Ink Magazine - December 2016

December 2016 A guide to finer living in Connecticut & abroad.

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Vol 12 Issue 132 2016

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Features

DECEMBER January 1, 2016 2006

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Columns, Reviews, Events

ISSUE CONTENTS

The Cheesemonger A Unique Backstory: Becker’s Diamonds & Fine Jewelry

pg. 8

Cheese for the Holidays 2016

pg. 80

On the Vine Frosts Create Distinct Wine Styles

pg. 84

December Events Events throughout Connecticut

pg. 88

Come Share with Carole & Bernard!

The Owners of Good News Cafe Invite you “Home”

pg. 16

Painting From Inside the Car The Colorful Art of Judy Friday

pg. 26

Living Color: Artist Paul Zelanski’s Gif t of Art Lives On

pg. 34

Paul Winter: An Endless Love Song to the Natural World

pg. 44 On the cover: Grand staircase at Lockwood - Mathews Mansion - Photo by Caryn B. Davis

INK staff

Deck the Halls!

Holiday Splendor at the Lockwood - Mathews Mansion

Contributors:

Advertising:

Jeffery Lilly- publisher/design/founder

pg. 54

Stephanie Sittnick- publisher/sales/design

Contact us to receive our media kit complete with detailed advertising information including ad rates, demographics, and distribution in your area.

Carolyn Battisa - editorial Laurencia Ciprus - editorial Caryn B. Davis- editorial/photography

Dr. Michael Sullo A Lifetime of Art ~ A Legacy of Faith

Charmagne Eckert - editorial

pg. 64

Nancy LaMar-Rodgers - editorial

Please direct your advertising inquiries and questions to:

Stephanie Sittnick - Director of Advertising advertising@ink-pub.com 860-227-8199

Gina King - Design in Mind Sharma Piersall Howard - editorial Barbara Malinsky- editorial

Cheryl Powell - Greater Connecticut cheryl@ink-pub.com 860-608-5749 Rona Mann - Clinton - Rhode Island six07co@att.net 401-539-7762

Rona Mann - editorial Paul Partica, The Cheesemonger

Trinity Boys Choir Rejoice in Song

pg. 72

We encourage the public to submit stories, poems, photography, essays, and all things creative. If you know of a person or place of interest, please submit your ideas to: submissions@ink-pub.com We will do our best to put your ideas in INK.

A. Vincent Scarano - photography

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O F

O L D

S AY B R O O K

“I Want to Help People Celebrate the Special Occasions in Their Lives”

The Unique Backstory behind Becker’s Diamonds & Fine Jewelry

by RONA MANN / Photos by Jeffery Lilly He always knew what he wanted.

He wanted a steady list of customers for whom he would tirelessly work until they were 100% satisfied.

standard,” he says. “I wanted a baseball glove. No one was going to give it to me, so I worked for it.

I began by shoveling snow every winter. I made sure I built a strong list of customers, so every time

So while other young men were playing sports or video games, Paul Becker would take the bus to downtown New Haven and go in and out of jewelry stores, studying the various stones, admiring the unique designs, and culling a strong appreciation for the artistic value of jewelry.

He wanted customers who would remain year after year because of the service he could provide.

He wanted to be his own boss and only deliver the best.

He was seven years old.

Different? You bet. Paul Becker is different.

Very different. Hard work and 100% perfection is all he has ever known, ever wanted. He doesn’t think that’s different at all. It’s the only way he’s ever done business.

Paul Becker did indeed begin working at age seven. “I was raised with a high ethical work

By the time Becker was 13, “I knew I wanted to work for myself. I also had a natural love for jewelry from the time I was very young.”

Mark Sikand and Suzy Collins, Old Saybrook

it snowed, I knew I could count on them...and them on me. Summers I mowed their lawns and tended to their beds. In the fall I sold souvenirs at the Yale Bowl. I was always working.”

The precocious young man also knew what he wanted in other areas of his life.

He married at the very young age of 17; at 18 he was convinced he would embrace jewelry as his livelihood, and at 19 he told his wife, Risa, “I don’t need college any longer. I need gemology school. I’m going to drop out. She wasn’t happy about that, but I did it anyway, taking gemology courses by mail at home. You could do that in those days.”

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12 his highly unusual work ethic at such a young age, Becker also knew well the value of a dollar. “I realized early on that people can spend their money anywhere; you have to give them a reason to spend it with you.”

At the age of 20 Becker procured his first job in a jewelry store. “I was to do some engraving and run errands. The regular engraver wore jeans every day because no one would be seeing him, and he’d take the whole day to do his work. From the beginning I always wore a suit and tie to work, learned to do my engraving in a half day, and worked my way onto the sales floor, which is what I wanted.”

After being sent to different stores, filling different roles, Paul worked his way up to becoming a jewelry store manager. Because of

It was upon this strong, ethical foundation that in 1978, at age 28, Paul and Risa opened Becker’s Diamonds & Fine Jewelry in West Hartford. From the first they set about laying a foundation for a tradition that embraced two tenets: making customers 100% happy and their experience 100% perfect. No shortcuts. No excuses. They wanted each and every person with whom they did business to be “wowed.” They didn’t want one time purchases. Like the seven year old boy with his list of steady, satisfied customers, Becker sought to build a clientele of lifelong relationships based on trust and his ever-present goal of perfection.

That small flagship store was expanded some 19 years later to include a goldsmith shop. Becker’s flourished, the new size never taking away from everything on which the business was built. Finding

the right piece, searching for a special diamond, designing, repairing, and doing whatever it took until each customer was 100% satisfied. Today, some 38 years later, Becker’s Diamonds & Fine Jewelry still operates that way.

They don’t know anything else.

“I tell my staff all the time we sell value, service, and professionalism.

People can go anywhere. Give them a reason to come to Becker’s.”

The stunning Old Saybrook store filled with rare gems in exquisite settings, gleaming seductively from under the glass, opened two and a half years ago on Elm Street in the same shopping plaza as Stop and Shop. “We don’t have a lot of street traffic,” Becker says, “but we have an exceptional inventory and dedicated team members who share my passion for fine jewelry.”

One of those who ardently shares that passion is Suzy Collins, a mainstay of the Saybrook store. “It’s true we don’t get a lot of drive-by traffic,” Suzy says, “but we have built this location through word of mouth from a very loyal customer base and from the reputation the West Hartford store has. We buy the finest jewelry from all over the world, and the way Paul Becker has built this business is amazing. It’s all about people.

About our customers and also about us. Paul never hesitates to pick up the phone to tell us we’re doing a good job or asking if he can help in any way.”

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brand new and estate jewelry. “Not your grandma’s old jewelry,” Becker is quick to add, “but previously owned one-of-a-kind pieces people fall in love with. And we sell it for nearly half the price of new. We also buy diamonds, fine jewelry, and better Swiss watches, so if someone wants to downsize, upgrade, or just would like some extra cash, they can bring their valuables to either location.”

Collins is indicative of the kind of employee Becker seeks out. “They have to share in my passion for this business,” Becker reiterates, “while also realizing that the customer is our boss.”

The Old Saybrook location (managed by Mark Sikand), like the West Hartford store, has both

Additionally, Becker’s Diamonds & Fine Jewelry in West Hartford boasts one of the largest inventories of fine jewelry in the United States, featuring custom work by onsite designer, Michael Lublin.

Becker concludes,“When people fall in love, they come see me. When they get married, they come see me. When they want to give a gift, they come see me. And now we’re seeing the second generation of customers come to us for the very same reasons. We help people celebrate the special moments in their lives. I never want to stop doing that.”

Not much has changed for Paul Becker, for when he first picked up that snow shovel at age seven and went to work, he could see nothing but a clear, straight path to success.

Becker’s Diamonds & Fine Jewelry, 105 Elm Street - The Old Saybrook Shopping Center - (860) 391-8281 Visit their flagship store when you’re in West Hartford at 65 LaSalle Road (860) 521-3202 www.beckers.com

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Come Share with Carole & Bernard!

The Owners of Good News Cafe Invite you “Home”

by RONA MANN The French have a word for it: partager.

Actually the French always seem to have a word for it; and in this case they are spot on, for partager means “to share.”

