Event Types: Arts & Culture

The Judy Black Memorial Park and Gardens is pleased to welcome an art exhibit featuring works by Theresa Bates. The exhibit, “Conversations with Color,” will be on view beginning Friday, October 4. An opening reception will be held at the park on Saturday, October 5 from 3 to 5 pm.

The show highlights the artist’s intuitive, colorful, expressive paintings full of emotion and movement.

“As a painter, color is like another language to me. It is a way of communicating. My pallets are true indications of what I am trying to express,” Bates explains. “The compositions are simple so the colors can react. I find less is more in any good conversation. It’s the constant play of speaking and listening.”

The exhibit will be on view through Sunday, October 20. Check our social media for weekly open hours: @judyblackpark on Instagram and Facebook.

This special “The Divinest Sense” Exhibition features the works of June Glasson, Jonathan Brand and Bevan Ramsay and is curated by Jon Riedeman. An opening reception will be held on Sunday, October 6th @ 4:00 pm – 6:00 pm.

About The Artists:

June Glasson
June Glasson is an artist, illustrator, designer and teacher living in Millbrook, New York. Her paintings have been exhibited at the National Portrait Gallery of London and at Nature Morte Gallery in Berlin. She is represented by Kenise Barnes Fine Art in Kent, CT, and Visions West Contemporary in Colorado. Her work has appeared in New American Paintings, The Paris Review, The Wall Street Journal, and on numerous book covers.

”My work is a marriage of the work that I create in the solitude of my studio, and work that lives in the world and is more collaborative or community based. In both my painting and my socially engaged work, I am interested in thinking about how both individuals and communities see themselves, and are seen and see themselves.” June Glasson

Jonathan Brand
Jonathan Brand is a recipient of the distinguished Pollack-Krasner Foundation Grant, several Canada Council for the Arts project grants, The Roberts Foundation Grant, and the Connecticut Commission for the Arts Grants. His work has been exhibited at The Queens Museum of Art, the Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum, NURTUREart New York and Gallerie de Roussan in Paris. His collaborative work has been shown internationally, including at the Venice Architecture Biennale. Jonathan and his work have been featured in articles in The New York Times, New York Daily News, Journal du Design, and on the Discovery Channel online. Brand received a BA from the University of Guelph and an MFA from the Yale School of Art. He lives and works in New Haven, CT, where he is a Founder of the NXTHVN arts incubator.

Of the works he is currently working on he says: ”For me the image of a lemon represents a fresh start. Lemons command our senses. Looking at a lemon we can imagine the experience of cutting open the fruit; we know the smell and its associations. Our body physically responds when our mind is brought to the lemon; mouth tensing, salivating just through the recognition of the thing. I’m interested in how the lemon can bypass the thinking mind and target something else. By presenting a lemon without color or full dimensionality, I am presenting something so against its nature. Although still recognizable as a lemon, there is oftentimes references to the body in, for example, how the lemons are positioned, merging and relating to one another. They paradoxically become fleshy.”

Bevan Ramsay
Following Bevan Ramsay’s first degree, in Fine Arts in 1994, he trained as a cabinet-maker and completed an apprenticeship in antique restoration. He was co-founder of a successful furniture design firm, eventually selling his shares in order to further his education. He earned a BA in Philosophy and Intellectual History from McGill University in 2007, and an MFA in Sculpture from Concordia University in 2011. In 2012, Ramsay returned to North America following a year in India, where he served as a Volunteer Advisor for children’s art programs while his wife conducted academic research. Bevan Ramsay is a native of Montreal and currently based in Norfolk, CT.

The Gunn Library welcomes landscape designer Jennifer Yates, who will explore the life of Rachel “Bunny” Mellon and the themes that shaped her work. Mellon’s aesthetic sensibilities were deeply influenced by her time in France, where she learned from colleagues, traveled extensively, and amassed a vast library of books by French landscape architects and other horticultural experts. Her work left a lasting impact on figures such as the Olmsted Brothers, Hubert de Givenchy, and Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. Notably, it was Jackie Kennedy who invited Bunny Mellon to redesign the White House Rose Garden.

The program offers a timeline of Bunny Mellon’s life, tracing her journey to becoming a prominent American landscape designer. Learn about the legacy she left at the Oak Spring Foundation and explore the projects that earned her significant design awards throughout her lifetime—all the more impressive as Mrs. Mellon was entirely self-taught, without a formal college education.

