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“Lost & Found” Exhibition Opening Reception and Juror’s Talk at The Umbrella Arts Center

December 7, 2022/0 Comments/in Arts, Celebration, Concord, MA, free, speaker, Umbrella Community Center /by pollymeyer

On view in The Umbrella Main Gallery, Lost and Found is a group art exhibition that presents a diverse array of artists transforming found objects into artworks. To celebrate the opening of this exhibition, a Juror Talk and Artists Reception will be held Sunday, December 11, 4PM, FREE and open to the public.

Juror Jessica Straus calls the exhibition “a praise-song to the ordinary. Lifted out of the continuum of daily life these objects have come to represent the complexities and richness of the human condition. Ranging from whimsical to haunting, the 3D artworks in this collection examine our relationships with familiar, unfamiliar and defamiliarized things, and beg the question…might objects have souls?

“The artist’s love affair with found objects may have begun a few hundred years ago with the ‘Wunderkammer’,” Straus posits. “In these Cabinets of Curiosities, beautiful, soulful objects were amassed and lovingly arranged in a way that elevated their status” and gave them new life. Inspired by how fine artists of the early 1900s such as Picasso, Schwitters and Duchamp could incorporate objects physically within works of art, Straus is interested in an artist’s sensation of an object “beckoning to them; asking to be used and even rescued.”

It’s that allure or “pull” that marks the artworks in Lost and Found, and the sense the artists have a deep connection to the object, and are helping it tell its story.

The impressive lineup of artists – many of whom are widely exhibited members of the NE Sculptors Guild – include Christopher Abrams, John Anderson, Lisa Barthelson, David L. Black, Linda Bond, Jessica Burko, Laura White Carpenter, Jeanne Ciravolo, Merill Comeau, Thomas A.D. Cornell, Daniela DesLauriers, Russell Dupont, Yvonne C. Espinoza, Laura Evans, Audrey Goldstein, Nicholas M. Goodhue, Jared Green, Peter Decamp Haines, Joe Hedges, Shira Karman, Cynthia Katz, Lisa Kellner, Michelle Lougee, Billy T. Lyons, Steve Novick, Jeanne Williamson Ostroff, Ponnapa Prakkamakul, Abbie Read, Emily Rose, Robert Rovenolt, Marilu Swett, Caron Tabb, Martha Wakefield, Leslie Wilcox and Carolyn Wirth.

The exhibition is on view through December 30, 2022 at The Umbrella Arts Center at 40 Stow Street in Concord Center.  Gallery hours are 10AM-9PM, 7 days a week.

See TheUmbrellaArts.org/Lost-and-Found

https://www.livingconcord.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/LostandFoundJessicaStraus600x400.png 400 600 pollymeyer https://www.livingconcord.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/imgpsh_fullsize_anim-300x81.png pollymeyer2022-12-07 13:03:572022-12-07 13:06:48"Lost & Found" Exhibition Opening Reception and Juror's Talk at The Umbrella Arts Center

The Umbrella presents a major, interdisciplinary collaborative event between the Performing Arts and Gallery programs

May 24, 2022/0 Comments/in Arts, Umbrella Community Center, Uncategorized /by pollymeyer

The Colored Museum — which will be a major, interdisciplinary collaborative event for us, between the Performing Arts and Gallery programs.

Get your tickets now – The Colored Museum  is running until June 5th – Friday, Saturdays and Sunday matinees.

 

Production images credited to Gillian Mariner Gordon

The Exhibit is on display free & open to the public until June 30th!

 

 

 

 

https://www.livingconcord.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/coloredmuseumimage.jpg 355 355 pollymeyer https://www.livingconcord.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/imgpsh_fullsize_anim-300x81.png pollymeyer2022-05-24 21:26:472022-05-25 09:27:39The Umbrella presents a major, interdisciplinary collaborative event between the Performing Arts and Gallery programs

IT’S TIME TO REGISTER FOR SUMMER CAMP!

February 22, 2022/0 Comments/in Arts, Concord, MA, nature, Sports, summer camp, Umbrella Community Center, writing /by pollymeyer

SUMMER ARTS UNDER THE UMBRELLA 2022

Create Summer Memories through Arts Programming!

Summer Vacation 2022 is the perfect time for your child to engage in active creative pursuits! Our energy-rich camp environment located in the heart of historic Concord, will have your child enjoying a variety of artistic disciplines such as: Drawing & Painting, 2D & 3D Mixed-Media, Ceramics, Arts & Environment, Woodworking, Performing Arts and MORE!

Learning, growing, and experimenting through art is at the heart of what we do at The Umbrella Arts Center. For Summer 2022, we are prepared to continue this mission through offering a variety of Summer Programs:

  • The Umbrella Arts Camp – In-person Summer Camp at The Umbrella (Full Day & Half Day Options)
  • The Umbrella Performing Arts Camp – In-person Performing Arts Camp at The Umbrella (Full Day 2 Week Program)
  • Arts & Rec – In-person Arts & Rec Full Day Program: morning at Concord Rec & afternoon at The Umbrella

 

As of February 2, 2022, The Umbrella Arts Center is not requiring proof of vaccination for the COVID-19 vaccine for youth between the ages of 5-17 enrolled in programming. The Umbrella Arts Center strongly recommends and encourages that all youth enrolled in programming are fully vaccinated for COVID-19. This policy is subject to change at any time and proof of vaccination may be instituted at any time based upon guidelines by state & local health authorities. For more detailed information on our Covid-related Camp Policies please click here.

Registration is now open!

 


CONCORD RECREATION

Providing the finest day camp experience for your family since 1980, the Concord Recreation Department proudly announces another summer of high-quality summer camps for residents and non-residents ages 3-14.
Our fun and educational camps options include full day, half day, sports, and specialty camp options. The staff at Concord Recreation offers a safe, nurturing environment where a child can experience physical, social, emotional, and cognitive growth while engaged in fun recreational activities. Our talented, energetic, and caring summer staff are all First Aid/CPR certified. Our camps comply with regulations of the Massachusetts Department of Public Health and are licensed by the Concord Board of Health.
Our camps are the best value in town! Concord Recreation offers something for everyone with our wide variety of offerings including our full and half day camps, Trekkers Teen Travel Camp, Three Rivers Inclusion Program, extended day options, and specialty camps. Join us for another summer of fun!
  1. Kaleidoscope Kids (Ages 3-5)

  2. Camp Three Rivers: Entering K-9

    View all that Concord Recreation has to offer for campers ages 3-12.

  3. Independent Camps & Programs

  4. Registration & Required Forms

    Printable forms available or register online.

  5. Summer Employment Opportunities

  6. Summer Arts and Rec

    This Camp begins the day with a traditional camp experience at The Emerson Field with Concord Recreation and then the second half of the day is with the Umbrella Arts. Registration is through the Umbrella. Dates to be determined.

REGISTER HERE!

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SUMMER FENN 2022

Summer Fenn is where you’ll find kids unplugged, active and outdoors. It’s a place where they are warmly welcomed each morning by familiar faces and new friends, and returned home with memories to cherish… A place where every child can try new things, make new connections, and feel valued just as they are.
Summer Fenn is where kids thrive.

