Greater New Haven Regional Arts Calendar

Unveiled Roots shares the stories of men who have made an impact on the life

​

of New Haven-bred artist Marquis Brantley Sr. Through portrait paintings, interviews,

​

and family archives, he reveals the dynamic dimensions of Black men and boys

​

in his family.

​

Dive into the creative process of monotype printmaking using direct drawing, stencils, and masking techniques.

​

This hands-on class introduces innovative approaches to printmaking, allowing students to create bold, dynamic images with clean lines and striking contrasts. Whether you’re an artist looking to expand your skills or a hobbyist seeking a new creative outlet, this class provides the tools and knowledge to make stunning prints.

​

Students will design and customize stencils from a variety of materials and explore layering techniques in inking to create complex, multi-colored prints. Topics include working with gel plates, screen printing, and plexiglass monotypes. No prior experience is required.

​

Includes one 3-hour practice session per week during monitored practice hours.

​

The tuition for this class includes a materials fee of $20 for basic materials provided by CAW.

​

Want to try something new? Build your existing skills to grow ideas in a stimulating group of intermediate and advanced potters. Individual projects are encouraged, with demonstrations designed to inspire new ways of looking at throwing, hand-building, and overall design.

​

Pottery tool kits are available for sale in the studio for $27. Cash or check only.

​

Firing fees are $3/pound. Cash or check only.

​

Includes one 3-hour weekly practice session during monitored practice hours on a first-come, first-served basis.

​

Exhibition open Wednesday through Sunday from 10am to 4pm EXCEPT Thursday, November 28 (Thanksgiving) and Wednesday, December 25 (Christmas Day) with free parking and admission.

​

She wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. Luke 2:7

​

The Gospel of St. Luke provides the only description of where Christ was born, as it mentions him being placed in a manger. This suggests that Mary gave birth in a stable. Although many stables of this region and time period were built in caves, crèches, the three-dimensional representation of the nativity scene, have a diversity of stables and settings, including the most commonly used type of stable, an open-front wood structure. However, many artisans model their crèches after buildings and landscapes that are native to their homelands.

​

This exhibit includes a variety of crèches that showcase different examples of stables and mangers. In addition, it also highlights the creation of a handful of crèches that have settings customized to display the figures. These crèches include, the Marcel Carbonel Santons of Marseille, France, Fontanini of Bagni di Lucca, Italy, the Neapolitan crèche by Cantone and Costabile of Naples Italy, and the newest additions to our collection by United States based Navidad Nativities: the St. Francis Nativity, with figures by Ulpe Wood Art and St. Mary’s crèche with figures by Original Heide, both from Italy.

​

Exhibition open Wednesday through Sunday from 10am to 4pm EXCEPT Thursday, November 28 (Thanksgiving) and Wednesday, December 25 (Christmas Day) with free parking and admission.

​

Most of the Christians who live in Africa are in the Sub-Saharan nations (nations south of the Sahara Desert), though Christians are found throughout the entire continent. According to a Pew Study in 2018, Christianity is growing the fastest within African countries than anywhere else in the world. Christianity spread into Africa as early as the first century, particularly throughout Northern Africa, and continued right up until the seventh century, when armies practicing the new Islamic faith spread into Africa.

​

The next era of growth began in the 15th century, when many European countries, starting with Portugal, began searching for alternative trade routes to Asia. Europeans established trade posts along the western coast of Africa and sent missionaries to spread the faith. These missionaries brought their own simple plaster crèches with them, and they later enlisted the aid of local artisans to create variations reflective of their own cultures and traditions. These local artisans used native materials that were both abundant and accessible — a tradition that continues to this day.

​

In recent years, Christians in several nations within the African continent have been subjected to persecution resulting in the displacement of millions and numerous deaths. Despite this, the people’s dedication to their faith is unwavering. It is in honor of their spirit and determination that the Blessed Michael McGivney Pilgrimage Center is pleased to exhibit more than 50 works representing 23 countries across the African continent. This exhibit also explores some of the traditions and festivities that have developed throughout Africa to celebrate the season.