Jennifer Yates is an artistic, experienced & award-winning landscape designer. Her work focuses on the impressive & beautiful as well as ecological. Her lifetime of study in the complementary fields of architecture, horticulture and the environment including five years of Architecture & Design at Rhode Island School of Design and two years at New York Botanical Gardens, inform her natural gift for color, architectural beds, layered & unique designs. Jennifer is certified from N.O.F.A. with organic certification.

Learn more

Winter can be a beautiful time of year in the garden!
Presented by: Vincent Simeone

Although plants lie dormant, unique characteristics such as growth habit, ornamental fruit, and interesting bark move to the forefront. Conifers and broadleaved evergreens add color, variety and texture. This lecture will focus on standout selections that are true wonders of the winter landscape. Fall is the perfect time to plant trees and shrubs whose winter features will bring beauty to the cold months ahead. Come learn how you can use these horticultural treasures to enhance the aesthetic value and interest of your home landscape.

Vincent Simeone has been in the horticultural field for over 37 years and currently manages a large public garden on Long Island. Vincent has specialized expertise in woody plant identification, selection, and use, as well as historic landscape preservation and plant care. An experienced lecturer, instructor, and horticultural consultant, he has published seven gardening books and has been featured on Martha Stewart Living and HGTV. He has taught horticultural classes at the New York Botanical Garden since 1999.

HHG Members $30

Non-Members $40

Join us on Saturday, October 12th at 10:00 am at the stunning Spring Hill Vineyards Barn for a unique blend of yoga and live music with the Waterbury Symphony Orchestra.

Experience a morning of movement, mindfulness, and melody with renowned local yoga instructor Julie Haesche, accompanied by symphony members Ed Allman on bass and Lee Caron on percussion. This all-levels yoga class will begin with meditation and gentle movement to awaken your senses, followed by a flow designed to empower and open your body. Let the improvised soundscapes guide you into a state of deep presence and peace.

All proceeds from this class will support Bravo Waterbury!, an after-school, music education program for underserved children in Waterbury that promotes personal growth and academic success. BRAVO focuses on understanding, appreciation, and enjoyment of orchestral music while developing a sense of autonomy and interdependence. BRAVO combines creative instruction in instrumental music and choir with homework assistance, dance, and personal growth. Students can explore their learning styles and use the arts as a vehicle to develop important skills such as teamwork and communication.
Don’t miss this opportunity to nurture your body and soul while giving back to a great cause!

Details:
The Barn at Spring Hill Vineyard
292 Bee Brook Road, New Preston CT

Saturday, October 12th from 10:00am – 11:15am

$40 per person to support Bravo! Waterbury

Please bring your own yoga mat and water.

Register here

Hollister House Garden will be open for the season through October 12th, 2024! Visit this beautiful classic English garden in Washington and see what’s in bloom this September and enjoy the fall foliage in October.

2024 Visiting Hours:
Wednesday 1-4pm
Friday 1-4pm
Saturday 10-4pm

Admission $10

Visiting Guidelines

Join us for the 7th Annual Washington Harvest Festival on Sunday, October 13th from 12pm-5pm. We can’t wait to celebrate the community with live music, great food, talented artists, festive scarecrows, amazing local vendors, train rides, fire truck tours, family-friendly fun, and much more. Admission is free for all.

The Washington Harvest Festival will feature:
🎶 Live music
🍔 Food
🍻 Mobile pub for adults
🎃 Pumpkin carving
🚂 Train rides
🌾 Hay maze
🚒 Fire truck tours
🧶 Local craft, business, and nonprofit vendors

We also invite you to join in on our annual Scarecrow Competition! 🏆

This event is organized by Washington Business Association and Washington Parks & Recreation.

There will also be collectible posters for sale of this year’s fabulous art print by CT artist Zeb Mayer. All proceeds support the Washington-Warren Food Bank.

We are reading “The Pioneers: The Heroic Story of the Settlers Who Brought the American Ideal West” by David McCullough. Copies of the book are available at the circulation desk. Please note we are meeting on a Tuesday this month.

Register here

The third Wednesday of each month is Open Mic at The Hen’s Nest Gallery.

