Bridgeport Banner

Her Haven, a new community-focused non-profit, launches May 17 at Fairfield University

By MEG McCAFFERY

Fairfield University Interior Design student Carey Dougherty, of Monroe, Conn., founder and CEO of Her Haven, the new nonprofit organization that focuses on designing a personal space in the home of a deserving woman in the community, has been transforming environments since the age of six.  On Thursday, May 17, from 6 to 8 p.m., Her Haven and Fairfield University’s student chapter of the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) will unveil design plans for its first two Habitat for Humanity projects at a launch celebration, “Designing a Difference,” in the Dolan School of Business Dining Room. The public is invited to attend and learn more about ways in which it might support Her Haven and its mission to empower deserving women with limited resources through transformative design. Donations will be gratefully accepted. Light hors d'oeuvres and wine will be served. (For information about the event and the organization, visit www.herhaven.org.)

For this first venture as an official 501(c) 3 non-profit organization, Her Haven has partnered with Habitat for Humanity of Coastal Fairfield County, the Connecticut Chapter of the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID), and a team of Fairfield  Interior Design program students on two Habitat for Humanity projects for Nordia Black and Elizabeth Bosques, both of Bridgeport.

The students have split into two teams, each of which are working on designing a personal space for Black and Bosques in each woman’s new Habitat home.  The team members, all of whom enthusiastically volunteered to work with Her Haven for the unusual experience it offers, will present their team design concepts at the launch celebration.  Interior Design student Jenine Beck was energized by Dougherty’s “enthusiasm, professionalism, passion and philanthropy” and came on board to “use our education in such a positive way.  It really isn’t what I can get out of it, but rather what I can give to it.”  And student Jim Metzger said, “As a male, I am thrilled to be part of this organization…So many women in my own life have helped me so much, it is my way of giving back or paying it forward.”

Dolan School of Business students also played a role in Her Haven. Students in “Managing Nonprofit Organizations,” a special topics course taught by Catherine Giapponi, Ph.D., associate professor of management, helped Dougherty develop a complete business plan.

Dougherty sought out Habitat for Humanity as a partner because the two organizations share the common goal of community interaction with volunteers and donors as an element of their missions.  Both organizations do work that provide volunteers and donors an opportunity, as Caitlin Scanlan, director of development at Habitat for Humanity pointed out, “to learn about the challenges faced by low-income families and the impact safe, healthy and affordable housing can have in our community.”  Scanlan continued, “The opportunity to partner with Her Haven will be a wonderful experience for Elizabeth and Nordia…Creating a space that is designed specifically for each woman is a special opportunity that they would never have been able to provide for themselves.” 

Art reception at Framemakers Thursday night

Framemakers Picture Framing & Art Gallery

3004 Fairfield Ave., Black Rock

203-338-0332

Will be hosting an Art Reception for

Diane Desmond & Judy Noel

"Spring Awakening"

On Thursday night, April 12th from 5:30 to 7:30pm

Call from City Canvases for Bridgeport artists

TONIGHT - 4/11 7PM

Informational presentation

CITY CANVASES - BRIDGEPORT

Learn more about projection art, festivals, and current trends as we prepare for the City Canvases initiative to be presented by Margaret Bodell, City Canvases Project Manager, Connecticut Department of Economic & Community Development, Office of the Art

Exciting opportunities for artists to create digital film shorts for a large-scale projection project in Downtown Bridgeport this summer.

 

These shorts will be projected on highly visible building surfaces and will promote various arts and cultural events throughout Downtown.

BRIDGEPORT - CALL TO ARTISTS

DEADLINE APRIL 16th

 

City Canvases is a one-time initiative bringing mural-based public art into downtown spaces throughout the State of Connecticut.

The initiative is aimed to enhance public spaces through the visual arts and to connect the urban regions of Connecticut with a statewide placemaking initiative.

 

The program is an opportunity to commission artwork by Connecticut artists for highly visible exterior locations in city spaces.

It is an opportunity to create vibrant and energizing works of art around the state that are imbedded into major urban areas. The commissioned artwork should resonate with the community for which it is created.

 

Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD) and the Connecticut Office of the Arts (COA), recently announced Bridgeport and Stamford as cities and their projects as recipients of the "City Canvases Initiative."

 

Bridgeport / Bridgeport Arts & Cultural Council:

Moving image light projections on a prominent downtown building.

 

(The application is available on the CAFC Web site.)

http://www.bridgeportct.gov/Documents/BptCityCanvases.pdf

 

Proposal submission deadline is MONDAY, APRIL 16

Exhibit opening at City Lights

WAX is a VERB... April 12 to May 19, 2012 at City Lights Gallery. OPENING RECEPTION THURSDAY, APRIL 12, 2012 5:30-8;30 p.m. Meet the artists, enjoy a glass of wine and... Honey Tasting Courtesy of Red Bee Carla Marina http://redbee.blogspot.com/

View a sampling of the unending possibilities of encaustic art. Its basic component bees wax, is used as painting medium, adhesive and sculpting material. This ancient technique had become virtually forgotten until noteable artists Diego Rivera and Jasper Johns worked with it in the last century.The manipulation of the wax requires heated palettes, heat guns or torches. Works in this exhibit will be painted, sculpted, scraped and poured. Among those exhibiting are some of the most prominent artists of the region working in the encaustic process. Encaustic by Gregory Wright

22 Haviland Street Gallery - "Milestone Graphics; 30 Year Retrospective" May 3 thru June 24

Opening Reception - Thursday, May 3, 6p.m. - 8p.m.

