August 2016
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Vol 12 Issue 8 2016 www.inkct.com
A guide to finer living in Connecticut & abroad.
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www.inkct.com
Features
AUGUST January 1, 2016 2006
ISSUE CONTENTS
Columns, Reviews, Events On The Vine pg. 72
On Building a Wine List
Indigo A Purchase With a Purpose
The Cheesemonger Summertime Cheese
pg. 76
pg. 8
August Events Events throughout Connecticut
pg. 80
#Writing at Wesleyan: Tweets, Blogs, and The Great American Novel
pg. 16
“Dream Walker” – Karacabey Levni Sinanoglu
pg. 24
WE ARE: A NATION OF IMMIGRANTS
pg. 36
Looking for something fun to do? Check on the Events page at: inkct.com/events On the cover this month: Installation of “WE ARE” exhibit in downtown New London Photo By Joe Standart, See full story on page 36
INK staff Contributors:
Advertising:
Jeffery Lilly- founder/editor-in-chief
Contact us to receive our media kit complete with detailed advertising information including ad rates, demographics, and distribution in your area.
Imanol Echeverria
Stephanie Sittnick- publisher/sales/design
Soaring to New Heights
Carolyn Battisa - editorial
pg. 50
Laurencia Ciprus - editorial Caryn B. Davis- editorial/photography Charmagne Eckert - editorial Alan Fields - Design in Mind Sharma Piersall Howard - editorial Nancy LaMar-Rodgers - editorial Barbara Malinsky- editorial
Kentford Farm: A Spectacular Spot, Especially for Gardeners
pg. 62
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.
Rona Mann - editorial
Please direct your advertising inquiries and questions to:
Stephanie Sittnick - Director of Advertising advertising@ink-pub.com 860-227-8199 Cheryl Powell - Saybrook - Branford cheryl@ink-pub.com 860-608-5749 Rona Mann - Clinton - Stonington six07co@att.net 401-539-7762
Editorial Submissions:
Paul Partica, The Cheesemonger
Please email editorial submissions to: submissions@ink-pub.com
A. Vincent Scarano - photography
Online Event Submissions: events@inkct.com
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A Purchase With a Purpose
11 by RONA MANN Photos by Stephanie Sittnick
"The people who think they are crazy enough to change the world are the ones who do." ...Steve Jobs
T
h ere's been an awful lot of talk in the last few years about protecting our planet. About leaving it in better shape than we found it. About leaving a legacy of environmental sustainability for the next generation. And sometimes that's all it is-talk-because well meaning people aren't exactly sure what they can do to achieve this. But then along comes a business like Indigo and an owner like Tara Wyatt, and it all comes together in what appears to be the right direction, marching headlong toward a viable solution.
In a world where everything is connected, making responsible sourcing and buying decisions has catapulted itself to the forefront of conscious consumerism. The apparel
industry in particular has a long and infamous and gifts."Upon his death ten years ago Tara history of labor abuse, particularly in factory took the helm, hiring as her manager, settings. Low pay, long hours, poor working Christa Weil, a woman with significant corconditions, all conporate retail experitribute to high turnover, ence. From the abject poverty, and an beginning, Christa unusually high death was more than an rate among workers. employee...the two Until recent years people women seemed to were relatively unaware create a certain kind of this, then along came of synergy that Fair Trade and Organic, made them work Ethically Sourced goods, well together. Not and it's upon this that coincidentally, Tara Tara Wyatt has chosen had featured an to hang her hat. organic clothing Christa Weil, Mgr. & Tara Wyatt, Owner line from Nepal at An admitted "real business person" with three Tumbleweeds, called Synergy. She and active concerns in Niantic: Tumbleweeds, Christa often wore their clothes, garnering Indigo, and a digital marketing operation, many compliments wherever they went. Wyatt has always been on the cutting edge of "On the way home from a trade show in whatever she chooses to do. And promoting 2013 we both started talking about opening and merchandising organic, ethically sourced a store that would strictly feature organic, goods has been her experience for the past 20 ethically sourced items, but we desperately years. needed another space," Wyatt said. Wyatt's father was the original owner of Tumbleweeds, "a 1970s kind of store with everything from music to tapestries, clothing,
That took two years. In October 2015 Wyatt and Weil found exactly what they needed just a short distance down Main Street from
12 found a way to generate income for high potential women who wished to go on to a university and thus become educated. And it's working. Dreams born out of poverty are now being realized, and valuable citizens are being made...all because someone somewhere in the world buys a product a Ugandan woman designed and made. Like the customers of Indigo. "The companies we work with give back," Wyatt states proudly.
Tumbleweeds. They did some remodeling to the existing space to suit their needs and proudly opened wide the doors to Indigo where they advertised "A purchase with a purpose."
In less than a year, the local community has embraced Indigo, and new customers are becoming fans every day. "We have a lot of recurring business," Christa boasts. "And the other merchants in town are so very supportive as well," Tara adds.
Successful at Tumbleweeds and now at Indigo is the aforementioned Synergy, a Nepal-based business that pays all their employees a living wage, offers bonuses, and thus gives a group of over 150 women an opportunity to work from home, rising above poverty while they support their families. Synergy's clothing is strictly fashioned of Certified Organic Cotton and other eco-friendly fibers.
Indigo is a brightly lit, well designed welcoming space where merchandise is not thrown together in a display, but showcased; so the eye is drawn to the clothing, the shoes, the bags, the jewelry; and most of all, to the purpose behind each designer's contributions. "People don't realize that the fashion industry is the second biggest polluter in the world," says Tara. The people with whom we work are actively doing something to change this; that's why we're so proud to partner with them." Those people include a Ugandan based company called Sseko which produces handbags, accessories, and leather sandals with interchangeable straps. It also produces college graduates, as it
Christa and Tara love to show off the magnificent silk clothes made by Indie Ella. In India women only wear a sari once or face the prospect of being shunned. Rather than let such beautiful silk go to waste, Indie Ella upcycles the saris into one-of-a-kind dresses, blouses, shorts...all colorful, wearable, and delicious to the touch.
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Ankara Goddess, which empowers women through sustainable and ethical practice, features handmade necklaces, bracelets, earrings, and bags. Tara and Christa are very particular with this and all their partners, demanding photos of factories where everything is made long before they accept their items into the shop. Not everything at Indigo has been fashioned thousands of miles away. Local Connecticut artists and artisans are represented by Lisa Fatone, an artist who designs everything from antique chains and rock crystal to hand painted signs; Crunch Diva Designs with a line of jewelry not readily seen elsewhere; Groceries Apparel from Los Angeles with clothing for both men and women using non-toxic dyes, and the extremely popular
all-organic facial and body products produced by With Love by Kate, made in small batches at the woman's home and especially effective for those with sensitive skin. Tara Wyatt named her shop Indigo and subtitles it "Threads With Integrity," but it's much more than just a shop. It's a choice Wyatt made years ago to leave a legacy with every ethically sourced piece of apparel and jewelry displayed so that designers, producers, and customers can also do good in the world while wearing something beautiful, something wonderful, and something that makes you feel as good as you look. "Our customers never have to look at a label and wonder if it's been made in a sweatshop."