All are welcome to join Open Mic Night at The Hen’s Nest! Read a poem, tell a story, sing, play an instrument, do a magic trick. People share and listen. It is a fun evening of the unexpected and spontaneous.

KMR Arts is proud to announce the opening of Diana Weymar: Everything I Touched, from August 24 through October 19, 2024. Please join us for an opening reception with the artist, Saturday, August 24, from 3-5 pm. This exhibit is Weymar’s first exhibit at KMR Arts.

Diana Weymar is a renowned textile artist and pioneer in the growing world of “craftivism,” a movement that combines art and activism to address social and political issues. Weymar grew up in the rugged wilderness of Northern British Columbia, where she learned early on the value of resourcefulness: “Everything we had and did was a creative act of survival.” She later studied creative writing at Princeton University.

Everything I Touched is a collection of compelling quotations meticulously stitched on found fabrics such as vintage handkerchiefs and cocktail napkins. The quotations, explore themes of love, identity, and resilience. The act of transforming stitching into art creates an almost subversive result, more powerful than reading the text on its own.

In this work, Weymar seeks out connections, rather than differences. The viewer pauses and processes not only what they are seeing, but how they are seeing it. These are objects that would not have any value and would have been discarded unless someone stopped to appreciate them.

As a “domestic art”, embroidery has historically been associated with women’s work, along with pottery, candle-making, weaving, and knitting, The “domestic arts” have also traditionally transcended class, race, and nationality. Just as quilting bees in the American South served both social and practical purposes, Diana Weymar’s work has gathered momentum with its “call and response” process, drawing individuals from wide-ranging backgrounds and geographical locations together, as they unite and collaborate.

The tactile allure of the embroidery adds a physical dimension to the art, allowing viewers to feel the textures and appreciate the work that goes into each and every stitch: “What makes these pieces powerful is because the handwork is evident,” Weymar says. “It’s so personal.”

Weymar’s groundbreaking textiles are inviting and jarring, playful and serious, dainty and powerful. Weymar splashes pastel backdrops and stiches intricate patterns to complement the quotations. Each piece invites viewers to engage with it on multiple levels, creating a dynamic interplay between text, texture, and meaning.

Gallery owner, Kathy McCarver says, “From the moment I saw Diana’s work, I wanted to learn more about it, own it, and exhibit it. This work is intimate and human, an antidote to our loud, impersonal, mass-marketed, mass-produced world. This modern world, with its advances and progress, has rendered humans disconnected. This compelling work is an attempt to connect us through words and thoughts.”

Weymar has fostered a sense of community surrounding her projects, encouraging others to send in their textiles or stitch their own pieces. Throughout her career, Weymar has collaborated with organizations such as Build Peace, the Arts Council of Princeton, and the Nantucket Atheneum. Her work has been showcased across the United States and Canada, receiving international acclaim for its innovative artistic approach.

If you would like more information, please email [email protected].

Saturday, October 19, 2:00pm
In Person Presentation at the IAIS

Etuaptmumk is a Mi’kmaw saying that translates to “Two-Eyed Seeing.” This concept refers to learning how to see the strengths of Indigenous knowledge from one eye and the strengths of Western knowledge from the other. Join White Memorial’s Environmental Educator Colleen Harrak and IAIS Educational Outreach Ambassador Darlene Kascak (Schaghticoke Tribal Nation) for a two eyed seeing look at local woodlands animals and the lessons they teach. White Memorial will bring several live animal ambassadors while Darlene will share traditional Native American stories about these animals.

Space is limited and pre-registration is requested. Please visit our website to register. Questions? Please email [email protected] or call (860) 868 0518. Price of participation: $15 for Non-Members, $5 for IAIS Members.

Register here

The first of the series titled “Singular Plays”, CTX is proud to launch this new partnership with Judy Black Memorial Park and Gardens. Please stay tuned for winter and spring plays TBA.

Three long-time friends confront the inevitability of their changing relationship when a provocative piece of art enters their lives. A friendship is tested, and the aftermath of action, and reaction, affirms the powers of their bond. Featuring Sebastian Tillinger, Patrick Horan, and Kent Burnham. Directed by Tracy Liz Miller.

Limited seating. To register for FREE tickets, please visit www.cttheatrex.org.