22 Haviland Street, So. Norwalk, CT. 06854

Dennis Bradbury, gallery director, 22haviland@optonline.net 203-852-6727

Jim Reed, milestonegraphics.reed@gmail.com

South Norwalk - 22 Haviland Street Gallery presents "Milestone Graphics; 30 Year Retrospective," May 3 - June 24. Woodcuts, monotypes, lithographs and etchings by over 35 national and regional established artists; curated by Milestone Graphics owner/master printer, Jim Reed. Wednesdays through Fridays, 3 p.m. to 5 p.m; Saturdays, 2 p.m. to 5 p.m; and by appointment. Opening Reception Thursday, May 3, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. 22 Haviland Street. (203) 852-6727.

Milestone Graphics, owned and operated by Jim Reed, is the oldest professional printmaking workshop in Connecticut. To help with celebrating three decades of collaborative printmaking at Milestone, 22 Haviland Street Gallery (South Norwalk) is honored to be hosting a retrospective exhibit, "Milestone Graphics; 30 Year Retrospective". The exhibition will feature a selection of prints made on the presses of Milestone Graphics, curated by master printer Jim Reed. Founded in San Francisco in 1976, moved to Fairfield County in 1980, Milestone Graphics has continued to set a standard of excellence in fine art printmaking. Over thirty-five national and regional established artists will be exhibited; represented by woodcuts, monotypes, lithographs and etchings. Ann Chernow, Maggie McKinnickinnick, Bud Riley, Lucy Sallick, Michael Torlen, and Harvey Weiss are a few of the represented artists.

"Milestone Graphics; 30 Year Retrospective" will be open from May 3 through June 24; Wednesdays through Fridays, 3 p.m. to 5 p.m; Saturdays, 2 p.m. to 5 p. m; and by appt. The Opening Reception at 22 Haviland Street Gallery (located at 22 Haviland Street in South Norwalk) is Thursday, May 3 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

In an article for this summer's edition of Journal of the Print World, Laura Einstein writes:

"Jim Reed is a master lithographer whose printmaking career spans over forty years...(Reed) has fifty stones for use in his printmaking facility (Milestone Graphics), ranging in size from 8" x 10" to 24" x 32". He prefers Bavarian limestone and specifically seeks out stones from the Jurassic period...Over the years, the work of the shop has expanded from lithography to various print media including etching, relief, silk screen, intaglio, aquatint, and monotype...(Reed) is well-versed and agile in each technique and the variations within those techniques."

"According to artist Ann Chernow (whose work will be featured in the retrospective exhibition at 22 Haviland Street Gallery), 'Jim is a print connoisseur. His own collection shows his incredible knowledge of the medium. I couldn't have done the work that I have done without him. I wish that I could win the lottery to buy Jim so that he could only work with me.' "

Have lunch with kHyal at the Bridgeport Arts and Cultural Commission at the Arcade Mall!

Join kHyal for a brown bag lunch at the BACC as she takes you back in her time machine through a discussion on how she kick-started her art career by moving from Boston to Los Angeles - plus adventures in San Francisco, New York, London, the South of France and beyond. THURSDAY, MARCH 29th 12:30-1:30pm 1001-12 Main Street Bridgeport, Connecticut 06604 203.522.4154 info@bridgeportarts.org

About The Exhibit: CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT "As a young child of three or so, my imagination conjured up a series of characters that appeared in my realities..."

March 31 at Midnight is Last Chance for IMAGES 2012 Photographic Entries to Fairfield Museum and History Center

Seeking Serious Amateur, Professional and Student Regional Photographers

By STEVE GAYNES

FAIRFIELD – It’s time again to POINT, SHOOT and ENTER since the last call for IMAGES 2012 photographic entries is this coming week with the final deadline at midnight on March 31^st, according to staff at Fairfield Museum and History Center (www.fairfieldhistory.org). The exhibition, which officially opens Friday, May 4th and ends July 22^nd, will celebrate the exceptional work of some 60 talented, serious amateur, professional and student photographers from New York, Connecticut., Rhode Island and Massachusetts.

For information and to submit entires online, visit www.fairfieldhistory.org. All entries are due by midnight Monday, March 31st, and winning photographs will be exhibited at the Museum. The cost for professional/serious amateurs is $10 per image; and students is $5 per image. Fees are payable through PayPal with online entry. There is a limit of 10 works per entrant. Categories include Landscape, Portrait, Nature, Abstract, and Architecture

A distinguished group of judges will review all submissions, select photographs for exhibition and designate works for awards. One photographer from the Professional/Serious Amateur category and one from the Student category will be selected as a Grand Prize Winner. Among the awards are a 10-day exhibition at the renowned Southport Galleries in Southport, CT, and professional portfolio review.

 

About Fairfield Museum and History Center

Fairfield Museum and History Center is a community cultural and education center established in 2007 by the Fairfield Historical Society. The 13,000 square-foot museum presents engaging exhibition galleries, special collections, a genealogy library, a family education center, an 80-seat theater overlooking Fairfield's Town Green and a delightful museum shop. The Fairfield Museum and History Center believes in the power of history to inspire the imagination, stimulate thought and transform society. Located at 370 Beach Road in Fairfield, the Museum is open seven days a week. Admission is $5 for adults, $3 for students and seniors. Members of the Museum and children age 5 and under are free of charge. For current program and exhibition information, visit www.fairfieldhs.org and for group tour reservations and information, please call 203-259-1598.