​

Learn the various approaches to creating metal sculptures, including welding (oxyacetylene and MIG), brazing, cutting (torch and plasma cutter), hammering, and more.

​

Includes one 3-hour weekly practice session during monitored practice hours.

​

Students should wear 100% cotton long sleeves, jeans or work pants, and closed-toe boots. No synthetic mesh, plastic, or cloth.

​

The tuition for this class includes a materials fee of $40.

​

Explore the modern and popular craft of memoir writing. Every person has a story to tell. No matter your age, education, family, or location, your life is filled with tales big and small.

​

Through workshopping and class critiques, students will explore how to shape their memories into cohesive and compelling narratives. Topics will include character development, setting a scene with vivid descriptions, authentic dialogue and emotion, building your story arc, and compelling opening sentences.

​

Bring a laptop, iPad, or pen and paper to each session. Participants will share short writing assignments each week.

​

Symphonia: Dialogues of Landscape, Ritual, and Resilience aims to explore the profound and intricate intersections of religious, ecological, and expressive themes through the works of four Chicago-based artists: Joanne Aono, Karen Azarnia, Jon Seals, and Michelle Wasson. Envisioned as an artistic conversation that transcends traditional boundaries, the exhibition is designed to encourage contemplation and dialogue, creating an immersive experience for the viewer to explore.

​

As an artist and farmer, Joanne Aono explores the intersection of nature and the cultural significance of food sovereignty across communities, drawing on humanity's historical reliance on the earth for survival. Through large drawings on agricultural fabric and small panel drawings depicting foraged foods and cultivated plants, Aono conveys themes of impermanence, the passage of time, and the interconnectedness of life, emphasizing the essential care needed for the holistic sustenance of the Earth and its elements.

​

Through painting, Karen Azarnia explores themes of time, home, memory, and natural life cycles. Navigating the delicate balance between abstraction and representation, works from her Verdant series are characterized by lushness and generosity – an act of care for the viewer. The work seeks to inspire renewal and resilience, drawing parallels between the meditative rhythms of nature and the painting process.

​

Employing a unique mixed-media approach, Jon Seals utilizes materials directly harvested from environmentally shifting landscapes. The symbiotic exchange with the soil, water, and plant life is evident in artworks created through pouring, dipping, and combining hand-drawn and painted elements. The integration of water sourced on-site deepens the artist's connection with the land and sea.

​

Michelle Wasson's paintings serve as a sensual refuge, intuitively created from memory and imagination. Her canvases, flowing between landscape, still life, and the figurative, portray surreal planes where divine vessels evoke the power of nature to create, destroy, and create anew, offering a reflection of our shared humanity in the natural world.

​

While each artist in Symphonia offers a distinct viewpoint embodied through their own uniquely built worlds, together these worlds intertwine to culminate into something much larger. It is through this simple yet powerful act of shared connection in which Symphonia ultimately seeks to inspire a renewed sense of environmental consciousness, and a commitment to preserving the sacred harmony within our world.

​

Free and open to the public.

​

Exhibition co-curated by Karen Azarnia & Jon Seals.

​

This exhibition will be on view at the Yale Institute of Sacred Music’s Miller Hall at 406 Prospect Street, New Haven from January 23-March 6 on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 12-4 p.m.

​

All are welcome to join us for an opening reception for this art exhibit on Wednesday, January 22 at 5 p.m.

​

Sponsored by the Institute of Sacred Music’s Religion, Ecology, and Expressive Culture Initiative.

​

We are excited to announce that the ISM will be linking its exhibitions to the Smartify app. The app is available as a free download from the App Store and Google Play, or you can access content through the Smartify webpage at  app.smartify.org. The Smartify app will allow you to directly scan artworks that are on display, as well as QR codes that are placed around the exhibition, to receive more information. You will also be able to save your favorite artworks and share them to social media.