Crazy people indeed. They just might change the world. Indigo is located at 413 Main Street in downtown Niantic (860) 691-1283 Their website, which features an online store open all year, may be found at: www.indigoniantic.com
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Tweets, Blogs, and The Great American Novel: #Writing at Wesleyan By: Charmagne Eckert The mighty word: Conveyor of information, elucidator of meaning, and often, instrument of the subtler nuances that work to engage an audience or even to sway opinion. Words are everywhere; in the novels we read off our iPad screens, in work related documents that we receive and generate daily, and comprising the texts we shoot off in an effort to keep track of our fast-moving teenagers. Even in our abbreviation addicted culture, words and the way they are fitted together to achieve the desired message, remain vitally important. Every day we interact through media and face to face in ways that require clear communication through language. We all have a story to tell; or two, or dozens. There is a novel, a memoir, or a poem carried around in each of us, just waiting to be shared. Wesleyan University is well known for providing one of the best liberal arts educations in the country, but it is also a remarkable, centrally located resource that enthusiastically invites all who are interested in the exchange of ideas to participate in its many offerings. “Wesleyan is for everyone – for the community and for the region. This is a place that welcomes people from all different walks of life who have a passion for learning and who are excited about finding out things about the world,” explains Jennifer Curran, Director of the Graduate Liberal Studies Program (GLSP). Of the variety of educational and cultural opportunities Wesleyan offers to the community, there are a number that are directly related to the mission of enhancing, developing and exploring the craft of writing. The annual Wesleyan Writer’s Conference, held every summer, is one such opportunity. The weeklong intensive is not only for those seeking a profession in writing – although the conference has facilitated professional contacts that have launched careers. Professor Anne Greene, the conference’s director, tells of one such instance, “We had a Wesleyan student who came two years ago and worked with the novelist Salvatore Scibona, and though she was really young, she had a manuscript and Salvatore helped her take it apart. Now she has a twobook contract with a major publisher.” Regardless of outcome, the conference provides The Ladies' and Gentlemens' Letter-writer and Guide to Polite Behavior: containing also, moral and instructive aphorisms for daily use, published in Boston, circa 1860. Photo courtesy of: Wesleyan University Library, Special Collections & Archives.
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an opportunity for everyone, including the most tenuous beginner, to share and collaborate on his or her passion for the art of the written word. For those just starting to explore, the panel discussions, lectures and workshops provide a supportive context to get a feel for what it might be like to sit down and come up with a manuscript. For active writers, the opportunity to talk with other writers in a relaxed, professional setting can be not only valuable, but immensely gratifying as well. As Pulitzer Prize winning author and conference faculty member William Finnegan puts it, “I think many writers find it incredibly helpful to spend a few days listening to other writers, and the Wesleyan Writer’s Conference is easily one of the best in the nation.” The Graduate Liberal Studies program is another outstanding resource for those interested in expanding their communication and writing abilities. Here, there is opportunity to focus on writing across a range of study. While there are fiction, nonfiction, poetry and other literary writing classes offered, it is also possible to take a foundational course option within a variety of disciplines including the social sciences, sciences, other humanities and the arts. Students who select the foundational option receive not only the course instruction
as detailed in the class syllabus, but will also have the benefit of more in-depth feedback from the instructor, specifically in support of advanced research and writing skills. For an even more precise focus on writing, GLSP is debuting the new Graduate Certificate in Writing this fall, a writingintensive curriculum that may be taken on its own or in conjunction with the MALS or MPhil degree. This program is designed for students wishing to develop their communication abilities and to enhance professional opportunity, as well as to receive support for their individual creative writing process. The curriculum is structured around courses in a variety of genres including memoir, academic writing, poetry, fiction and non-fiction, which the student may work within to achieve their personal writing objectives. As with all of the programs available through GLSP, the certificate option is designed to offer the resources of a world-class university within a flexible structure that may be tailored, by the student, to meet his or her particular goals. Inevitably writers are readers, which makes Wesleyan’s Olin Library and the Special Collections and Archives it houses an invaluable resource. Members of the public are welcome to visit and marvel at the many
beautiful volumes. The collection includes over 30,000 rare books ranging in scope from the first folio of William Shakespeare, to R & J Text msg. – a 2008 artist’s book that answers the question of what Romeo and Juliet might appear like as a text-conversation between two modern teens. The compilation boasts unusual antiquities (many as old as the medieval printed books, circa 1455-1505) but also includes the works of avant-garde musician John Cage, a wide variety of stunning 21st
Indira Karamcheti, associate professor of English, working with her Graduate Liberal Studies students during the July summer session. Photo by: Olivia Drake/Wesleyan University
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best way to tell our personal story, great writing skills can only add value – and pleasure – to our lives. As Curran says, “In this world where our leisure communication is getting so informal and so truncated that we don’t [just] type ‘LOL’ – we actually say it – I think that it’s helpful to have a way to also be able to communicate in a formal and convincing manner – especially when we have to present our ideas in a professional setting.”
century artists’ books, and historical materials pertaining to Middletown and the surrounding areas. It is possible to drop in on the Special Collections department any afternoon during regular hours to view the elegant reading room with its glass encased volumes, but an appointment is recommended to ensure availability of materials of particular interest and is the best way to take full advantage of the expertise of the staff. However brief our communications; from a tweet, to convincing a client of the benefits of an essential project, or finding the
The writing programs and related resources at Wesleyan University offer us the means to do just that – and we are all, enthusiastically welcomed. For further information go to: Wesleyan Writer’s Conference: http://www.wesleyan.edu/writing/confernce/ Graduate Liberal Studies (GLSP): http://www.wesleyan.edu/masters/index.html GLSP Writing Certificate: http://www.wesleyan.edu/masters/writing.html Special Collections and Achieves: http://www.wesleyan.edu/libr/schome/ Wesleyan University Home Page: http://www.wesleyan.ed
In addition check out: The Russell House Series of Prose and Poetry: http://www.wesleyan.edu/writing/community/writingevents.html And NEW THIS FALL – Mysterium: The Mystery Novel Conference: http://mysterium.conference.wesleyan.edu
Pulitzer Prize winning author William Finnegan shares his writing experience with participants of this summer’s Writer’s Conference. Photo by Tom Dzimian/Wesleyan University
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Anne Greene, the University Professor of English and Director of the Wesleyan Writer’s Conference, addresses 2016 attendees. Photo by Tom Dzimian/Wesleyan University
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Karacabey Levni Sinanoglu –
“Dream Walker” By Daniel Shkolnik
W
h e n I first met Karacabey Levni Sinanoglu, I thought he was homeless. His salt-colored hair went whichever way it pleased and his train of thought was freer still. That day, Wednesday May 11th, the two of us were eating udon at separate tables outside a Korean-owned mart on New Haven’s Whitney Avenue. He struck up a conversation by saying something about the war flags of Genghis Khan. Later, he compared what the Dali Lama had once told him about the psycho-physical continuum to the work of philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein. I instantly liked him. We—or rather, he—talked excitedly for about half an hour. When he finished his udon he thanked me profusely for the conversation, took my hand and shook it. I felt his palm twitching as if something were misfiring on the other end. Levni gave me a flurry of books I ought to read along with his number, told me to call him, and walked off down the street.
Three weeks later, he was found dead in his Erector Square studio. Levni Sinanoglu was not a homeless man, but a painter at the tail-end of a troubled spiral. His excited, addled monologue was most likely a hint of the manic depression he shared with his late father. His twitching hand perhaps a symptom of alcohol withdrawal. But even in his last days, Levni’s Hippocratic kindness, his “did you get it?” humor, and his savantlike intellect shined through his troubles even as those troubles rose to claim him. Levni was born in 1964 to Paula Armbruster, former clinical professor at Yale, and Oktay Sinanoglu, former Yale chemistry professor and two-time Noble-prize nominee. He grew up in Northford, Connecticut and as a boy painted caricatures of
his classmates, selling them for 25-cents a pop, his mother says. As Levni grew older he and his art matured in tandem, and in 1996 Levni earned his MFA in painting from the Yale University School of Art. Upon returning to New Haven from a traveling fellowship in the Middle East, Levni befriended Clint Jukkala, now a dean at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Art. Jukkala and Levni shared adjoining studios while Jukkala completed his own MFA at Yale. “During those few years he was my chief art critic,” says Jukkala. “[Levni] had this amazing ability to make connections to things when he was in a clear state,” Jukkala recalls. “He could never see anything in isolation. Everything was part of something else.” As a result, he’d get lost in his own ever-splitting thought stream and often show up to appointments an hour or more late. “It was frustrating at times to be his friend,” Jukkula says. But then, when he did show up, “he’d give you these amazing moments of clarity, insight, and generosity ... it was always worth it.”