For the last 24 years Carole Peck, renowned chef of Carole Peck’s Good News Cafe in Woodbury and her husband, Bernard Jarrier, have invited diners from all over the world to come to beautiful Litchfield County and share in their pride. The restaurant has become somewhat of an institution in these parts for incomparable lunches and dinners made simply from the freshest ingredients. But understand, Good News is not a hush-hush, pretentious restaurant. Instead it is a warm, welcome place where singles, couples, and groups encompassing every demographic meet to laugh, to relax, and to share in Carole Peck’s outstanding culinary offerings. It is fine

dining, presented simply and deliciously by a culinary master.

In its 24 years the restaurant has been named Restaurant of the Year by the National Restaurant Association, won a passel of statewide awards, and earned kudos in reviews ranging from Zagat to the New York Times. Carole has appeared on radio and television citing The Today Show and the Martha Stewart Show among a host of others.

Since people tend to want to label everything, Bernard was asked what kind of food Good News Cafe presents. “I would call it ‘Modern American.’ The technique is French, because the chef is classically trained.”

Carole Peck, the much-acclaimed chef who

Chef Carole Peck and Bernard Jarrier

trained at the world’s premiere culinary college, Culinary Institute of America (CIA), offers this statement. “My cooking – it is what it is. Handcrafted, seasonal, local, and as organic as possible. It is definitely natural, love-inspired, pure and truthful, genuine, and sophisticated.” There. Now why would you not want to have your curiosity peaked, your taste buds titillated, your love of fine food satiated with a trip to bucolic Woodbury?

But Carole and Bernard are about a whole lot more than this acclaimed restaurant. Busy people

Photos by Stephanie Sittnick

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adventure that lies ahead...and of course plenty of local regional wine.

The Prieure Notre Dame - side of home

need a retreat... a place where they seek out beauty, pleasure, and relaxation. A place that is all their own. Bernard and Carole found such an enclave some years ago in Bernard’s homeland, tucked away in a tiny village in Provence in southeastern France. Situated just 15 minutes west of the walled city of Avignon, it was the original manor house of the Prior of the Order of the Templars, the most skilled fighting units of the Crusades.

Carole and Bernard’s retreat, aptly named The Prieure (prior) Notre Dame, is a wonderful place to host others; and that is precisely what the couple does several times a year when they joyfully throw open wide their doors, welcoming an intimate group of people to share in the beauty, food, and culture of the region.

The Prieure is located directly across from the 12th century church at the center of the peasant village of Montfrin. “It is the real France,” says Bernard, “surrounded by farms and vineyards.” The village is at the center of a triangle formed by the cities of Avignon, Arles, and Nimes; with Carole and Bernard’s home right in the middle of it all.

Completely restored to its 12 century origins there are six suites, all with private bath and maid service daily, a library, dining room, conservatory, wine tasting cellar, dining room, and of course Carole’s kitchen which is stateof-the-art. The courtyard that surrounds the house is enclosed, boasting terraces, palm trees, and a swimming pool. It is paradise, and a paradise that Carole and Bernard long to share with others.

Hosting these quarterly culinary and cultural tours, they bring together people from all over the United States and around the world to their home for a week filled with activity, relaxation, gastronomy, and wonder.

“The itinerary varies,” Bernard informs; “but all they have to do is get here, and everything else is taken care of.”

And the “getting here” is quite simple as Bernard explains that by flying directly into Paris, you will find the high speed train station right within Charles de Gaulle Airport. A short two hour ride later, you are met in Avignon by Bernard and a driver, and your journey is about to begin. You are welcomed at the mansion by Carole along with delicious hors d’oeuvres to get your palate ready for the

Each morning a lavish breakfast is laid out for the guests before the start of the day’s activities. These may also include cooking classes, both with Carole or Chef Cedric, and are hands on, so everyone participates in preparing lunch or dinner.

Driving around the historic area provides guests with opportunities to photograph Roman aqueducts, to visit churches, chateaus, and parks, and to stroll ancient town squares, exploring local boutiques. But always, always, there is the food. Cooking demonstrations, meals lovingly created by Carole, trips to bistros, and forays into the wine cellar.

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There is a trip to Nimes, home to one of the best covered markets in France. Here guests feast their eyes and appetites on a vast array of cheeses, charcuteries, fish, shellfish, and more.

It is color, abundance, and freshness all under one roof.

Another day Bernard hosts a trip to nearby Marseille where Bernard strongly promotes a local waterfront restaurant that provides, “the very best bouillabaisse..ohlala!”

You soon realize this is not your typical escorted tour. It is personal, it is unique, it is custom

designed for each intimate group Carole and Bernard host. It is a veritable snapshot back to the Middle Ages, yet with all the luxury and individualized attention that can be afforded you. You are part of a very special place and a time in history seen through the eyes of those who know it best. You are eating the freshest food grown in the region, drinking its wines, and enjoying the company of two people who happily welcome you into this very special place.

The Prieure Notre Dame cannot merely be called a “trip” nor “vacation,” for it is so much more. Once there, you are in another world, steeped in history, surrounded by unfailing natural beauty, eating the purest, most natural food of the land, and completely in awe of it all.

The French also have words to describe this magical, incomparable, once-in-a-lifetime trip back to the 12th century to experience Carole and Bernard’s beloved Provence. It’s

Provence Group Kitchen Cooking Lesson

Carole Peck - Provence

sejour inoubliable (unforgettable stay), in a endroit tres special (a very special place).

Carole and Bernard therefore invite you to “Venez partager notre maison!” (come share our home)!

For further information, questions, or to sign up for the next trip in glorious spring, contact Carole and Bernard at:(203) 266-4622 or email to bernard@good-newscafe.com Bon voyage!

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29 A local resident of Old Lyme for more than 30 years, Judy’s observations of life and events around her have molded her art form into a life of its own as she paints bold and pastel skylines, water, and landscapes with energetic abstract décor.

You might have seen her eye catching patches of colorful skylines and landscapes at the Cooley Gallery in Old Lyme where she exhibited for many years. It had been her dream to have her paintings featured on the walls of the Cooley Gallery ever since she saw a Peggy Root exhibit there 30 years ago and decided that was what she wanted to do with her life...paint. She enrolled in the Lyme Academy College of Fine Arts and studied formal traditional art, eventually finding her way into the abstract world.

But before she took brush to canvas, she had used her skills to make a living painting walls and floors in homes.

Painting From Inside the Car The Colorful Art of Judy Friday

By Gina King / Photos by Jeffery Lilly

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scar Wilde, if still alive today, would find many examples in present society of “life imitates art” far more than “art imitates life,” as noted from his 1889 memorable essay The Decay of Lying.

And so it seems to be an opposite mirror expression of art imitating life for contemporary artist Judy Friday as she showcases her pieces in her newly opened gallery on 10 Lyme Street.

Artist Judy Friday

Not limiting herself to one art form, Judy’s style has changed over the years from painting still-life figures to abstract landscapes, metal impressions, collages, and photography. The drive to showcase her work year ‘round vs monthly at the Cooley Gallery, added to her collection piling up in her studio at home, inspired her to open her own gallery and work

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studio and keep it local in Old Lyme. “I kept driving by this space and saw the For Rent sign and said, ‘I have to have this place,’” said Judy.

She loves the landscape and topography that Old Lyme offers and depicts this in her oil on canvas paintings of sky over water. Her method is to pick a local place where she can

series of her digital photos are framed and hang alongside her paintings in the gallery.

park and see the water and paint from inside her car. Most recently she became so inspired with painting the sky in the morning, that she thought it would be fun to capture the images not only on canvas, but on camera as well. A

Beautiful hooked rugs and woven pillows are displayed among the walls of paintings in her gallery. These are Judy’s creations as well. She credits a woman down the road who had taught her how to hook rugs; and she came up

The space was pretty much ready to go with its white walls, wood floors, and ample window appeal for sunlight. Keeping it simple and doing it her way, Judy hung her paintings and opened in March of this year. “It’s been good. I like talking to people about art and seeing what they like,” says Judy. For someone who doesn’t own a computer or have a Facebook page, simplicity serves her well; and she takes pride in managing the gallery and her artwork her way.

“I know I should probably get on Facebook; but I decided I was just going to open the gallery and do things simple,” she explains.