REGISTER NOW!

2022 Season dates: June 27th- August 19th
Camp Hours are 9am-3:45pm
(Extended Day begins at 7:45am and ends at 5:45pm)

Base Camp Session Dates:
Session 1 = June 27-July 8
(no camp July 4th, this session is discounted)
Session 2 = July 11-22
Session 3 = July 25-August 5
Session 4 = August 8-19

Summer Fenn Pandemic Policies

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CONCORD ACADEMY SUMMER CAMP

Concord Academy Summer Camp is located in historic downtown Concord, Massachusetts, on the campus of Concord Academy, the renowned independent high school. CA Summer Camp mirrors the mission of Concord Academy: a community animated by a love for learning, enriched by a diversity of backgrounds and perspectives, and guided by a covenant of common trust.

Concord Academy Summer Camp Digital Brochure

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TARGET SOCCER

Target Soccer Academy was founded in 2008 by three of the top high school coaches in Eastern Massachusetts. Our mission is to train players to give them the skills to be competitive at the next level. Our high school programs are designed to address weaknesses that we have found in our players who are playing at the highest level. The high school season is primarily devoted to team dynamics and tactical training, so we have designed a training program that focuses on fitness and technique to help players improve in these crucial areas during the off-season. We believe that this summer program will allow the players to reach their maximum potential during try-outs, and through the rest of the rigorous high school season.

 

We have designed our youth day camp with a more holistic approach to expose younger players to the technical and tactical requirements for playing on town, travel, and school teams. Most importantly, we believe that soccer should be fun and this is always paramount in anything that we do.

Camps Overview:

​

High School Boys’ Summer Clinics

Who: Boys who will be entering the 7th – 12th grades in the (Fall of 2022)

When: Tuesdays and Thursdays, June 14th – July 28th

Where: Concord and Wakefield Locations

Time: Concord: 5:00 – 7:00 pm

           Wakefield: 5:00 – 7:00 pm

Cost: $340.00

​

Week Long Boys’ Summer Camps:

Who: Boys who will be entering the 1st–10th grades (Fall of 2022)

When: Monday – Friday, August 1st – August 5th

Time: 9-12:00 pm for 1st- 2nd, 9-3:00 pm for 3rd-10th Graders

Cost: $425; $250 for 1-2 grade half day program

Location : Concord-Carlisle High School

Week Long Girls’ Summer Camps:

Who: Girls who will be entering the 1st–10th grades (Fall of 2022)

When: Monday – Friday, August 1st – August 5th

Time: 9-12:00 pm for 1st- 2nd, 9-3:00 pm for 3rd-10th Graders

Cost: $425; $250 for 1-2 grade half day program

Location : Concord-Carlisle High School

Led by the CCHS Varsity Girl’s Coach Peter Fischelis

High School Boys Preseason Academy:

Who: Boys who will be entering the 9th – 12th grades in the (Fall of 2022)

When: Monday – Thursday, August 8th – August 11th

Where: Concord and Wakefield Locations

Time: 5:00 – 8:00 pm

Cost: $160.00

​

High School Girls Preseason Academy:

Who: Girls who will be entering the 9th – 12th grades in the (Fall of 2022)

When: Monday – Thursday, August 15th – August 18th

Where: Concord-Carlisle Regional High School

Time: 5:00 – 8:00 pm

Cost: $160.00

REGISTER HERE

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STARS CAMP

Full-sized turf field Expansive grass fields for multisport

Full-Day: 9am – 3pm
Half-Day Morning: 9am – 11:45am

All campers receive a Star Camps t-shirt and individual photo!

PROGRAM COSTS:

$475 for full-day sessions

$350 for half-day sessions

$50 non-refundable deposit is due upon registration

For registrations submitted before March 31st, a $50 discount is applied for each week of camp.

For a camper who signs up for 3 weeks, there is a $50 discount and for a camper who signs up for 4 weeks there is a $100 discount.

Scholarships are considered upon request. Please contact us for details. 

Two gyms with 6 hoops each       Baseball and softball diamonds

EXTENDED DAY PROGRAM:

Due to COVID-19 protocols, we are unsure as to whether or not we will be able to offer the Extended Day program for the 2022 season. However, over the spring months as guidelines change, we will revisit this decision and will communicate any changes to our current offerings.

Turf field

LOCATION:

All sessions take place at The Concord-Carlisle High School in Concord, MA. The spacious, air conditioned building is home to our two gyms, lunch room, nurses office and camp office. We also make use of the various baseball, soccer and football fields, as well as the newly built turf field.

Spacious fields

REGISTER ONLINE

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CONCORD YOUTH THEATRE

Check back for updates

Summer Stock Troupe

This fun and in depth workshop is sure to sharpen your performance skills. Under the direction of Carly Evans, students will be coached in character development, improvisation, voice and movement as they rehearse a well known play. The session will culminate in a performance for friends and family.

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THOREAU CLUB

TRADITIONAL CAMP

An engaging outdoor traditional day camp nestled on 35 wooded acres in historic Concord, MA, where the spirit of Henry David Thoreau lives on as we focus on simplicity by providing a perfect blend of traditions, friendships, character development, recreational program instruction and fun.

Since 1951 Camp Thoreau has been fostering youth development by building confidence, teamwork, responsibility and friendship in our campers. We pride ourselves on a truly unique and fulfilling camp experience.

Standing the Test of Time:

For over 70 years Camp Thoreau has offered a comprehensive, multi-faceted full day program filled with traditional camp elements seamlessly blended with modern, engaging activities. Traditional camp serves children entering Pre-K (campers must be 4 years old by the start of their session) through rising 8th graders.

Campers begin every day with Opening Council, where they will learn traditional Camp Thoreau songs and games that have been passed down from campers spanning generations. Their day will then be spent rotating through age-appropriate, progressive program areas, which include:

  • Archery
  • Arts & Crafts
  • Drama
  • Field Sports
  • Tennis
  • Nature
  • Outdoor Adventure Skills
  • High and Low Ropes Challenge Course
  • Periodic session-specific special events

Swimming

In addition to these activities, campers will participate in a daily Red Cross swim lesson as part of our Camp Thoreau Swim School.  At Camp Thoreau we believe it is imperative for every child to be safe and feel confident in the water, and our progressive lessons – led by Red Cross-certified Water Safety Instructors and held in our two camp-dedicated swimming pools – aim to teach every child the fundamental skills necessary for safe aquatic experiences. Campers will also have an afternoon free swim period approximately 2x per week in addition to their daily swim lesson.

CAMP S’MORE

Camp. Swim. Tennis. Eat. Repeat! Camp S’more is the perfect introduction to the Camp Thoreau experience. With caring, enthusiastic counselors leading the way, campers enjoy days packed with a variety of activities that ensure everyone has fun, makes friends and enjoys the great outdoors!

Activities include:

  • Tennis lessons (up to 3x per week, weather permitting)
  • A taste of some of the traditional program areas at Camp Thoreau, such as archery, arts & crafts, drama, nature, sports and more!
  • Daily Red Cross swim lesson through our Camp Thoreau Swim School

Camp S’more serves campers ages 4 through rising 2nd graders.

