November 16 – December 23, 2008            Craft USA celebrates craft as art.  It is recognized as an exhibit of merit where original works of art made by hand are showcased.  This is the sixth year of the juried craft triennial competition/exhibition.  The competition draws over 1000 entries and over 400 artists from coast to coast working in various mediums such as ceramics, fiber, glass, jewelry, metal, paper, wood, basketry and mixed media.   This year’s juror is Gretchen Keyworth, Director of the Fuller Craft Museum in Brockton, MA.  A notable figure in the world of contemporary craft, she has extensive experience in curating and advising prominent craft shows.  The Fuller Craft Museum underwent a re-branding in 2004/05 to become the preeminent craft museum in New England.  The museum has recently exhibited Joan Morris, Thomas Mann, Megumi Naitoh, Carter Smith, and Alan Klein.  Ms. Keyworth has independently curated many craft exhibitions such as GlassForms, Charles Kaziun Early Works and Traditional Paperweights.  In 2005, Ms. Keyworth was named one of ten people to watch in American Craft by The Crafts Report. GALLERY HOURS: Tuesday – Saturday: 11 am – 5 pm; Sunday: 1 – 5 pm.

Westport Arts Center presents:
c2 = (CP + CL): Creative Connections = Creative Process + Learning Process

Friday, Dec. 5 - Jan. 11

Friday, Dec. 5, 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. for Opening Reception

WAC Gallery

Curated by WAC's Education Manager, Danielle Cavanna, featuring Westport Arts Center's teaching artists, who have made signifigant contributions to our Connections program. The works that will be selected will directly relate to each teaching artist's work as an educator. For more information visit www.westportartscenter.org.

For more information, contact WAC at 203-222-7070, www.westportartscenter.org, or visit the gallery, M-F 10-4; Sat/Sun 12-4 at 51 Riverside Ave., Westport.

Artistry on the Shoreline Holiday Sale

October 20 - January 11, 2009

Visit our website at www.guilfordartcenter.org.

Woodbury painter Matt Wood returns to nature’s essence
in “Pentimento” exhibition at Good News Cafe & Gallery

Woodbury artist Matt Wood returns to the essence of the subjects he paints from the natural world in his new exhibition titled “Pentimento,” showing through Jan. 5, 2009, at the Good News Cafe and Gallery, 694 Main Street South, Woodbury.

A native of southern California, Wood began his artistic odyssey with painting studies at the University of Iowa influenced by the work of Mauricio Lasansky. Wood notes that his own Polish and Russian heritage, and his marriage to Polish native Joanna Czaderna, have established a natural affinity for Lasansky’s passionate approach to the creative process that seeks to use art as a means to raise personal awareness.

Good News Cafe & Gallery is open from 11:30 am to 10 pm daily; closed Tuesdays.
 

The Connecticut Plein Air Painters Society presents its annual members exhibition at Hartford Fine Art, 80 Pitkin Street, East Hartford, beginning with the opening reception and awards presentation on Friday November 7, 2008 from 6-8 pm. This year's juror is David Dunlop, well-known to CPTV viewers for his thirteen-episode series Landscapes Through Time With David Dunlop, which debuted this year to rave reviews. His careful selection of 72 works in oil, watercolor, pastel and acrylic makes this the most exciting show ever for this talented group of artists. The public is cordially invited to the opening reception to share insights and a glass of wine with many member artists. All works will be for sale and a drawing will be held for one lucky guest to win an original painting by a member artist. The exhibit will continue through January 31, 2009. Please go to www.hartfordfineart.com for gallery hours and directions.

In conjunction with the annual exhibit, the Gallery will host a series of artist demonstrations and panel discussions on selected Saturdays in November and December, including a hands-on demo by David Dunlop himself on December 6 from 11-1. This is an opportunity for artists and art lovers alike to gain insights from several artists into the painting process. For a complete schedule of events, please go to www.cpaps.org.

Art Exhibition Reception and Musical Performance

Tuesday, November 18th 5 – 7pm
Free and open to the public

Clare Gallery is pleased to present Completing the Journey: The Art of Hospice Care,an extraordinary and powerful multi-media exhibition depicting the use of the arts in hospice care. Artists participating in this exhibition are constituents of The Complementary Therapy Team, a Connecticut VNA Partners organization. Along with the artists, professional musicians from The Complementary Therapy Team will perform original music during the reception.

Along with this exhibition there are also other programs that might be of interest to people dealing with loss. The first program, sponsored by the ministries of Women of Hope and Bereavement from the Franciscan Center for Urban Ministry, is “Grief – Shattered and Mended: How Hopeful Women Survive” on November 12th from 5 to 9 pm. This Twilight Retreat includes dinner, a discussion on how women deal with grief, and a hands-on project. The cost is $15.00. The second program, sponsored by several Ministries of Pastoral Care is a “Service of Remembrance” on November 25th from 7-8 pm. If one would like more information on either of these programs, please call the Urban Center at 860-756-4034.

