Inspired by the innovative American artist Alexander Calder, the Calder Quartet continues to expand its unique array of projects by performing traditional quartet repertoire as well as partnering with innovative modern composers, emerging musicians and performers across genres. The group received the 2009 ASCAP Adventurous Programming Award.

“The Calder Quartet … is the model of the sleek young string quartet. The ensemble’s technical accomplishment is very high. … They have a reverence for the formal Classical style and for formal Modernism as well.” — Los Angeles Times

Performance at 8:00 p.m.

Opening Reception to be held October 18 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Exhibit runs from October 18 through November 13.

A Veterans Memorial Garden is an installation created by Connecticut artist Noelle Carr to honor American Veterans of Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation Enduring Freedom, and the global war on terror. "My intent is to express gratitude to our troops and their families and remember all of the men and women who have served in America's Armed Forces, especially our fallen heroes," said Ms. Carr.

A Veterans Memorial Garden  will include an A Million Thanks receptacle for visitors to leave their own letters of thanks to the troops that will be sent at the close of the exhibit. A portion of proceeds from the exhibit will be donated to Wounded Warrior Project.

10:00am – 4:30pm Daily; Sunday, 12:00pm-4:30pm

10:00am – 4:30pm Daily; Sunday, 12:00pm-4:30pm

10:00am – 4:30pm Daily; Sunday, 12:00pm-4:30pm

10:00am – 4:30pm Daily; Sunday, 12:00pm-4:30pm

Showtimes are at 8:00pm AND Midnight

It’s Alive! Following last fall’s smash hit production, The Rocky Horror
Show returns to the Playhouse. Experience this new Bridgeport tradition
for the first time, or come “do the Time Warp Again!” Recommended for
Mature Audiences.  Tickets and showtimes at www.playhouseonthegreen.org

10:00am-5:00pm

The Discovery Museum’s Big Read Mystery Lab will bring out your inner
detective, whether you’re a puzzle ponderer by nature or not. Visitors can
gather clues and examine evidence to solve totally fictional, historically
hokey “Crimes of Science”. Included with general admission.

The works in this exhibition reflect the visions of Swedish women who broke from their traditional roles of women, mothers and homemakers to explore their creativity as textile designers, weavers, painters, sculptors and glass artists. Their art resonates with dream-like images of free-flying birds evoking flight and escape from domestic confinement, year-round idyllic visions of midsummer blossoms, and spare Nordic landscapes filled with greenery, water, space, and light.  

Women's Work, Women's Dreams celebrates a remarkable legacy from a country whose art and artists are little known to American viewers.  The Benton Museum is grateful to Samuel and Ann Charters for sharing their extraordinary collection of Swedish Art and Art Glass and for curating this exhibit.

Gallery Hours: 

Thursday & Friday: 10 am - 4:30 pm

Saturday & Sunday: 1 - 4:30 pm

The Benton will be closed:

November 23 - December 2

Three decades of wars have deeply marked the entire culture of Afghanistan, yet artistic expression, particularly through carpets, has been maintained in spite of hardships including displacement to refugee camps.  

In traditional Afghan carpet-weaving, patterns tended to be geometric or floral, reflecting the Islamic rejection of anthropomorphic depictions.  However, by the mid-1980s, in response to the 1979 Soviet Invasion, Afghani weavers, principally women, were creating carpets that showed Russian tanks, helicopters and guns.  The subtle geometric borders often contained rows of bullets and grenades.  Most recently, these "war carpets" have included references to the American conflict and even to 9/11.  Although many of the carpets have Arabic or Persian woven into their designs, the Afghani who created them found a market for these rugs in the West.  In part this may be presumed anti-war sentiments but also, while the rugs are generally traditional in design and relatively inexpensive, they are nonetheless a contemporary artistic expression of a century old craft.  

In this exhibition of over fifty contemporary Afghan carpets showing both war and traditional designs, the rugs offer a commentary on modern Afghan history and, in their maintenance of a vibrant tradition, a measure of hope for the future.