The Hickory Stick Bookshop is delighted to host Susan Kassirer who will be here to present and sign copies of her late mother’s recently discovered and published children’s book “The Knitting Witch” on Sunday October 20th at 2 pm. Joining Susan will be the book’s illustrator, Mark Richardson.

ABOUT THE BOOK

A long-lost manuscript, discovered by the author’s daughter, is finally brought to life and shared with the world. “The Knitting Witch” was penned by Norma Kassirer in the 1950s and cherished by her daughter Sue during her childhood. After Norma’s passing in 2013, Sue rediscovered the manuscript among her mother’s papers, sparking a journey to bring this treasure to today’s readers.

The story introduces readers to Ivy Lou, a spirited girl whose epic tantrums have gained her everything but friends until a whimsical witch enters her world and armed with enchanted knitting needles, whips up some magical friends. But the witch has plans of her own, and Ivy Lou’s home is soon transformed into a horrid little hut.

Readers will join Ivy Lou on a mesmerizing adventure, where daunting tasks like brewing potions replace a life of luxury and in which she embarks on an extraordinary journey to find her way home.

At its heart, “The Knitting Witch” is about the bond between mothers and daughters and the timeless magic of telling a story.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Norma Kassirer (1924-2013) was an acclaimed children’s author whose stories are celebrated for their wit, charm and magical narratives. Her timeless classic middle grade children’s novel “Magic Elizabeth”, was a bestseller in its Scholastic Book Club edition, is listed in Eden Ross Lipson’s New York Times Parent’s Guide to the Best Books for Children and has consistently garnered rave reader reviews. In addition, Norma was a poet and artist who influenced generations of poets and artists in her native Buffalo, NY.

Norma’s daughter, Sue Kassirer, is a freelance editor, writer and artist who worked for many years as a children’s book editor at Simon & Schuster, Viking-Penguin, Random House, and Harper Collins. Sue has published numerous children’s books of her own and is excitedly discovering many more manuscripts of her late mother’s.

ABOUT THE ILLUSTRATOR

Mark Richardson, a Rhode Island School of Design graduate, is a renowned artist and illustrator whose work bring stories to life with vivid and enchanting visuals. A friend of Sue’s, he read “The Knitting Witch”, loved it and spent a year illustrating it.

PRAISE FOR THE BOOK

“Outlandish humor and lightly scary fairy tale magic permeate this fantasy adventure…”– Publishers Weekly

“Through simple prose, Norma Kassirer creates a magical adventure that is just right for independent young readers. With a poet’s command of imagery and a mastery of narrative, Kassirer offers a fully imagined world in The Knitting Witch that you won’t soon forget.”–Geoffrey Gatza, author of The Albatross Around the Neck of Albert Ross

“…reads like a bedtime story and will have kids giggling at Ivy Lou’s outrageous behavior.”–Avi, Newbery Award-winning author of Crispin: The Cross of Lead

This event is free and open to the public. If you are unable to attend this event, you may reserve signed copies of “The Knitting Witch” by calling The Hickory Stick Bookshop at (860) 868 0525, or shop our website 24/7 at www.hickorystickbookshop.com.

The Hen’s Nest Gallery presents a special collection of work by renowned artist and illustrator, David Suter. The exhibit opens on Wednesday, September 18th. Reception will be held on Saturday, September 28th from 4-6pm.

Former NY Times illustrator, David Suter has a long history of making complicated events easier for us to understand – from sketching the Watergate trials to illustrating the infamous O-Ring malfunction of the Space Shuttle Challenger. The artist’s brilliant illustrations from the 70s and 80s speak to political, socio economic and universal themes that are as relevant today as they were fifty years ago. His sculpture and painting represent an extension of these unique “Suterisms.”

The Hen’s Nest Gallery presents a one-of-a-kind collection of all of this artwork now through October 27th. The Hen’s Nest Gallery is located at 2 Green Hill Rd Washington Depot, CT 06794.