​

Contact: Anesu Nyamupingidza

​

Art credit: Michelle Wasson: Golden Lacuna, Aurea Nova Series, 2023

​

View event page

​

Spectrum Art Gallery's first show of 2025 is "Life in Motion". A six-week show opening on January 24, 2025. The gallery will have images of people or objects in motion. Questions to think about what does motion do to a person or object? What stops it? What makes motion accelerate? What can make motion dangerous? What makes motion beautiful and exciting! The Opening Reception is Friday, January 24, 6:30-9 pm, with wine, food and good company! The show will close Saturday, March 8, 2025.

​

Create beautiful botanical illustrations in pen and ink! Each week will focus on a different botanical study. Participants will learn how to observe, and utilize ink to capture the subject matter with detail and accuracy. Colored pencils are used to enhance the black and white drawings. No previous experience is necessary. Come enjoy a creative and fun class!

​

Nancy Bentivegna is a botanical artist who received her training at the New York Botanical Gardens through the Botanical Art and Illustration Program. After completing the program in 2010, she relocated to Boston. For the past eleven years she has been teaching a variety of botanical art classes in Boston and the greater Boston area. These courses are based on the instruction she received at the NYBG and include colored pencil, graphite, pen and ink and watercolor pencil.

​

Nancy prefers to work in watercolor pencil combined with colored pencil for depth and detail. She does custom pieces for clients both in the Boston area and New York. She recently relocated to Essex and will be offering classes at the Spectrum Gallery in Centerbrook.

​

Instructed by Annie Sailer

​

39 Putnam Ave, Floor 2, Hamden, CT

​

Using both hand-building techniques and the potter’s wheel, participants learn the foundational skills needed to create basic ceramic cups, bowls, and floral containers. As students refine these skills, they will work on more complex projects. This will enable them to combine techniques, push their creativity, and practice creative problem-solving.

​

Glazing, slips, and other surface treatments will be explored. There will be instructor demonstrations and individual consultations. Wear clothes that can get dirty.

​

Pottery tool kits are available for sale in the studio for $27. Cash or check only.

​

Firing fees are $3/pound. Cash or check only.

​

Includes one 3-hour weekly practice session during monitored practice hours on a first-come, first-served basis.

​

Registration is now open for Winter Programs at Oddfellows Playhouse Youth Theater located at 128 Washington Street in Middletown! Beginning January 6, weekly classes in theater, dance, circus, and visual arts will be offered for toddlers to 20 year olds.

​

Winter may seem like a dearth when it comes to cooking fresh. Prepare to be surprised! I'll bring you a litany of locally grown and produced items from CitySeed's winter market and create wonderful recipes to nourish your body and soul.

​

Join us for this FREE cooking demonstration at the Griffin teaching kitchen located in Oxford Quarry Walk. Space is limited; be sure to RSVP! 

​

In celebration of the Yale University Art Gallery’s acquisition and installation of Maren Hassinger’s Monument (Pyramid) (2022), the artist joins Margaret Ewing, the Horace W. Goldsmith Assistant Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art, in a conversation about her groundbreaking work. Underrecognized until recently by museums, Hassinger has worked steadily in sculpture, installation, and performance, becoming one of the leading artists of our time. Her career spans five decades and two coasts, beginning in the context of the Black Arts Movement in Los Angeles in the 1970s and continuing in New York, where she lives today. Employing natural, industrial, and found materials, she explores connections among the environment, community, politics, and identity. Hassinger is Director Emeritus of the Rinehart School of Sculpture at Maryland Institute College of Art, Baltimore, and the 2024–25 Happy and Bob Doran Artist in Residence at the Gallery. 

​

In this class, you will learn how to knit your first hat in the round using circular needles. We will be covering fundamental skills, including casting on, knitting in the round, fixing mistakes like dropped stitches, casting off, and blocking your work. If you can knit a hat, you can knit almost anything! This is the perfect class for beginners and those looking to refresh their knitting skills.