Screenshot of K. Levni taken during the filming of his artisit profile at: gorkysgranddaughter.com (used by permission)
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Both artists bonded over the colorful work of Paul Klee and the metaphysical paintings of Giorgio de Kiriko. And while Klee’s color theory and Kiriko’s bizarre surrealism can be seen at play in Levni’s “Cause x Effect” work, his paintings offer sweeping vistas into a vast interior realm that was entirely his own. Early in his career, Levni often painted otherworldly landscapes and mysterious temples inspired by his travels in the Middle East. In one painting, a shark lies outside the door of a temple at night. In another, a concentrated orange beam shoots out of a monumental, sea-green structure. Into nearly all these dreamscapes, Levni released flocks of colored birds that flew freely through metaphysical scenes. As a whole, these early paintings seem to be supported with an invisible, grid-like rigging, a kind of unseen Cartesian scheme that give his paintings the aspect of blueprints for unbuildable worlds. Nicholas Halko of Gateway Community College, under whom Levni taught art in the early 2000s, remembers these early, "epic” works. Four to five feet across, they were large enough fill a respectable swath of a museum’s wall, and Halko supposes that’s
“Where From Here”
Levi and his son.
where Levni intended them to hang. He painted frequently, remembers Halko, “full of ambition for the future.” When he saw him again, circa 2015, Levni’s work was very different. His output during his last years was predominantly smaller pieces painted often on the front of postcards or the back of envelops. The pieces were murky, difficult to make sense of, resembling details of much grander works.
abuse that began at the age of 15 or 16 while attending Choate Rosemary Hall. While teaching at Hampshire College in the mid- to late-2000s his marriage to Saglar Bougdaeva went south. He had a relationship with another woman at Hampshire which also ended. But perhaps the defining blow was the death of Levni’s father in April of 2015 which, despite their turbulent relationship, affected the painter deeply.
It’s unclear what precisely precipitated the change in Levni’s life, but it’s clear Levni was struggling. According to his sister, Elif Armbruster, he had a history of substance
In 2015, Levni came looking for a teaching position at Gateway. From his earlier years at the school, Halko remembered Levni as an “excellent” teacher, “bright” and filled with a “spark of vitality.” (Gateway had been ready to
“Advent Calender #5”
“Rudewenko's Red”
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“Night - Flight”
"Alternative Landscape," June, 2001.
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Title, Unknown
“Temples, Trees, and Tents”
“Locus”
“After the Departure”
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Family Photos
offer Levni tenure.) But during his second stint at Gateway, between fall semester of 2015 and spring semester of 2016, it became clear to Halko that Levni was not his old self. His lectures became increasingly difficult to follow. He began showing up late, then missing classes altogether. He denied that he was drinking though he often carried around mouthwash. According to Halko, Levni once showed a video of himself lecturing from years ago. Afterward, one of the students commented, "I want to have that guy teach the course."
his mother. She says if it were, “there would have been a letter—probably a book.” Instead there were sketches and half-finished works in his studio—signs that could mean he planned to continue painting. He and she were making plans for a road-trip to Washington to see friends. His memorial ceremony was held on June 18th at Yale’s Dwight Chapel. Those in attendance filled the hall. There was barely room to stand along the walls. Family and distinguished friends spoke to his memory.
I thought of my encounter with Levni outside the Korean mart, wishing I had more of him to remember. Levni left behind what any artist might hope to leave: an embodiment of his humanity. His soul can be found scattered amongst his mysterious paintings—at times intimate or obscure, playful or transcendental. Together, his works offer a generous glimpse into the the private realm in which Levni lived, and one might hope, the landscape in which he wanders now.
During one of his last conversations with him, Halko tried to get Levni to pull himself together. Levni responded, "perhaps I'm not meant for this world." Levni completed his second semester but had to submit his grades from an alcohol rehab program says Halko. About a month later, on June 1st, Levni was found dead in his art studio. There was drug paraphernalia found at the scene according to a friend familiar with the case, though the official cause of death remains unclear. The Coroner’s findings are still pending as of this writing. Levni’s death was not a suicide according to “Scrub Jays Serinette”
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WE ARE:
A NATION OF IMMIGRANTS PORTRAITS AND ESSAY BY JOE STANDART “There is some debate about the American Dream. Is it a fantasy, a thing of the past, or alive and well. For many of us who grew up in America, we take our freedoms and opportunities for granted and the American Dream remains in the text books. But for those who grew up in other cultures, the land of opportunity is still a strong beacon.”
Above: Anyssa Dhaouiadi
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Clockwise from upper left: Diana Paris, Agnes Pustelnik, Jose Sanchez, Pieter Visscher, Alioune Badu Diop, Ibrahim Hasson, Alfonso Lazarte, Francisco Moya
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All images © Joe Standart
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ou may ask,what is Portrait of America? My answer is a simple one: It's a celebration of my love for the beauty and dignity of those around me. Of the Common Man, of the grocer,or the editor,or the immigrant striving to be his best self. It's love of a small town struggling to realize an elusive promise; of a pond glistening with the early morning rays of sunshine. Through photography,I have found a wonderful vehicle that allows me to do that personally;and now I have found that I can do that in a very public way and have a meaningful impact. I call the organization Portrait of America™ and produce my projects under that name. I had always thought public art was a statue in a square. It certainly wasn’t photography. Photographs don’t do well in the rain. So when I set out taking my New London portraits 10 years ago, I wasn’t thinking about an extensive installation or how it might actually have an impact on a city, its people, or the region. There is some debate about the American Dream. Is it a fantasy, a thing of the past, or alive and well? For many of us who grew up in America, we take our freedoms and opportunities for granted, and the American Dream remains in the textbooks. But for those who grew up in other cultures, the land of opportunity is still a strong beacon. For some it is the classic dream story: they left a land in turmoil with nothing and came to seek their fortune, or to provide for their kids' education, or feed the family left behind. Others come who are well endowed with talent and feel they can better utilize their skills here. Others seek advanced degrees to accelerate their careers either here or back home. But one thing most of these immigrants share is that they do not take the opportunities offered through our constitution for granted. Their arrival seems to galvanize their drive to succeed in whatever path they choose, be it art, industry, the tech world, or the auto repair shop. This saga has been repeated again and again since the first immigrants arrived in America. Their industry and drive has been the engine that has propelled our country ahead, and it continues to do so. So while most immigrants don’t take our freedoms for granted, neither should we take their struggles and contributions for granted. Given the fractured, anti-immigrant atmosphere of today, and given the generally open, supportive, and welcoming attitude in New London, I wanted to celebrate our democracy, our heritage, and our future with the public installation WE ARE – A Nation of Immigrants, whose 28 murals measuring up to 25 feet can now be seen
43 on 16 different buildings on State and Bank Streets in New London. In the photographs I focus in on the eyes of my immigrant subjects. If in fact the eyes are the windows to the soul, I hope these extremely close-in portraits featuring eyes will encourage a reflective moment for the viewer. For dreams and hopes, loves, and disappointments are something
we all share. They are part of our common human experience and dignity,and they are shared in the photos in this installation. But the vast disparities in life experiences, indigenous traditions, and cultural mores, are something we too often turn away from simply because they are unfamiliar or unknown. I hope the show will encourage people to embrace this difference-this otherness-and benefit from an expanded world view. I discovered the power of Public Art totally by accident. After a successful 30 year career as an advertising photographer, I wanted a new challenge. So I started exploring ways of using photography to impact how people relate to their communities and themselves. I
Photographer Joe Standart
had come to know New London is a city with great promise, but with a poor self-attitude. I wondered what would happen if I took a dignified portrait of someone, how would that impact their self-view? If a corporate president can mold an image of himself through a portrait, wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t the same apply to a parking attendant? After taking hundreds of portraits of people I encountered on the streets of New London during the summer of 2005, I exhibited over 200 works back to the
city on its walls, sidewalks, and gallery walls - some measuring 30 feet tall - as kind of a mirror to the city. The dignified portraits were how I saw the people, and they loved seeing themselves in that way. I was then able to answer the question,â&#x20AC;&#x153;Can art make a differencecan it change the way we relate to the world?" With a resounding "yes!" I am re-photographing many of the subjects of the 2006 New London Project for a 10 year anniversary celebration called Anniversary Portraits, opening at the Lyman Allyn Art Museum on September 9th.