05@22 will open at 22 Haviland Street Gallery March 29th

South Norwalk- 22 Haviland Street Gallery presents "05@22", March 29 - April 26; new works by Chris Durante, Joe Fucigna, Mauricio Higuera, Lori Lohstoeter, Frank Post. Curated by Joe Fucigna. Opening Reception: Thursday, March 29 5:30p.m.-8:30p.m. Artist Talk: Thursday, April 19, 6p.m.-8p.m. Gallery Hours through April 26: Wednesdays - Fridays, 3p.m. to 5p.m.; Saturdays, 2p.m. - 5p.m. By appointment please call 203-852-6727.

"05@22", Five Artists at 22 Haviland Street Gallery, (March 29 - April 26) includes new works by Chris Durante - chrisdurante58@gmail.com, Joe Fucigna - www.fucigna.com, Mauricio Higuera - mh4studio@gmail.com, Lori Lohstoeter - www.loriloh.com, Frank Post - www.frankfosterpost.com. The exhibition is curated by Joe Fucigna..."Color, collage, expressive marks, the exploration of process, a strong sense of craft, the suggestion of a figure, a whimsical cartoonish character, layers of information piled up on one another. These phrases describe the overlapping visuals and processes of the five artists in the exhibition "05@22". On one side are the organic abstractions of Mauricio Higuera and Joe Fucigna who use the process of painting and the mark/stroke as the departure point for their works. On the other side are the whimsical cartoon-influenced paper bag puppets by Frank Post with their brightly colored palette and strong graphic marks. In the middle are the multi-media images of Chris Durante and Lori Lohstoeter. They combine collage, drawing and painting into richly layered abstractions that stand out for their lushly painted surfaces, precise mark making and in-depth surfaces." - Joe Fucigna, curator.

Lori Lohstoeter is a drawing teacher at Norwalk Community College. She began her art career as an illustrator working in New York. In her personal work, the artist explores a variety of techniques and materials deliberately avoiding her ability to render with precision. Originally a successful commercial artist, Lori is in pursuit of non-traditional models of expression in her gallery work.

Joe Fucigna is Director of the Studio Art Program at Norwalk Community College where he has been a full-time Professor of Art since 1993. His award-winning sculpture has been included in exhibitions internationally, including a large scale commission for Cingular Wireless in Rockefeller Plaza. Among numerous awards, he received an Individual Artist Grant from the Connecticut Commission on the Arts.

Chris Durante teaches drawing at Norwalk Community College and has operated his own Framing /Art Handling business in Danbury since 1981. His work is an ongoing exploration of the language of mark making; simple sequences of positive and negative space, line and gesture, complex drawings about simple things: string, sticks, grids, accidents and chance.

Mauricio Higuera's new work is concerned with the rearrangement of sensation and the process of Subjectivation. He is a graduate of Norwalk Community College and is currently studying at the Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art in New York.

Frank Foster Post has exhibited his fine art nationally and is a noted muralist. He is also an accomplished musician who has performed in more than a dozen countries. Besides painting, Mr. Post has been involved with writing a play, a screenplay and an animation project.

"05@22" Opening Reception: Thursday, March 29 from 5:30p.m. - 8:30p.m. Free. Gallery Hours through April 26: Wednesdays - Fridays 3p.m. - 5p.m., Saturdays 2p.m. - 5p.m. Artists Talk: Thursday, April 19. Doors open 6:30p.m. -Talk at 7p.m., doors close at 8:30p.m. Free.

22 Haviland Street Gallery is located at #22 Haviland St. in downtown SoNo, CT. (in a 19th c. house on the right) across from the Haviland Street Parking Deck - (parking fee $1/hr.). On-street parking FREE after 6pm & on Sundays - Gallery: (203) 852-6727.

Bridgeport selected to participate in "City Canvases" initiative

By ROB SULLIVAN

Governor Daniel Malloy hosted Mayor Bill Finch and mayors from some of Connecticut's largest cities at the Governor's Residence to participate in the launch of a new $1 million arts initiative, "City Canvases."
This new program, which is a project of the Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD) is designed to revitalize Connecticut's public spaces through large-scale art installations and spur economic development and growth.
Along with remarks from Governor Malloy, Monday night's program included a presentation from Deputy DECD Commissioner Christopher "Kip" Bergstrom who asked the mayors in attendance to "look at the ugly walls in your city as canvases."

A total of $1 million in arts grant funding will be provided by the state with an additional $1 million sought from private and local matches.

"I commend Governor Malloy and Commissioner Bergstrom for creating this program and recognizing the impact art and the creative class has on our cities," said Finch following the event. "This is a great opportunity to showcase Bridgeport's creative class and provide residents with interesting and vibrant art in our downtown."

Along with Bridgeport, Danbury, Hartford, New Britain, New Haven, New London, Stamford, Norwalk, Torrington, Waterbury and Middletown were also invited to submit proposals.