​

Etching, a classic intaglio printing technique, involves incising lines into copper through a protected surface and then “etching” them in acid—a method dating back to Dürer and used from the Renaissance to modern times.

​

This class introduces environmentally friendly alternatives to traditional etching featuring different types of water-based inks, Baldwin’s Ink Ground (B.I.G) and Lascaux grounds, and coffee-lift techniques.

​

Some products used in this class may be irritating to highly sensitive people.

​

Includes one 3-hour practice session per week during monitored practice hours.

​

The tuition for this class includes a materials fee of $20 for basic materials provided by CAW.

​

If you are interested in making ceramic pieces for the home, this class is for you.

​

Making functional pots is important to all levels of students, whether you throw pots on the wheel or prefer to build by hand. Students will learn ways to modify forms to create pieces uniquely their own.

​

Classes will include various techniques for pot making as well as considerations pertaining to each form. Surface treatments including engobes, stains, and glazes will also be covered.

​

Both teacher demonstrations and one-on-one student instruction will occur each week.

​

Wear clothes that can get dirty.

​

Pottery tool kits are available for sale in the studio for $27. Cash or check only.

​

Firing fees are $3/pound. Cash or check only.

​

Learn basic metalsmithing for making jewelry, developing new skills, or strengthen existing ones. Weekly demonstrations introduce tools and techniques required for working with nonferrous sheet metal and wire. Demonstrations may include sawing, filing, cold-connecting, soldering, surface embellishment, forging, shaping, fold forming, finishing, and patina coloring.

​

The tuition for this class includes a fee of $40 for basic materials provided by CAW.

​

 Circophony Teen Circus presents Coalesce, an original Circus-Theater performance, January 30 - February 1 at Oddfellows Playhouse in Middletown.

​

Coalesce, using acrobatics, juggling, unicycling, clowning and other circus skills, explores each human's journey from isolated individuality and self-interest to community and mutual aid. Performed by a company of 12 young people ages 12- 20, Coalesce promises to be a fun and uplifting experience for all ages.

​

Coalesce is directed by Playhouse Artistic Director Dic Wheeler, with additional direction provided by Connecticut-based circus artists Naja Muller and Joel Melendez. Costume Design is by Marion Imbruglio, Lighting Design by Aaron Westcott, and circus trainers are Kayla Bucholz and Jasmine Peck. 

​

Performances are January 30 and 31 at 7 pm, and Saturday, February 1 at 2 pm and 7 pm. Tickets are $15 for adults, $8 for kids, and $25 for Big-Hearted Oddfellows. Seating is limited, and advance ticket purchase is recommended.

​

Tickets may be purchased at https://www.ticketleap.events/tickets/oddfellowsplayhouse/circophony-presents-coalesce .

​

Thursday, January 30 is a “Pay-What-You-Can” Preview.

​

Oddfellows Playhouse is located at 128 Washington Street in Middletown. For more information, call (860) 347-6143, email info@oddfellows.org, or go to www.oddfellows.org.

​

Circophony Teen Circus is a twenty year collaboration between Oddfellows Playhouse and ARTFARM to offer high-level circus training and performance opportunities to teenagers and young adults. 

​

Circophony’s Coalesce is made possible with the generous support of the City Middletown’s Department of Health; Connecticut Office of the Arts/DECD; Middletown Commission on the Arts; The Fund for Greater Hartford; American Savings Foundation; State of Connecticut Judicial Branch (Youth Violence Prevention); Evan Boyd Knoll Memorial Fund; Middletown Youth Services Bureau; Middlesex United Way; and many generous individual donors.

​

 November 18, 2024 – February 7, 2025

​

Opening Reception on Thursday, November 21, 4:00-6:00pm at Pegasus Gallery.

​

  Kat Owens creates life-size portraits of animal species impacted by plastics discarded by humans. Each work is composed of consumer waste and recycling stream packaging that are manipulated into visually striking compositions. The basis of her process includes mosaic, quilt, and collage traditions but encompasses a larger artistic practice of observation, research, community engagement, and environmental education.