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This kind of artwork is layered like an onion. At the center is the artist with an idea. For the current WE ARE project the idea was to take an extreme close up of immigrants and link it to an issue. With the myriad of details involved, you need a team of passionate believers in your mission, willing to pitch in. I was very lucky to have a great team. Then there is the relationship with the subject, and the impact on the subject, his friends, or her family. Then you need supporters, the city, the mayor, the police commissioner – you do need permits. Venue owners have to consent, and you need a grant writer. It can be expensive. Support from the business community is key, for they are the unwitting beneficiaries. If you do everything right and people come to see the show, they will also buy something, and... ka-ching,!...you have just helped the economy of your city. On average, every out of town visitor spends $29.00 on gas, food, drink. 2,000 people came to my first opening; and that totals… well, you get the idea. I am thrilled to see people debating the merits of my work...how it fits in or not, inspires or not. I have sponsored town hall style meetings and invited stu-
dents to respond to some component of the project. I especially love to see strangers sharing ideas, because that is the foundation of our democracy – the free and open exchange of ideas. How do you feel about all
portrait of Nelson Mandela hangs in the UN, and the 38 other immigrants who so graciously consented to allow their portraits to be taken to be a part of WE ARE, A Nation of Immigrants. Their portraits would all be just abstract ideas without the in-the-trenches support of Alejandro Menendez Cooper, founder of the Hispanic Alliance of Southeastern Connecticut; Migdalia Salas of MS17 Art Project; Barbara Neff of Neff Productions; and the Lyman Allyn Art Museum. And I really must highlight the organization that backed the project with funds and support, City Center District, led by Charlotte Hennegan, whose unceasing drive to make the city better saw my project as another opportunity and went for it. Thank You. New London Project Anniversary Portraits opening event is:Sept. 9, 5:00PM, Lyman Allyn Art Museum
this? A quiet city has become an up and coming arts center. It has a new identity, a reason to celebrate. Art makes a difference. This brings me back to Badu from Sudan, the passionate auto mechanic, and Jaam from the Netherlands whose
Web: www.PortraitofAmerica.org Facebook: www.facebook.com/portraitofamerica Dates: Installation is on view on State and Bank Streets beginning July 7 through the end of the year.
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Imanol Echeverria Soaring to New Heights By Caryn B. Davis
© Photo by Deb Key
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Town Hill Farm, Lakeville, CT
M
an’s complex relationship with the horse spans thousands of years. They have enabled us to travel between empires to conquer and cultivate other civilizations. They have plowed our fields, leaving us more time as a society in pursuit of art and science. They have fought in our wars, delivered our mail, pulled our stagecoaches, driven our cattle, and protected our herds from predators. We have used them for hunting, pleasure, sport, and companionship. Without the horse, our world would have developed very differently. Imanol Echeverria has had the privilege of spending most of his life amongst these great creatures as a professional show jumper, horse trainer, and coach. He was introduced to riding at age 13 while attending boarding school in Ireland and continued to study all things equine after returning home to Madrid, Spain. “Horses have grown into our family first through me and then through my sister who is now a riding instructor at Club
Indoor Riding Arena at Weatogue Stables
Escuela Española de Equitación (CEEE) in Somosaguas, Spain,” says Echeverria. Echeverria also went to the CEEE and trained with several Olympic Show Jumping and Dressage riders. After school each day, he would just show up on bicycle to muck stalls, clean tack, and hand walk the horses in exchange for the odd riding lesson or advice from these legendary pros. “I did whatever I was asked. Eventually you move up the food chain; and maybe one day the person who was supposed to jump the horse doesn’t show up, and you get to do it. I got a good education through that,” Echeverria says.
Imanol Echeverria at Kent - © Photo by Deb Key
He also learned the level of commitment required to achieve great success in this intensely competitive field and the importance of wearing many hats in case the prize money garnered from winning wasn’t enough to pay the bills. “You need to be able to do a little of everything including having some veterinary and farrier knowledge to care for the horse, in addition to being a good coach in training horses and riders for competitions,” Echeverria says. After leaving CEEE, Echeverria worked as a horse dealer, importing and exporting the Belgian-bred Warmblood and the Spanish-bred
54 Andalusia, respectively. He scoured auctions in Belgium, culling through hundreds of horses to find the diamond in the rough. He became very adept in identifying those 4 to 5 year olds with the potential to become a champion show jumper. After training them, he sold them for a good price.
“Ignacio’s biggest asset was the way he taught. He showed me how to train horses and how to teach in a more personal way. Competing involves a lot of stress. You have to deal with the horse’s mental and emotional state as well as your own,” says he.
Echeverria dreamed of one day competing in the Grand Prix, which is the highest level that can be attained in this sport. He moved to Normandy, France to further his show jumping skills, studying with Olympian show jumper, Rutherford Latham and Jean Marc Nicolas, who had the distinction of participating in the FEI Nations View from horseback of hay field in Salisbury, CT Cup Jumping Series, equestrian’s oldest and “I got one of my Grand Prix horses from most prestigious team challenge. there,” says Echeverria. He did manage to compete at the Grand Prix in When he was 20, Echeverria moved to San the show jumping category, with two wins. But Sebastian to volunteer with a small therapeutic in addition to expert training and hard work, it riding center and work with renowned is impossible to continue at that level without trainer and show jumping coach, Ignacio some form of sponsorship or unlimited Pagola. With each of these experiences, resources, which Echeverria did not possess. Echeverria’s understanding of horses and Also, the frenetic pace proved to be too the industry increased. stressful for his horses to sustain.
Water Jump, Town Hill 2014
High Hopes - © Photo by Deb Key
“I was lucky to have horses that were able to compete, but they couldn’t do it consistently at that top level. You have to manage their soundness and morale. They were capable of doing it for a little while at demanding shows; but then they needed a break, or to do something less complicated so their will to jump stayed fresh, and they did not feel on the edge all the time,” says Echeverria.
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Imanol Echeverria at Kent - Š Photo by Deb Key
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June 30 , 2016 High Hopes riders - Š Photo by Deb Key
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View of cross country course at sunset at Town Hill Farm, Lakeville, CT
Knowing he would have more success in other areas, Echeverria became a certified instructor through the Royal Spanish Equestrian Federation so he could teach students who were interested in competitive riding. He also got involved with a sport horse breeding facility starting young horses.