A Quilt Exhibit: Fabrics and Fabrications, March 2nd and 3rd, Celebrating its 10th Anniversary, Will Offer Workshops on Crafts Made From Recycled Found Objects

Workshops for Adults and Children

By STEVE GAYNES

FAIRFIELD: A Quilt Exhibit: Fabrics and Fabrications, celebrating its 10^th anniversary this year and to be held on March 2^nd and 3^rd at Southport Congregational Church in Southport, will feature innovative workshops, lectures, and demonstrations in keeping with the theme of the special exhibit, Reuse, Recyle, Rejoice. The workshops, led by Jill Walker and Edie Faile of Fairfield, will include crafts made from recycled found objects, and will be for adults and children.

Olivia Munroe, owner of The Striped Umbrella, will present a workshop on Saturday March 3 for children featuring figures made from found objects. Ms. Munroe’s work has been exhibited recently at the ARC Gallery in Fairfield and also is in the collections of the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Smithsonian Institution. Exquisite and complex Marionettes she made for a production at Trinity Church will also be displayed in the Special Exhibit. Her classes for adults and children at The Striped Umbrella are invariably over-subscribed and the Quilt Exhibit Committee is honored to have her participate in the 10^th Anniversary Celebration.

Other crafts will include fabric garlands, embellished patches, and many objects from recycled fabrics, as well as belts from men’s ties, embellished picture frames, fabric postcards, a demonstration of quilts made from beloved T shirts, led by Edie Faile, and quilts from recycled wool sweaters.

Demonstrations will feature Old Fashioned Foundation Piecing and Modern Paper Piecing by Karen MacDonald and Nancy Bertini, and Frame Quilting by Pam Poling, particularly directed at young people. Dalton Ghetti will return to speak about his work carving minute objects from pencil lead on Saturday afternoon.

There are several theories about the quilt patterns that evolved during the Civil War and on Friday afternoon Cecily Zerega, co-founder of The Quilt Exhibit: Fabrics and Fabrications and a Fairfield resident, will speak about some of them in the Fellowship Hall.

For more information, a complete and detailed schedule and to register for the workshops, please go to the website, www.Fabricsandfabrications.com.

Talking Italian with Gina Barreca at the Fairfield U. Quick Center!

By MIKE HORYCZUN

FAIRFIELD: Now that’s Italian! Nationally recognized best-selling author, humorist, educator, essayist, blogger, feminist, and sometimes stand-up comedienne, Gina Barreca, makes an exclusive stage appearance at 6 p.m. on Sunday, March 4th in a presentation entitled “Talking about Italian- American Art & Life with Gina Barreca” at Fairfield University’s Regina A. Quick Center for the Arts. Tickets are $25 and available by calling (203) 254-4010, or visiting www.quickcenter.com

 

Publishers Weekly says “. . . Barreca is more about laughs than lecturing.” And Author Rita Ciresi concurs: “Barreca is probably the funniest woman writer in America.”

Gina Barreca’s witty, freewheeling and highly original take on everything Italian will be presented in presented in conjunction with Fairfield University’s Bellarmine Museum of Art's current exhibition “From Italy to America – Photographs of Anthony Riccio.” This show documents in word and image the experiences of Italians and Italian-Americans in Southern Italy, Boston’s North End, and New Haven’s “Little Italy" and is on view through March 30, 2012.

Throughout her career, Gina Barreca has shared her wit and wisdom with television audiences nationwide, appearing regularly on 20/20, The Today Show, CNN, Dr. Phil and Oprah, discussing everything from gender to politics to humor. She’s also a favorite on National Public Radio’s The Faith Middleton Program. She contributes to The Chronicle of Higher Education Brainstorm blog, Psychology Today’s blog, and regularly spars with Gene Weingarten, with whom she co-authored two books, in his “Below the Beltway” column for The Washington Post. She also pens a bi-monthly column from the Hartford Courant, which is distributed worldwide by the McClatchy-Tribune Syndicate. In addition, Dr. Barreca is a Professor of English and Feminist Theory at the University of Connecticut, and she holds degrees from Dartmouth College, Cambridge University, and the City University of New York.

A self-proclaimed “nice Italian girl,” Gina Barreca grew up in Brooklyn and on Long Island, and now lives with her husband in Storrs. She is the editor of the irreverent Don’t Tell Mama: The Penguin Book of Italian- American Writing and A Sitdown with The Sopranos: Watching Italian American Culture on T.V.’s Most Talked About Series.

Gina Barreca’s best-selling books have been translated into several languages, including Chinese, Spanish, Japanese, and German. She is most recently the editor of Make Mine A Double: Why Women Like Us Like To Drink (or Not) published by the University Press of New England in 2011, and author of It's Not That I'm Bitter: How I Learned to Stop Worrying About Visible Panty Lines and Conquered the World (St. Martin’s, 2009). Her earlier books include the bestselling They Used to Call Me Snow White But I Drifted: Women's Strategic Use of Humor, and Babes n Boyland: A Personal History of Coeducation in the Ivy League.

Quick Center audiences have a chance to laugh out loud with Gina Barreca and experience her humor. Visit www.ginabarreca.com.

Tickets are available through the Quick Center Box Office: (203) 254-4010, or toll-free 1-877-ARTS-396. (1-877-278-7396). Tickets can also be purchased online at www.quickcenter.com.