Free parking in Saints Lot across the street. Please bring ticket for validation.

Adam Bernard’s paintings emerge out of an intuitive process that combines an exploratory

approach to materials with an autobiographical content.  Bernard’s mixed media approach to

painting produces intriguing pigment surface textures and dynamic image layerings.  Bernard’s

work varies from the highly abstract and expressive to more ambiguous narratives contained

within collaged photographic imagery.

 Mario Pires will be showing a solo exhibition of his new series of paintings, titled "Visions from the Mundane Traveler." This series has a direct link to his Masters Thesis, which focuses on imagery from everyday society. There will be an Opening Reception on December 6th, 2008 from 2-4 p.m. at the Gallery at the Barney Library, located at 71 Main Street in Farmington, CT. The show will run through the entire  month of December. For more information about Mario Pires and his artwork, the artist will be available to take questions and comments at his exhibit Opening on December 6th. You may also find more information in the itowns section of the hartford courant online. Type in Itowns cover art to search article. Also, you may courant.comcontact him at mariopires@yahoo.com.

Jennifer Jane Gallery has organized an art exposition with a cooperative of local artists in New Haven.

The best place around this holiday season to buy handmade, original gifts.

Original photography, paintings, stained glass, giclees, watercolors, jewlery, etc.

Located at ArLoW

838 Whalley Ave.

The Westville Arts District

New Haven, CT 06515

Hours: Wed - Sat, 12 - 6 p.m.; Sun 11 a.m. - 3 p.m.

www.GroupX20.com

ART@jenniferjanegallery.com

Support the Arts!

With the holidays coming, what better way to honor the spirit of the season than to support the Arts and Crafts Association of Meriden/Gallery 53 and its artists.

Give a unique, hand crafted gift to all the special people in your life.

Fabulous holiday items include oil paintings, pottery, jewlery, accessories and more.

Dec. 6 - 24

Reception on Dec. 6 from 2 - 4 p.m.; Holiday fun and hors d'oeuvres!

Gallery Hours: 12 - 4 p.m. Tues. - Fri. and Sat. 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Free parking is available across the street and there is easy access from I 84 and I 91. For more information visit www.gallery53.org or call 203-235-5347.

Alexander Technique FREE introductory class

Monday December 15, 6:15-7:15pm

With Rachel Bernsen & Michaela Hauser-Wagner, Certified Teachers. M.AmSAT

The Alexander Technique is a proven method for pain relief, stress management, enhanced breathing, increasing balance and coordination, and for gaining greater ease in movement.

"After practicing the Alexander Technique, my family and I have noticed striking improvements in blood pressure, depth of sleep, mental alertness, overall cheerfulness, resilience against outside pressures, and also in playing a stringed instrument." -Professor Nikolas Tinbergen, 1973 Nobel Prize Winner for Physiology/Medicine.

Rachel and Michaela will introduce the Technique with group activities and hands-on demonstrations.

Location: Erector Square, New Haven, CT - 319 Peck St. bldg 6W, Studio D

In 2009, Rachel and Michaela will offer Free Intro Classes on the second Monday of every month at this time & location. Upcoming dates: January 12, February 9, March 9.

Seating is limited. Please reserve a space.

Contact:

Rachel: 917.531.4484 / rachelbernsen@gmail.com, or

Michaela: 203.271.3525 / m.h.w@cox.net

Rachel holds an MFA in Dance from NYU, Tisch School of the Arts, and received her national certification from the American Center for the Alexander Technique (ACAT) where she is a volunteer faculty member. She teaches group classes for performers at Movement Research and has a private practice in New Haven, CT and in NYC. M.AmSAT. http://sites.google.com/site/rachelbernsen/Home

Michaela, M.AmSAT, is a nationally certified teacher. She holds a degree in Speech Language Pathology from the University of Tübingen/Germany. Michaela is an alumni and teaching member of the Alexander Technique Center New England and teaches the Alexander Technique and Voice Rehabilitation in Cheshire, CT

Two concerts at 3 and 5:30 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 14, at the Bridgehampton Presbyterian Church
Mozart, Haydn, and audience-participation carol singing
With Chamber Orchestra and soloists
Followed by reception, silent auction, and carol sing at the Bridgehampton Community House, 7 p.m.
Concert tickets $30 adults. $10 students under 18. Reception is Free.
Full Press Release is available by request at hsr@easthamptonstar.com

Connecticut high school students are challenged to write mainstream, mystery or fantasy fiction from source photography for the $1000 Grand Prize and publication with your byline in our e-magazine: Cum Laude, The Scholarly Evening Post. GOOGLE: stellar scholars aurora awards

The annual performances of Christmas Angelicus will again fill local churches with the glorious sounds of the season.  Come and celebrate!  This year's concerts will include traditional carols, new arrangements, and music composed specially for the occasion.  Featured composers include Nicholas White, Paul Halley, David Willcocks, John Rutter and others.