“For people on the autism spectrum who have a hard time communicating with others, they start to build that up first with the horse and then with the volunteer who leads their horse,” says Echeverria.
Eventing and show jumping riders, with an emphasis on teaching both young riders and adult amateurs in a safe, friendly, and professional environment.
“I thought of this while still in Spain. I would love to have a place where the training of the horses and riders is the most important “When someone who spends most of “The not so friendly cowboy term is part of it, along with good customer their life sitting in a wheelchair looking up to called breaking them. What I did service and top-quality care for the address people is all of a sudden sitting on a horse was form a partnership with the horses. Based on my experience and horse, taking them through the looking down, psychologically that’s a huge thing. knowledge, I would like to purpose it necessary steps to eventually be towards people who want to compete All of sudden they realize they can do this. ridden. Then I took them to competiin some way locally, statewide, nationally It creates independence.” tions through six years old. At age six, I or internationally. I am actively looking for decided if they had Olympic potential and the right piece of property in the lower should move on to that, or if they should be Connecticut River Valley and shoreline,” sold for amateur riders at the lower levels,” Echeverria also works at other therapeutic says Echeverria. Echeverria says. centers in Connecticut and in Mexico, where he piloted a Spanish language workshop to For more info log onto http://www.milehighjumpers.com. Because working with horses had helped him train therapeutic riding instructors. when he was younger by keeping him out of trouble, teaching him the value of discipline He still enjoys riding competand hard work, and instilling confidence, itively; and although he built Echeverria thought others too could benefit his career around show from equine assisted activities. He went to jumping horses, here in the California to study at the Shea Center, achieving U.S. he focuses more on the Advanced Certification as a Therapeutic Eventing horse, which Riding Instructor through the Professional includes Dressage, Cross Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship Country, and Jumping in a International (PATH Int'l.). This ultimately led stadium course as opposed him to High Hopes in Old Lyme, a therapeutic to an arena. riding center for people with cognitive and/or physical disabilities. There he met his future But his main goal is to open his wife, Susan Ballek, a horsewoman in her own own equestrian center that he right and the Executive Director at the Hill- can develop into a premier Stead Museum in Farmington. training facility for competitive © Photo by Deb Key
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Kentford Farm: A Spectacular Spot, Especially for Gardeners By Carolyn Battista Photos by A. Vincent Scarano
W
hen Bill Turner and Paul Coutu acquired Kentford Farm in Old Mystic, Conn., in 1997, their friends expressed alarm. “They said, ‘You’ve lost your minds,’” Bill recalls. After all, the 18th-century farmhouse needed a lot of work, as did assorted outbuildings. The grounds were an overgrown mess. They had wanted an old house, but what really drew them were the grounds. Paul is a professional gardener, Bill is a gardening enthusiast, and they could see what was under the mess. Paul says, “As a gardener, I knew it was spectacular.” Bill says, “You could see the bones.” They set to work, clearing away mess and then building on the basic “bones” they had spotted. Their efforts have made Kentford a wonderful spot, with varied gardens, a pond and waterfall, gentle pathways and a garden shop. People who love gardening come (on scheduled tours or by appointment) to stroll, admire, visit the shop, and learn.
For decades, Kentford was a working farm, with chickens and cows, operated by the Dunn family. Thomas Dunn was a design engineer for the Nautilus, the first submarine to go under the North Pole. His wife, Charlotte,
was a serious gardener who essentially laid the framework—those “bones”—of the present gardens. Bill and Paul are grateful for her wisdom and expertise. She didn’t just plant something pretty “for instant gratification,” Bill says. “She left room for things to grow.” The property came
with pines, maples, willows and other trees that had room to thrive. “There were a lot of flowering things—dogwood, weeping cherries,” Paul says, along with flower beds and other carefully thought-out plantings. But, he says, “Nature has a way of taking over.” When he and Bill acquired Kentford from the Dunns’ estate, fields and gardens had been left untended for about ten years, during which nature had definitely taken over. So, with help from family and friends, the two men began cutting, uprooting, burning (with a permit) and hauling. Meanwhile they planned and launched new projects. Bill recalls “coming to terms with long-term bittersweet, with large-scale root systems.” Paul tells of laying down sod for paths, then carefully edging the paths with any nice plants leftover from elsewhere. (“I never throw anything away,” he says.) They put in the pond and waterfall, augmented Charlotte’s plantings with new ones, and kept going. Today, the gardens include a rose arbor, a Japanese sitting garden, a fern walk, a
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67 “Lookout Point” and other features. A stillused root cellar is tucked into a hillside, old farm implements lean here and there, and bursts of color abound. “When people see our variegated willows, yellow and white, they say, ‘Oh my god!’” Paul says. Everywhere, there is something different and interesting to see. “Paul has done a good job of designing garden ‘rooms,’” Bill says. Visitors go around a bend, then find another “room”—a different garden. “Oh!” they say. “There’s more!” Paul points out the sculptures in the gardens. “We have so many. I like to blend them; you have to look closely.” Otherwise, you might miss a graceful butterfly against the bark of a tree, or a whimsical motorcyclist, made of what look like motorcycle parts. The pond is stocked with koi, and Bill sometimes tells visitors about baby koi, born right there. Unfortunately, birds of prey don’t need to be told. A grid of fishing line above the pond has deterred a resident red-tailed hawk. “It can tell that its wingspan won’t fit,” Paul says. However, the grid has not stopped blue herons. “Herons learned to walk in,” he says. Still, somehow, koi are still
there, splashes of moving color in the water. Farm buildings have also gotten attention, beginning with the removal of six-foot black racer snakes from the farmhouse basement. A crumbling old barn has been replaced by a new one, of traditional postand-beam construction, that houses the
Kentford garden shop. The farmhouse still looks much as it did when an area merchant built it for his son, a blacksmith, in the 1720’s. However, it’s a comfortable 21stcentury home, with an architecturally compatible addition. Helpers around the place include a deer-chasing Doberman named
Isabella and always, a cat or two to handle mouse control (the job the snakes used to do). Whenever they can, Bill and Paul visit Ireland and England, where they admire the beautiful gardens and also the locals’ attitude toward gardeners. “They prize gardeners!” Paul says. “Gardeners are almost kings there!” Bill, formerly director of external and legislative affairs for AT&T and its successors, now works for Market Realty LLC in Mystic. He jokes that his “meager” golf game helped him to become a diligent gardener. Paul is a certified nurseryman and a Master Gardener. (He and others in the Master Gardener program, along with Bill, started the lovely Garden of Hygienia behind the Hygienic Building in New London.) He’s been digging and pruning since his teenage years, when he worked in a cousin’s landscaping business. After a stint in the U.S.Navy, he returned to landscaping and, in 1986, launched his own business with $1,000. “Eventually, I had 12 people working for me,” he says, “but I was becoming a manager—just into the paper thing. I love the ground.” He cut back to fewer clients.