The Regina A. Quick Center for the Arts is located on the campus of Fairfield University at 1073 North Benson Road in Fairfield, Connecticut. Entrance to the Quick Center is through the Barlow Road gate at 200 Barlow Road. Free, secure parking is available. Access for people with disabilities is available throughout the Quick Center for audience members and performers. Hearing amplification devices are available upon request at the Box Office. Fairfield University is located off exit 22 of Interstate-95. For further information and directions, call (203) 254-4010 or 1-877-278-7396, or visit www.quickcenter.com

Fairfield University offers its students and the regional community a wide array of opportunities to enjoy the arts and enrich their lives through study, performance, appreciation, and thought. The annual Arts & Minds season of events at Fairfield provides an outstanding array of cultural and intellectual events that include the Regina A. Quick Center for the Arts season, the popular Open VISIONS Forum lecture series, professional and student performances, art exhibits, special lectures, and a myriad of other lifelong learning opportunities. For further information, visit www.fairfield.edu/arts. 

 

 

 

Art recepition set at Framemakers

Thursday, February 23, 2012 10:49 AM

FRAMEMAKERS  PICTURE  FRAMING  &  ART  GALLERY 3004 Fairfield Ave., Black Rock section of Bridgeport will be hosting a reception for artist Elizabeth Bullis-Wiese of her paintings "Land & Sea, Near & Far" on Saturday, March 3rd from 2:00 to 4:00 pm.  Open to all.

Himes Invites High Schools to Participate in Congressional Art Competition

Winner’s work will be displayed in US Capitol alongside winners from across the country

 By ALEXANDER LASKA

WASHINGTON – Congressman Jim Himes (CT-4) is inviting Fourth District high school students to participate in the Congressional Art Competition, a nationwide art competition and exhibition conducted by members of the U.S. House of Representatives.  The winner from this competition will have their piece displayed in the U.S. Capitol for a year alongside winning entries from across the country and will be invited to attend the opening ceremonies in Washington, DC in June.  The runners-up will have their work displayed in Himes' Congressional offices in Stamford and Bridgeport.

 

“The annual Congressional Art Competition is a great way to highlight arts education in our community and provides a unique showcase for our region’s young artists,” said Himes.  “I invite all high school students who are passionate about the visual arts to participate in this year’s contest.”

 

Entries are submitted by high school students from schools in Connecticut’s 4th Congressional District and will be judged by a distinguished panel of community artists with teaching and gallery experience.  Congressman Himes will host an awards ceremony and reception at the Westport Arts Center on Saturday, May 5 from 3:00 to 4:00 p.m.

 

Students interested in entering this year’s competition must complete and sign a release form and fax it to the Congressman’s Bridgeport office at (203) 333-6655, attention Peter Yazbak.  Forms are required to be sent no later than April 20, 2012. Participants may find the release form at http://www.house.gov/content/educate/art_competition/pdf/student-information-release-form.pdf 

 

Artwork, along with a copy of the student information and release form affixed to the back, should be delivered or shipped to Congressman Himes’s Bridgeport office by 5:00 p.m. on Thursday, May 3, 2012.

 

All high school students who reside in or attend school in the Fourth Congressional District are encouraged to participate. Artwork submitted must be original and can be in the form of paintings (oil, acrylics, watercolor, etc.), drawings (pastels, colored pencil, pencil, charcoal, ink, markers), collage (must be 2 dimensional), prints (lithographs, silkscreen, block prints), mixed media, computer generated art, or photography. For more information, visit Congressman Himes’ website at:  http://himes.house.gov/services/art-competition

CFS is performing “ Romeo & Juliet “ at the McLevy Green in Downtown Bridgeport!

CT Free Shakespeare 2012 Performs ROMEO and JULIET in Downtown Bridgeport in July

This summer CT Free Shakespeare will be an official part of the exciting Downtown Bridgeport CT Art Scene! After their run at the CT Beardsley Zoo and before the Guilford, CT run – CT Free Shakespeare will be performing on the historic & beautiful McLevy Green in Downtown Bridgeport CT. The performance dates are Wednesday, July 25 (open dress rehearsal), Thursday, July 26, Friday, July 27, Saturday, July 28, and Sunday, July 29. All performances begin at 8 pm. All performances are free admission. There is ample free parking and fabulous downtown restaurants!

NEW YORK SCULPTORS GUILD EXHIBITS AT HOUSATONIC MUSEUM OF ART

By ANSON C. SMITH

Bridgeport - The Housatonic Museum of Art presents Sculpture in the 21^st Century featuring work by members of the New York Sculptors Guild. The exhibit will open Thursday, February 23 and continue through March 10th. A reception for the artists will be held Sunday, February 26 from 1 to 3pm in the Burt Chernow Galleries. This event is free and the public is cordially invited to attend.

The Sculptors Guild, founded in 1937, was an important moment for Modern sculpture in America and Guild members have ranked among the most prestigious and significant artists of the past seven decades. David Smith, an influential mid-20th century sculptor and a forerunner of welded steel constructions of expressive geometric abstractions, exhibited regularly with Sculptors Guild along with such renowned figures as Jacques Lipchitz, Louise Bourgeois, Seymour Lipton, lbram Lassaw and Herbert Ferber. In addition, Expressionist figurative sculpture also flourished, most notably exemplified by the work of Paul Manship, Chaim Gross, William Zorach, Jacques Lipchitz, and Jose de Creeft.

