DANCE - FINE ARTS - MUSIC - THEATER - WRITING

ARTBITS by Richard B. Harper


VOLUME 7 * * All Arts News On the Web * * May 8, 2003

STUFF YOU SHOULDN'T MISS

      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.


      Stop in for live music and more at the Fairfax Music Sessions at the Foothills Bakery in Fairfax most Saturday afternoons, at the Kept Writer in St Albans most Friday and Saturday evenings, at the Bayside in St Albans Town most Sunday afternoons, and the Cambridge CoffeeHouses at 7 p.m. on the first and third Wednesday of every month.
     These gatherings bring new opportunities, gossip, "show-and-tell" and occasional workshops. The booked performances and acoustic Open Mike Nights feature music, readings, and more from the best new artists in Vermont.


ART (AND FOOD) ARE THE STUFF OF LIFE

or an ARTY PARTY AT ST LUKES

      St Luke's Episcopal Church and the All Arts Council will host the second annual St. Luke's Art Gala in the parish hall on Saturday with a wine and cheese reception. St Luke's featured artists for this show include Barbara Adams, Kathleen Babcock, Norma Bard, Barb Barnard, Dick Barnard, Jane Bower, Pat Burton, Louise Bellows Counos, Harriet Van Dine, Linda Elliot, Kimberly Fornay, Carolyn Fouts, Barbara Hamm, Dennis Hayward, Dolly MacNeill, Janet McCallum, Cindy Rugg, Doug Underwood, Norm Vester, and Deborah Wilkinson. Although some exhibitors are well known, respected artists, this will be the first public show for others.
      "It's obvious from the tremendous growth in number that the need to express one's artistic abilities is very much in our midst in spite of the mechanized, television-dominated world in which we live," said The Reverend Dennis Hayward, rector of St Luke's. "The numbers of people in our congregation wanting to be involved impress me." This second show attracted more than twice as many artists as the inaugural event last year.
      Louise Bellows Counos donated a still life oil painting for the St Luke's raffle. The winning ticket will be drawn at the show on Saturday afternoon. Tickets are $1 each or 6 for $5.
      The AAC/St Luke's Gala will be held in the Parish Hall of St Luke's Episcopal Church on Bishop Street, Saturday afternoon, 3-6 p.m. Admission is free. Some works on exhibit are from private collections and many are for sale.


CALL FOR EVERYONE

      A Northern Forest Canoe Trail/Art and Community Landscapes project takes shape on Saturday in Richford. The Canoe Trail mission is to renew the bonds between rivers and people in northern New England. This long distance water trail will span 740 miles from New York to Maine and will follow the Missisquoi through Swanton and Richford.
      The AAC and NFCT artists Stephen Dignazio, Evan Haynes, and Ron Smith invite Richford residents of all ages to participate in a community self-portrait. Richford photographers can take pictures of the people, places, objects, traditions, and activities that define Richford. Look for things that have changed you. Look for things you would like to see changed. Look for things that have changed in your lifetime. The results of this project will be included in a public exhibition in Richford, and a selection of images will be produced in the series of Post Cards from the Trail.
      On Saturday the Canoe Trail artists will meet at the Richford Historical Society between 1 and 5 p.m. to distribute free boxes of supplies. The artist-designed boxes include a camera, instructions, a journal, and other goodies. The Trail team has have 100 boxes to distribute.
      Consider what makes Richford what it is, or your life in and around Richford unique. Write notes, or brief captions, or even extensive reflections in the notebook, and try to "catch that uniqueness on film. We encourage you to be fearless and un-self critical in your choices," said artist Evan Haynes. "Remember, there is no right Richford, only the one that you portray."
      Return the camera, unprocessed film, and journal by Saturday, May 24. Participants will receive a free set of their photos.
      Next up, The AAC and NFCT artists Stephen Dignazio, Evan Haynes, and Ron Smith invite artists and interested community members to a meeting in Swanton next Wednesday, May 14, at 5 p.m. at the Town Office in Swanton. Participants will put the finishing touches on the dam warnings and public art project planning in Swanton. The NFCT artist team will present a proposal for the stone canoe for Marble Mill Park in Swanton.


ON STAGE LIVE

ESSEX CENTER--The Essex Community Players present I Hate Hamlet by Paul Rudnick today through Saturday at 8:00 p.m. and Sunday, May 11 at 2:00 p.m. in Memorial Hall at the intersection of Routes 15, 128, and Towers Road.
      The ghost of John Barrymore coaches a young actor portraying Hamlet for the first time in a comedy about love and the art of theater. Paul Ugalde directs. Tickets are $10/adults, $8/children and seniors and are available at the Memorial Hall Box Office via an order form at www.essexplayers.com. Call 878-9109 for info.

ENOSBURG--The Opera House at Enosburg Falls presents the high energy Celtic sextet Natterjack on Saturday, March 17. The concert is a mix of jazz, rock, blues, and world rhythms with traditional Celtic melodies and songs from Europe and the New World.
      Admission is $12 for adults and $10 for seniors and $5 for 12 and under. Tickets are available through the All Arts Council ticket centers: Enosburg Pharmacy and Merchants Bank in Enosburg, Better Planet Books, Toys, and Hobbies and the Kept Writer in St. Albans, and Swanton Rexall. Call 802-933-6171 or click here for more info.


CLICK HERE: ART SITE OF THE WEEK

      The Association of Science Fiction and Fantasy Artists is an educational association of amateur and professional artists, art directors, art show managers, publishers, collectors all interested in the art of the genre. ASFA is a communications link among members and offers information and technical assistance for the public. The site includes the Chesley Awards, a calendar, forums, a Resources/Reference section, and The Gallery.


FRANKLIN COUNTY BOOKSHELF

      ArtBits features a quick weekly peek at the bookshelf or night stand of the folks you know in and around Franklin County. That popular feature has a page of its own at the Franklin County Bookshelf here on the AAC site.


SUPPORT LIVE ARTS IN YOUR TOWN!


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All Arts Council of Franklin County

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Dick Harper, Chair
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      This article was originally published in the St Albans Messenger and other traditional print media. It is Copyright © 2003 by Richard B. Harper. All rights reserved. Archival material is provided as-is. Links are not necessarily maintained (if a link in this article fails, try Google.com or your favorite search engine).
      Thanks to recent misuse of copyright material on the Internet by individuals and archival firms alike, we emphasize that your rights to this article are limited to viewing it and printing it for personal use only. You must receive explicit permission from the All Arts Council and the author before reprinting or redistributing this article in any medium.