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69 Kentford occupies six acres, with one acre (probably to be a wildflower meadow) added only recently. Those acres require time and effort, in large amounts. “It’s steady work; it’s constant,” Paul says. “Why do we do it? It’s in the blood.” There are always chores, from washing bugs off leaves to mulching leaves to putting back, one by one, the stones that leaping deer knock off the property’s beautiful old stone walls. Weather takes its toll. For summer droughts, “We haul out the hoses,” Paul says, adding ruefully, “All my clients have sprinkler systems that I put in.” But at Kentford, he’s so busy gardening that he has never found time to install sprinklers. Winter storms cause damage; Paul still remembers one that felled beautiful old pines. But, he says, “When a tree comes down, it creates a whole different space.” Now, where the pines once stood, “It’s a sun garden,” full of hydrangeas and dahlias. The garden shop (open when the farm is)
offers plants and garden-related items like pots, gloves, and hydroponic gardening kits. Always, Bill and Paul offer information, advice, and lively commentary. “People ask questions,” Bill says. “Paul will be ‘finishing’ a tour, and then two hours go by. It’s important to
vegetables), and more. “Be creative. Use parsley as an edge,” he says. Bill always notes a basic principle. “You’re using nature to master nature,” he says. He also maintains that garden toil is good for you. “It’s very healthy. You’re working, bending….” For years, local gardeners and garden clubs have visited regularly, appreciating Kentford for its beauty and variety and for its owners’ good counsel. Bill and Paul often open the gardens for Garden Conservancy fundraisers, and they’re working to attract horticultural and historical groups from around Connecticut and neighboring states. “This is for real gardening enthusiasts,” Bill says.
share information.” Paul says, “People come, see what’s used. They’re on a learning curve. I’m happy to help.” He advises on color (“Yellow! You’ve got to have yellow!”), mixing (annuals with perennials, flowers with
Bill Turner and Paul Coutu
Kentford Farm, open for scheduled tours or by appointment, is in the community of Old Mystic, Conn. Its address is 297 New London Turnpike, Stonington, CT 06378; web: Kentfordfarm.com email: info@kentfordfarm.com phone is 860-572-7299.
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I N D E P E N D E N T A N D A SS I S T E D L I V I N G
You’ve always dreamed of living at the shoreline…
Now ma ke your dream a rea lit y Masonicare, Connec ticut’s most trusted provider of senior ser vices, is creating a brand new rental communit y in Mystic. This p r e m i e r c o m m u n i t y w i ll o f f e r a r a n g e o f options to enjoy casually elegant independent and assisted living at it s best. Come see a preview of what we’re building. Come see what you’ve been dreaming of. U N DE R C O NS TR U C TI O N Visit Our Sales O f fice 23 Clara Drive Mystic C T 06355 888 - 5 0 2 - 88 5 9 M A S O NI C A R E - M Y S TI C . O R G V IS I T M A S ON I C A R E - M Y S TI C . OR G T O L E A R N M OR E .
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A collaborative effort by Chris Cannon of M/BAR and Jessica Maloney of Saltwater Farm Vineyard
On Building a Wine List he owners of Saltwater Farm Vineyard in Stonington, CT have recently opened M/BAR, a coffee bar and wine bar in Mystic, CT located in a refurbished 1950s gas station, serving coffee, breakfast and lunch beginning at 7am seven days a week and transitioning into a wine bar in the evenings Wednesday thru Sunday, with a selection of international wines, craft beers, high-end spirits and a charcuterie and small plates menu. Their wine director, Chris Cannon, shares his experience in creating M/Bar’s wine list.
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Understanding wine is complicated and nuanced; it is ever-changing and fluctuates based upon vintage, region, technique and the dictates of the marketplace. Having had the opportunity to try thousands of wines, the prospect of creating a wine list was at once thrilling and overwhelming. From the onset of the project, two critical components were at the forefront: make the wine list intriguing and worldly while maintaining an inherent ease and accessibility. Our mission for M/BAR: be inclusive of all guests no matter their level of wine knowledge, from novice to expert, by simplifying the intricate world of wine while maintaining a level of sophistication. Our hope was that the craft beer drinker bringing a date to M/BAR would be comfortable ordering from our list, and equally, the couple returning from the Rhone Valley would have options that are neither prosaic nor humdrum. Working without the constraints of a predetermined regional, stylistic or cuisine-driven focus, the list developed organically with equal emphasis given to ‘everyday’ varietals like Chardonnay or Pinot Noir, as well as lesser known wines like Grüner Veltliner from Austria or a Syrah-based blend from Gigondas. Weekly tastings with co-workers (whose wine knowledge was as diverse as the clientele we are aiming to attract) made for a great sounding board and venue to present and discuss personal preferences verses what would please the majority. There were several options for the list's structure from region, flavor profile or the body of each wine. Our thought was that a categorization that put the grape varietal first and foremost ensured that guests, no matter their level of familiarity, could easily find their preference. Those who may typically order a glass of California Chardonnay can effortlessly flip through the menu and find their go-to glass while also being exposed to other, slightly more obscure Chardonnays like a Saint-Veran from Burgundy or a bone-dry Chablis. To further the idea of accessibility, included for each wine is brief description, which ensures that someone who may not have experienced a Sauvignon Blanc from the Loire Valley in France would at the very least know that this varietal has more minerality and grassiness than the grapefruit notes characteristic of a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough. Perhaps most importantly, M/BAR wanted to convey a wine culture that is fun and approachable. Too often wine is thought of as arrogant and overwrought with particular wines or producers holding prominence based upon subjective point scales and influential wine writers. In creating the wine list for M/BAR we have strived to strip away some of the wine world’s superficial veneer. After all, the most enjoyable part of the process was the stories told and topics discussed while enjoying the wine- not always wine-related creating an atmosphere we hope to replicate at M/BAR: egalitarian with thoughtful conversation amongst friends and laughter into the dark of night. Chris Cannon can also be found meandering the aisles of Cask n’ Keg wine and package store in Mystic, CT, which he also manages, guiding patrons thru an exceptional array of international wines and spirits. Each of the wines featured is available at both ventures.
OUR WINES Featured Wines Chardonnay, Chateau Montelena, Napa Valley, California This is the white wine that won the 1976 Judgement of Paris competition helping thrust California into winemaking legitimacy. Sauvignon Blanc, Henri Bourgeois, Petit Bourgeois, Loire Valley, France Fresh and crisp with a touch of grassiness. Riesling, Alfred Merkelbach, Ürziger Würzgarten Kabinett, Mosel, Germany Explore an unequivocally fantastic representation of this varietal. A dazzling complex, electric finish. Gris de Gris Rosé, Domaine de Fontsainte, Corbieres, France Incredibly quaffable Grenache Gris-based French rosé. Light but subtly complex. Sparkling Shiraz, The Chook, South Australia Well balanced and food-friendly, showing a rich, weighty texture and bright fruit on the finish. Cabernet Franc, Saltwater Farm Vineyard, Stonington, Connecticut Charming and aromatic… this fragrant red wine is flirtatious with a presence of violets, blackberries and hints of espresso bean, cardamom, tobacco and cracked pepper. Cabernet Sauvignon, Stark Conde, Stellenbosch, South Africa Small production but unbelievable value relative to quality. La Font de Notre Dame, Gigondas, Southern France A definite pleasant herbaceous quality prevails across this wine from a sophisticated Rhone appellation.
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photo by Kirsten Carbone
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Paul Partica, The Cheese Shop, Centerbrook CT
Summertime Cheese s summer continues, along with all the heat and humidity, I’m reminded of last month’s July 4th barbecue. I have to admit; barbecuing is one of my favorite things to do, but the thought of changing my opinion crossed my mind after standing 45 minutes in front of a hot grill. While others were sitting back having delightful iced cocktails and a few cold ones, I was dripping wet. Even my once ice-cold beer couldn’t compete with the heat from the smoked ribs and chicken I was grilling. It’s okay to put ice cubes in beer under these conditions, right?
A
Taking a step back from the grill, my thoughts always drift back to cheese. The story usually plays out as follows: I start with cheese. A good hour of appetizers works out fine, but soon enough it’s time to start cooking dinner. Not just yet. Another glass of wine, a couple more nibbles of cheese, maybe a few more olives, a little more charcuterie… Toss in a growing laziness and dinner is pretty much over. I’m told I am in good company with this experience. So let’s step away from the grill and consider some cool alternative summertime meals and snacks, with cheese, of course.