With the advent of the new millennium the Sculptors Guild has enjoyed a resurgence of interest by emerging sculptors of various divergent aesthetics. The continuation of the extensive history of prominent sculpture visionaries within Sculptors Guild avant garde has extensively expanded during the past decade to include the notable digital sculptors: Bruce Beasley, Kenneth Snelson, Jon Isherwood, Robert Michael Smith, Michael Rees, Barry X Ball, Dan Collins, Mary Bates Neubauer, David Smalley, Greg Lock, David Morris, Michael Zansky and Dan Henderson.

In 2010, the Housatonic Museum of Art invited Nick Capasso, Senior Curator at the deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum in Lincoln, Massachusetts to select works created by the members for this exhibition. Capasso chose twenty-eight sculptures by fourteen artists, using several criteria.

“First and foremost,” Capasso said, “is my interest in work that is well wrought, and displays a confident, unselfconscious, or experimental attitude toward material, form, subject, and content. I was most attracted to works that look forward to the aesthetic and philosophical concerns of the 21^st century, rather than back towards the 20^th century.” Capasso selected a diverse body of work that explores architecture, history, art history, science, biology and the complexities of nature, and spirituality.

Sculpture of the 21^st Century includes Stephanie Rocknack, June Ahrens, Eve Ingalls, Greg Lock, Lucy Hodgson, Steve Dono, Michael Zansky, Irene Gennaro, Mary Ellen Scherl, Katie Truk, Elizabeth Knowles, Alison Helm, Robert Michael Smith, and Mary Bailey.

The museum is open Monday through Friday from 8:30am until 5:30pm. Thursday evening until 7 pm. Saturday from 9 am to 3 pm and Sunday from 12 pm until 4 pm. For more information and directions to the museum visit our websitewww.housatonicmuseum.org

"Converging Paths" at City Lights Gallery features four acclaimed international artists

"Converging Paths" at City Lights: February 16 - March 22. Artists Reception Thursday 2/23, 5;30-8:30 p.m. View the work of men who makee art from Algeria, Nigeria, New York and New Haven. Featured artists include Fethi Menghelli, Tunde Odunlade, Robert Leung, Gordon Skinner. The viewer is encouraged to find the differences and similarities in the works and contemplate the expressions and creations of male artists from diverse backgrounds whose paths converge through their art; compare the varying content and use of color, pattern and flattening of the figure. Included in the exhibit is Fethi Menghelli, friend and mentor of fellow exhibiting artist, Gordon Skinner. City Lights is located at 37 Markle Court in downtown Bridgeport, CT, (203)334-7748. Regular Gallery Hours, W-F, 11:30-5 p.m., Sat 12-4 p.m. www.citylightsgallery.org

Other Special Events: Thurs. March 22, Closing Party. Meet the artists. Enjoy a solo performance of African Percussionist and Singer Tunde Odunlade or a casual discussion with artist Robert Leung and his "Heart of Man Project." or a screening of "Stolen I.D." Fragmented, Colonized and Lost- Documentary About Painter Gordon Skinner,

About the artists:

Fethi Meghelli was born in Algeria. He received his BA in 1967 from the Algerian National School of Fine Arts. In 1974 he got his MFA from the Beaux Arts in Paris, where he received a 5 year scholarship. His artworks, in large and small scale, have been shown in numerous galleries and museums in the USA and internationally. His work is in diverse collections, including the Library of Congress. Meghelli says his artwork, drawn from his multicultural background, is based on stories about people and their beauty, dreams, folktales, tragedies and hopes. He uses a number of different media, including paint, printmaking, and assemblage.

Robert Leung, originally from the Bronx presents work from a body of work that he calls "The Heart of Man Project," a seminar that seeks to make men aware of the connection between their feelings and their power. Sculptures and works on paper reflect some of the conflict that men have and the unique ways in which men experience love.

Tunde Odunlade has a successful career making and performing music, poetry and visual art. As a print and textile artist,he has exhibited, taught, lectured, studied and traveled extensively within Nigeria and throughout North America and Europe. His work is in the collections of several institutions including the World Bank Headquarters in Washington DC, the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, the MacArthur Foundation Collection and the State House in Lagos, Nigeria, as well as in the collections of many individuals in the North America, Europe, and Nigeria. He lives in Ibadan, in the southwestern part of Nigeria.

Gordon Skinner is a City Lights exhibiting artist who lives in the New Haven area. Through his hard work and exploration he creates paintings and constructions with expressive figures using his visual vocabulary comprised of symbols, patterns, texture, marks and applications of color.His influences include the ArtBrut of Dubuffet, Basquiat, Francis Bacon, Picasso and African imagery. His work has been exhibited throughout the CT-New York area.

Don't miss the Behind the Scenes Barnum Museum Tour

The Bridgeport Community Historical Society
Presents
The Barnum Museum Tour

Join the BCHS on February 19th at 1:00 pm
for a sneak-peek behind-the scenes tour of The Barnum Museum as it undergoes substantial restoration and renovation following the tornado in June 2010.

The tour will be led by a member of The Museum's senior staff who will explain the impact of the tornado on the building and the collection as well as steps being taken to protect the integrity of impacted items.

Tour goers may park in the parking lot behind Ralph N' Rich's or on the street in front of the Museum.
The cost of the tour is $5. All proceeds will benefit the Barnum Museum.

Light refreshments will be served by the BCHS.

