Classes in wheel-thrown pottery are offered Tuesday or Thursday evenings year around at Greenleaf Pottery. Beginning as well as advanced students welcome. Call for more information.

Treasure Books: Selections from the Caroline M. Hewins Collection of Children’s Literature, is an exhibition developed by guest curator Leonard Marcus, leading historian on American children’s books.  His highly acclaimed books include Golden Legacy: How Golden Books Won Children’s Hearts; Minders of Make-Believe; Margaret Wise Brown: Awakened by the Moon; Dear Genius: The Letters of Ursula Nordstrom; and The Wand in the Word.  Caroline Hewins came to Hartford in 1875 as librarian of the Hartford Young Men’s Institute, the predecessor to Hartford Public Library.  She held this position for 50 years and earned a national reputation as an imaginative, spirited, and dedicated leader, especially well regarded for her library work with children.

Hartford History Center, 3rd Floor

December through May, Tuesday through Saturday, 1:00-5:00 p.m.

Opening Reception

Hartford History Center, 3rd Floor

Sunday, December 6, 2:00-4:00 p.m.

Free tax assistance to households with annual incomes of $50,000.00 or less.  Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) assistance also is available.

2^nd Floor

Tuesdays, January 19 through April 13

Wednesdays, January 20 through April 14

Thursdays, January 21 through April 15

4:00-7:00 p.m. and

Saturdays, January 23 through April 10

10:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m.

Call 211 Infoline or 860-695-6295 to make an appointment, or walk-in – first come, first served.

Appointments recommended.

Connecticut State Museum of Natural History & Connecticut Archaeology Ctr  

This is an original Yale Peabody Museum exhibition that investigates West Nile virus and Lyme Disease. These two diseases are "vector-borne" -- that is, the pathogen is transmitted to humans by an arthropod, and in both cases a blood-sucking one! Giant models of a mosquito and a tick help explain the puzzle that is the transmission, detection and treatment of these diseases. The exhibition explores the differences between the viral and bacterial pathogens, when they arrived in Connecticut, and how our changing environment is increasing the incidence of both diseases. The exhibition is on view through April 25.

Dawn Holder: The Idea of This Perfect Edenic Place

“The Idea of This Perfect Edenic Place” is a site-specific installation created for the ArtWalk Gallery by Dawn Holder. The upcoming exhibition will be a dynamic and fantastical garden set against the backdrop of the Hartford city-scape. The setting of the ArtWalk Gallery, with its expansive windows, hints at the complex relationship between the natural world and humanity's desire to cultivate it. The show will at first be installed with a minimal collection of porcelain and mixed-media plants and flowers. Throughout the course of the exhibition, the landscape will grow and change as the artist adds and constructs additional pieces, “planting” them in the garden.

This exhibition will feature the convenience store scene from Abby Manock's video Counters. Her work includes drawing, sculpture, installation, performance and video in order to explore the tension between idealized childhood visions of the world and adult angst concerning social and political realities.

Benton Hours:

Thursday & Friday 10AM-4:30PM

Saturday  & Sunday 1-4:30PM

Poem & Picture features the collaborative visions of twentieth-century artists and poets, works that combine the disciplines of art and poetry in a way that each is complimented and enhanced by the other.

Benton Hours:

Thursday & Friday 10AM-4:30PM

Saturday  & Sunday 1-4:30PM

This class is a way for students to get a work-out while learning new genres of dance (modern, tap, African, jazz and krump), as well as the intricacy and value of choreography.

7-8pm

Visitors to the Museum from February 27 through April 25, 2010, will have the rare opportunity to witness the creation of a major museum diorama, one day at a time. It is an evolving exhibition featuring the work of Peabody and New Haven area scientists and artists in addition to that of the master Wilson. Dioramas combine three-dimensional foreground material with a curved background wall and domed ceiling to tell the story of an ecosystem. They are brought to life by the artists who create them. James Perry Wilson was a master of this unique art as this exhibition will reveal.

Norooz, celebrated in Iran and Afghanistan, marks the New Year and centers around the Haftsinn table.  This table setting usually features seven key items, each beginning with the letter "s", that represent the seven creations.  Learn more when you visit the Haftsinn table on display at the Downtown library.

Featuring 40 works ranging from landscapes of Southwest China's countryside to strong and intense self portraits from China´s densely ethnic Guizhou and Yunnan provinces, Connecticut College, Shain Library, Charles Chu Asian Art Reading Room, 270 Mohegan Avenue, New London, free and open to the public during library hours, visit http://www.conncoll.edu/Libraries/hours.html for hours, (860) 439-2581

                        The University of New Haven (UNH) English Department and Elm City Review will host a reading by Afro-Chicano poet John Murillo from his first full-length collection of poems “Up Jump the Boogie.”  The event is part of the UNH College of Arts and Sciences Arts@Night program, which offers learning and enrichment to the community through the presentation of cultural events.  The event is free and open to the public.