Register Here

JUNIOR TENNIS CAMP

Tailored for players ages 7-17 who are building their tennis foundation, The Thoreau Club’s Junior Tennis Camp offers participants a fun, challenging, and supportive environment. Players benefit from engaging and effective tennis drills taught in small groups and led by our renowned USPTA staff, with an overall program designed to improve skills and boost athletic performance.

Players are also given the opportunity to enjoy field sports and a free swim period at Camp Thoreau.

Weekly sessions are offered, with full and half-day options available.

Please note that Junior Tennis Camp is conducted at The Thoreau Club, next door to Camp Thoreau.
For any questions regarding Junior Tennis Camp, please contact Katie Wiking at katie@thoreau.com

REGISTER HERE


MUSICAL THEATER EXPERIENCE

For over 25 years, Elaine Jarvis and Jen Jarvis and the Musical Theater Experience staff have offered children the opportunity for children in grades 1-5 to learn and then perform for family and friends, an age appropriate version of both original and well known musicals. Emphasis is on building self-confidence and self-esteem. No auditions or experience is necessary and everyone gets a part, along with singing and dancing.

Musical Theater Experience has been offering  a summer program in Concord for over 20 years! We have a great time rehearsing for our production which we perform for family and friends on the last day of the program! We also do arts and crafts, dancing games, theater games and more! Open to all! No experience necessary. Everyone gets a part with lines, singing and dancing! Participants always say some of their favorite parts of the program are making new friends and performing a show!
Musical Theater Summer
Register Activity Ages Grades Days Date/Time Fees
 
   Log In The Sound of Music  N/A 1 – 6 MTuWThF 08/15/2022 – 08/26/2022
09:00 AM – 12:00 PM

CCHS Auditorium
$420.00 Res, $420.00 Non-Res
 
   Log In Singing in the Rain  N/A 6 – 10 MTuWThF 08/15/2022 – 08/26/2022
02:00 PM – 04:30 PM

CCHS Auditorium
$385.00 Res, $385.00 Non-Res

 

REGISTER NOW!

https://www.livingconcord.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/umbrellasummer2022-4.jpg 400 1600 pollymeyer https://www.livingconcord.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/imgpsh_fullsize_anim-300x81.png pollymeyer2022-02-22 12:23:352022-02-23 09:27:04IT'S TIME TO REGISTER FOR SUMMER CAMP!

Umbrella Presents “The Old Man and The Old Moon”

November 9, 2021/0 Comments/in Umbrella Community Center, Uncategorized /by pollymeyer

Epic Sea-Faring Musical Continues Umbrella Stage Season
Spectacular Stagecraft, Musical Storytelling, Makes for a Rousing Adventure

 

Adventure lovers of all ages are invited to set sail on a high-energy, family friendly epic that combines live, narrative folk music, puppetry, and theatrical effects for a unique, fantastical theater experience as The Umbrella Stage Company continues its 2021/2022 season with the The Old Man and The Old Moon, Nov. 12 – Dec. 5!

 

The Old Man has kept his post as the sole caretaker of the moon for as long as he (or his wife, the Old Woman) can remember. When she is drawn away by a mysterious melody sparking memories of their shared past, the Old Man must decide between duty (and routine) and love (and adventure). Luckily for audiences everywhere, he chooses the latter, and what follows is an imaginative sea-faring epic, encompassing apocalyptic storms, civil wars, leviathans of the
deep, and cantankerous ghosts, as well as the fiercest obstacle of all: change. Hailed by The New York Times as “a story of time and tides and quests, the sort of fable on which mythologies and religions are founded,” The Old Man and The Old Moon is a fantastical tale with rollicking folk music by the innovative PigPen Theatre Co., and “asks us to appreciate the finer arts of wild storytelling, while speaking to the childish mind in all of us.”

“We are thrilled to bring The Old Man and The Old Moon to The Umbrella this season,” said Producing Artistic Director Brian Boruta. “As we planned our return to the stage, I wanted to find stories that were uniquely theatrical. The beautiful, yet simple stagecraft and the way the story is told harkens back to the very beginnings of theater itself – how do we create something out of nothing? Audiences of all ages will be left feeling that this story was meant to be seen in
a theater, and experienced live and in person.”

 

Directed by the award-winning Julia Deter, it stars Jonathan von Mering*, Gregory Boover*, Emily Serdahl*, Jennie McGuinness, Jay McCarthy, Kayla Shimizu, Lily Steven, Griffin Ostrowski and Erica Risti, each of whom also play instruments, and features dazzling sets, lighting, and stagecraft to tell an unforgettable story of love and devotion.

 

ABOUT THE SEASON
The Old Man and The Old Moon will be presented at The Umbrella Arts Center’s MainstageTheater144, 40 Stow Street, Concord, with limited seating capacity to allow for optimal social distancing. Facemasks are mandatory, and proof of full vaccination or negative Covid test is required for attendance.

The 2021-2022 season lineup also includes: an updated, relevant new presentation of the satirical The Colored Museum; an original world premiere play commission created by Hortense Gerardo; and the joyous musical comedy Head Over Heels, from the visionaries behind Hedwig and the Angry Inch and Avenue Q, fueled by music from the Go-Gos.

Buy tickets today!

$10 off tix to The Old Man and The Old Moon Nov 12-14 shows booked online – Use Code MOON10

https://www.livingconcord.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/oldman3.jpg 714 1067 pollymeyer https://www.livingconcord.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/imgpsh_fullsize_anim-300x81.png pollymeyer2021-11-09 08:59:012021-11-10 10:52:31Umbrella Presents "The Old Man and The Old Moon"

Must See: 2021 Art Ramble “Something in the Air”

October 5, 2021/0 Comments/in Arts, Climate, Concord, MA, Umbrella Community Center /by pollymeyer

2021 Art Ramble
Something in the Air

September 1 – November 14
Hapgood Wright Town Forest

Hours: 30 minutes before sunrise to 30 minutes after sunset

Artist Reception: Friday, September 17, 4:30-5:30PM
Rain Date: Friday, September 24, 4:30-5:30PM

Curated by Laurie Bogdan and Kimberley Harding

The Umbrella Arts & Environment Art Ramble 2021 will be an outdoor art installation in the Hapgood Wright Town Forest in Concord, MA, from September 1 – November 14 in collaboration with Concord’s Division of Natural Resources (CDNR), supported in part by the Foundation for Metrowest.

In keeping with this year’s thematic focus on “Air,” the 2021 Art Ramble “Something in the Air” Call for Art recognizes that Air is invisible and yet essential to life. Its quality affects our quality of life, as well as that of all living things. Our call seek works that illustrate human, animal and botanical interactions with air, and encourage exploration of the atmospheric aspects of the Hapgood Wright Town Forest.

The result was an exceptionally strong slate of regional artists creating what the curators call an exhibition marked by “drama, mystery, change, or movement”.