She admires and gains inspiration for her art from influencers such as painter Joan Mitchell, artist Stuart Shils, and master quilt makers The Women of Gee’s Bend, whose quilts are woven in an improvisational “my way” approach, weaving stories of each woman’s life history.

“I like their geometric designs and color; these were women who had never seen any art but made quilts out of their husband’s old shirts,” she says. “They are a huge inspiration.” A diverse and visionary artist herself, Judy does not limit her creative talents to just one art medium...she gleans inspiration and ideas from life around her.

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with own design of colored squares and rectangles on the decorative pillows. “Color inspires me the most. It just happens,” says Judy.

Mixed in among the pastel colors of sky and water paintings are framed collages taken from her art magazines, bright and bold strips of newspaper writing, and images symmetrically starting in one corner and going across. “I try to keep a childlike quality in my art,” says Judy. “I don’t want to be too sophisticated, this comes from seeing a lot of art.” Another example of her art imitating life is exhibited in painted coffee stir sticks hanging in a frame. “I was stirring paint and looked at them and thought those would be fun to put together, and I started painting them.”

to look for distressed pieces of metal and copper. “I look for stuff worn with age; it has a patina to it.”

Showcasing her work in other states has kept her gallery going, with plans to stay in Old Lyme for awhile. Her paintings and artwork can also be seen at The Gallery at Four India Street on Nantucket, her home state of Ohio at the Art Access Gallery, Susan Powell Fine Art Gallery in Madison, and the Julie Heller Gallery in Provincetown, Massachusetts.

Not only does she exhibit the landscape through a lens and on canvas, but she translates it in her metal art pieces. Judy enjoys visits to Calamari Recycling Co, Inc. in Essex

“I’m excited every time something sells,” says Judy. ‘It’s always a kick to me that someone wants my art.”

Her future goal is to take a photograph a day for a year starting Jan 1st 2017. “I might take a photo of the sky over water or whatever hits me that day and print it out,” says Judy.

“The commitment of doing a photo a day would be fun.”

Judy Friday Gallery, 10 Lyme Street, Old Lyme (860) 581-0116

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LIVING COLOR: ARTIST PAUL ZELANSKIâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S GIF T OF ART LIVES ON

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By Charmagne Eckert Layout & Design by Noemi Zelanski Kearns

Color is a pow er which directly influences the sou l.

, rd boa key the is lor Co the eyes are the hammers, the soul is the piano with many strings.

which plays, The artist is the handanot her,

to cause vibrations in the soul. touching one key or wa s s i ly k a n d i n s k y

W H A T I S T H E C O L O R O F A L I F E ?

How might the vibration of molecules, reflecting light back to the eye and translated by our cognition into cerulean, magenta, or yellow, express the fullness of wisdom, creativity, generosity, and joy that a life well lived and graciously shared might express?

When Paul Zelanski passed away last year after a courageous battle with cancer, the worlds of art and education to which he had dedicated his life, lost a prolific and ever generous contributor.

Yet, from departure comes rebirth, and the creative vision and drive for enlightening the soul through the arts that Zelanski embodied throughout his lifetime continue through The Paul Zelanski Award of Excellence Fund, the scholarship for students at the University of Connecticut that has been established in his name to honor and perpetuate art in all its beauty and power.

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“O

ur dad had such life-changing impact on people, whether they were art majors or not. When we put together his website, www.paulzelanski.com, we had a flood — people from all over the world [spanning] 50 years knowing him.

All these wonderful, wonderful stories,” Zelanski’s daughter Noemi says. “We really needed to honor that.” This past April 13th marked what would have been the 85th birthday of Paul Zelanski, so Noemi and her sister Ruth, conceived of a website that would celebrate him as well as function as a fundraiser for the scholarship. 85Wishes.org is comprised of a collection of Zelanski’s collages, curated by Noemi and selected to represent their father as artist, educator, mentor, friend, and loving parent and husband. The precise, yet organic blending of textures, forms, and perhaps most of all — colors — of each of the unique original collages, embody the dimensional man who was their creator.

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BORN IN 1931, Zelanski knew by the time he was in high school that he wanted to be an artist and that he intended to support himself by teaching. After completing a certificate in art at New York’s Cooper Union in 1955, he went on to earn a BFA at Yale University, followed by an MFA from Bowling Green State University, where he also began teaching as a graduate assistant. Upon his return to Connecticut in 1962, he joined the faculty at the University of Connecticut in Storrs as a member of the fledgling art department.

Dedicated not only to his own work as an artist, but to the mission of higher education, Zelanski helped to forge the new UConn arts curriculum; teaching the first course on color, the first graphic design class, and eventually the initial computer course, which ultimately led to UConn’s popular and innovative computer graphics program.

Through his work as an educator, Zelanski impacted countless lives, but his influence was always informed by who he was as a human being — and above all else, his unique expression of humanity was as an artist. Art is hard work; it requires training, discipline, dedication, and an enthusiasm for life — all of which Zelanski possessed. He served in the Korean conflict as an army photographer, witnessed the 1944 Hartford Circus Fire, drank beer with Robert Rauschenberg, dined on Long Island with Jackson Pollack and Lee Krasner, and shared exhibitions with Andy Warhol and Claes Oldenburg. Trained initially as a painter, his pedagogical methods, ultimate focus on the study of color, and his exacting work techniques were influenced by Bauhaus artist Josef Albers, under whom he studied at

Yale. Zelanski was joyously prolific, not only with the volume of artwork he generated, but as a dedicated scholar, teacher of the fine and graphic arts, and author of four college textbooks on design that are still used in schools around the world.

That the two sisters followed artistic expression as their career passion is perhaps one of the greatest testaments to the inspiration Zelanski activated in so many people whose lives he touched. Noemi credits her father’s influence with enabling her to establish her award winning graphic design company, How2Design; and Ruth, whose initial medium is photography, has worked for her for 19 years. Both women recognize the profound influence Zelanski had on them — not only as their parent, but also through their studies with him at UConn where they experienced first hand the exacting criteria that enabled their own best creative expression.“What I remember as one of dad’s favorite phenomena as a professor was, that

when something really clicked with someone, they couldn’t remember when they’d learned it. He would remind people, ‘yes I taught you that,’ and they would argue, ‘no, I’ve always known’ that this color theory [principle] happens. The things that we learned from him became our own – they became part of our molecules,” Ruth explains. For Noemi it was more about the opportunity to expand the limits,“I loved to challenge him because it made me a better designer, it made me push.

It gave this really strong foundation of what design actually means and the purpose of it and understanding what you are trying to do.

We’ve had clients cry because they had no idea you could be that moved by design. We’ve had clients tattoo our work on their bodies — it’s that kind of reaction to design that [tells us] that our dad’s thumbprint is always here.”

For Zelanski art was a way of life; an essential nutrient that he could no more do without than he could water or food. And as such, he

40 believed that everyone’s existence could be enriched by it. The elements of hard work, dedication, and self-drive that he brought to his own studio practice, he shared with all of his students — regardless of their personal career goals — and he knew these were fundamental principles that could be applied to any field of study. His astute sensitivity to the elements of design that define aesthetics — to form and texture and most of all to his expertise –color– awoke an awareness in people that changed the way they interacted with, and experienced the world. He touched the creative spark in everyone he encountered and provided the tools by which they could harness it in their own lives.

As Ruth puts it, “Our dad was a very generous man with his time and energy and his true passion for teaching and inciting that passion in other people. He always taught [that] whatever it was, you had to continue that gift for others — and that’s what excited him. It was never at any point about satisfying himself; it was always about giving to others and then seeing what would happen, where they would take it for themselves.”

85WISHES. 85 collages — 85 expressions of color, texture, emotion, inspiration — generously created by Paul Zelanski, gathered for a special online fundraiser exhibition as a way to perpetuate his philosophy. While the success of the campaign’s web sales so far has allowed the scholarship to reach its funding goal of $25,000 (assuring that it sustains in perpetuity), the family has decided to maintain the online exhibition so that the scholarship will continue to grow. Visitors to the site can purchase collages while they last, and a corporate matching gift turns each $250 sale into a $400 donation to the fund. The Paul Zelanski Award of Excellence Fund will provide an annual prize to a University of Connecticut art student, awarded primarily based upon merit — whether or not they are an art major — so that Paul Zelanski’s legacy of excellence and generosity might go on to enrich future generations.

