| VOLUME 27 | * * All Arts News On the Web * * | January 19, 2023 |
ArtBits always features a calendar of the goings on of Franklin County artists. Check out these events around Franklin County. Each issue includes the entire text of our weekly newspaper column. STUFF YOU SHOULDN'T MISS
Franklin County's arts and music gatherings bring new opportunities, gossip, "show-and-tell" and occasional workshops. There are also booked and acoustic Open Mic Nights that feature music, readings, and more from the best new artists in Vermont.
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T-SHIRTS (February 17)--Saint Albans for The Future is retiring the Big Chair t-shirt and seeks artists for a new and exciting design for the 2023 season. The theme is the Taylor Park Fountain. Compensation for the awarded image. Submissions must be JPEG format with 300 dpi minimum resolution. Email or find them on Facebook for more info. CALL FOR ARTISTS
40th ARMY BAND AUDITIONS (Now)--Offering a $20,000 enlistment bonus and entry at a higher rank are two advantages of joining the Vermont Army National Guard as an army musician. They have open positions for most brass, woodwinds, percussion, and more including trumpet, euphonium, French horn, trombone, tuba, flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, saxophone, percussion, keyboard, guitar, electric bass, vocalist, and audio/lighting engineer. Call 802.338.3480 or find them on Facebook for more info. CALL FOR MUSICIANS
Vermont's walk-in clinics are transitioning to more limited hours this month and all close by January 31. The walk-in clinics have made it easier for Vermonters to get COVID-19 and flu vaccines. PANDEMIC NEWS
The Vermont Department of Health reported January 11 that hospitalizations fell to 40. (The rest of the nation has reported a surge in COVID hospitalizations.) Vermont's new overall COVID-19 cases rose to 463 statewide last week, up from 444 the week before. Franklin County's case load stood at 58 cases in the 14 days ending Saturday, down from 67. 886 Vermonters have died of COVID-19. That number reflects 86 additional COVID-related deaths--most in 2022--occurred during the entire pandemic but had been previously missed. Franklin County has lost 85 residents to the disease to date. COVID-19 infections dropped back to a "Low" level.
Because Vermont relies on self reporting, the number of actual cases is higher than the Department of Health finds. You can report self-test results by following instructions on your test kit to automatically provide your results to your local health department or with the Vermont COVID-19 Self-Test Result Reporting Form. If you test positive, stay home and isolate for five days or longer. You can leave your home on day six if your symptoms have improved and you have had no fever for at least 24 hours without the use of medicine that reduces fevers.
Take an at-home test if you begin having symptoms like fever, sore throat, runny nose, or loss of taste or smell, or at least five days after you come into close contact with someone with COVID-19, or if you plan a get together with people who are at risk of severe disease or may not be up to date on their vaccines. Every home in the U.S. is again eligible to order a fourth round of free at-home tests from COVIDtests.gov. Need other tests? COVID.gov also has for links for at-home tests at retailers and pharmacies, insurance reimbursement for at-home tests, and the 20,000 no-cost antigen and PCR COVID-19 test sites nationwide. Most major chains including Walgreens and Price Chopper locally should have free N95 masks.
People keep getting sick, mostly because they aren't taking precautions. Original COVID-19 vaccinations remain below the level of herd immunity, and even fewer have gotten boosters. Only about 60% of adults and eligible children have even received a flu vaccine.
Whether you have contracted and recovered from this coronavirus or haven't yet received a booster or even if you have done it all, immunity has waned for many of us. That lowered resistance leads to infections and increased transmission of the virus. To date, only 28% of eligible Vermonters age 5 and over have gotten the bivalent COVID-19 booster vaccine. Here's my own advice. Get the COVID shot(s), get the booster(s), and take precautions, particularly if you are inside with other people--that still means wearing a mask indoors.
No vaccine is 100% foolproof. Wash your hands. Keep wearing an N95 mask where you can't control the airflow around you until we reach the same herd immunity we have for smallpox and once had but lost for measles because so many parents refused to vaccinate their kids. Bonus: it will also help protect you from pollen, summer colds, and the winter flu.
Call 855.722.7878 or visit healthvermont.gov for more info about the first or second dose and for booster shots of the vaccine. You can also walk-in at Costco, CVS, Hannaford, Price Chopper/Market 32, Rite Aid, Shaw's, Walgreens, or Walmart, or get an appointment with CVS, Kinney Drugs, Walgreens, or UVMMC Outpatient Pharmacies. Providers and pharmacies must give vaccines at no cost to the patient.
JEFFERSONVILLE--Bryan Memorial Gallery continues new feature, Around the World with Mary & Alden. Also, plein air artist George Van Hook shared his workspace and gave a little sneak peek behind the scenes. The Gallery will show other studios in the future. Find it all on Facebook. ART ON THE WALLS
The Gallery is closed until March for winter break but appointments are available. Call (802.644.5100) to schedule or click here for more info.
ENOSBURG--The admission-free, immersive Cold Hollow Sculpture Park may be closed for the season but they have a way to explore ahead of the reopening. David Stromeyer's book, Art Making on the Land, tells the story in words and historical images of his marriage of art and land. The book follows the creation of a new sculpture from a sketch to a 20,000 pound structure and more. Click here for more info.