Gallery Hours:

Thursday & Friday: 10 am-4:30 pm

Saturday & Sunday: 1-4:30 pm

The Benton will be closed:

November 23-December 2

Inspired by the innovative American artist Alexander Calder, the Calder Quartet continues to expand its unique array of projects by performing traditional quartet repertoire as well as partnering with innovative modern composers, emerging musicians and performers across genres. The group received the 2009 ASCAP Adventurous Programming Award. "The Calder Quartet. . . is the model of the sleek young string quartet. The ensemble´s technical accomplishment is very high. . . . They have a reverence for the formal Classical style and for formal Modernism as well." - Los Angeles Times.

The event will be held at 8:00 PM.

Solve infectious disease mysteries by examining interactive patients, analyzing lab tests and identifying culprit microbes. Running Monday to Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sunday noon to 5 p.m. through Jan. 31.

Hartford Public Library Exhibit

The American Mural Project (AMP) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the creation of the largest indoor collaborative artwork in the world – a mural 120 feet long, 5 stories high, and up to 10 feet deep. Over 10,000 people have worked on it since artist Ellen Griesedieck conceived of it ten years ago. This exhibition at Hartford Public Library will feature some of the finished pieces of the mural, as well as a scale model and plans for elements in progress. Visitors will also have the chance to work on an eight-foot paper-pulp sculpture, one of many AMP is now sending across the country to be painted before their eventual installation in the mural. Throughout the month of the exhibit, AMP will also be coordinating projects with kids from local schools, the Wadsworth Atheneum, the Hartford Stage, and other arts organizations around the city.

The Artist’s Vision

In the American Mural Project, Ellen Griesedieck celebrates the engineers and ironworkers, heart surgeons and athletes, cattle workers and craftsmen, and many others who have defined our nation through their work. Ellen paints on a large scale but with an intimate relationship to each of her subjects.

To make the mural as large in spirit as it is in size, Ellen asked people in all 50 states to contribute. Thousands of artists, scientists, teachers and children from coast to coast have responded. Children have worked together with remarkable people, including the quilters of Gee’s Bend, Alabama, an inner-city dance troupe, scientists of the 2003 Mars Explorer Rover Mission, survivors of a Japanese-American internment camp, and an intergenerational foster-home community.

About one quarter of the mural is finished. Collaborative projects are in progress around the country, and work on the mural’s new home, in the Whiting Mills complex in Winsted, CT, is about to begin. With soaring ceilings, open floor plans, and long rows of windows, this 19^th century complex of mills and warehouses is an ideal setting for a monumental mural about working Americans. The future includes a visitor’s center with spaces for a theater, studios, and classrooms, as well as a woodland park for outdoor summer concerts and special events.

Inspired by the innovative American artist Alexander Calder, the Calder Quartet continues to expand its unique array of projects by performing traditional quartet repertoire as well as partnering with innovative modern composers, emerging musicians and performers across genres. The group received the 2009 ASCAP Adventurous Programming Award.

Our Lady of Mercy Christmas Boutique & Craft Fair, 19 South Canal St., Plainville -- Friday, Nov. 13 from 11 - 5 and Saturday, Nov. 14 from 9 - 3.  Featuring arts and crafts, bake sale, parish boutique, Holiday Cafe. Admission $1.00.

On Friday, November 13th, Firehouse 12's fifth annual Fall Jazz Series will present the New Haven debut of The Peter Evans Quartet.  The group, which recorded its highly acclaimed eponymous debut for Firehouse 12 Records in 2007, is led by trumpeter/composer Peter Evans, who critics have called "a new jazz star" (Brian Morton, Jazz Review) with "the kind of mad chops and conceptual smarts that surface just a few times in every lifetime" (Peter Margasak, DownBeat).  The current version of the ensemble, his main outlet as a bandleader, features pianist Ricardo Gallo, bassist Tom Blancarte and drummer Kevin Shea.