Feta and Watermelon This is a simple but delightfully refreshing salad that can even be served as a dessert. Start by balling or cubing watermelon in a bowl. Then add small chunks of feta. You can stop here if you want or get a little creative. Try a drizzle of balsamic vinegar or some fresh, julienned mint or basil sprinkled over top. Other ingredients pair well with watermelon and feta. Some enjoy adding fresh avocado or even a squeeze of lime juice. For a little crunch, walnuts or pecans are among my favorite add-ins.
Raclette Those who know this great Swiss dish may be a little confused with this suggestion. Traditionally, Raclette is a wintertime dish made by melting cheese in front of a hot fireplace and serving it with boiled potatoes and cornichons. The American version, lesser known, is made year-round and is especially great for summer entertaining. New Swiss-made Raclette cookers are designed with a top grill, not just for grilling cheese, but myriad other foods. Here are just some of the choices we like:
Steak Shrimp Onions Potatoes
Sausage Scallops Asparagus Onions
Pork Tenderloin Salmon Mushrooms
Chicken Peppers Bacon
These options make the meal similar to beef fondue and Raclette combined. You also add an array of different sauces and condiments such as steak sauce, balsamic vinegar, peach mango salsa, etc.
For the full Raclette effect, we often cook the ingredients on top, then place them in the heating pans. We then add cheese on top and melt it under the grill. This is a great summertime use for Raclette cookers. Everyone cooks to their desired finish and eats at their own pace. There is some prep time involved, but once completed, you sit and enjoy the meal at leisure. Fresh Mozzarella & Tomatoes A staple in most Italian restaurants, Caprese salad is so ubiquitous it is easy to overlook. But I would be remiss in my job as cheesemonger if I did not at least mention it. Toppings include fresh basil, olive oil and Balsamic vinegar. Triple Crèmes, Pears and Dessert Wines A triple crème is a soft-ripening cheese is similar to Brie, but butterfat content is increased to 75%. When in good condition, triple crèmes should be extremely soft and runny with a white, bloomy outer layer. If overripe, you will see an outside layer of brown and it will have an ammoniated taste. This condition means the cheese is ruined, spoiling any attempt at creating a great dessert. Many of these types of cheeses have been over-stabilized to provide longer shelf life for supermarkets, but in so doing have been ruined. I suggest you not look for a specific name, but rather a triple crème that is in perfect condition. There are many cheeses I no longer carry because of over-stabilization. The triple crèmes I do buy are a result of their condition, not their name. This is really a classic instance of a cheese to try before you buy. The other part of this pairing is the wine. Be careful to choose a white wine that is sweet due to grapes that have been allowed to over-ripen on the vine. This creates a preferred natural sweetness compared to a wine made with added sugar. Naturally sweetened wines can be expensive and are often hard to find. Examples include dessert wines such as French Sauterne and Barsac, German Beerenauslese and Trockenbeerenauslese, and many available Ice wines. Try to buy pears that are still a little on the firm side because you will be using them like a cracker. Spread the triple crème on the pear and be sure to follow the bite with a taste of wine. Even a dry red wine drinker like me loves this combination. Although this great combination of flavors can be served as an appetizer or anytime snack, it is truly a great dessert. In addition to pears, you can also use strawberries or other fruits. Paul Partica, The Cheese Shop www.cheeseshopcenterbrook.com
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August 1 - 31 Westbrook “Print Selections” at the Valentine H. Zahn Community Gallery at Middlesex Hospital Shoreline Medical Center. The exhibition features works by members of the Printmakers’ Network of Southern New England. 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. August 1 - 31st Shoreline Color~Paintings by Cora Howard. Cindy Stevens fine Art is excited to be featuring watercolors by longtime Clinton artist Cora Howard. Cora is currently 96 years old, and her work is full of vibrant, fresh color and energy. Cora has been painting since she was 5 years old and studied at Cooper Union in New York. She has exhibited in many local juried shows and won numerous awards. Wherever she goes ( be it a beach, a dentists office, or a supermarket) she brings a drawing pad along and does a sketch of those around her. Years ago she would paint at the Clinton beach and at various other Clinton locations...a true plein aire artist. Cindy Stevens Fine Art, 30 East Main St, in Clinton. The gallery is open Tues and Thurs 12-6, Wed, Fri, and Sat 10-5, Sunday by appt or chance. For more info call Cindy Stevens at 860-304-1666, email at cindy@cindystevensfineart.com, or visit www.cindystevensfineart.com August 1- 14 New Britain Eric Aho: An Unfinished Point in a Vast Surrounding. Join the Museum in celebrating an exhibition of recent paintings by artist Eric Aho. For nearly 25 years, Eric Aho has depicted the landscape as a means to investigate and expand the boundaries of painting and personal inquiry. In this exhibition, Aho presents a suite of recent works–some on public view for the first time–that extend his painterly explorations. Approach (2012), from Aho’s Mountain Series. His monumentally scaled triptych (2016), after which the exhibition is titled, similarly depicts an icy mountain-scape, and is inspired by the British Explorer Henry Worsley, who recently attempted but failed to complete Ernest Shackleton’s aborted trans-Antarctic journey. This and other paintings—including a group of Aho’s “Landscape Portraits” (2011-present)—reflect the artist’s fascination with connecting with a person or historical moment through the process of painting. This idea is powerfully conveyed in Aho’s ongoing Continental Series (War Paintings) (2014-present), comprising over 50 individual works that trace the path of his father’s combat engineer battalion during World War II. New Britain Museum of American Art, 56 Lexington Street, New Britain, CT 06052
August 1 - 29 Old Lyme Gil Boro's Summer Sculpture Showcase 2016; Monday, August, 1, 2016 Monday 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. Studio 80 + Sculpture Grounds, 80-1 Lyme St., Old Lyme; works created by 17 sculptors are interspersed among Gilbert Boro’s own sculptures, along with works by 13 other contributing artists; through Aug. 29; sculpture grounds are open 9 a.m.-5 p.m. daily, and the studio is open by appointment; (860) 434-5957. Location: Studio 80 + Sculpture Grounds, 80-1 Lyme Street, Old Lyme, CT 06371 Contact: 860-434-5957 www.sculpturegrounds.com August 1 - September 9 Essex Essex Steam Train & Riverboat, One Railroad Avenue Essex, CT. Sunset cruises on Essex Steam Train & Riverboat in Essex CT Sunset on the Connecticut River is a beautiful and relaxing time of day. The Essex Steam Train & Riverboat already escorts thousands of passengers through the magnificent river valley during daylight hours. Now relish the splendor of the river during twilight from the riverboat, Becky Thatcher, on Friday evenings from August 1 – September 2. Fridays from September 9 – October 14, enjoy sunset plus the spectacular natural phenomenon of hundreds of thousands of Tree Swallows converging on the lower Connecticut River and swarming as a beautifully choreographed flock over Goose Island before settling in on a giant communal roost each evening just after sunset. See website for times. essexsteamtrain.com Telephone: 860-767-0103 August 3 - 28 Ivoryton Loosely based on Puccini’s La Boheme, Rent is an inspiring musical with songs that rock and stories that resonate. Set in the East Village of New York City, Rent is about falling in love, finding your voice and living for today. Winner of the Tony Award for Best Musical and the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, Rent has become a pop culture phenomenon – exuberant, passionate and joyous! Musical Arrangements: Steve Skinner Original Concept / Additional Lyricc: Billy Aronson. Musical Supervision and Additional Arrangements: Tim Weil Dramaturg: Lynn Thomson. Rent was originally produced in New York by New York Theatre Workshop and on Broadway by Jeffrey Seller, Kevin McCollum, Allan S. Gordon and New York Theatre Workshop. Rent is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI). All authorized performance materials are also supplied by MTI. www.MTIShows.com. Email info@ivorytonplayhouse.org Box Office Phone: 860.767.7318
AUGUST EVENTS
August 1 - 30 Madison Transformation. Gallery One, an intentional community of artists whose common bond is a commitment to each artist realizing his/her individual voice, presents Transformation, in which Gallery One’s artists have chosen works that align with The Mary C. Daly’s mission of exhibiting art that “…expresses a powerful connection to creation in all its forms.” Opening reception on Sunday, July 17 from 2-4pm. Gallery hours are Monday through Saturday, 9am-4:30pm. Mercy by the Sea, Mary C. Daly, RSM Art Gallery, 167 Neck Road in Madison. 203.245.0401 or 860.575.9113.