For more information, and to see what is still available for purchase, please visit: www.85wishes.org

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If you would like to make a tax-deductible donation directly to the fund, please visit: https://uconn.givecorps.com /causes/1784-the-paul-zelanskiaward-of-excellence-fund (The matching gift will not apply to these donations.)

For questions or additional information, please contact Noemi Zelanski Kearns at noemi@how2design.com or at: 203 458-9300. Additional information about artist Paul Zelanski may be found at: http://www.paulzelanski.com

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Annual Holiday Show 25 Artists December 1-31, 2016

Del-Bourree Bach Working Winter Acrylic 7.5 x 11 inches

Susan Powell Fine Art 679 Boston Post Rd., Madison CT

203.318.0616

susanpowellfineart@gmail.com

www.susanpowellfineart.com

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Paul Winter:

An Endless Love Song to the Natural World

By Laurencia Ciprus / Photos courtesy Paul Winter Consort

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Photo © Bryn Forbes

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he sprawling shingled barn comes into focus beyond the mist as the afternoon light goes lean. There are 100 acres on the sanctuary, this embodiment of Paul Winter’s veneration of the natural world. This space has sustained a long commitment evidenced by emblematic music and an expansive global spirit of good works propelled by an inherent passion for the sustainability of humankind. We have met before in musical times – times his music narrated large ideas, provided joyful noise, and as comfort for shattering loss. The moment he begins the music – alone with his alto sax glinting in the light – the perfection of the first sound, extinguishes any mind-chatter.

Close your eyes, and you remember what is essential: this deep connection to humankind, community, and place; the resonance of social responsibility and the simplicity of animals singing against snowfalls with a purity and passion that can pull your breath and break your heart.

Winter’s blue eyes glisten kindly as he plays in the reflected splendor of this sound. In their depth they telegraph the wisdom of calm like the gaze of the lupines

who inspired Wolf Eyes and the Titanic grace of the whales he championed in the socially relevant environmental recordings, Whales Alive! The rich warp of Winter’s social tapestry reveals itself with every intention. This is music that resonates, wrapped in the alchemy of a rare and intentional genius distilled to gold. He confides a relatability to author James Michener’s working model, with both artists looking at each of their expansive projects as a boundless opportunity to learn about place, culture, and indigeny.

Today is a congenial chat without fanfare, about the upcoming 37th Winter Solstice Celebration, the Consort, Earth Music, and the abundant adventures ferrying a singular life. We meet at

Photo © Bryn Forbes

Photo © Rhonda Dorsett

the open door and the quietude of the barn – a soaring cathedral with a beamed armature of rough, noble wood. We take a wander through this ample place, generous with curiosities; past vacant horse stalls and soaring shelves which house the prolific bounty of the Earth Music recordings, garnering seven

Photo © Kay Winter

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Photo © Jeff Day

Grammy Awards. There is fascination in the exotic percussion instruments: an African mbira (thumb piano) is tucked into a carved tribal bowl at the turn of a stairwell, and we take a break to coax sounds from Balinese Gamelan Gongs and a Lokele Talking Drum (from the Congo). The Amadinda log xylophone (from Uganda) is replicated in a clearing out on the property as a playable piece of Earth Art.

lucky break in college (Northwestern University) back in the 60’s. I won an intercollegiate competition and connected with producer John Hammond, who signed me to Columbia Records in 1961. The times were charged: this was the Viet Nam era, and the State Department took us for a 23 country tour of

This is a hiatus between seasons on the edge of The 37th Solstice Celebration at New York’s Cathedral of St. John the Divine, upcoming in December. Dedicated to legendary producer Sir George Martin, this Photo © Kay Winter Photo © Bryn Forbes is also a reunion with Gary Brooker, Founder and iconic voice of Procol Latin America to explore the human condition Harum, 45 years after meeting at the Fillmore and connect in the spirit of John F. Kennedy on the welcoming magic carpet of jazz. Back then East in New York. we were The Paul Winter Sextet – three horns Clearing away papers and books and boxes of and rhythm, with a balanced racial makeup of ephemera, we find a blank place to sit and talk three blacks and three whites. We were perfectly about the genesis of this annual event. “I got a integrated organically and was likely the reason

why were selected for this tour. It wasn’t always easy; and although we faced some antiAmerican sentiment complete with rocks and bottles in Brazil, Caracas, Quito, and Lima, the effort was a success. The State Department said, ‘You guys did more in one night with music and interracial composition, than we could accomplish in a year.’ We were able to play where jazz was unheard of and conducted workshops along with the concerts. It points up the importance of jazz.”

The tour led to an invitation by First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy to play the first jazz concert ever conductPhoto © Cliff Sobel ed in the White House. The event was fixed in sharp contrast to the sextet disbanding, catalyzed by the grief of President Kennedy’s assassination and members pursuing individual ventures.

Paul rummaged through a bin for a copy of the CD Count Me In – a compendium of the sextet’s

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Photo © Rhonda Dorsett

three-year journey in Latin America – as a generous takeaway. We continued as he autographed it. “How did the animals begin to factor in, leading up to the creation of the Solstice Celebrations?” By 1968 the environmental movement was experiencing a groundswell of momentum, and Paul Winter was poised on its leading edge. “I met Dr. Roger Payne in ’68, and he introduced me to the voices of the humpback

Photo © Kay Winter

whale during a lecture at Rockefeller University.

The sound was as beguiling as hearing Charlie Parker playing the sax. I became involved in the global movement to save the whales and participated in many events championing their survival including the integration of their voices into the recording Whales Alive! in collaboration with actor Leonard Nimoy. I was even put in a Zodiac

with a photographer in 1970 to stage a benefit for Greenpeace. The effort resulted in an abatement of activity in the Russian whaling industry, but remains cyclical.”

Winter became equally mesmerized with wolves through a school program in Redding, Connecticut, and the experience proved “epiphanic”. This led to his efforts to thwart

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Photo © Rhonda Dorsett

their slaughter in the West, along with a growing kinship for the plight of Native American peoples, including an effort to free Native American prisoner, Leonard Peltier.

Winter’s unflagging passion and altruism for the plight of the natural world gained momentum; and with expanding notoriety, captured the attention of the Very Reverend James Park Morton of the Cathedral of St John the Divine. Thus began the three decade experience as artist-inresidence for the largest cathedral in the world, dedicated to visionary thinkers, social commitments, and a global awakening to the human condition. “I was given carte blanche to develop universal themes to unite people.”

Thirty-seven years later, after scores of landmark musical Photo © Cliff Sobel events at the Cathedral, Paul Winter and Gary Brooker met in London following a memorial service for producer Sir George Martin, best known for plotting the trajectory of the Beatles. Martin also produced albums for Gary Brooker, along with Paul Winter’s album, Icarus. Although Martin produced over ¼ billion albums for the Beatles, the late icon deemed Winter’s Icarus, “the finest album I have ever made.”

Gary Brooker genially offered up his heartfelt memories of Martin for INK: “I’ve known George Martin since I signed with Parlophone Records in 1963. He has always been the person I would turn to for advice or help since then, and he always found the time for me, whether it was: ‘What do ya think of this?’ (1967), ‘Procol needs a new producer!?’ (1969); ‘How should I orchestrate this session’ (1980) or, ‘How should

we dress for dinner?’ (On vacation). I can’t think of anybody that was such an all round brilliant producer, catalyst, composer, arranger, sailor or any field you can think of, who was also the nicest bloke you could ever hang out with! This was all reinforced when I saw him producing the Winter Consort in London for Icarus, and I am so happy that Paul and I can combine on the Winter Solstice at St John the Divine this

December, as we all see the world and mankind through the same pair of glasses. I’m really looking forward to appearing and being part of the Congregation – and it’s all down to SIR GEORGE MARTIN!!”

This December, the 37th Annual Solstice Festival is an alchemic collaboration between Winter and Brooker in the majesty of the Cathedral and in fond tribute to Sir George Martin. The programming features the classic Whiter Shade of Pale, selections of J.S. Bach – Martin’s favorite music, Oboe virtuoso Paul McCandless, gospel singer Theresa Thompson, and the grace of the 25 member Forces of Nature Theatre premiering a new piece for the occasion.