​

​

The power of Owens’ artwork resides in the pattern rich arrangements of graphic text fonts, inherent material surface contrasts, and bold color interactions. The overall visual effects these packaging combinations offer are further heightened by juxtapositions of their recognizable product components and the life-like animal portraits they contain. In spite of the visual pleasure Owens’ arrangements of everyday plastic materials offer, the species represented in each project is poignantly fabricated from the very material pollutants that threaten them.    

​

Kat Owens is an interdisciplinary artist, teacher, and researcher who focuses on the environment. Owens holds a PHD in Governance and Sustainable Development from the University of Twente (the Netherlands). She also holds an MA of Environmental Studies, a BA Biology, a BS Anthropology, and a BA Studio Art from the College of Charleston, South Carolina. She has led community workshops and exhibited her artwork throughout Connecticut, regionally, and internationally. See more of her work at: www.katowens.com

​

Pegasus Gallery is located within the library on the first floor of Chapman Hall, Hours: Monday-Thursday: 8:30 am - 7 pm; Friday: 8:30 am - 4 pm.

​

The Niche is in Founders Hall across from the Registrar’s Office, Hours: Monday through Thursday 7:30 am – 5 pm; Fridays 8 am – 4 pm.

​

https://mxcc.edu/art-exhibits/

​

CT State Community College – Middlesex

​

100 Training Hill Road, Middletown, CT 06457

​

Exhibition open Wednesday through Sunday from 10am to 4pm EXCEPT Thursday, November 28 (Thanksgiving) and Wednesday, December 25 (Christmas Day) with free parking and admission.

​

She wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. Luke 2:7

​

The Gospel of St. Luke provides the only description of where Christ was born, as it mentions him being placed in a manger. This suggests that Mary gave birth in a stable. Although many stables of this region and time period were built in caves, crèches, the three-dimensional representation of the nativity scene, have a diversity of stables and settings, including the most commonly used type of stable, an open-front wood structure. However, many artisans model their crèches after buildings and landscapes that are native to their homelands.

​

This exhibit includes a variety of crèches that showcase different examples of stables and mangers. In addition, it also highlights the creation of a handful of crèches that have settings customized to display the figures. These crèches include, the Marcel Carbonel Santons of Marseille, France, Fontanini of Bagni di Lucca, Italy, the Neapolitan crèche by Cantone and Costabile of Naples Italy, and the newest additions to our collection by United States based Navidad Nativities: the St. Francis Nativity, with figures by Ulpe Wood Art and St. Mary’s crèche with figures by Original Heide, both from Italy.

​

Exhibition open Wednesday through Sunday from 10am to 4pm EXCEPT Thursday, November 28 (Thanksgiving) and Wednesday, December 25 (Christmas Day) with free parking and admission.

​

Most of the Christians who live in Africa are in the Sub-Saharan nations (nations south of the Sahara Desert), though Christians are found throughout the entire continent. According to a Pew Study in 2018, Christianity is growing the fastest within African countries than anywhere else in the world. Christianity spread into Africa as early as the first century, particularly throughout Northern Africa, and continued right up until the seventh century, when armies practicing the new Islamic faith spread into Africa.

​

The next era of growth began in the 15th century, when many European countries, starting with Portugal, began searching for alternative trade routes to Asia. Europeans established trade posts along the western coast of Africa and sent missionaries to spread the faith. These missionaries brought their own simple plaster crèches with them, and they later enlisted the aid of local artisans to create variations reflective of their own cultures and traditions. These local artisans used native materials that were both abundant and accessible — a tradition that continues to this day.

​

In recent years, Christians in several nations within the African continent have been subjected to persecution resulting in the displacement of millions and numerous deaths. Despite this, the people’s dedication to their faith is unwavering. It is in honor of their spirit and determination that the Blessed Michael McGivney Pilgrimage Center is pleased to exhibit more than 50 works representing 23 countries across the African continent. This exhibit also explores some of the traditions and festivities that have developed throughout Africa to celebrate the season.