SWANTON--Bees on Broadway hosts a Makers Supply Swap on Saturday 2/4/23 at 9am.-4pm. Want to try something new? Bees will have multiple tables with unused craft supplies to trade. Any remaining items will donated to the library or other organizations. Find them on Facebook for more info. ARTSY SWAP
ENOSBURG--Cold Hollow Sculpture Park has appointed Chloë Vogt as its first-ever Director. She will expand the programming and build a sustainable future for Cold Hollow. Find them on Facebook for more info. NEW FACES IN THE ARTS THIS MONTH
MILTON--The Milton Artists' Guild started 2023 welcoming a new leader: Executive Director Corrina Thurston. A writer, artist, speaker, and marketing consultant, Ms. Thurston has long been a contributor at MAG, leading workshops and classes in the business of art. Her TEDx talk, Why We Should Teach Gratitude in School, is on YouTube.
MILTON--Social Sundays continue at the Milton Artists' Guild Art Center with free weekly art classes for families at MAG on Sundays at 1 p.m. WORKSHOPS & CLASSES
Each week offers a different project--last week was Making a Watercolor Resist Painting with Cathy Laclair. Stay for 30 minutes or the whole two hours. Click here for more info.
Here's my own plan with over one million U.S. deaths and as our precautions wane. I got the COVID and Flu shots, and the booster, and I take precautions because no vaccine is 100% foolproof. I wash my hands. I double mask with a genuine N95 mask (not a bandana and not a "chin strap") and a surgical mask where ever I can't control the airflow. It isn't much of a burden and it mostly protects me from all the people without masks I see in stores and concerts. ON STAGE LIVE
Friday, January 20
COLCHESTER--Acoustic duo Chris & Erica play in the live and free Friday Music Night at the Spanked Puppy on Friday at 6 p.m. Find them on Facebook for more info.
SHELDON--The Abbey Friday Night Music Series continues in the Pub on Friday at 6:30 p.m. (Chris & Erica were there last week for Friday the 13th). Find them on Facebook for more info.
SOUTH HERO--Summer Sounds favorite Carol Ann Jones plays the Winter Wine Down Friday at Snow Farm Vineyard on Friday at 6:30 p.m. Food will be catered, call Kristen (802.922.8074) for all pre-order food requests. Click here for more info.
Friday-Saturday, January 20-21
ST. ALBANS--It's a busy weekend at 14th Star Brewing Company where the Room is warm and the beer is cold.
The 10th annual Home for the Holidays Benefit Concert takes the stage in the Room with Troy Millette & the Fire Below, Emma Cook and Questionable Company, Ryan Sweezey, Citizen Bare, Christopher Gregory and more, all on Friday starting at 5 p.m. Tim-Kath Sound Solutions provide light and sound and the proceeds benefit Northwestern Counseling and Support Services. The concert was postponed from December. Find them on Facebook for more info.
Next up, 14th Star hosts Dark Star Project for "Beers and Grateful Dead" on Saturday at 6 p.m. Find them on Facebook for more info.
ESSEX JUNCTION--On Tap has two shows Friday night, the Natural Selection at 5 p.m., followed by 90 Proof for late night music and beads starting at 9 p.m., plus two more shows live on Saturday night with Mitch and Devon at 5 p.m., and Summer Sounds favorites IncaHoots starting at 9 p.m. Call 802.878.3309 or email for more info. Click here to reserve a table.
ST. ALBANS--Twiggs often has shows on Friday and Saturday nights. Music starts about 6:30 p.m. Call 802.524.1405 or find them on Facebook for more info. Click here to book a reservation or to visit the art on the walls.
Twiggs also holds Comedy For A Cause evenings to raise a few thousand dollars for local non-profits. Email for more info about how to host a C4aC event there. Don't forget to email the All Arts Council to help publicize your show.
FAIRFIELD--The Bent Northrop Memorial Library hosts Adult Craft Night: Paper Quilting on Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. email bnmllibrarian@gmail.com or 802.827.3945 to sign up or for more info. FRANKLIN COUNTY BOOKSHELF
ST. ALBANS--The Eloquent Page hosts Laura Napoli's book release party for The Pride of Little Flower from Heating Cats Pawblishing on Saturday at 1 p.m. The sequel to her debut novel, Tails of Little Flower, answers some of her questions about why her was planet destroyed by giant alien cats. Ms. Napoli was born and raised in northern Vermont and continues to make the area her home. She is the caregiver to four heating cats who provide her with heat, massage, acu-paw-ture, and purr-therapy in exchange for pets and catnip treaties. Click here or find them on Facebook for more info.
SWANTON--The Swanton Arts Council Writers' Group meets in person at the Swanton Free Public Library on Saturday at 6 p.m. Want to publish a book? Or write a book? Thinking about writing? Got ideas? Writer Bill Schubart will talk about writing and the process of getting a book published. "He's a wonderful speaker with an enormous range of experience, along with a lot of publication expertise," Ms. Rupp said.
They meet the third Saturday of each month "unless the weather does something unexpectedly awful" to share progress and join in the discussion about longer projects and anything else about writing, reading, publishing, and more. Email Becky Rupp or the Swanton Library for more info. (The library calendar lists the incorrect date.)
ArtBits features a quick weekly peek at library events in and around Franklin County. That popular feature has a page of its own at the Franklin County Bookshelf here on the AAC site at AllArtsCouncil.org/books. We also take an occasional peek at the bookshelf or night stand of the folks you know in and around Franklin County. Those reviews can be found on the ArtBits Bookshelf.
Good News!There are so many events around the region that we miss some of them.Be sure to check these calendars for what's happening near you ... |
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Music!Links to the Summer Music series in Franklin County |
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Dick Harper, Chair
P.O. Box 1
Highgate Springs, VT 05460
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