As Paul describes the vision for the 37th iteration, his passion echoes. “The challenge is always there.

While there is never a specific genre for us, the flip-side is that we are also never locked in.”

In the continuum of the natural world, there will always be an ongoing audience for the passionate visions of Paul Winter.

For tickets to the 37th Annual Winter Solstice Celebration: http://www.paulwinter.com/the-cathedral/

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MAY WE CATER FOR YOU? Family descending for the holidays?

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Deck the Halls!

Holiday Splendor at the Lockwood-Mathews Mansion Photos and profile by Caryn B. Davis

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he Lockwood-Mathews Mansion is one of the grandest private estates built in Connecticut. No expense was spared on the design, the décor, or the construction which was near completion in 1868 when LeGrand Lockwood, treasurer of the New York Stock Exchange, and his wife, Ann Louisa moved into their new home.

finest surviving Second Empire style country houses ever built in the U.S.” “The palatial French style chateau today stands elegantly along West Avenue in Norwalk.

Elm Park, as it was known then, was to be the family’s summer cottage, offering a respite from the sweltering heat of Manhattan where they resided in winter. Lockwood commissioned the preeminent German architect, Detlef Lienau“to design a manor without equal in the United States.” According to Wikipedia, Photo by Steve Turner, courtesy of David Scott Parker Architects.

Lienau is credited with bringing the French style of building to American When it was built, the 48,000-square foot construction; and this opulent dwelling is residence with four stories and over 60 rooms, considered to be his “most significant was an architectural forerunner of the great surviving work” and “one of the earliest and mansions of the Gilded Age. Then it sat

magnificently on a landscaped rise above the Norwalk River within a 33-acre manicured estate. The interior, featuring carved marble, wood inlay, murals, and painted decoration, has been termed a “museum of craftsmanship,”says Kathleen Motes Bennewitz, Curator of the LockwoodMathews Mansion Museum.

But through a series of unfortunate circumstances, the family would only spend a scant five years in their dream home, commencing with Black Friday on September 24, 1869 when the price of gold plummeted causing Lockwood’s brokerage firm, Lockwood & Co. to declare bankruptcy.

In order to pay back his creditors, Lockwood was compelled into mortgaging his beloved Elm Park. In an attempt to revive his company, he was further forced to sell $10 million in stocks to his adversary Cornelius Vanderbilt, whose corporation eventually came to hold the papers on his house. In 1872 Lockwood died unexpectedly of pneumonia; and a year later,

Floral designer Danna DiElsi of the Silk Touch and Victoria Vandamm of Victoria Vandammm Interiors

58 and New Year holidays, like other elements of American social life, were transformed by new technologies and evolving traditions. The exhibition will display trees adorned with historic decorations and lights, mantles festooned with period greens and fruits, and a selection of vintage toys and games,” says Susan Gilgore, Executive Director of the Lockwood-Mathews Mansion Museum. “In the Dining Room, the Mansion will feature a New Year’s themed vignette and a holiday wedding in the Music Room. Visitors will learn that what was once a simple ringing-in of the New Year soon is transformed into a time of joyful, and at times, lavish celebration of holiday tables and weddings with champagne toasts at the stroke of midnight.”

when Anna Louisa defaulted on her last mortgage payment, Vanderbilt called in the loan and foreclosed on the property.

Seeking a summer residence for his family, Charles Drelincourt Mathews, a distinguished New York merchant, bought the mansion in 1876. A mere three years later he suffered a stroke and died, but several generations of Mathews remained in the house until 1939, when they decided to lease it to the city of Norwalk for use as a public park. The city ultimately purchased the house in 1941; and for the next twenty years or so it was used as a

war office, for government functions, as a storage unit for town records and heavy equipment, and as city offices. Little by little, parts of the mansion were destroyed such as the greenhouse, blacksmith shop, barn, rock garden, bowling green, and icehouse. Eight acres were sold to the state to build I-95.

The Mansion will also feature contemporary decorations and trees by renowned local interior designers Linda Fontaine and Victoria Vandamm and floral designer, Danna DiElsi of the Silk Touch, who has been charged with beautifying the grand staircase.

But when the city scheduled the razing of the Mansion, a group of concerned citizens called the Common Interest Group of Norwalk (CIG) organized to save it. In 1963 they opened the Mansion for tours to the public.

A court battle ensued between CIG and the city, but the Connecticut Supreme Court ruled in favor of preserving the building and surrounding land, which has now been declared a National Historic Landmark, listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Since “officially” opening to the public in 1967, fundraising efforts to restore the Mansion have continued, and a wonderful series of programs and exhibitions have delighted the many thousands who have visited the Lockwood-Mathews Mansion Museum, including a new exhibit that opens the day after Thanksgiving entitled, Holiday Splendor at the Mansion: Christmas and New Year’s Celebrations.

“The mansion will tell the story of the holiday season as it was celebrated by the Lockwood and Mathews families.

During the Gilded Age, the Christmas

“We lean towards a more traditional vibrant approach, as this is the focal point of the Mansion. We line both sides of the stairway with illuminated lush pine garlands adorned with varieties of Red Amaryllis, gilded Magnolia, and Laurel branches, berries, and burgundy velvet tussie mussie cones filled with roses tucked in here and there, and red velvet ribbons trailing throughout the garland,” says DiElsi.

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Some items on display are from the Museum’s own collections, while other objects are on loan from different institutions. For this exhibition, Bennewitz chose artifacts and images that

could become touchstone moments for the visitor, enabling them to relate to the period.

To get a better sense of the traditions of the period, she scoured magazine covers from the 1860s to the 1930s, paralleling when the house was open, to see how the holidays were presented during that time. Additionally, emphasis has been placed on the New Year’s practices as well, so those visitors who don’t celebrate Christmas, can still partake in the merriment.

“When bedecked with greens, garland, wreaths, trees, the holiday season provides visitors with a renewed vision of the festive spirit at ‘Elm Park’ during its seven decades as a residence for the Lockwood (186873) and Mathews (1876-1938) families.

It’s reason to come and see the house under a different lens. People may have been here for another exhibit, but coming through during the holidays

is just a beautiful time. It makes you happy and gives you a sense of a different era and world. It takes you back. We want people to be entertained, but we want them also to learn. Having these period Christmas trees, you see the evolution of the holidays, which is something very far from what it is now so you can really compare the past to the present. It was much more simply observed in the 19th century. To see the simplicity and the spirit of giving behind it is important,” says Bennewitz.

For more information log onto www.lockwoodmathewsmansion.com

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A Lifetime of Art ~ A Legacy of Faith Dr. Michael Sullo

by RONA MANN / Photos by Jeffery Lilly

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eonardo da Vinci was a true Renaissance Man whose vast and varied areas of interest included mathematics, history, writing, botany, geology, anatomy, science, music, invention, engineering, and cartography. And to quote Da Vinci himself, "I also paint a little."

Dr. Michael Sullo, perhaps also a Renaissance Man of sorts, takes his work seriously, but he doesn't take himself too seriously. Although he prefers to be addressed as Dr. Michael Sullo, the title is meant to be neither pretentious nor stuffy. It's just that he labored long for the degrees he holds, especially his PhD in Art History, so why not be proud of what he worked so very hard to achieve?

Fact is, Dr. Michael Sullo is still achieving...every day. He will readily admit after 61 years of creating art, "Like most artists I move from genre to genre. For a while I did geishas, until there were no more to paint, and

I burned out. Then for a few years I painted seascapes, but that burned out as well. For the last eight years my genre has been religious art.

That hasn't burned out yet."

Indeed if one visits Sullo's gallery space on the second floor of The Velvet Mill in Stonington, you are at once overwhelmed with the scope of, and passion for, his sacred work. The oils adorning the walls are massive, most measuring three to four feet in size and are bold, rich with color, and "with a lot going on. There's nothing static about them."

