blanks as well as details on the contest can be found on their website at www.flandersnaturecenter.org or call Flanders at (203) 263-3711; Ext 10.

"Twelfth Night Celebration" @ Derby Historical Society

Mark your calendars and plan to join the fun on January 8, 2017 from 12:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. at  the Derby Historical Society as they mark the end of the Christmas season with their annual "Twelfth Night Celebration" at the David Humphreys House. This event features tours of the 17th century David Humphreys house by costumed docents. You'll take a trip back to an earlier time in American history when touring this beautifully preserved colonial home.

Try the mulled cider and punch alongside the buffet. Partake in samples of some items which would have been served in this house during the American Revolution. There will also be modern-day baked goods to enjoy.

Colonial skills such as spinning and weaving will be displayed. Before you leave, be sure to visit the Gift Shop, it will be open during this event. This year there will be a Dickens Reading at 3 pm.

For more information call 203 735 1908 or visit  www.derbyhistorical.org. Limited parking is available in back of the house. Additional on-street parking is available on Elm Street (on the same side as the Humphreys House) and nearby Thomas Street.

Admission prices for 12th Night: $5.00 per adult/ $3.00 per senior citizen and child under 8 years old. 

January Seal-Spotting and Birding Cruises @ Maritime Aquarium

On Sat., Jan. 7 (12 p.m.) & Sun., Jan 8 (1 p.m.)  cruise out with staff members of the Maritime Aquarium in hopes of spotting some of the seals that come into Long Island Sound each winter.  Together with the staff you will seek out the seals to observe them near the Norwalk Islands as they “haul out” to rest on rocks exposed at low tide.

Photo credit Patty Doyle

These cruises will be offered many weekends through March 26. Dates and departure times vary by low tide.

During the 2.5-hour cruises, educators will talk about the seals’ natural histories and use artifacts to discuss seal anatomy. And they’ll discuss what happens with the Sound’s marine population during the winter: who stays, who migrates out and who migrates in (besides the seals).

These cruises also give birders unique “on-the-water” access to see and photograph visiting winter waterfowl, such as buffleheads, mergansers, Brant geese and long-tailed ducks.

Binoculars will be provided.   R/V Spirit of the Sound has a climate-controlled cabin.  All participants must be at least 42 inches tall.

Tickets are $29.95 ($24.95 for Aquarium members).  Advance reservations are strongly recommended. Walk-up tickets will be sold, space permitting.  Reserve your tickets by calling (203) 852-0700, ext. 2206.

An Eye to the East: The Inspiration of Japan @ Greenwich Historical Society

The Greenwich Historical Society located on 39 Strickland Rd. in Cos Cob has organized a new exhibition called, An Eye to the East: The Inspiration of Japan that will be on view through February 26, 2016. Through paintings, prints, photographs, carvings, ceramics and textiles, An Eye to the East looks at the influence of Japanese art and culture in the late 19th and early 20th centuries with a special emphasis on the Cos Cob art colony. There will also be a special exhibition in a separate gallery of the work of Genjiro Yeto, who studied under John Henry Twachtman at the Art Students League in New York and spent part of each year from 1895 to 1901 at the Holley House. The work in this gallery features a recent donation of his work to the Greenwich Historical Society by his granddaughter.

Genjiro Yeto (1867–1924). Untitled [Young Girl Practicing Calligraphy], 1914 Gouache and pencil. Museum purchase with donor funds in memory of Noboru Uezumi, 2008.04

During the early to mid 1800s Japan was a closed nation to the rest of the world and it wasn't until 1854 when Commodore Matthew Calbraith Perry established a treaty that opened trade between the United States and Japan that the west began to discover the culture of Japan.  Perry could never have imagined the far-reaching effect that this trade document would have.

Within a year, French artist Félix Bracquemond "discovered" the woodblock prints of Hokusai and circulated them among his Paris art circle. Their influence was immediate, and visiting Cos Cob artists John Henry Twachtman, J. Alden Weir and Childe Hassam all took note. The introduction of Japanese art and culture made a splash at International Exhibitions in London (1862), Paris (1867) and Vienna (1873), and resulted in Europe's captivation with all things Japanese.

The American Civil War delayed the introduction of Japanese art and culture in this country, but upon its introduction at the 1876 Centennial Exhibition in Philadelphia and the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago, the "exotic" Japanese aesthetic was enthusiastically embraced. This exhibition traces the development and influence of Japanese art with a special look at the Cos Cob art colony.

A special tour, "the Curator's Eye" is being offered with this exhibition and will take place on Wednesdays at 12:15 p.m.  This will be a 20- to 30-minute docent-led gallery tour that will focus on exhibition highlights, themes and background stories that provide a framework for better understanding the art and objects on display. Docents will also answer questions and help you zero in on particular points of interest. These value-added tours are included in the price of admission.

For more area information www.visitfairfieldcountyct.com