​

Spectrum Art Gallery's first show of 2025 is "Life in Motion". A six-week show opening on January 24, 2025. The gallery will have images of people or objects in motion. Questions to think about what does motion do to a person or object? What stops it? What makes motion accelerate? What can make motion dangerous? What makes motion beautiful and exciting! The Opening Reception is Friday, January 24, 6:30-9 pm, with wine, food and good company! The show will close Saturday, March 8, 2025.

​

 Slapstick:

​

Curated by Kevin Daly

​

January 11 - March 16, 2025

​

Located at Ball & Socket Arts in The Workshop Gallery, Building 3.

​

Opening Reception on Saturday, January 11, 2025 4-7PM

​

Slapstick is a physical type of humor involving play, exaggeration and activities which may exceed the boundaries of common sense. In Slapstick, each of the artists included explores abstraction in a highly personal way with a sense of play and experimentation, both in process and in materials. The work included is unpretentiously formal, borrowing aesthetic attributes from Pop Art. This work successfully exudes the fun and delight of creation.

​

Featured Artists:

​

Cat Balco

​

https://catbalco.com/home.html

​

https://www.rickwesterfineart.com/cat-balco

​

Melanie Carr

​

https://www.melaniecarr.com/bio

​

 Andy Cunningham

​

https://www.andycunningham.net/bio

​

Niki Lederer

​

https://nikilederer.com/

​

Suzan Shutan

​

http://www.suzanshutan.com/

​

Taro Suzuki

​

https://www.tarosuzuki.com/

​

https://www.highnoongallery.com/artist-page/taro-suzuki

​

A sale of handmade gifts featuring Books, Cards, Pottery, and much more!

​

This class provides step-by-step instruction for those seeking the fundamentals of watercolor painting. Class includes demos and structured exercises. Participants learn color mixing, dark and light and basic color theory principles. Different brush stroke techniques are addressed for specific effects i.e. wet on wet & dry stubble applications. Participants paint from still life setups and/or photo references from home. Everyone is encouraged to work on an ongoing painting at home to help solidify techniques learned in class. This piece may be brought into class on the last day for an open critique session. Material list sent upon registration.

​

Chris Kunze graduated from Rhode Island School of Design with a BFA in Painting/Illustration. He has had a long & successful career in Advertising and Promotion. His illustrations and designs have been used in books, magazines, newspapers, product packaging and logo design.

​

Chris’ fine art has always remained important throughout his career as a commercial artist.

​

He has had many solo and group shows in New York City, Westchester County and lower Connecticut, showcasing his oil paintings, watercolors and illustrations. Chris was part of an ongoing show at the Arthur Kalaher Fine Art in Sag Harbor, NY from 2011-2019. In 2018 he had a solo show of his watercolors at Teatown Lake Reservation.

​

In 2019 Chris began his participation in Arthouse.NYC’s “Healthcare Heroes Show”.

​

He has memorialized several healthcare workers who lost their lives during the height of the Covid pandemic. These oil portraits were given to their families and were on view at the

​

Big Plaza Screen in New York City.

​

Teaching is a passion that has come to the forefront in the past 15 years for Chris. He has been teaching a plethora of subjects among them drawing, oil painting, watercolors, and more at local Westchester art schools. He is currently teaching at Scarsdale Adult School.

​

Chris grew up in Europe and Westchester County. He currently resides in Salem, Connecticut.

​

The Peabody Museum in New Haven is one of the oldest and largest university natural history museums in the world . And it can be your children’s classroom!

​

Join us for an inspiring art class in the newly expanded museum. This is a fantastic opportunity to draw a variety of natural artifacts, including plants, animals, and fossils, while enhancing your observational drawing skills. Participants will learn to notice finer details and improve their ability to draw from life, unlocking a whole new world of artistic expression. The Peabody’s expansive collections—featuring dinosaur bones, plant matter, reptiles, and much more—provide the perfect backdrop for this exploration.