Sullo has perhaps understated his own ability with that remark. Each painting vividly tells a story, and the artist is all too glad to provide the details in story-like fashion. His current

project - perhaps his most ambitious to date is a series of twenty panels depicting "The Mystery of the Rosary." Currently five of them, portraying the Joyful Mystery of the Rosary, are completed and hang prominently in his studio space."The Annunciation of the Lord to Mary," "The Visitation of Mary to Elizabeth," "The Nativity," "The Presentation of Our Lord," and "Finding of Jesus in the Temple at Age 12" take up a vast amount of wall space in the gallery.

When Dr. Sullo speaks of each oil it is done lovingly... with a respect for his work, but with a much higher respect for the story each imparts. He carefully points to Mary in "The Annunciation" panel saying, "She was just a young teenage girl. Imagine how shocked she must have been when the angel Gabriel came down to her. I

68 There are still 15 more oils for Sullo to create, illustrating the Sorrowful Mystery, the Glorious Mystery, and the Luminous Mystery of the Rosary. It is a daunting commission the artist has undertaken, but he is determined to complete it and eventually publish a book of the sacred art.

imagine she might have fallen back against those pillars in shock." And when Sullo gazes upon his oil of "Finding Jesus in the Temple," he equates it to the parents of today, sternly chiding a child who has wandered off. "In those days they had to go everywhere on foot or by camel. When Mary and Joseph suddenly

realized Jesus was not with them and they had to go all the way back to get him, they weren't happy." Sullo depicts it by clearly showing in their facial expressions a mother's angst and a father's stern admonition of a wayward young boy.

Another room in the gallery is strictly reserved for Dr. Sullo's classes, as teaching is a strong passion; and Sullo embraces the opportunity to share his knowledge. "So many students think they come to an art class for technique, but I try to teach them that being an artist is really communication. When you make art you have to give of yourself; and while technique is certainly important, if you do only that, it's just decoration."

When Sullo speaks, he frequently leans over grabbing a nearby volume or two of the masters whom he reveres: Da Vinci, Botero, Renoir,

Dr. Sullo teaches an oil painting class in his studio at The Velvet Mill, Stonington.

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Monet, Donatello...they're all there, all part of the past, but a solid influence on this artist's present and future. He looks to them as teachers, he respects their work, and thus is inspired to delve even deeper into his own.

It only follows then that Dr. Sullo takes his vast experience out into the community as a much-requested fine arts lecturer. He speaks on the art found in major U.S. and European cities, appealing to both beginning and experienced artists, those interested in a deeper understanding of fine art and the masters who created it, or perhaps to those planning a trip to international museums. Sullo can lecture on many of the masters and their techniques from renaissance to modern art.

Currently he is engaged in filming a 12-part television series entitled, "Exploration of the Fine Arts," in which he will travel to 12 different museums throughout the states of Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts, educating people through each venue's paintings, sculptures, fine arts, and architecture.

The programs will air throughout eastern Connecticut on Comcast Cable's Channel 12. A schedule of dates will be available in the months to come.

Dr. Michael Sullo...artist, lecturer, architect, teacher, may not necessarily be termed a Renaissance Man, but he is most assuredly his own man. He knows who he is, where his talents lie, what he wants to do, and where he's going. Yet

he continues to refer to those ponderous volumes, still studying the art of the masters.

He is still intrigued, inspired, awed, and humbled by religion. He enjoys not only teaching, but watching his students struggle, progress, and ultimately achieve. He possesses great humor, insight, and an energy that belies his years, and is as multi-faceted as the oils he creates. He is a much sought after portrait painter of political figures, musicians, and captains of industry, a go-to

authority for altar pieces and church adornments, and a teacher who creates a passion for art within each student he mentors.

And oh yes, Dr. Michael Sullo also paints a little.

Whether you wish to learn to paint in oils, commission a portrait, arrange a lecture for your organization, or just enjoy and observe a most unique gallery,. Dr. Michael Sullo may be reached at The Velvet Mill, 22 Bayview Avenue in Stonington. www.drmichaelsulloart.com; (860) 333-7929

Dr. Michael Sullo

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Trinity Boys Choir Rejoice in Song

By Barbara Malinsky / Photos by Trinity

“All things shall perish from under the sky, Music alone shall live, Music alone shall live, Music alone shall live.

Never to die.” - Composer Unknown If you are a young boy who wants to sing and has a skill set which includes reading on a third grade level, focusing on the pitch of a note, standing without fidgeting, and getting to performances and practices on time, you are a candidate for the Trinity Boys Choir which was founded in 1885 and is the oldest continuous choir of men and boys in Connecticut. It is heir to a musical tradition that began in the Middle Ages and carried to this country in the 19th century. “If a boy can do all those things, that is saying something,” remarked choir director Walden Moore.

In fact, the boys needn’t belong to Trinity Episcopal Church or be Christian. “What we do here is educate the whole child not just in singing but in good citizenship as well. We have children of many faiths who join our choir. We do not proselytize. I assume there have been many boys of different faiths in the choir but we never ask. I do know that there has been some of the Jewish faith because the boys have often gone to synagogues for their bat mitzvahs.”

Why do the boys want to sing? Music can be an attractive alternative to sports. I asked several boys that very question and the answers revealed an emotional depth I hadn’t expected.

• “It takes you away from your everyday life.”

Drew • “It’s a challenge to sing with other people and focus on one thing at a time.” Rory • “It has passion; nothing else has that like sports.”

Ramsey

• “We learn different things every time we rehearse.” Kyle • “We learn about other cultures and history.”

Nicolas When a young boy discovers choral music, he becomes educated in music, music theory, vocal techniques, and can travel to various countries to sing. The boys have a separate identity as the Trinity Boys Choir. As a group, they sing at services and concerts in prominent venues throughout Connecticut, Canada, and the Eastern United States including five Christmas season appearances at the White House over the years. They also travel abroad and have won acclaim for performances in England and Italy.

At home, the choir can be counted upon for community outreach activities that have included benefit performances for the Children’s Center, Ronald McDonald House, Sage Services, Newington Children’s Hospital,

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History of New-Haven Green by Barber-circa-1856

the Fair Haven Parents’ Ministry, the Smilow Cancer Hospital, and most recently for the annual Channel 3 Joy for Kids Holiday Show at the Hartford Stage.

The first year, the boy is a novice and wears a red robe and is paired with an older boy to guide him. At the end of the first year, there is a ceremony where he receives a surplice, a white garment, which is placed by his singing coach over the red robe. He then becomes a “singing boy”. The group sings May the Lord Bless You and Keep You by John Rutter and the graduation ceremony is complete.

He now follows in the footsteps of boys who lived hundreds of years ago. The great choral music throughout the centuries is that communal bond. ‘Tradition is the cornerstone of this chorale,” explains Moore. Part of that tradition is spinning the door latch to the singing room, symbolic of locking the world away during rehearsal time.

In 1752, Trinity Episcopal Church was built on a familiar New Haven Street that was named Church Street because of its presence. In 1816, it relocated to the historic New Haven Green.

It has been part of the history of New Haven for over 300 years. The choir celebrated its

125th Anniversary during the 2010 – 2011 season.

It has distinguished itself by continuously providing high quality choral music at Trinity worship services, at the annual Christmas and spring concerts, and in the wider community.

R. Walden Moore, Director of Music at Trinity Church since 1984, also works with the Choir of Men and Boys, the Choir of Men and Girls, and the Parish Choir in a regular schedule of parish services and appearances outside the walls of the church. A 1980 graduate of the Yale Institute of Sacred Music/School of Music, he studied organ with Dr. Robert Baker and Dr. Gerre Hancock and continues to serve as clinician, guest conductor, and organist for choir festivals across the nation.

He has developed a repertoire for the Boys Choir that reaches back to Plain Chant where there is no harmony to the 21st century. “We perform works from the 16th century but the bulk of works are from the 18th to the 20th centuries. The most recognizable are 18th century composers like Bach and Handel, the 19th Stanford and Parry, while the 20th gives us Howells and Britten. For the 21st, we choose carefully from the wonderful to the mundane. It is interesting to me that during my thirty-two years here I have changed my view of the boys. I used to see them as a group but now I see them as individual stories and how to bring out that talent, make it come through, and transform them personally.”

Boys and Girls Formal -December 2015

For Moore, organ has been his life’s passion.