Art Ramble Artists

Paul Angiolillo – Breathing (9) | [audio]

Laurie Bogdan and Kimberley Harding – Ethereal Dreamer (7) | [audio]

BARD (Barbara Ayala Rugg Diehl) – In and Out (2) | [audio]

Johanna Finnegan-Topitzer – Air Currents (3) | [audio]

Jennifer Fuchel – Up in the Air (8) | [audio]

Jude Griffin – The Luna Moth Life Cycle (5) | [audio]

Liz Helfer – Foggy Morning (15) | [audio]

 

Martha Heller – The Shutter Dresses (4) [audio]

Janet Kawada – Collected Breath (13) | [audio]

Silvina Mizrahi – Every breath you take (12) | [audio]

Nilou Moochhala – The In-Between Series (10) | [audio]

Lisa R. Nelson – Waves of the Aerial Sea (6) | [audio]

Melissa Shaak – Forest Air (11) | [audio]

Rebecca McGee Tuck – Airing out the House (14) | [audio]

Kiyomi Yatsuhashi – Windblown (1) | [audio]

Paul Angiolillo – Breathing (9)
Wood, paint
Bio
Paul Angiolillo studied wood carving with Boston-based sculptor Joseph Wheelwright and stone carving with Peter Smith (Princeton NJ). He makes indoor sculptures, outdoor pieces, and furniture art. Paul first took up sculpting as an avocation, while also working as a journalist and an editor, after getting an undergraduate degree from Yale U. in literature and Humanities. He works in mainly wood, stone, and other natural materials, as well as some salvaged objects. Experimenting with both representational and abstract forms and styles, he often gravitates toward the semi-organic–plant, animal, and human–as well as whimsical interpretations of common objects. His sculptures can be seen in art and craft exhibits, outdoor shows, fine-art centers and galleries, and museum gift shops.
www.paulangiolillo.com
Artist Statement
Breathing is made up of two tall, animal-like figures, salvaged from parts of trees that I flipped upside-down, creating long necks and upturned heads sniffing the air. They’re semi-abstract interpretations of forest denizens who’re catching a scent or enjoying the breeze. You’re invited to pause with them, view them as wood carving sculptures, and look up with them at the sky and forest canopy–like them, smelling, tasting, and listening to the environment.
[audio]

Laurie Bogdan and Kimberley Harding – Ethereal Dreamer (7)
Fused plastic, hand-dyed round reed, wire, thread
Laurie Bogdan Bio
I am a collage artist from Arlington MA. I am involved in the growth of ArtLinks, a local arts networking group and have contributed to a variety of public art and environmental projects. In a world where many ordinary objects and books are tossed away or not appreciated, I try to find a way to reimagine and bring new life to them.
yourturnart.blogspot.com
Kimberley Harding Bio
Weaving sculptures using basketry techniques in my Arlington, MA studio feels primeval to me, both in the sense of belonging to an immensely early period of human history and as well as instinctive. I thrive on the connection I feel with the natural world and ancient peoples as I weave, while striving to connect with a modern audience with my commentary on personal, societal, and environmental issues. My work has been shown in galleries throughout Massachusetts, as well as in Basketry+ magazine and online exhibitions.
Artists Statement
Living most of her life below the surface of the water, the dragonfly transitions into a being of the air at adulthood. With her agile flight and iridescent wings, she appears to be a miniscule dragon inhabiting the realms of the fairies, such as Fairyland Pond in the Hapgood-Wright Town Forest. In many cultures, the dragonfly symbolizes change or transformation. One could view this ethereal creature as a messenger who encourages us to molt off the negativity that holds us back, and to fly forth to achieve our goals and dreams.
[audio]

BARD (Barbara Ayala Rugg Diehl)– In and Out (2)
Recycled fabric and steel
Bio
Originally from Nevada, BARD (Barbara Ayala Rugg Diehl) currently works and lives in Massachusetts. She brings her diverse backgrounds into her art subject matter and processes, having received her BA in Theater and English from Brandeis University and her MA in Sustainable International Development from the Heller School for Social Policy and Management. Her attraction to mixed media stems from both her work as an environmental educator and her creative curiosity. By using found items and reusing her own objects and clothes, she both reduces waste and explores the tangibility of art. In many of her pieces she utilizes 3-D elements to redefine who can interact with visual art, adding Braille and durable interactive elements to allow blind and low-vision audience members to enjoy her work. Her art has been featured in solo and group exhibits in seven states across the country, as well as internationally in Australia.
Artist Statement
Sometimes called the “lungs” of the Earth, trees produce oxygen as well as purifying it by filtering and sequestering contaminants. This cycle of give and take between our carbon dioxide and their oxygen is like a breath itself, an essential part of our connection within ecosystems and the planet. “In & Out” explores this connection by combining human imagery with the photosynthesis process. A procession of lungs formed by leaves line the forest path, a gradient from black to green. Each lung hangs on a trunk and root system of its own, separate yet connected to the forest as a whole. Taken along this journey of air and breath, our inverse needs are demonstrated, and the project can take on new meaning either way it is experienced. From green to black demonstrates the sequestration of carbon dioxide, ammonia, nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxides, and more. From black to green is the cleaning of the air in both our rural and urban areas. Being a project of opposites or two sides of the same coin, the installation has both positive and negative undertones. On the one hand the fade to black is a stark reminder of the increasing burden we put on trees to save our air, all the while continuing to decimate their populations. While on the other hand the fade to green is an appreciation for the work trees do, and a sign of hope for a cleaner future where we work in tandem with our breathing partners. Trees and green spaces ultimately are becoming increasingly important as we work to stave off heat islands and enjoy clean air. Learn more within my Conservation Law Foundation report, and follow my art at https://barbaraayalarugg.wixsite.com/artbybard
[audio]

Johanna Finnegan-Topitzer – Air Currents (3)
Copper, enamel, wire
Bio
Johanna is a New England artist focused on wildlife and issues surrounding wildlife, particularly climate change. She creates in a variety of media from 2 dimensional gouache paintings to acrylic paintings with relief elements to 3 dimensional pieces. But always, the focus is on animals. Formerly of Somerville, MA, she was very involved with Somerville Open Studios being on the Board for 4 years and showing her work. She has been an Artist-in-Residence at Acadia National Park and Grand Canyon National Park where she took inspiration from the landscape and unique wildlife in those protected areas. She was also the recipient of a Massachusetts Cultural Council Fellowship for her 3 dimensional works. Her work has been shown in many galleries and shows in the area and she also teaches her art to others.
www.jfinnegantopitzer.com
Artist Statement
Birds depend on air currents to help them migrate long distances. The currents let them understand the direction of travel and when to leave as the seasons change. The wildfires out west create so much smoke, that migrating songbirds are thrown off course and suffocate. Last fall, hundreds of thousands of songbirds were found dead on the ground throughout the southwestern states as they migrated south. In the east, birds use the clues the currents bring to understand when to migrate north in the spring. Spring has been coming earlier and earlier so they follow the signals. However, they (and their hatchlings) often get caught in cold snaps as the season hasn’t completely changed over. Both of these events in the air can be linked to a changing climate which brings with it hotter, drier air to produce intense forest fires and falsely signal a spring not yet ready.
[audio]