                        When: March 30, 2010, 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.

This is a series of THREE evening workshops:
- Wednesday, March 24: Becoming an effective advocate for your child; How to take the first step to secure educational supports for your child.
- Wednesday, March 31: The IEP and you; Understanding the nuts and bolts of your child's individualized education plan
- Wednesday April 7: Response to intervention and special education in Connecticut; What parents need to know to ensure their child's success
Workshops are FREE and open to the public. Maximium capacity is 35 people. RESERVE YOUR SEATING by contacting; cacld@optonline.net or 203-838-5010

Hole in the Wall Presents
Shakespeare’s Richard III

(New Britain, CT) – 

GOD SAVE THE KING! Richard III runs March 26^th through April 24^th  at Hole in the Wall Theater in New Britain. 

Set in late 1970’s London, Shakespeare’s classic tragic history comes to life amid the punk sub-culture of the era.  The story of Richard III is the distillation of pro-anarchy and devilishly blends Shakespeare’s historical revision and theatrical prowess.  Director Maria Grove of Marlborough uses exciting artistic elements of the punk era (music, costumes) to create a unique theatrical experience.

After a long civil war, the infamous “War of the Roses”, England celebrates the new ruler King Edward – played by David Sousa of Torrington.  But plots are afoot and the King’s youngest brother Richard (Nick Pollifrone of Naugatuck) uses his intelligence and skills of deception and political manipulation in his campaign for the throne.

Richard first marries a slain rival’s wife, Lady Anne (Adrienne Marra Brown of Collinsville), then plots to kill the court noblemen who are loyal to King Edward’s sons after the king’s untimely death.  He then has the boys’ relatives on their mother’s side—the powerful kinsmen of Edward’s wife, Queen Elizabeth (Heidi  Jean Weinrich of Glastonbury)—arrested and executed.  With Elizabeth and the princes now unprotected, Richard has his political allies, particularly his right-hand man, Lord Buckingham (Ed Bernstein of West Hartford), endeavor to have Richard crowned king. Richard then imprisons the young princes in the Tower and, in his bloodiest move yet, sends the assassin James Tyrell (played by Michael McDade of Bristol) to kill them. 

A rival with his own claim on the throne, Richmond (Kenneth Semerato of Mystic), soon challenges Richard and his forces to battle on the infamous Bosworth field.  Promising a new era of peace for England, the new king Richmond is betrothed to young Elizabeth in order to unite the warring houses of Lancaster and York and the rest, as they say, is history.

The cast also includes: Amanda Ratti of West Hartford, Barbara Gallow of Newington, Doug Seelye of Newington, Jim Byrne of South Windsor, JoMarie Pipolo of Cromwell, Katie Corbett of Plainville, Kevin Liftig of West Hartford, Rowan McDonald of Hartford, Roy Donnelly of Unionville and Tristan Jones of Glastonbury. 

Richard III runs Fridays and Saturdays, March 26^th through April 24^th at 8:00 PM (with matinees on April 11^th and April 18^th at 2:00PM) at Hole in the Wall Theater, 116 Main Street, New Britain.  Admission is a $20.00 donation.  Seating is limited, so please call (860) 229-3049 for reservations.  For more information, visit www.hitw.org.

All-Star Driver, Connecticut's leader in driver education, is offering hands-on demonstrations on the dangers of impaired driving to schools, parent groups and local prevention organizations. These presentations are FREE of charge, in an effort to raise awareness on the dangers of underage drinking during the month of April, Alcohol Awareness Month.

Professional and serious amateur photographers, as well as students, are invited and encouraged to submit their work for the second annual juried photography exhibition held at the Fairfield Museum and History Center in Fairfield, Connecticut. This open competition will be curated by a jury of professional photographers and advertising executives.

IMAGES is a juried photography exhibition hosted by the Fairfield Museum to celebrate the exceptional work of talented regional photographers. The exhibition provides an excellent opportunity for artists to connect with prominent collectors, gallery owners and the public.

Winning entries will be featured in the IMAGES exhibition at the Fairfield Museum from May 8 through June 6, 2010. A preview party will be held May 7, 2010.

The DEADLINE to submit entries is April 7, 2010.To submit entries and for more detailed information, visit http://data.fairfield.edu/images. DO NOT MAIL OR SHIP WORK.