(February 26th at 1 pm is reserved as a snow date)

NEW YORK SCULPTORS GUILD EXHIBITS AT HOUSATONIC MUSEUM OF ART

By ANSON C. SMITH

Bridgeport —The Housatonic Museum of Art presents Sculpture in the 21^st Century featuring work by members of the New York Sculptors Guild. The exhibit will open Thursday, February 23 and continue through March 10, 2012. A reception for the artists will be held Sunday, February 26 from 1 to 3pm in the Burt Chernow Galleries. This event is free and the public is cordially invited to attend.

The Sculptors Guild, founded in 1937, was an important moment for Modern sculpture in America and Guild members have ranked among the most prestigious and significant artists of the past seven decades. David Smith, an influential mid-20th century sculptor and a forerunner of welded steel constructions of expressive geometric abstractions, exhibited regularly with Sculptors Guild along with such renowned figures as Jacques Lipchitz, Louise Bourgeois, Seymour Lipton, lbram Lassaw and Herbert Ferber. In addition, Expressionist figurative sculpture also flourished, most notably exemplified by the work of Paul Manship, Chaim Gross, William Zorach, Jacques Lipchitz, and Jose de Creeft.

Housatonic Community College provides an affordable and accessible education through two-year degrees, transfer preparation, and certificate programs, as well as a wide variety of continuing education and personal/professional enrichment seminars and workshops. In addition, HCC offers employee and occupational training for businesses, municipalities, government agencies, and professional associations to help develop the educated and skilled workforce required to meet regional business and industry needs. HCC is nationally recognized as an “Achieving the Dream” institution. To learn more, visit the college’s website at:www.hcc.commnet.edu.

HCC is located at 900 Lafayette Blvd. in downtown Bridgeport, less than 150 yards off I-95 (Exit 27) and Rte. 8 (Exit 1), a block from the Webster Bank Arena at Harbor Yard. Free parking is available in the Housatonic garage

Haviland Street Gallery listings

South Norwalk - 22 Haviland Street Gallery presents "Midwinter Mix" , February 12 - March 10; works from the kitchen, kiln, and studios of Karen Ford, Shiela Hale, Susan McCaslin, Nancy Woodward. Pre-Valentine Opening Reception: Sunday, February 12, 2 p.m. - 4 p.m.; Artists Talk: Sunday, March 4, 2 p.m. - 4 p.m. Gallery hours through March 10: Wednesdays through Fridays, 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.; Saturdays 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. By appointment please call 203-852-6727. PRESS RELEASE 22 Haviland Street Gallery is cooking up an earthy and tasty exhibition called "Midwinter Mix", a collection of inspired works from the kitchen, kiln and studio of artists Karen Ford, Shiela Hale, Susan McCaslin and Nancy Woodward. The Pre-valentine Opening is Sunday, February 12 from 2 p.m. - 4 p. m. "Midwinter Mix" runs through March 10.

An accompanying Artists Talk by all four artists will be presented at the gallery on Sunday, March 4, from 2 p.m. - 4 p.m. Shiela Hale's work includes installations, sculpture, and assemblages constructed with books, text and ephemeral natural materials. She also designs and builds furniture in her Katonah, N.Y. studio. Her artwork is intimately related to the materials and processes of daily living. For "Midwinter Mix" she'll add a dash of culinary arts by making sculpture and food on the theme of eggs. shielahale@gmail.com 914-232-8007 www.shielahale.com Karen Ford's award-winning Asian-inspired porcelain serving pieces are a fusion of clay, fire and glass. Strikingly beautiful, they also enhance the everyday ritual of eating, drinking, and living. More than 50 national exhibitions including Craft USA 2011 at Silvermine Arts Center, distinguish this Westport artist's career. info@karenfordceramics.com 203-856-7945 www.karenfordceramics.com

Susan McCaslin's muted ink and watercolor works on paper can be folded to keep in your pocket. Inspired by the sense of discovering hidden treasure, her small collections contain narratives on parenting, fertility, childhood, and genealogy. She lives and works in New Haven sharing studio space with Design Monsters, a graphic design studio she runs with her husband, George Corsillo. susan@susanmccaslin.com 203-559-8172 http://www.susanmccaslin.com Nancy Woodward photographs the natural world with a sense of meditation and deep concentration. Her series of Tree Spheres in "Midwinter Mix" are elegantly rendered evocations. Woodward works out of her New Canaan studio, where the digital darkroom, she says, "affords me the resources to coax out even the faintest of shadows and ethereal landscapes". ncwood@optonline.net 203-229-0294 "Midwinter Mix" is on view in the rooms of 22 Haviland Street Gallery's historic house on Haviland Street in downtown South Norwalk's design district. Through March 10 gallery hours are Wednesdays through Fridays, 3 p.m. - 5 p.m.; Saturdays, 2 p.m. - 5 p.m.; and by appointment. For more information please call 203-852-6727.