AUGUST EVENTS
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August 4 Westerly At ACGOW. Guitarist Wendy Eisenberg, Trumpeter Joe Moffett, Saxophonist Nathaniel Morgan, and Bassist Zach Rowden Present Original Works: Music Focusing on the Intimate Medium of the Solo Show. On Thursday, August 4, 2016 at 7:30 PM four musicians from New York, Hartford, and Boston will each present a performance at the Artists' Cooperative Gallery of Westerly. Guitarist Wendy Eisenberg, trumpeter Joe Moffett, saxophonist Nathaniel Morgan, and bassist Zach Rowden will perform original works in an evening of music focusing on the intimate medium of the solo show. Zach Rowden specializes in the acoustic and performance possibilities of the upright and electric basses through exploitative methods. He is from Richmond, Virginia and currently based in Hartford, Connecticut. Wendy Eisenberg is a guitarist, banjo-player, vocalist and electronic musician who negotiates the fine line between composition, improvisation, and noise. Using the languages of free jazz, new music, heavy metal and art song, her music poses and exposes the questions surrounding the human body in the world and the representational demands placed on it in artistic practice. Her music can be found at wendyalembic. bandcamp.com, birthinghips.bandcamp.com, and soundcloud.com/wjeisenb. New York-based trumpeter and improviser Joe Moffett approaches his work with a keen interest in unconventional sounds and forms, collective composition, solo instrumental performance, and the intersection of words and music. He is involved in a number of projects including improv trio Earth Tongues and art song duo Twins of El Dorado. His material appears on Neither/Nor, Underwolf, Eh?, NotTwo, and Prom Night Records. Saxophonist and composer Nathaniel Morgan has been an active participant in New York City’s improvised music scene for almost a decade. His current projects include Darkminster, Vavatican, Yolt and Jason Ajemian’s Folklords. Nathaniel is co-founder and member of the new music label Prom Night Records. Tickets for the performance are $20 at the door. The Artists’ Cooperative Gallery of Westerly is located at 7 Canal Street in downtown Westerly, RI. The Gallery is open Wednesday through Saturday 11AM to 7PM and Sunday, 1-5PM. Please call 401-596-2221 or visit www.westerlyarts.com or our Face Book page for information about the show, ACGOW and its artists. Artists’ Cooperative Gallery, 7 Canal Street, Westerly, RI 02891
August 5 - September 17 Madison Vincent Giarrano - City Life. Please join us and meet the artist Vincent Giarrano at our opening reception on Friday, August 5 from 5pm to 8 pm. 30 new works by realist painter Vincent Giarrano highlight contemporary life in NYC with interior and exterior landscapes of SoHo, the East Village, and Brooklyn. “The city has an energy, an edge, and a mood that I find fascinating. I enjoy painting people from different walks of life; established professionals, socialites, young people just starting out. I love the gritty side of NYC, and enjoy the character of it; cast iron buildings, graffiti, messy interiors, etc. Those things speak about real life. The truth and sincerity of life is what I’m interested in painting says artist Vincent Giarrano. Susan Powell Fine Art is located at 679 Boston Post Road in Madison, CT. Gallery hours open Tuesday – Saturday, 11 am to 5 pm, and anytime by appointment. For more information and to view the show online visit www.susanpowellfineart.com or call 203-318-0616.
August 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 Thursday, August 11, 2016 7pm 9pm featuring The Grays. The Grays is an original jazz-funk music project, which mixes electrified gypsy jazz with oddtime tribal funk beats. They offer deep grooves and dynamic improvisation for listening as well as dancing, and encourage audience participation. the grays.bandcamp.com. We have a special Friday night concert on Friday, August 19 from 7pm-9pm with jazz great and vocalist Michelle Walker and Opius Bliss. With their wide-ranging, eclectic and roots-oriented approach to making music, the new indie power group Opius Bliss defies categorization, leaving audiences fully enthralled. Rearranging harmonies of familiar tunes, the members of Opius Bliss dive into an exploratory musical narrative. http://michellewalkerjazz.com. On Thursday, August 25 from 7pm to 9pm with Jen Lowe and the Firefly Band. As an Americana artist, Jen's stage presence, songwriting, and musical ability have instantly captured audiences from state to state. Her lovelorn poetic verses and catchy choruses will remain in your head, illuminating and fluttering, like fireflies in a mason jar, long after the last note is played. http://www.jenlowe.com $20 donation - BYOB - Outdoor Bistro Style Seating in the Amphitheater. Inside the Gallery if inclement weather. Sorry, no pets allowed. For more information call 860-526-2077 or log on to www.nilssonstudio.com/events/concerts_in_the_garden/index.html August 14,16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21 New London National Theatre of the Deaf Returns for 5th TIP Summer at the Hygienic Art Park in New London. Monte Cristo Cottage, New London CT: The National Theatre of the Deaf is happy to announce its 5th Summer Season of TIP (Theatre Immersion Program) at Hygienic Art Park in New London, CT with seven performances of their newest Deaf family-oriented production It’s in the Bag on August 14-21, 2016. These performances are funded in part by a grant from the Ensworth Charitable Foundation, the Frank Loomis Palmer Fund, Bank of America, N.A. Trustee, The City of New London Water Authority Community Fund and a generous contribution by Hygienic Art. “We are thrilled to be returning as part of the New London Cultural Arts scene,” said Ms. Beekman, “This is our fifth collaborative partnership with Hygienic Art and to continue to receive funding from the community is a testament to the bond between NTD and The City of New London.” It’s in the Bag is an new theatrical piece composed of classical stories and original material developed by NTD Executive Director, Betty Beekman featuring the NTD acting company; Beth Applebaum, Christina Cogswell and Roberta Forero assisted by the 2016 Summer TIP company of 15 high school students selected from 10 states. About: It’s in the Bag. What’s in the bag? Discover a mystery story, fables, tangram puzzles, improvisations, and much more! Starting with Knowing the Ropes, NTD challenges our actors to crate shapes, twists and turns with ropes to teach signs. Have fun with the National Theatre of the Deaf as we combine visually exciting American Sign Language with the Spoken Word to create a performance that will be seen, heard, and long-remembered! Each performance of It’s in the Bag is approximately 50-55 minutes in length and will be performed simultaneously in ASL and the spoken word. Performance Schedule for It’s in the Bag at Hygienic Art Park. Sunday, August 14 – 1:30 pm - Tuesday, August 16 – 1:30 pm Wednesday, August 17- 1:30 pm - Thursday, August 18 – 6:00 pm Friday August 19 – 1:30 pm - Saturday August 20 – 1:30 Sunday, August 21 – 1:30 pm The performances are free to the public. The Hygienic Art Park is located at 79 Bank Street in Downtown New London, Connecticut. For more information about NTD/LTD log on to www.ntd.org. To contact the NTD offices call 860-5749063, VP (video phone) 860-607-1338