​

Please note that drop-off and pick-up will take place in the museum lobby. 

​

Wednesday morning session is perfect for home-school families.

​

Tuition for this class includes a fee of $20 for materials provided by CAW.

​

Explore the creative possibilities of clay by shaping and molding it into one-of-a-kind works of art. Working with clay helps young people develop fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, and emotional expression through hands-on activities. Above all, clay sparks imagination, encouraging children to think creatively and express themselves in new ways. The tuition for this class includes a materials fee of $20 for basic materials provided by CAW. School Policies Students who withdraw 48 hours prior to the first class are eligible for a refund or credit toward another class, less a $25 registration fee. Please click here for more details. 

​

Registration is now open for Winter Programs at Oddfellows Playhouse Youth Theater located at 128 Washington Street in Middletown! Beginning January 6, weekly classes in theater, dance, circus, and visual arts will be offered for toddlers to 20 year olds.

​

In what has become a popular annual February exhibition, Valentine Gems showcases many smaller works by 30 award-winning artists. All are exquisite gems, to start or add to your collection. This festive show offers a wide variety of painting styles, sizes, and subjects at affordable prices. Landscapes, seascapes, still lifes, florals, birds, and city scenes, will be on view. Original art is the perfect thoughtful and personal gift for your Valentine!

​

Opening Reception Friday, January 31, 2025, 5-8 pm. Join us for wine, Prosecco, hors d'oeuvres and meet the artists.

​

We'll be giving a complimentary bottle of Veuve Clicquot champagne for each in gallery purchase for this Valentine Gems show.

​

The Quilters (2024), directed by Jenifer McShane, follows the daily lives of several quilters inside the sewing room at South Central Correctional Center, a Level 5 maximum security prison in a small town in Missouri. In tracking several quilts from design to completion, audiences come to know these men, witnessing their struggles, triumphs, and sense of pride as they create something beautiful in this windowless sacred space, deep within the prison walls. The film was recently shortlisted for the Documentary Short Film category for the 97th Academy Awards.

​

Join us for this 32-minute screening at the Yale Humanities Quadrangle, 320 York Street, Room L02, followed by a Q&A with the director and members of the production team. Generously sponsored by Yale Public Humanities and the Gallery’s Martin A. Ryerson Lectureship Fund.

​

Feelin’ Good is by far the finest Michael Bublé tribute band. Backed by a 17-piece band, Anthony Bernasconi perfectly emulates the effortless class that Bublé famously exudes. This show focuses on who Michael Bublé is today. Steering away from the Sinatra influence and incorporating more of his modern song choice adaptations to appeal to a larger audience while still paying tribute to the classics of the great American song book. Including many songs from his Grammy Award Winning Album "Higher." this show is very entertaining and appeals to Bublé fans.

​

Madison Lyric Stage, an award-winning professional theater company on the Connecticut shoreline, will present the return engagement of We Lived Only for the Music: Max Lorenz and the Third Reich, a one-man play with music, written and performed by international Wagnerian tenor Marc Deaton. Performances, commemorating Holocaust Remembrance Day, will take place January 31 at 7:00 pm and February 1 at 4:00 pm at Shoreline Unitarian Universalist Society, 297 Boston Post Road, Madison, CT.

​

The play, originally produced by Madison Lyric Stage in 2018, chronicles the remarkable life of Max Lorenz, one of Germany’s leading Wagnerian tenors during the 1930s and 1940s. A star of Wagner’s Bayreuth Festival and known as Hitler’s favorite singer, Lorenz faced significant danger with the rise of Nazism due to his Jewish wife and concealed homosexuality. His connection to the Wagner family, particularly Winifred Wagner, ultimately saved his life from the terror of the time, though not without great personal sacrifice.