Gallery Hours:
Weds-Sat 11:00-5:00pm
Sun 11:00-4:00pm
Mon-Tues by luck or appointment

October Virtual Book Club – Never Whistle At Night, edited by Shane Hawk and Theodore Van Alst
Wednesday, October 30, 7:00pm
Virtual Program

Looking to expand your reading list and discuss a variety of issues and topics important to Native people? Please join our virtual book club, As They Speak: Native Voices in Today’s Literature. Based on a variety of topics and featuring a range of genres, all of the books we will be reading have been written by contemporary authors. This month, we will be reading and discussing Never Whistle At Night: An Indigenous Dark Fiction Anthology edited by Shane Hawk (Cheyenne and Arapaho) and Theodore Van Alst (Mackinac Band of Chippewa and Ottawa Indians). Many Indigenous people believe that one should never whistle at night. This belief takes many forms: for instance, Native Hawaiians believe it summons the Hukai’po, the spirits of ancient warriors, and Native Mexicans say it calls Lechuza, a witch that can transform into an owl. But what all these legends hold in common is the certainty that whistling at night can cause evil spirits to appear—and even follow you home. These wholly original and shiver-inducing tales introduce readers to ghosts, curses, hauntings, monstrous creatures, complex family legacies, desperate deeds, and chilling acts of revenge. Join the conversation hosted by IAIS Staff on Zoom.

In order to have a more intimate conversation, space is limited. Please visit our website to register and receive a Zoom link. Questions? Please email [email protected] or call (860) 868-0518. This is a FREE event, but donations are appreciated. This event will NOT be recorded.

Register here

The Gunn Memorial Library is pleased to present “Cover Stories & Cityscapes,” an exhibition by Susan Lerner on display from September 28th through November 23rd, 2024. This exhibition showcases a captivating collection of hand-cut collages that blend vintage narratives with contemporary artistry.

“Cover Stories & Cityscapes” weaves together two series of hand cut collages, each rooted in the exploration of materials and the stories they hold. “Cover Stories” transforms forgotten vintage books into striking three-dimensional vignettes by deconstructing their volumes and enriching them with vintage illustrations and found photographs, evoking nostalgia and transporting viewers to another time and place. Inspired by a serendipitous flea market find of early 1900s NYC postcards, “Cityscapes” blends these historical fragments with hand-cut maps and vintage imagery. Each collage is named after places or vernacular associated with New York City.

Susan is a New York City and Washington, CT based contemporary hand-cut collage artist. In her prior profession as a Certified Flavor Chemist, Susan ‘collaged’ chemicals into unique flavors, but now she uses paper as her medium. She loves the collage process, finding joy in the hunt for imagery, meditation in cutting paper and delight in creating nostalgic compositions. Since 2017, she has shown her work in six solo shows in New York City and Northwest Connecticut and over 35 group shows including Norway, Germany and Paris. Her work has been published in numerous periodicals including “Collage Care Transforming Emotions and Life Experiences with Collage” by Laurie Kanyer and its companion book, “Collage Care, the Method”. She is the co-founder of the New York Collage Ensemble which promotes a supportive community of like-minded analog collage artists in NYC.

Gunn Memorial Library is located at 5 Wykeham Road at the juncture of Route 47 opposite the Green in Washington, CT. Library hours may be found at gunnlibrary.org. For more information call (860)868-7586 or email, [email protected].

This special “The Divinest Sense” Exhibition features the works of June Glasson, Jonathan Brand and Bevan Ramsay and is curated by Jon Riedeman. An opening reception will be held on Sunday, October 6th @ 4:00 pm – 6:00 pm.

About The Artists:

June Glasson
June Glasson is an artist, illustrator, designer and teacher living in Millbrook, New York. Her paintings have been exhibited at the National Portrait Gallery of London and at Nature Morte Gallery in Berlin. She is represented by Kenise Barnes Fine Art in Kent, CT, and Visions West Contemporary in Colorado. Her work has appeared in New American Paintings, The Paris Review, The Wall Street Journal, and on numerous book covers.

”My work is a marriage of the work that I create in the solitude of my studio, and work that lives in the world and is more collaborative or community based. In both my painting and my socially engaged work, I am interested in thinking about how both individuals and communities see themselves, and are seen and see themselves.” June Glasson

Jonathan Brand
Jonathan Brand is a recipient of the distinguished Pollack-Krasner Foundation Grant, several Canada Council for the Arts project grants, The Roberts Foundation Grant, and the Connecticut Commission for the Arts Grants. His work has been exhibited at The Queens Museum of Art, the Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum, NURTUREart New York and Gallerie de Roussan in Paris. His collaborative work has been shown internationally, including at the Venice Architecture Biennale. Jonathan and his work have been featured in articles in The New York Times, New York Daily News, Journal du Design, and on the Discovery Channel online. Brand received a BA from the University of Guelph and an MFA from the Yale School of Art. He lives and works in New Haven, CT, where he is a Founder of the NXTHVN arts incubator.