Jennifer Fuchel – Up in the Air (8)
Mixed media
Bio
Jennifer Fuchel just retired from teaching graphic design at Suffolk University. She now has the time to pursue her own art interests, working in a broad range of materials from traditional to digital. Much of Jennifer’s work is inspired by her love of nature. She has been involved in several exhibitions and collaborative projects both indoors and outside. Jennifer works at home in North Cambridge, at Mudflat, and at her Vernon Street studio in Somerville.
www.niftyarts.com
Artist Statement 
Inspired by the theme ‘Something In The Air’ and by being stung by several flying insects during my 2020 installation, I started thinking about the insects around us.
Entomologists believe that the first flying creatures were insects who evolved from crustaceans 400 million years ago. Most insects that existed 280 million years ago were larger than current ones — the North American Meganeuropsis had wings 12” long! Today, the insect population is being negatively affected by pesticides, loss of habitat, etc. and this is taking a toll on these smaller creatures. Most flying insects are seen as pests (including those who stung me!), but they are an essential part of our forest’s ecosystem and the cycle of life. A reduction of insects means an eventual decrease in other animal populations.
When one takes the time to look at insects, one notices how amazing they are. Their lives are highly structured, each playing a significant role in their community. Their wings and bodies are fascinating, intricate and sometimes incredibly beautiful. I hope my art piece suggests stages of an insect’s life cycle from birth, development, to death, and makes people realize how important it is to protect them from decline for the health of our world.
[audio]

Jude Griffin – The Luna Moth Life Cycle (5)
Metal, wire, paint, leaves, twigs, beads, silk thread, papier-mâché
Bio
Jude Griffin loves arts and crafts of all kinds, but most especially public art. Her public artwork includes a street mural in Salem, MA; a painted piano sited nearby the New England Aquarium for the public to play as part of the “Play Me, I’m Yours” project; nature-inspired art mounted inside an old telephone booth in Somerville, and flash poetry on demand at Boston festivals. She was a selected artist for an innovative CSA in Cambridge: Community Supported Art, and, along with eight other artists, produced 50 pieces of art over the summer that were then “harvested” by the CSA subscribers at the end of the season.
Artist Statement
I love nature and art, and “Something in the Air” is a perfect opportunity to combine those two passions. “Luna Moth Life Cycle” takes the viewer through the life of one of our most beautiful and spectacular native moths: from egg to caterpillar to cocoon to butterfly. Luna moths, like far too many other native insects, are in steep decline due to habitat destruction, pesticides, introduced predators, and light pollution. Insects are critically important to the entire food web, including 96% of birds which feed insects to their young. Protection can take the form of chemical-free yards and parks, restoring native plants to the landscape, the reduction of lawns, and turning off our lights at night. The whimsical touches in this installation are a nod to the frequent attribution of sightings of luna moths to the presence of fairies. What better place to showcase this than Fairyland Pond?
[audio]

Liz Helfer – Foggy Morning (15)
Steel, chicken wire, nylon mesh, construction barrier
Bio
Material choice plays a critical role in my sculpture practice. I have focused on metal since 2009 because of its historical complexity and perceived value. However, I have been moving away from singular material choices and have moved into a mixed media practice that addresses our impending environmental peril. My studio is located in Waltham, MA.
http://www.elizabethhelfer.com/
Artist Statement
Foggy Morning connects the idea of rest, peace, and environmental innovation. As the planet heats up, new technologies have become increasingly important to human survival. One of these technologies pulls water directly from the air, a “fog net” that maximizes water collection from the morning dew. Foggy Morning is a pseudo fog net shaped like a large worn pillow. The pillow has many mesh layers that reveal the smaller layers within, a reflection of the complex and intersecting issues at work due to increased water scarcity.
[audio]

Martha Heller – The Shutter Dresses (4)
Bio 
Martha Heller is a self-taught textile artist living in Newton, MA, whose art practice includes mixed media art quilts, textile sculptures, wall hangings, and framed thread drawings.   Influenced by her work as a costume designer and her work with the historical costume archives at Blithewold Mansion, Gardens and Arboretum in Bristol, Rhode Island, she often creates textiles that include artistic interpretations of constructed dress garments.  Martha has exhibited in galleries and museums including The New England Quilt Museum/Lowell MA, The Mosesian Center for the Art/Watertown MA, Belmont Gallery of Art, The Kathryn Schultz Gallery/Cambridge Art Association, and The Appalachian Center for Craft/Smithville TN.  In September her work will be included in “Honoring” at the Attleboro Arts Museum in Attleboro MA.
https://www.marthahellertextileartist.com/
Artist Statement 
For the Art Ramble I have taken an installation piece called The Shutter Dresses off my garage doors and adapted it to hang in the trees by Fairyland Pond. The fabric is a painter’s drop cloth used to paint my house shutters. The striped patterns are made by the paint sprayed on the shutter slats. Some of the textile work I create uses the dress form as a starting point for the expression of themes or an exploration of materials and techniques. My “dress pieces” include outdoor installations, small tabletop sculptures, and wall hangings.
Why include The Shutter Dresses here, at Something In The Air? The various dress installations that I have created are brought to life when they catch a bit of air moving through my backyard. Who can see the wind? To see the dresses come to life reminds me that the air is moving through the yard, spreading seeds and pollen –and sometimes insects!– through the garden beds. Here at the pond, the wind can be “seen” in the trees, the grasses, the shrubs, and sometime on the surface of the water. What seeds and insects are moving through that wind today?

Janet Kawada – Collected Breath (13)
Window screening, monofilament, steel rods, paint
Bio
Janet Kawada received her BFA from Massachusetts College of Art and MFA from Vermont College. She taught at MassArt and NESAD for over 20 years and ran numerous workshops around the area in addition to curating. She is a member of the Studios Without Walls and New England Sculpture Association. Her work can be found in collections around the United States, Canada, and Japan. Kawada is included in the book, Artistry in Fiber, Volume 2, Sculpture. In her recent work she is interested in exploring the theme of place and home.
www.janetkawada.com
Artist Statement
Collected Breath represents a group that stands together in solidarity.  Made of screening, the structure demonstrates solidity through 320 pieces of screened boxes which individually would be fragile.  There is a quietness about the group as it remains stationary.  Through the wash of the color and the moray patterning of the screen itself, the viewer is invited to pause and reflect. The woods surrounding Collected Breath give it room to breathe. Wind moves around and through it. Scenery is glimpsed as air swirls or glide in and over. As the seasons change, so will the piece.  Be still, listen to the sounds of where you are.  Breathe.
[audio]

Silvina Mizrahi – Every breath you take (12)
Welded scraped steel and paint
Bio
I’m an interdisciplinary artist and art educator based in Boston. I like to work with different mediums and techniques. My work encompasses figurative bronze sculptures, abstract expressionist mixed media paintings, recycled materials sculptures (created with diverse communities) and public art. My art is a mirror of my experiences as a Latino immigrant, memories from my childhood, Jewish traditions, and my commitment to environmental causes.
Artist Statement
We need oxygen from trees to survive; without forests humanity ceases to exist. Using the fired cut technique and welding on scraped steel, I created a group of figures that represent humanity and their environment. The negative spaces on the sculpture invite the forest behind to be an active and essential part of the whole sculpture, symbolizing our intrinsic relation as humans with nature.
[audio]