He grew up in a small, rural, Appalachian town in Virginia. The small church happened to have an organ and he recalls sitting at that organ knowing that this is what his life’s work

77 would be. His talent eventually brought him to Lexington, Kentucky as Director of Music and from there his career blossomed.

He is past Chair of the Music Commission of the Episcopal Diocese of Connecticut, having served on that commission for ten years and has served on the Executive Board of the Connecticut Chapter of the American Choral Directors Association. His experience in the field of practical church music has also led him to serve as a consultant in organ design for churches in Connecticut. In 2007, he was appointed to the faculty of the Yale Institute of Sacred Music/School of Music as Lecturer in Organ, where he teachers a yearly course in Liturgical Keyboard Skills.

It takes a team, to make the famous Trinity Boys Choir work. Rachel Segger who is the

R. Walden Moore - Director of Music

Music Program Manager has been an attorney, an elementary school music teacher, and a full-time church organist/Director of Music.

She holds an MM in organ from the Yale

School of Music and an MAR in liturgical studies from the Yale Divinity School. As Music Program Manager, she is the contact person for choir parents and members of the three parish choirs.

Rachel Parkes teaches, music theory, and employs singing techniques for their treble vocal range.

Parents too are an essential component of the program; they shuttle children back and forth numerous days during the week and for performances. For them, however, the task is

well worth the effort. Madison resident Duo Dickinson commented, “We have two sons.

The deepest bond of shared experience between the conservatory-trained French horn player and all-conference college football player is their years singing together in the Trinity Boys Choir. The genius of Walden Moore and the Anglican Tradition of singing sacred music at a high level is that it’s beauty is compelling to those who are exposed to it - especially at an early age.”

Whatever your faith, come and hear the sonorous textures of the Trinity Boys Choir.

The church is an open door.

For further information call 203.776.2616

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RACLETTE

Paul Partica, The Cheese Shop, Centerbrook CT

Cheese for the Holidays 2016 hen I was contemplating the Decembers issue of Ink, Cheese for the Holidays, I found myself thinking of what new things I could come up with to write about. After much thought, I’m realized I didn’t have too. It’s the holidays, you know, traditions, the same things you look forward too year after year. That means we can talk about Fondue, Raclette, cheese trays, and the gift of cheese for family and friends.

And, of course, watch A Christmas Carol for the hundredth time. I still like the old black and white Allister Simms version.

W

Thankfully, for me at least, cheese is still the number one appetizer and snack for all occasions. It also ranks pretty high for festive dinners and desserts. It is hard to beat a bubbling hot pot of Fondue on a cold wintery night when in sight of a cozy, hot fireplace. Add a glass of wine, a few snowflakes, and you might find yourself singing one of my favorite songs: Cheese Shop White Christmas I’m dreaming of my own Cheese Shop Just like the one I work in now Where the cheese is selling The place is smelling And sweat is pouring from my brow Or Cheese Shop Jingle Bells Dashing through the store, with Bremners in one hand Hurry get the mop, I just spilled some Boursin All the Brie looks great, in fact, some I just ate Hurry up and clean the counter, or we’ll leave here late Oh, Emmenthal, Camembert, Brie and Coulomier (cool-lum-yay) One of these will be on special each and every day Oh……….

Perhaps I’ve had one too many Christmas Eves in the Cheese Business…

Did I mention that if you eat a little Oma, the washed rind cheese from the Trappe Family in Vermont, you will sing the above songs much better?

FONDUE This is a traditional must for my family. Fondue, which is considered a gourmet delight today, started out as a Swiss peasant meal. It was a way to use up stale bread, dried out cheese and wine that had been opened too long. I enjoy the traditional Swiss recipe which combines Swiss cheeses Emmenthal, Gruyere, and Appenzeller with white wine, a little garlic, a little flour or arrowroot and Kirsch Liquor, if you like.

When heated, dip in a piece of bread and feast away. For my traditional 40-year old recipe, visit the Recipes page of my website (www.cheeseshopofcenterbrook.com). By the way, uneaten fondue need not be thrown away. When cool, place the remainder in a freezersafe storage bag and freeze. When heated again, it will taste like you just made it. And see if you can find a store near you that will shred the cheese fresh for you. This will make meal time much easier and allow more time for singing cheese songs.

Whether you are making a traditional Swiss raclette (cheese, potatoes, cornichons) or the American version (which can also include shrimp, chicken, sausage, vegetables, etc.), raclette is a great dish. All the elements are prepared in advance so you can enjoy the meal with friends and family. If a raclette grill is not counted among your kitchen gadgets, some retailers rent them. We enjoy this type of cookery all year long.

You might find us grilling shrimp and scallops during a hot summer night, but raclette is especially festive for the holidays.

CHEESE TRAYS The classic cheese tray is always a great way to enjoy the parties the holidays bring. Their advance preparation saves you precious party time. Cheese trays are always a hit and usually the first appetizer to disappear.

Wondering what to choose for your cheese tray? Try to vary your selection by choosing cheeses from different families. This way you are sure to make everyone happy. In addition, bring in specialty treats such as fruits, balsamic vinegars, honey, chutneys, nuts, etc. This makes a cheese tray more festive and colorful.

If you prepare your own trays, I advise against placing crackers in with the cheese ahead of time. Wait until serving time to open the crackers so they stay crisp. I also never recommend pre-cutting or cubing cheese, which usually results in quickly dried-up cheese and lost flavor.

I recommend leaving cheese wedges whole and intact; just remove the side rinds. This way, leftovers will keep for another day.

GIFT BOXES AND BASKETS These are a universal favorite. Gift baskets and boxes make wonderful gifts that never go to waste. If the recipient happens not to be fond of cheese, someone else in the family or holiday guests are bound to. When purchasing these items, try to include a good variety of flavors. A mix of crackers, meats, etc. works well. One important consideration is the condition or ripeness of the cheeses. You would not want to buy a brie or camembert, for example, with a shelf life shorter than when you plan to give the gift. It is always a good idea to discuss your needs with your retailer at time of purchase.

Ordering in advance is highly recommended. Remember that retail stores get very busy the closer you get to a holiday, and fresh-cut cheese gifts take time to prepare. Additionally, I always recommend boxes over baskets when shipping as they typically arrive in better condition.

You will also save on shipping costs.

Please note that cheese is not as perishable as most people would believe. There is no need to buy last minute and stand in long lines.

You can purchase your holiday cheese days in advance. Just let your cheese retailer know when you are going to use them, and they should recommend accordingly.

The suggestions above are just a few of the traditional cheese dishes that can be served during the holidays. Did I mention hot apple pie with a little cheddar cheese on it? How about Quiche Lorraine, mac and cheese, cheese puffs, French onion soup with Gruyere melted on top, potatoes au gratin, grilled cheese, fried cheese, cheese soufflé and cheddar cheese soup?

Need I say more? Cheese, indeed, for the holidays.

Paul Partica, The Cheese Shop

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By Kevin Staehly Operations Manager and Assistant Winemaker, Staehly Farm Winery, East Haddam, CT

Frosts Create Distinct Wine Styles As the weather turns colder the first tendrils of frost creep into the fertile soils of New England. In some vineyards, patrons may be surprised to see grapes still hanging on the vine, or apples still in the trees. These fruit are most likely on their way to becoming what is a rare delight in the wine world: Icewine if you are in Canada, ice wine in the United States, or eiswein in Germany. Each has its own unique and subtle variation to the wine. Its production is risky and challenging, but the end product is quite the delight.

The ice wine is a sweet, typically dessert style wine and is thought to have origins in the Roman empire, but Germany is the cradle of modern day ice wines. It was a happy accident in the late 1700s when an early frost led to winemakers producing a sweeter, nectar-like wine that year. Regional eiswines were rare but periodic until the 1960s when the style experienced a resurgence in popularity paired with easier production methods. In Germany all eisweins must be produced from grapes that naturally froze on the vine.

It was the growing popularity started in the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;60s that inspired Canadian growers to begin production in the 1980s, and today Canadian icewines are considered by many to be the gold standard. Icewines are more commonplace than their German cousins in the sense that unlike their eiswine counterparts they can be produced every year: The colder regions typically are more consistent in their frost patterns than in Germany, where some years may not frost early enough (2006 and 2011 being good examples). Another point of deviation from eiswine is the type of grape used; more commonly riesling grape in Germany versus vidal blanc (and cabernet franc for reds) in Canada.