Of the works he is currently working on he says: ”For me the image of a lemon represents a fresh start. Lemons command our senses. Looking at a lemon we can imagine the experience of cutting open the fruit; we know the smell and its associations. Our body physically responds when our mind is brought to the lemon; mouth tensing, salivating just through the recognition of the thing. I’m interested in how the lemon can bypass the thinking mind and target something else. By presenting a lemon without color or full dimensionality, I am presenting something so against its nature. Although still recognizable as a lemon, there is oftentimes references to the body in, for example, how the lemons are positioned, merging and relating to one another. They paradoxically become fleshy.”

Bevan Ramsay
Following Bevan Ramsay’s first degree, in Fine Arts in 1994, he trained as a cabinet-maker and completed an apprenticeship in antique restoration. He was co-founder of a successful furniture design firm, eventually selling his shares in order to further his education. He earned a BA in Philosophy and Intellectual History from McGill University in 2007, and an MFA in Sculpture from Concordia University in 2011. In 2012, Ramsay returned to North America following a year in India, where he served as a Volunteer Advisor for children’s art programs while his wife conducted academic research. Bevan Ramsay is a native of Montreal and currently based in Norfolk, CT.

The Gunn Memorial Library is pleased to present “Cover Stories & Cityscapes,” an exhibition by Susan Lerner on display from September 28th through November 23rd, 2024. This exhibition showcases a captivating collection of hand-cut collages that blend vintage narratives with contemporary artistry.

“Cover Stories & Cityscapes” weaves together two series of hand cut collages, each rooted in the exploration of materials and the stories they hold. “Cover Stories” transforms forgotten vintage books into striking three-dimensional vignettes by deconstructing their volumes and enriching them with vintage illustrations and found photographs, evoking nostalgia and transporting viewers to another time and place. Inspired by a serendipitous flea market find of early 1900s NYC postcards, “Cityscapes” blends these historical fragments with hand-cut maps and vintage imagery. Each collage is named after places or vernacular associated with New York City.

Susan is a New York City and Washington, CT based contemporary hand-cut collage artist. In her prior profession as a Certified Flavor Chemist, Susan ‘collaged’ chemicals into unique flavors, but now she uses paper as her medium. She loves the collage process, finding joy in the hunt for imagery, meditation in cutting paper and delight in creating nostalgic compositions. Since 2017, she has shown her work in six solo shows in New York City and Northwest Connecticut and over 35 group shows including Norway, Germany and Paris. Her work has been published in numerous periodicals including “Collage Care Transforming Emotions and Life Experiences with Collage” by Laurie Kanyer and its companion book, “Collage Care, the Method”. She is the co-founder of the New York Collage Ensemble which promotes a supportive community of like-minded analog collage artists in NYC.

Gunn Memorial Library is located at 5 Wykeham Road at the juncture of Route 47 opposite the Green in Washington, CT. Library hours may be found at gunnlibrary.org. For more information call (860)868-7586 or email, [email protected].

The Gunn Museum is excited to announce a new fall program Washington History Mystery. This brand-new program is designed to immerse you in the intriguing history of Washington like never before! Join us for this adventure on Saturday November 2 with timed group intervals starting at 4:00pm – 8:00pm.
Participants will work in groups of six to solve challenging puzzles and answer trivia questions that reveal the hidden stories of Washington. This adventure takes place in both the museum and library, making it the perfect event for history buffs, puzzle fans, and families alike. This program is generously sponsored by George Home.

This interactive experience replaces our previous Cemetery Tour, offering a fresh and engaging way to explore the past. Registration opens on our website October 1. Don’t miss this unique opportunity to step back in time and uncover the mysteries of Washington’s history! For more information visit www.gunnlibrary.org/calendar or call 860-868-7756.