"Trumpeter Peter Evans is an urgent new talent who promises to upend the world of jazz and improv," wrote The Wire's Andy Hamilton in his review of The Peter Evans Quartet.  "If you had a lingering suspicion jazz might be dead, this furious and compelling release will calm your fears."  AllAboutJazz.com's Troy Collins adds, "This crack ensemble balances boundless energy with knowing finesse.  Continuously in flux, the quartet endlessly modulates between collective improvisation, intricate notated charts and individual solos with graceful verve.  The Peter Evans Quartet is not only a definitive statement from a rising new voice, but one of the finest jazz records of the year."

A member of the New York music community since 2003, following his graduation from Oberlin Conservatory with a degree in classical trumpet performance, Evans works in a wide variety of music settings, including baroque, contemporary classical, free improvisation and electro-acoustic music.  He first gained widespread attention for his talents through the release of his 2006 solo trumpet CD, More is More (Psi), and has since recorded with such notable ensembles as Carnival Skin, Moppa Elliott's Mostly Other People Do The Killing, Evan Parker's Electro-Acoustic Ensemble, Sparks and Tyft in addition to his own working quartet.  The Peter Evans Quartet was named to best of the year lists in AllAboutJazz.com, Cadence, Jazz Review, the Village Voice and The Wire.  Learn more at http://www.myspace.com/peterevanstrumpet

2009 Fall Jazz Series Schedule:

09/18 :: Brandon Ross & Blazing Beauty

09/25 :: Matt Wilson Quartet

10/02 :: Mauger: Rudresh Mahanthappa/Mark Dresser/Gerry Hemingway

10/09 :: Steve Lehman Trio

10/16 :: Gretchen Parlato Band

10/23 :: Whirrr! The Music of Jimmy Giuffre

10/30 :: Taylor Eigsti Trio

11/06 :: ODE: Larry Ochs/Trevor Dunn/Lisle Ellis/Michael Sarin

11/13 :: The Peter Evans Quartet

11/20 :: Darius Jones Trio

12/04 :: Mary Halvorson Quintet

12/11 :: Amy Cervini Quartet

12/18 :: Daniel Levin Trio

Tickets and more information available at:

http://firehouse12.com/performance_space_calendar.asp

Hayrides are available every WEEKEND in November as well as SCHOOL holidays. Rides begin at the W.O.L.F. Cabin and are $2.00 each.

Hunt Hill Farm invites you to “A Home Town Holiday” at The Silo Gallery, the theme of this year’s 37^th annual Christmas tree beginning Saturday November 7^th, at 44 Upland Road, New Milford, CT.  View the 27 ft. towering tree decorated with hand-crafted wooden ornaments by folk artist Joy Gaiser.  Adorning the tree are 21 well-known New Milford buildings, over 40 snow-capped pine trees and a moon with the silhouette of Santa and his eight reindeer at the top.  Gaiser’s garland of festive picket fences and snowflakes made by 4^th graders at Sarah Noble Intermediate School add the finishing touches to this spectacular tree!  The New Talent Gallery will feature artist Diana Luscombe for a second year, displaying her “Healing Strokes” paintings and a new line of note cards.  Silo tastings from The Silo Cooking School will be served throughout the exhibit’s opening day from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Joy Gaiser and her father started “Handmade by Dad and Me” in 1985 consisting mostly of Christmas ornaments, wooden jewelry, birdhouses, home decorations and historic buildings of New Milford.  After her father passed away in 1997, Joy’s husband John took over the task of cutting the wood, formerly her father’s job, so the business could continue and renamed it “Dad and Me Too”.  The husband and wife team with the help of their daughter and Joy's sister worked over a year to complete the ornaments in time for this year’s show.  Over 200 additional ornaments and decorations made by the artist will be for sale in The New Talent Gallery.

Diana Luscombe’s acrylic paintings continue to be inspired by scenes from nature.  Her study on birds has progressed with more sensitivity to detail compared with last year's paintings which were derived primarily from memory and imagination.  After a serious car accident over two years ago resulted in Diana being paralyzed, painting became an emotional release for her.  She is having fun with her new endeavor and is amazed at what flows from her paintbrush!  Prior to the accident, being an artist had never crossed her mind.  The gift of painting, Diana says is “an emotional and spiritual place for me to heal and let go because it’s peaceful.”   It also is much needed “me time” for the painter who is married with two young children, all who are extremely supportive of her efforts.  “Hannah is my biggest fan!  With Cole, I just have to keep his fingers out of the paint!”  Donations from her “Healing Strokes” exhibit will go towards a handicap accessible van for Diana.

