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.

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      Stop in for live music and more at the Fairfax Music Sessions at the Foothills Bakery in Fairfax most Saturday afternoons at 1 p.m., at ChowBella or at the Overtime Saloon in St Albans 8-10 p.m. most Wednesday 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.

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PALETTE GALA

      The final chapter of the Palettes of Franklin County, Vermont project comes as the All Arts Council and St. Albans for the Future invites everyone in the Universe to the great Palette Party Auction on Saturday from 4 to 7 p.m. at the St. Albans Historical Society. OK, we'll be happy with everyone in Franklin County.
      "Approximately 65 creative palettes produced by local Franklin County Artists will be exhibited and for sale," said SAFF Executive Director Karen Bresnahan. "The palettes will be auctioned off via 'Silent Auction' at the Bliss Auditorium." The Franklin County palettes use many media -- paint, pastels, paper, ink, fabric, leather, photography, and more.
      The palettes include work by Norma Bard, Jane Bower, Art Christie, Elizabeth Casavant, the County Courier, the Hunt Family, Julie Ruth, Robert Schackow, and Shelly Young.
      The Palette Party Auction will include jazz music, hors d'oeuvres, and a cash bar as well as age appropriate refreshments.
      "Justin Bedell and I are playing guitar-bass standards and newer stuff," Eric Bushy said about the music. "It will be nice and light mellow jazz."
      Five palettes as well as other prizes will be raffled off during the course of the evening. Each guest will receive one free raffle ticket at the door (more will be available for purchase).
      "We will raffle the special palettes every half hour," AAC Chair Dick Harper said. The evening will end with a final tally of winning bids for the remaining 60 palettes in the silent auction. The proceeds will benefit the arts programs of SAFF and the AAC.
      Palettes of Vermont was conceived by Brandon folk artist Warren Kimble as a project open to all Vermonters; it has united communities and individual Vermonters through the arts since January. Artists in most communities around the state have donated their finished works to arts and other community organizations to help fund arts and cultural projects.
      One of the Vermont Arts Council's palatable goals has been to help artists connect with local groups through the Palettes project. The Council applauds "all the artists who have made these connections and are donating their palette for sale or auction to benefit a local project!"
      The Franklin County project began with the debut of the World's Largest Palette at the Maple Festival and continues through the October auction. The newest palettes are on display at City Hall and around St Albans now. Silent auction bid sheets accompany each palette in the St. Albans downtown exhibits; the highest bids will win the palettes at the closing event on October 7. Bid early and bid high. You might be able to "close out" other bidders.
      The Palette Party Auction is free to the public, all ages are invited. Click here for listings and info.

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AWARDS

     The Northwest Vermont Rail Trail Council will announce the winners of the Missisquoi Valley Rail Trail Photo Contest at Club Respite's new home on Monday at 7 p.m.
      The event is free and open to the public. Club Respite is now at 34 Franklin Park West--off Route 7 at Paquin Motors--in St. Albans. Call Cynthia Scott (802.933.8851) for more info.

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ON STAGE LIVE

COLCHESTER, BARRE, MANCHESTER--Counterpoint presents 12 Voices, 6 Strings on Friday at 7:30 p.m. at St Michaels College, Saturday at 7:30 p.m. in the Universalist Church of Barre, and Sunday at 4 p.m. at the Congregational Church in Manchester.
      Guitar player John Muratore will play two solo works and will accompany the chorus on others. A piece by a composer Jeffrey Van, A Procession Winding Around Me, is based on Civil-War poetry of Walt Whitman.
      "It seems that this is the time of year to commemorate heroes," Claire Hungerford said. "We're doing a great little piece called 'Bye Bye Toots' and a great arrangement of a Jerome Kern piece, arranged by Nat Wu. He outdid himself."
      The Counterpoint programs are new each season. "It's fun, it's challenging, and also we want the audience to hear some things that aren't performed very often," Ms. Hungerford said. "That's part of our mission, to do works that are rare, maybe a little offbeat."
      Guitarist and composer Jeffrey Van has premiered over 50 works for guitar. He is a lecturer in classical guitar at the University of Minnesota. Nathaniel Lew is Assistant Professor of Fine Arts at Saint Michael's College and director of the College's choral program. Soprano Claire Hungerford of St. Albans is a member of the Ah! Capella quartet, the Vermont Symphony Orchestra Chorus, and has performed and recorded with the Austrian Radio Choir in Vienna.
      Their upcoming CD, Let Me Fly, will be ready in time for Christmas. "It is really good," Ms. Hungerford said. "It is all spirituals, all from Robert [deCormier]'s arrangements. We hired opera singer Jonita Lattimore to sing 'They Called Her Harriet Tubman'." Their current recording is Misa Criolla
      Admission is $15 for adults, $12 for seniors and students at all three venues. Call 802.259.2327 or click here for more info.
      "We like to got to places where the most people can hear us and places that are acoustically fun to play," she said.

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MONTPELIER--The Vermont Fiddle Orchestra presents a Fall Foliage Family Dance and Concert fundraiser at the Unitarian Church (across from the Kellog Hubbard Library) on Sunday from 6 - 9 p.m. Dance from 6 - 7:15 with caller Libby Case and the Vermont Fiddle Orchestra. They will teach all dances and welcome beginners. The concert from 7:30 - 9:00 features the Kranky Yankee String Band. Free style dancing is encouraged.
      The event will include spiced hot and cold cider and homemade pie plus apple bobbing, door prizes, a Vermont wool blanket raffle, a 50/50 raffle and more.
      The suggested donation is $10. Children are free. Tickets are available at the door. Call 802.223.8945 or click here for more info

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ESSEX JUNCTION--Tuesday is Bluegrass Night at the Lincoln Inn. The Inn features Big Spike on October 10 at 7-10 p.m. Email for more info.

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GUILDING THE ARTS

     The newly-formed Saint Albans Artists' Guild will hold its first Master Class on Saturday. Artist Keith Gallup is the instructor.
      See the accompanying article in today's Messenger or email for more info.

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CLICK HERE: ART SITE OF THE WEEK

     Artist Janice Walrafen of East Montpelier produces decorative tiles, artistic murals, and ceramic sculptures under the name Art Tiles. Her hand-carved relief images are inspired by nature. Her site includes a gallery, custom design, biographical info, links, and contacts.

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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!

All Arts Council of Franklin County

Dick Harper, Chair
P.O. Box 1
Highgate Springs, VT 05460
email us