And of course there is the American ice wine as well. Borne out of the Finger Lakes region of New York, very close to its

Canadian cousins, ice wines also benefited from the increasing popularity of eisweins. While vidal blanc is common for American producers, some growers are also experimenting with chardonnay and cayuga white. Similar to Germany, US ice wines must be frozen before harvest or else bear a disclaimer that the grapes were frozen postharvest.

Some fruit wines are produced in a manner similar to ice wines, even though they do not fit the standard to be called ice wines. At Staehly Farm Winery in East Haddam, CT, which specializes in fruit wines, although the apples are not allowed to freeze on the tree a freezing still takes place: Once the apples have been pressed into a sweet cider but before the primary fermentation takes place, the cider is frozen for a period of a few weeks to a few months. This man-made freeze serves the same purpose as a natural frost: To concentrate sugars and produce a more robust flavor in the wine.

Whether it is a natural freeze or one created by the hand of the vintner, this unique style has many different ways it can be enjoyed. So as the winter sets in, an ice wine can be a good choice. Whether itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s for pairing with a hearty Christmas dinner or a way to cap off the evening, an ice wine can add the finishing touches that captivate and please your and your guestsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; palates.

STAEHLY Farm & Winery 278 Town Street, East Haddam, CT 06423 Monday-Thursday 10am to 5pm, Friday 10am to 6pm, Saturday 9am to 6pm, Sunday 10am to 5pm www.staehlys.com

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DECEMBER EVENTS

90 December 1 - Mid January Courtyard Gallery, Mystic's Hidden Treasure. "Art for your Heart and Home", the Courtyard's annual winter and holiday show continues through mid January. The Courtyard offers the most diverse collection of original contemporary fine art in the region, something to complement every home and art collection. Art for our Heart and Home" features works of all sizes and price ranges, with many smaller pieces perfect for upcoming holiday gifts. Throughout the month the Courtyard's Sunday Salons continue weekly from 3-6 PM, share wine, refreshments, and your passion for art with artists, friends and collectors, a wonderful way to spend a Sunday afternoon.

November hours Mon, Thurs, Fri, Sat 11-6, Sun 12-6. 12 Water Street B3 - Mystic, CT 06355 - 860.536.5059 courtyardgallerymystic.com December 1 – January 4 Westbrook “Visual Consensus” at the Valentine H. Zahn Community Gallery at Middlesex Hospital Shoreline Medical Center. The exhibition features works by members of Gallery One. The Gallery is open during regular business hours and is located at 250 Flat Rock Place, Westbrook, CT. For more information, contact Middlesex Hospital at 860-358-6200 or info@midhosp.org.

December 1 Guilford ONEHOPE Wine tasting event: Thursday, December 1, 5-8 pm Sample and purchase ONEHOPE wine while benefitting causes and non-profits, including GAC. Sip ONEHOPE whites, red, sparkling and reserve wines while you shop. Bring your friends and enjoy a festive evening while helping others (including finding them the right holiday gift!). Free and open to the public. Guilford Art Center is located at 411 Church Street, Guilford, Connecticut (exit 58 off I-95). For more information call 203-453-5947 or contact www.guilfordartcenter.org"

December 2 Groton An Evening of Song & Conversation with Peter Yarrow December 2 Concert to Benefit New London Maritime Society. December 2, 2016, artist, activist and folk singer/legend Peter Yarrow will present 'An Evening of Song & Conversation with Peter Yarrow' -- a fund-raiser for the New London Maritime Society. The concert will take place at 7 PM, at the UConn Avery Point Auditorium (UConn is a co-sponsor), Groton. Concert tickets are $35 each and are available online at brownpapertickets.com/event/2606201 or by calling 860-447-2501. (Tickets will not be sold at the door, due to venue regulations.)

Wine and nibbles will be served. Tickets for both the reception and concert are $70 and also may be purchased online at brownpapertickets.com/event/2606201 or by calling 860-447-2501.

December 3 Ivoryton Ivoryton: Looking for a different way to celebrate Christmas? Then head down to Ivoryton for the Seventh Annual Ivoryton Illuminations on Saturday, December 3rd from 5pm to 8pm. The entire village of Ivoryton will be participating in this Holiday Extravaganza with carol singing, Santa’s Grotto, a Holiday Bazaar, culminating with the arrival of Santa and the lighting of the states’ largest living Christmas Tree at 6:00pm. Ivoryton will be lighting up the holiday with over 350,000 lights throughout the village! Music will be provided by local musicians playing at various locations throughout the village. There will also be Stuff a Cruiser to support Shoreline Soup Kitchens and bring a new, unwrapped toy to Ivoryton Library to benefit the Child and Family Agency of SECT. Free parking will be available at the First Congregational Church and The Copper Beech Inn with a shuttle bus service to the village. The Illuminations will shine brightly through January 5th and visitors can tune their car radios to 101.5FM and watch as the lights dance to the music!

December 7 -18 Ivoryton If you have loved following the escapades and adventures of Paddy Bell and his family in THE BELLS OF DUBLIN at the Ivoryton Playhouse, then you won’t want to miss the third play in the trilogy. As Paddy brings the whole family to New York for Christmas.

Carols and Irish songs and even a little vaudeville to warm your heart and get you in the spirit of the season.The Bells of Dublin pub will be closed for the holidays as Paddy Bell and his family take a trip to the Big Apple for Christmas. It’s Christmas Eve in O’Lunney’s Pub in New York. Maggie, the bag lady who roams the neighborhood around 50th and Broadway, settles into O’Lunney’s doorway to weave a story with a cast of characters from here and across the ocean. Theatre Address: Ivoryton Playhouse, 103 Main Street, Ivoryton, CT 06442 info@ivorytonplayhouse.org Box Office Phone: 860.767.7318 December 11 Old Saybrook Baking Class: Cookie Classics. Sunday, December 11, 4 pm - 6 pm. Instructor: Karen Gumpel, Tuition: $65. Please join us to this hands-on class and learn how to make and bake a variety of cookie classics from scratch to finish. Each participant will leave with samples of cookies and recipes. Class size is limited to 8. Please register in person or by phone: 860-661-4661 Dagmar’s Desserts, 75 Main Street, Old Saybrook December 18 Old Saybrook MESSIAH Sing or listen, will be sponsored by Cappella Cantorum on Sunday, Dec. 18 at 3:30 pm for Singers, 4:00 pm for listeners, in The Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center, (The Kate) 300 Main St. Old Saybrook, 06475.

The Sing is open to all, featuring professional soloists under the direction of Barry Asch and accompanied by Deborah Lyon. Bring your Messiah Scores if you have them or they will be provided. There is a $10 fee for singers and audience. Singers will sit in sections and rehearse at 3:30 pm. The audience is invited to sit in the back, witness the short rehearsal, and then the Sing.

Tickets will be available on-line at www.thekate.org and through the Box Office 877-503-1286, open Tues–Fri 10 AM –2 PM, no reserved seats. For information, call Barry at 860-388-2871. The Sing ends at 5:15 pm.

December 11 Chester Please join us at the Leif Nilsson Spring Street Studio & Gallery at 1 Spring Street in Chester Center for a Concert in the Garden on Sunday, December 11, 2016 4pm 6pm featuring the Kenn Morr Band: World Class Music From a Town You Haven’t Heard Of. The Kenn Morr Band is on a roll in 2016, pleased to be touring in support of its latest release, the double-disc set “Afterimage.” The result is an organic collection of lush three-part vocal harmonies and sparkling acoustic instruments—real musicians playing soulful music in real time. $20 donation BYOB and picnic - Indoor Bistro Style Seating in the Gallery. GATES OPEN Half Hour before the show. First come first seated. Shop at the Chester Package Store across the street! Open 'til 3 pm. Sorry, no pets allowed.

2 Main St. Old Saybrook CT

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Perfect Gifts To Be Remembered For The People On Your List Who Are Always On The Go! Performance Apparel & Personal Accessories OPEN MONDAYS IN DECEMBER

860.388.0891 saybrookcountrybarn.com