Nilou Moochhala – The In-Between Series (10)
Image fabric panels, poetry
Bio
Nilou Moochhala’s visual practice has been channeled into examining issues of cultural change and transformation by juxtaposing found objects, imagery, and language to create social and political narratives – be it in public art spaces or private galleries. Nilou has been an award recipient of numerous grants including the Massachusetts Cultural Council and New England Foundation for the Arts. She was selected as the 2021 Spring Artist-in-Residence by the Arlington Commission for Arts & Culture. Her work has appeared in publications such as the Boston Globe, Print, Arlington Advocate, and Big, Red & Shiny.
https://www.niloumakes.com/
Artist Statement
These pieces rest in the spaces ‘in-between’ – between the unconscious and conscious, the liminal and formed, the past and future. What does it mean to belong to a place, to breathe fully, to immerse oneself in our environment, to have a place in the world around us? These works have been created as a response to deep meditation practices in nature, and convey the fleeting sensations of transcendence, solitude, change, beauty, love, grief…and many more. The interwoven poetry was written by collaborator/writer Francesco Fiondella.
[audio]

Lisa R. Nelson – Waves of the Aerial Sea (6)
Wood panel, watercolor and acrylic paint
Bio
Based in rural Ayer, Massachusetts, I attended Massachusetts College of Art and Design (MassArt), receiving a BFA with a major in Illustration in 1998. I later returned to my alma mater for further study and received a graduate graphic design certificate and found work as a graphic designer/event planner. During this time my work became less design-centric and lacking the creative focus that originally drew me to art school, I found myself regretting the decision to not pursue a path in visual arts. With the arrival of the pandemic, I saw my work hours reduced and was eventually laid off and determined not to let a second chance pass me by and threw myself back into my artwork. Through all this time, art had always been extremely important to me. I made sure to keep painting and being creative whenever possible and found I was never as happy as when I was in the hallowed halls of a beloved museum. Now that I am pursuing my dreams of being a full-time artist, I know that I am doing what is finally right for me. And thus, I am currently taking continuing education classes from MassArt, Fivesparks Community Arts Collaborative, deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum, as well as the Fruitlands Museum. I am a member of the Concord Center for the Visual Arts and have done illustration work for both non-profits as well as corporations. As of March of 2020, my illustrative work has also appeared in print. I am now 100% dedicated to pursuing my art wherever it takes me and finding my place as an artist.
http://painterlisa.com/
Artist’s Statement
I love maps. I have always been inexplicably drawn to them. I love what they say about a place, its history, and how it fits into our worldview. I love how they unlock the secrets to navigating our way through our world as well as finding our place within it. To understand the map of a thing is to understand that thing. This is true for buildings, parks, homes, people, animals, trees, anything and everything exists somewhere on a map. My work explores this through the creation of each map while also considering what makes each uniquely beautiful. There is so much is our world that is fleeting, and my work strives to capture and celebrate what I can before it fades from our view or morphs into something completely different. I want my art to document what was, what is, and what shall be. I do this by meticulously studying each subject and drawing and redrawing it until I find what is distinctive about it. I look for the eloquence in a meandering riverway or the forceful pace of a chaotic highway. I look for how the map can be abstracted until one is lost in the details of it and it no longer resembles a chart but more a feeling of a place. Once I find what I want my painting to focus on, I transform it into bright paint pigments transmuted by water with brushes until it becomes something uniquely mine.
[audio]

Melissa Shaak – Forest Air (11)
Acrylic cutouts on steel stands
Bio
Melissa Shaak is a Somerville, MA artist working in acrylics and mixed media on paper. Her most recent ventures include stop motion animation and video. She is a core member of Fountain Street Gallery in Boston’s SoWa Art + Design District. Her studio is located at River Street Artists/Waltham Mills.
Statement
My artmaking process is full of creative sparks and enigmatic turns, as if there were indeed “something in the air.” This is particularly true for my installation “Forest Air,” in which seven life-size cutout figures stand in a large circle. They are an ensemble, and they’ve been on a fantastic journey together—going from two dimensions to three, from paintings into space and time, and now amidst the towering trees in the cool, fall forest air. They are trustworthy personas made manifest to help us navigate and mediate the world today. Each raises a torch, or scepter, holding the light for us, signaling and leading the way. You can see the original paintings, haiku, and a video starring the cutouts on my website www.melissashaak.net.
[audio]

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Rebecca McGee Tuck – Airing out the House (14)
Steel, wire, crowd sourced plastic bags, VCR tape
Bio
Rebecca McGee Tuck is a fiber artist, a sculptor and a collector of lost objects. Her work is a visual narrative of what she accumulates from a throwaway society and as a result she gives new life to what others discard. Tuck has shown her work in multiple juried shows throughout New England including the Beacon Gallery and the Fitchburg Art Museum, and has been invited to be an Associate Member of the Boston Sculptors Gallery. She recently won the Present Tense Award from ArtsWorcester which recognizes an artist whose work exemplifies new practices, artistic risk-taking, and excellence in execution. Tuck works among her menagerie of debris from her studio at the Mill Contemporary Art Studios in Framingham.
https://www.rebeccamcgeetuck.com/
Artist Statement
We all were cooped up in our homes for over a year during the Pandemic and some must remain this way for longer. I had the idea for this sculpture from something my mother used to say. After a long winter there inevitably would be a spring cleanup of our childhood home — closets cleaned, floors scrubbed, school and work papers organized and thinned out. Part of this ritual was to open up all of the windows in the house on the first nice day, to flush out the stale air of the closed up winter. Airing out the house felt like turning the page on the short and dark days in order to make way for the fresh bright start of spring. Though we seem to have more of a mountain to climb before the end of our troubles with the virus, I have chosen to take a deep breath and exhale. I suggest to everyone: Open up your windows wide and let in the fresh clean air, spruce up, reinvigorate and revitalize your spirits to take on what comes next with renewed moxie.
[audio]

Kiyomi Yatsuhashi – Windblown (1)
Shibori and rozome wax-resist dyed cotton and silk organza, indigo dye
Bio
Kiyomi Yatsuhashi has been working with Japanese textile techniques including rozome, katazome, shibori and aizome indigo dyeing for more than 20 years. Her work includes traditional crafts such as kakejiku scrolls, kimono and yukata, as well as large scale mixed media installations, and collaborations with visual and performing artists. Yatsuhashi studied Fine Art History at Tufts University, Studio Arts (printmaking, ceramics and mixed media) at the Museum School (SMFA), and Japanese textile dyeing at Kyoto City University. She has exhibited and collaborated extensively in Japan, Korea, Germany and the United States.
Artist Statement
My textile installation Windblown reflects the flow and energy of air as seen in pattern and movement in nature. As long as I can remember, I have been sensitive to air quality, and the growing concern of its significance to our personal and environmental health. As I pass by different pathways and terrain through Hapgood Wright Town Forest, I feel the changes in the temperature and quality of the air. I hear it rustle in the trees and see it moving all around me. With my flowing textiles, I hope to heighten your sense of wonder of these natural elements which are so key to the harmony and make-up of the Earth.

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THE UMBRELLA WELCOMES AUDIENCES BACK!