From Italy to America – Photographs of Anthony Riccio at Bellarmine Museum of Art

By MICHAEL HORYCZUN

FAIRFIELD: For Anthony Riccio (b. 1952), a picture truly is worth a thousand words. For the past four decades, the New Haven, Connecticut, native has documented, in word and image, the experiences of Italians and Italian-Americans not only in Southern Italy – from Campania to Sicily – but also in two culturally rich immigrant communities in America, Boston’s North End and New Haven’s “Little Italy.” Fairfield University’s Bellarmine Museum of Art presents a selection of these works in its newest exhibition “From Italy to America – Photographs of Anthony Riccio” from February 1st through March 30th. The exhibition features twenty-six black and white photographs by Mr. Riccio in addition to audio clips he recorded of his subjects reminiscing about the changes they experienced and witnessed in their lives. The audio clips will be available in the gallery using smart phone technology, and also posted at www.fairfield.edu/museum. A summary of exhibition programs follows below.

Anthony Riccio’s stunning photographs of his subjects as they move through their daily lives resulted in two widely-acclaimed books: Boston’s North End: Images and Recollections of an Italian-American Neighborhood (Globe Pequot Press, 1996 and 2006) and The Italian American Experience in New Haven: Images and Oral Histories (State University of New York Press, 2006). He also co-authored the hugely successful Cooking with Chef Silvio: Stories and Authentic Recipes from Campania in collaboration with Silvio Suppa, chef at Café Allegre in Madison and Woodwinds Restaurant in Branford.

Through the often poignant, always engaging photographs and interviews of his subjects, Mr. Riccio delves deeply into the lives of those whom he documents. In Boston’s North End, for example, he immortalizes the zampognari (singers with pastoral wind instruments) as they perform during the Christmas season. His New Haven images show people at work and play and also capture individuals engaged in moments of quiet reflection who share memories that define them both as individuals and as part of the larger Italian-American community. U.S. Congresswoman Rosa Delauro, whose district includes New Haven, observes: “Anthony Riccio produces such a rich and emotional narrative of the Italian American Experience - both through his interviews and photographs that are timeless. I am sure this work will advance his lifetime project and give us insights that will not be lost.” Dr. Jill Deupi, Director of the Bellarmine Museum of Art and Assistant Professor of Art History at Fairfield University, notes “Anthony Riccio’s evocative photographs are not only visually rewarding they are also intellectually compelling. Through his works we are able to step into the shoes of Italian immigrants who left behind all that was familiar and comfortable to become citizens in an unknown new world.”

Mr. Riccio’s images of rural Southern Italy – an area that saw many of its inhabitants leave in search of the American dream – equally transport the viewer to another world, where captivating vistas and lively images of children are counterbalanced by the hardscrabble realities of an agrarian existence. His evocative view of an olive grove, with the cloud-shrouded hills of Faggiano looming in the distance, for example, is a bucolic counterpoint to his image of Naples, the abject buildings of which suggest a clear lack of financial prosperity. Italian American artist, educator and writer B. Amore notes: “These are rare photographs of a people at one with village life on the point of change. The intimacy and directness of gaze could only be captured by a photographer like Anthony Riccio, who works with great respect for his subject matter and an authentic interest in his own heritage.”

The exhibition was originally conceived by Dr. Mary Ann Carolan (Chair, Department of Modern Languages and Literatures/Director, Italian Studies Program), who proposed integrating Mr. Riccio’s photographs into her course on the Italian American Experience. Her students were thoroughly engaged with Riccio’s work, both the oral histories, which they read, and the photographs, which they researched and wrote about for the exhibition. “Anthony Riccio’s photographs invite us along the journey from old world to new world,” said Prof. Carolan. “Through these images we see the translation of traditions, customs, and attitudes from the stark beauty and authenticity of southern Italy to the Italian American neighborhoods of Boston and New Haven. These captivating images reveal an appreciation for those simple elements of our everyday existence or quotidianità.”

“From Italy to America – Photographs of Anthony Riccio” has been made possible through the generous support of Nestlé Waters North America, and its S. Pellegrino® Sparkling Natural Mineral Water, which is sourced in the Italian Alps, and the National Endowment for the Humanities: because democracy demands wisdom.

Exhibition programming includes a screening of “The Golden Door,” the 2007 film written and directed by Emanuele Crialese and presented by Martin Scorsese, at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, February 29th, at the University¹s Regina A. Quick Center for the

Arts. The film, which documents one family¹s emigration from Italy to New York in the early 20th century, will be introduced by its star, Italian actor Vincenzo Amato. Also scheduled for the Quick Center is an evening with humorist Regina Barreca, Ph.D. (University of Connecticut), at 6 p.m. on Sunday, March 4th. For ticketing information for these two events, visit http://www.quickcenter.com/.

Free events include a gallery talk by Anthony Riccio at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, February 8th, with a repeat talk scheduled for 5 p.m., Monday, March 19, 2012; a book talk and signing co-hosted by Chef Silvio Suppa and Anthony Riccio at the University’s new bookstore in downtown Fairfield, at 1499 Post Road at 7 p.m., on Monday, February 27th; a lecture, panel discussion and reception featuring the Italian-American visual artist B. Amore at Fairfield University’s Bellarmine Hall at 6 p.m., on Thursday, March 8th; and a lecture by Cav. Anthony Julian Tamburri, Ph.D. (Professor and Dean, John D. Calandra Italian American Institute, Queens College/CUNY), “Italian [American]s in/and the Media: How They See Us, How We See Us,” at 5 p.m. on Monday, February 13th, in Fairfield University’s DiMenna-Nyselius Library’s Multi-Media Room. The museum will also have special weekend hours on Saturday, February 11th, noon ­5 p.m., with family activities also planned.