This holiday season, plan on spending some extra time on the farm to see all that The Henderson Cultural Center has to offer.  Find your traditional Silo favorites like Marzipan Stolen and Holly Berry Wreaths under the tree.  View a slice of Skitch’s life touring The Skitch Henderson Museum.  Stop by The Silo Cooking School to register for a holiday cooking class including; Gingerbread House Making, Rick Rodgers’ Thanksgiving Bash, Christmas Cookie Workshops for all ages and more!  A Home Town Holiday is free and open to the public.  Hunt Hill Farm hours are Wed. through Sat., 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. and Sunday’s noon to 5 p.m.  For more information, please call Valerie Culbertson, Silo Gallery Director at (860) 355-0300 or visit their website www.hunthillfarmtrust.org. 

Stanwyck Cromwell

Journey (2):  A Renewed Consciousness

Downtown Library, 3rd Floor

November 6, 2009-January 15, 2010

Artist Reception November 6, 6:00-8:00 p.m.

The American Mural Project will create the single largest piece of indoor collaborative artwork in the country.  A mixed-media painting and relief sculpture, it will ultimately be housed in the Whiting Mills Complex in Winsted, CT and measure 120 feet long, 5 stories high, and up to 10 feet deep. This exhibition features some of the huge finished pieces of the mural, a scale model, drawings and plans for elements in progress, and an eight-foot sculptural element.

Downtown Library

October 26-November 29, 2009

Artist Reception Friday, November 13, 5:30-7:00 p.m.

Please join Children’s Advancement Fund, Inc. for an evening of dinner, dancing, and fun for all ages on November 13 from 5:00 - 10:00 PM at the Irish American Home Society in Glastonbury to benefit children with special needs from low-income families. A delicious spaghetti dinner will be served from 5:00 - 9:00 PM. Popular local band the Mayocks will entertain from 7:00 - 10:00 PM. Also, a magician will wow the young and young at heart from 5:15 - 6:45 PM. Great prizes will be raffled throughout the evening. Children's prizes will be raffled at 6:45 PM.

Tickets are $20.00 for adults and $5.00 for children and are available before the event by calling (860) 967-3713 or at Pediaflex Therapy Center, 76 Eastern Boulevard, Glastonbury, and Playful Development, 547 Main Street, South Glastonbury. Tickets will also be available at the door, 132 Commerce Street, Glastonbury. Raffle tickets will be available at the event. For more information about Children's Advancement Fund, Inc., please visit our website at www.cafinfo.org. The event is sponsored by Stop & Shop, Advanced Wheels of Technology, Inc., and Salon Ferrara. For more information on The Mayocks, check out their web site at www.themayocks.com.

More than 200 of the nation’s most accomplished craftspeople, including renowned artisans from Connecticut, will display and sell their handmade works at the Sugarloaf Crafts Festival in Hartford. Visitors will enjoy a wide variety of contemporary crafts and fine art in all mediums, including functional and decorative pottery, sculpture, glass, jewelry, fashion, furniture, home accessories, and photography. 

Dozens of specialty food purveyors will offer delectable confections and gourmet creations for sample and purchase.  

Visitors can learn how Sugarloaf artisans make their one-of-a-kind treasures during live demonstrations of pottery making and metal spinning. Interactive children’s entertainment will be provided by Middle Earth Studios. The show will also feature live music by pianists Bob Geresti and Ngu Mbandi. 

Show Hours:  

Friday, November 13  10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Saturday, November 14  10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Sunday, November 15  10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.   

Admission (valid all three days): 

Adults $7 online; $8 at the door

Children under 12 free 

Free parking is available on site. 

For more information about the Sugarloaf Crafts Festival, directions, or to purchase discount admission tickets, visit www.SugarloafCrafts.com or call (800) 210-9900.