September 15, 2021/0 Comments/in Arts, Celebration, Umbrella Community Center, Uncategorized /by pollymeyer

The Umbrella Stage Company returns in its 2021/2022 season with six fresh,
varied productions, including an original world premiere, staged in-person in its two recently constructed theaters at 40 Stow Street.

Halted by COVID-19 midway through its inaugural season as a professional company, the award-winning team led by Producing Artistic Director Brian Boruta has taken time this year to construct a thoughtful, balanced season to ease stage-starved audiences back into a theater experience for a tentative time.
Planning for limited capacity seating and Covid safety protocols, the season begins with an intimate staging of Audrey Cefaly’s romantic comedy, The Last Wide Open (Sep 24-Oct 10), and builds modestly from there – forgoing the large  casts of originally planned musical spectacles such as War Paint in favor of smaller, diverse and lesser known productions.

The lineup also includes: the music-rich and imaginative sea-faring epic The Old Man and The Old Moon; an updated, relevant new presentation of the satirical The Colored Museum; and the joyous musical comedy Head Over Heels, from the visionaries behind Hedwig and the Angry Inch and Avenue Q, fueled by music from the Go-Gos. Balancing out the season is an expanded
family friendly concert, Holidays Under The Umbrella, and an original play commission created by Hortense Gerardo and directed by Michelle Aguillon, who have partnered with The Umbrella on multiple pandemic projects.

NEW APPROACHES FOR A DIFFERENT KIND OF SEASON
With one exception, productions will be in The Umbrella’s new 344-seat proscenium-style mainstage at roughly half capacity to allow for optimal audience distancing from the cast and each other. The Umbrella joins a cohort of peer theaters in implementing heightened cleaning, mask mandates, fully vaccinated workplaces, and required proof of full vaccination or negative Covid test for adult attendees to protect community members.

Boruta cast the widest possible net to engage a diverse panel of Umbrella community members – performers, directors, designers, as well as board and staff members of all ages and backgrounds – to review, discuss and consult on selections that would feel meaningful, accessible and exciting to all its constituents just easing out of the pandemic.

THE UMBRELLA STAGE COMPANY PERFORMANCES

THE LAST WIDE OPEN – Sep. 24 – Oct. 10, 2021

Play by Audrey Cefaly, Music by Matthew M. Nielson , Directed by Nancy Curran Willis

Fate plays its hand in this romantic comedy that features original songs and live music. Lina, a young waitress, and Roberto, an Italian immigrant,  have been working together for years but rarely talk. If they
do, it’s from a distance or gets lost in translation. But when a late-  finds them alone in the restaurant at closing time, they find their lives intersecting in surprising and mystical ways. Over wine and conversation, they test the waters of happiness and intimacy. A love song in three movements, The Last  Wide Open imagines how the universe conspires to bring us together.

THE OLD MAN AND THE OLD MOON – Nov. 12 – Dec. 5, 2021

Play by PigPen Theater, Directed by Julia Deter
The Old Man has kept his post as the sole caretaker of the moon for as long as he (or his wife, the Old Woman) can remember. When she is drawn away by a mysterious melody sparking memories of their shared past, the Old Man must decide between duty (and routine) and love (and adventure). Luckily for audiences everywhere, he chooses the latter, and what follows is an imaginative sea-faring epic, encompassing apocalyptic storms, civil wars, leviathans of the deep, and cantankerous ghosts, as well as the fiercest obstacle of all: change.

HOLIDAYS UNDER THE UMBRELLA – Dec. 17 – 19, 2021

Directed by Sarajane Morse Mullins
The Umbrella’s beloved holiday concert returns the mainstage after last season’s virtual presentation. Familiar faces and Umbrella Stage favorites will return to sing seasonal songs and share their own holiday memories in a family friendly concert to put everyone in the spirit of the season!

THE COLORED MUSEUM – Jan. 28 – Feb. 20, 2022

By George C. Wolfe, Directed by Pascale Florestal
Serving as an elaborate satire of the prominent themes and identities of African American culture, the play is set in a fictional museum where iconic African American figures are kept for public consumption.
Told in a series of eleven sketches, each segment centers on a different “exhibit” in the museum, and serves as a small one-person play or monologue. Exploring themes of racism, stereotypes, intracommunity conflicts in black culture, and the ongoing legacy of slavery and segregation, The Colored Museum received overwhelming critical praise for its provocative subject matter and in-depth
exploration of the African American theatrical and cultural past.

A WORLD PREMIERE – Mar. 18 – Apr. 10, 2022

By Hortense Gerardo, Commissioned by The Umbrella, Directed by Michelle Aguillon
Local playwright Hortense Gerardo (Incantation) will create a brand new play specifically for The Umbrella Stage Company season. Stay tuned throughout the year for more information, sneak peeks, and special events leading up to this world premiere event

HEAD OVER HEELS – May 13 – Jun. 6, 2022

Adapted by James Magruder, Concept and Original Book by James Whitty, Music by The Go-Go’s,
Directed by Brian Boruta
Head Over Heels is the bold new musical comedy from the visionaries that rocked Broadway with Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Avenue Q and Spring Awakening. This laugh-out-loud love story is set to the
music of the iconic 1980’s all-female rock band The Go-Go’s, including the hit songs, “We Got the Beat,” “Our Lips Are Sealed,” “Vacation,” Belinda Carlisle’s “Heaven is a Place on Earth” and “Mad About You.”
A hilarious, exuberant celebration of love, it follows the escapades of a royal family on an outrageous journey to save their beloved kingdom from extinction—only to discover the key to their realm’s  within each of their own hearts.

40 STOW STREET, CONCORD MA 01742
978.37 1.0820
TheUmbrellaStage.org

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Winter Market Goes to Town!

December 17, 2020/0 Comments/in Arts, tour, Umbrella Community Center /by pollymeyer

 

Each year, The Umbrella Arts Center comes alive with festive holiday energy during Winter Market, which brings thousands of visitors to Concord during the first weekend of December. But for this extraordinary 2020 season, we’ve reimagined it as an opportunity to safely connect artisans, retail and hospitality businesses with holiday celebrants.

 

Instead of hosting a market at 40 Stow Street, “Winter Market Goes to Town” connects area businesses hosting Umbrella Artists to enliven four Concord retail districts with art. Downtown, the Depot, Nine Acre Corner, and West Concord will become a moveable festival of holiday arts, attracting shoppers and tourists from throughout the region — not just for a weekend, but throughout an extended holiday retail season!

 

Be sure to check out all of those on list (addresses list below) and see a glimpse of a few here:

 

Barbara Willis’ scarves and Lonnie Harvey’s monoprints panels are on display at Sarah Campbell in Concord Center (Photo courtesy Lonnie Harvey):

 

 

Lois Andersen’s Concord paintings are on display at Graem Nuts & Chocolate, “Winter Market Goes to Town”:

 

 

Head to Comina and you’ll see Carole Parrish’s work:

 

 

What a wonderful opportunity for our community to see & support the work of these gifted artists while also shopping local this holiday season to support our local shops.