Sunday, November 3, 12:30 pm
In-person event

Did you know that Native Americans have served in the United States military with the highest record of service per capita when compared to any other ethnic group? Each year IAIS honors several local Native Americans who have served in the Armed Forces. This year, we will be joined by the Crow Hill Singers drum group led by Aaron Athey (Mohegan) based out of Uncasville, CT, who will provide honor songs to help recognize the veterans’ contributions. Join us for an outdoor ceremony to acknowledge the sacrifices of this year’s honorees as well as all veterans, Native and Non-Native, who have served our country. Following the ceremony, attendees are invited to enjoy some warm beverages and light refreshments.

We are pleased to announce that Tails of Joy, a Connecticut-based non-profit dedicated to providing animal assisted therapy, will have a canine ambassador on premises for portions of this event.

Please note: The ceremony, or portions of it, may move inside if there is rain or freezing temperatures, but participants should come prepared for an outdoor event.
This event is free and open to the public, but pre-registration is appreciated and donations are always appreciated. Please register online through our website. Questions? Please call (860) 868-0518 or email [email protected].

Join us for “The Witches of Litchfield County” Zoom lecture with Peter Vermilyea on Monday November 4 at 6:30pm.

Few images in New England history are as indelible as that of witches. While the witch hysteria of Salem is the best known episode of witchcraft, there were witches much closer to Litchfield County. In this talk, teacher and historian Peter Vermilyea will discuss the lives four 18th century residents of the County who were accused of witchcraft, their alleged activities, and the possible motivations behind the accusations. Vermilyea, the author or editor of five books including the recent Litchfield County and the Civil War, teaches history at Housatonic Valley Regional High School and for the University of Connecticut.

Registration is required for this virtual lecture, Zoom login information will be emailed upon registration.

Join The Pantry for Open Mic Night on the first Wednesday of each month! Dinner orders are from 5:30pm-6:00pm and readings start at 6:00pm.

The Judy Black Memorial Park and Gardens is pleased to welcome an art exhibit featuring works by Terri Tibbatts. The exhibit, “A Still Life” will be on view beginning Friday, November 15.

An opening reception will be held at the park on Saturday, November 16 from 3 to 5 p.m.

The show highlights the artist’s ethereal archival digital photography of seasonal fruits, vegetables and flowers.

“I take my inspiration from many sources,” Tibbatts remarks. “Dutch still life paintings, Japanese screens, scrolls and wood blocks, the sketchbooks of herbalists and naturalists, botanical prints and a multitude of gardens.”

For much of this body of work that will be on display at the park, Tibbatts largely used a horizontal landscape orientation. For some of the backgrounds, she used painted papers she recently made in a class with Suzanne Moore, book artist and calligrapher.

The exhibit will be on view through Sunday, December 1. Check our social media for weekly open hours: @judyblackpark on Instagram and Facebook.

With featured speakers Robert Pranzatelli, Renée Jaworski, Matt Kent

Pilobolus invites you to an exclusive evening for lovers of modern dance! Author Robert Pranzatelli will read an excerpt from his critically acclaimed Pilobolus: A Story of Dance and Life, which dives into the company’s genesis at Dartmouth College and its evolution into an indelible force in the dance world. A panel chat and Q&A session with Pilobolus’s Executive/Artistic Director Renée Jaworski and Artistic Director Matt Kent will follow, delving into the stories that didn’t make the page.

Various ticket options are available! Books purchased with a ticket will be available for pickup at the event.

Price of admission supports the mission of Pilobolus, a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.

The third Wednesday of each month is Open Mic at The Hen’s Nest Gallery.

All are welcome to join Open Mic Night at The Hen’s Nest! Read a poem, tell a story, sing, play an instrument, do a magic trick. People share and listen. It is a fun evening of the unexpected and spontaneous.

The Gunn Memorial Library is pleased to present “Cover Stories & Cityscapes,” an exhibition by Susan Lerner on display from September 28th through November 23rd, 2024. This exhibition showcases a captivating collection of hand-cut collages that blend vintage narratives with contemporary artistry.

“Cover Stories & Cityscapes” weaves together two series of hand cut collages, each rooted in the exploration of materials and the stories they hold. “Cover Stories” transforms forgotten vintage books into striking three-dimensional vignettes by deconstructing their volumes and enriching them with vintage illustrations and found photographs, evoking nostalgia and transporting viewers to another time and place. Inspired by a serendipitous flea market find of early 1900s NYC postcards, “Cityscapes” blends these historical fragments with hand-cut maps and vintage imagery. Each collage is named after places or vernacular associated with New York City.

Susan is a New York City and Washington, CT based contemporary hand-cut collage artist. In her prior profession as a Certified Flavor Chemist, Susan ‘collaged’ chemicals into unique flavors, but now she uses paper as her medium. She loves the collage process, finding joy in the hunt for imagery, meditation in cutting paper and delight in creating nostalgic compositions. Since 2017, she has shown her work in six solo shows in New York City and Northwest Connecticut and over 35 group shows including Norway, Germany and Paris. Her work has been published in numerous periodicals including “Collage Care Transforming Emotions and Life Experiences with Collage” by Laurie Kanyer and its companion book, “Collage Care, the Method”. She is the co-founder of the New York Collage Ensemble which promotes a supportive community of like-minded analog collage artists in NYC.

Gunn Memorial Library is located at 5 Wykeham Road at the juncture of Route 47 opposite the Green in Washington, CT. Library hours may be found at gunnlibrary.org. For more information call (860)868-7586 or email, [email protected].

Washington Art Association is pleased to announce dates for the Holiday Gift Shop from November 29th through December 24th! More details to come.

The Judy Black Memorial Park and Gardens is pleased to welcome an art exhibit featuring works by Terri Tibbatts. The exhibit, “A Still Life” will be on view beginning Friday, November 15.

An opening reception will be held at the park on Saturday, November 16 from 3 to 5 p.m.

The show highlights the artist’s ethereal archival digital photography of seasonal fruits, vegetables and flowers.

“I take my inspiration from many sources,” Tibbatts remarks. “Dutch still life paintings, Japanese screens, scrolls and wood blocks, the sketchbooks of herbalists and naturalists, botanical prints and a multitude of gardens.”

For much of this body of work that will be on display at the park, Tibbatts largely used a horizontal landscape orientation. For some of the backgrounds, she used painted papers she recently made in a class with Suzanne Moore, book artist and calligrapher.

The exhibit will be on view through Sunday, December 1. Check our social media for weekly open hours: @judyblackpark on Instagram and Facebook.

Washington Art Association is pleased to announce dates for the Holiday Gift Shop from November 29th through December 24th! More details to come.

Join The Pantry for Open Mic Night on the first Wednesday of each month! Dinner orders are from 5:30pm-6:00pm and readings start at 6:00pm.

Friday, December 6th, 2024 at 6:30pm

Join First Congregational Church of Washington and The PO Cafe as we continue this fun holiday tradition! We’ll welcome the season with caroling and a tree lighting. There will be free hot chocolate and gingerbread at The Po Cafe. First song starts at 6:30 on the Washington Green. Rain location will be The Po Cafe.

Join us for Washington’s Annual Holiday in the Depot 2024 on Friday, December 13th!

Festivities begin at 5:45pm and Santa arrives at 6pm. Enjoy festive music, holiday activities for families, and get a head start on your holiday shopping.

Visit Santa, enjoy fire pits with make-your-own s’mores hot apple cider from Averill Farm, fresh donuts , and other treats from our local businesses. Do holiday crafts and other fun activities for the whole family.

This event is sponsored by Washington Parks & Recreation and Washington Business Association.

The third Wednesday of each month is Open Mic at The Hen’s Nest Gallery.

All are welcome to join Open Mic Night at The Hen’s Nest! Read a poem, tell a story, sing, play an instrument, do a magic trick. People share and listen. It is a fun evening of the unexpected and spontaneous.

Join The Pantry for Open Mic Night on the first Wednesday of each month! Dinner orders are from 5:30pm-6:00pm and readings start at 6:00pm.

The third Wednesday of each month is Open Mic at The Hen’s Nest Gallery.

All are welcome to join Open Mic Night at The Hen’s Nest! Read a poem, tell a story, sing, play an instrument, do a magic trick. People share and listen. It is a fun evening of the unexpected and spontaneous.

Join The Pantry for Open Mic Night on the first Wednesday of each month! Dinner orders are from 5:30pm-6:00pm and readings start at 6:00pm.

The third Wednesday of each month is Open Mic at The Hen’s Nest Gallery.

All are welcome to join Open Mic Night at The Hen’s Nest! Read a poem, tell a story, sing, play an instrument, do a magic trick. People share and listen. It is a fun evening of the unexpected and spontaneous.