 

 

Albright Gallery
32 Main Street, Concord, MA
Wayne Geehan
Ilse Plume

Artinian Jewelry
39 Main Street, Concord, MA
Jean Lightman

Colonial Inn
48 Monument Square, Concord, MA
Denise Kracz

Comina
9 Walden Street, Concord, MA
Carole Parrish

Concord Cheese Shop
29 Walden Street, Concord, MA
Sarah Paino

Concord Teacakes
59 Commonwealth Avenue, Concord, MA
Deb Loverd

Debra’s Natural Gourmet
98 Commonwealth Avenue, Concord, MA
Deb Richardson

Dunkin Donuts West Concord
1191 Main Street, West Concord, MA
Linda Grom

Frame-ables
111 Thoreau Street, Concord, MA
Max Payne
Hilary Taylor

Graëm Roasters
49 Main Street, Concord, MA
Lois Andersen

Joy Street
49 Commonwealth Avenue, Concord, MA
Julie Hagan

Lucy Lacoste Gallery
25 Main Street, Concord, MA
Suzanne Hill

Patina Green
59 Main Street, Concord, MA
Pierre Chiha

Sara Campbell
41 Main Street, Concord, MA
Barbara Willis
Lonnie Harvey

The Concord Museum
53 Cambridge Turnpike, Concord, MA
Paul Ruhlmann
Margaret Savage

Trail’s End
97 Lowell Road, Concord, MA
Louise Arnold
Anne Denna
Cynthia Katz

Verrill Farm
11 Wheeler Road, Concord, MA
Jill Goldman-Callahan
Carol Krauss

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Winter Solstice Celebration

December 9, 2020/0 Comments/in Arts, Celebration, Climate, Concord, MA, nature, Umbrella Community Center /by pollymeyer

Many Celebrations this Winter Solstice

 

Flickering firelight illuminates small hands gluing, weaving, and cutting. Are these elves in the North Pole? Nope, these are the kids and families participating in this year’s Winter Solstice Celebration!

 

You may recall last year’s blow-out Solstice at the Old Manse. Families, friends, and strangers who became friends gathered around the fire pit singing carols like “Deck the Hall” and “O Tannenbaum.”  Voices of the Earth, the Arts & Environment chorus, lit hundreds of candles handed out to the crowd. Everyone heartily drank warm cider and roasted marshmallows on the fire. This year, you can guess, is slightly different. We won’t be at the Old Manse. But we still plan to celebrate the Solstice! Instead of gathering in one spot on one day, we’re celebrating over many days.

 

Ninjas in Nature is hosting a Winter Ninja Festival to enjoy the freedom of running around outside and the satisfaction of building your own fire.

 

 

In our winter self-care workshop, gather what brings you warmth and joy during dark months and create reflective collage art before hibernating at home.

 

Finally, families can craft their own solstice ornaments at Concord Market. Glue, cut, and weave lily stem stars. Twist and tie fabric evergreen trees. Wrap cranberry wreaths to hang on the tree. Don’t forget to visit Concord Market and pick up some hot cocoa or cider to enjoy!

 

Join us around the community fire this Solstice for all these outdoor, winter workshops. To learn more about and sign up for our collection of Winter Solstice activities, visit the Arts & Environment class page. Who knows how you’ll light up this Winter Solstice!

 

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The Umbrella Arts Center announces new series of fall classes!

September 2, 2020/0 Comments/in Arts, Umbrella Community Center /by pollymeyer

The Umbrella @ Home Offers Flexible Online Art Class Options
#StayHome #StaySafe #StayCreative – Since its spring closure due to COVID-19, The Umbrella Arts Center has directed its energies to transforming its expansive array of arts programs – from classes, summer camps and stage productions to gala events and public festivals — into virtual, asynchronous or social-distanced outdoors formats.

For this fall, instead of emphasizing a return to in-person classes, the organization has continued to invest in and refine The Umbrella @ Home offerings, delivering virtual arts education experiences through a variety of distance-learning methods and platforms.

Using a combination of Zoom, asynchronous video demos, DIY activity kits and other tools, The Umbrella’s teachers have created dozens of course offerings for all ages in Painting, Fiber, Drawing, Design and Dance/Movement. The Umbrella’s expanded Ceramics program offers virtual and video instruction, as well as local curbside clay pickup and drop-off kiln firing services at 40 Stow Street. Performing Arts offerings range from jazz and Bollywood dance classes and private theater audition coaching. And, The Umbrella Arts & Environment program has expanded its popular outdoors arts and nature exploration programs.

To inspire its community to remain creative through the pandemic, the organization is also inviting all class participants, teachers and community artists share their favorite creations in a fall exhibition, #DiscoverYourArts Showcase.

Fall I session adult classes start as early as September 11. Explore and register for the variety of classes at TheUmbrellaArts.org/Classes or contact 978-371-0820 x204.

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The Umbrella Arts Community Center is adding many “Things to Do” in Concord Ma!

September 19, 2019/0 Comments/in Arts, Concord, MA, Umbrella Community Center /by Debbie

The Umbrella had its grand reopening this weekend in Concord MA.  It was amazing. If you weren’t able to make it, you need to stop in. The building is beautiful and The Umbrella is offering amazing opportunities for our community to enjoy the arts! 

Here are some of the highlights from the Grand Reopening:

They had many activities throughout the afternoon. These included:

  • Open rehearsals of the upcoming theater performance 42nd Street
  • A woodworking and furniture making demonstration
  • Bollywood Dance: Don’t know what this is? Contact the Umbrella to find out!
  • A weaving workshop
  • A ceramics demonstration
  • Tours of the new classrooms and Makerspace

We were able to visit many of the studio artists. They were very welcoming and we loved looking at and hearing about their work. 

If you brought your children, there were activities for all ages related to The Umbrella’s current exhibit in conjunction with the National Park Service. The Gallery contained an exhibition of works by Nicholas Mancini, the 2018-2019 Umbrella Artist in Residence. We were able to meet Jess Muise, the curator of the exhibit and Visual Arts Manager. We visited the box office where we could purchase tickets to Greater Boston’s Newest Professional Theater The Umbrella Stage Company and the upcoming Lyle Lovett Concert. And on our way out, Reasons to be Cheerful was serving ice cream in an ice cream truck, courtesy of the Umbrella. Great way to top off a great afternoon!

The Umbrella has A LOT of upcoming events so keep reading Living Concord’s weekly email so you don’t miss any of them!

If you want to mark your calendar here are some highlights:

  • September 22: Artist Demo Nancy Winship Milliken
  • September 27: 42nd Street Opens
  • October 5: Family Drop-In Activity Day

And you can always Make a Night of It in Concord! The Umbrella would like you to make the most of your night out in the historic Concord Center Cultural District. Find special Dinner-and-a-Show and Hotel partner offers from Trail’s End Cafe, Adelita, Concord’s Colonial Inn, Best Western Concord, and more at TheUmbrellaArts.org/Partner-Offers.

https://www.livingconcord.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Charcoal.jpeg 480 640 Debbie https://www.livingconcord.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/imgpsh_fullsize_anim-300x81.png Debbie2019-09-19 10:40:192019-09-24 13:08:03The Umbrella Arts Community Center is adding many "Things to Do" in Concord Ma!

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