​

Featuring operatic excerpts by Wagner and Strauss sung by Deaton, this play marks the launch of Madison Lyric Stage’s new Winter Concert Series.

​

The performances on January 31 and February 1 will be followed by a talk back interview moderated by award-winning local journalist Pem McNerney about Deaton’s 40-year anniversary in opera.

​

“I am thrilled to once again share Max Lorenz’s inspiring story with the shoreline community,” said Marc Deaton, artistic director of Madison Lyric Stage. “This play explores the intersection of Wagner’s operatic genius and the devastating impact of the Third Reich and the Holocaust. It is a testament to the resilience of art and the human spirit against incredible odds.”

​

Tickets are $40 and available at madisonlyricstage.org or by calling 203-215-6329.

​

 Circophony Teen Circus presents Coalesce, an original Circus-Theater performance, January 30 - February 1 at Oddfellows Playhouse in Middletown.

​

Coalesce, using acrobatics, juggling, unicycling, clowning and other circus skills, explores each human's journey from isolated individuality and self-interest to community and mutual aid. Performed by a company of 12 young people ages 12- 20, Coalesce promises to be a fun and uplifting experience for all ages.

​

Coalesce is directed by Playhouse Artistic Director Dic Wheeler, with additional direction provided by Connecticut-based circus artists Naja Muller and Joel Melendez. Costume Design is by Marion Imbruglio, Lighting Design by Aaron Westcott, and circus trainers are Kayla Bucholz and Jasmine Peck. 

​

Performances are January 30 and 31 at 7 pm, and Saturday, February 1 at 2 pm and 7 pm. Tickets are $15 for adults, $8 for kids, and $25 for Big-Hearted Oddfellows. Seating is limited, and advance ticket purchase is recommended. Tickets may be purchased at https://www.ticketleap.events/tickets/oddfellowsplayhouse/circophony-presents-coalesce .

​

Thursday, January 30 is a “Pay-What-You-Can” Preview.

​

Oddfellows Playhouse is located at 128 Washington Street in Middletown. For more information, call (860) 347-6143, email info@oddfellows.org, or go to www.oddfellows.org.

​

Circophony Teen Circus is a twenty year collaboration between Oddfellows Playhouse and ARTFARM to offer high-level circus training and performance opportunities to teenagers and young adults. 

​

Circophony’s Coalesce is made possible with the generous support of the City Middletown’s Department of Health; Connecticut Office of the Arts/DECD; Middletown Commission on the Arts; The Fund for Greater Hartford; American Savings Foundation; State of Connecticut Judicial Branch (Youth Violence Prevention); Evan Boyd Knoll Memorial Fund; Middletown Youth Services Bureau; Middlesex United Way; and many generous individual donors.

​

 Eastbound Theatre – My Children! My Africa!

​

January 31 – February 15

​

Fridays & Saturdays 7:30  Sundays 2:00. Education, Not Violence, Is the Answer 

​

Generational conflict over the most effective means for ending apartheid in South Africa lead to an explosive confrontation between a gifted but impatient black township youth and his devoted but “old fashioned” black teacher … The unexpected involvement of a young white woman who befriends and learns from both men strips away the political trappings to reveal the human trauma at the heart of South Africa’s … tragedy.

​

By Athol Fugard

​

Directed by Noelle Fair

​

​

Athol Fugard  is an internationally acclaimed South African playwright whose best-known work deals with the political and social upheaval of the apartheid system in South Africa.

​

Paws and Pixels is an exciting new course designed for young artists who want to create animal drawings using Procreate. Starting with the basics, we’ll guide students through sketching techniques and gradually move on to more advanced, realistic animal illustrations.

​

Throughout the course, students will learn how to observe and analyze animal shapes and proportions, replicate different textures like fur, glossy skin, and more, using Procreate’s powerful features. As they advance, students will explore techniques like blending modes, clipping masks, and blur effects to add depth and realism to their art.

​

The tuition for this class includes a materials fee of $20 for basic materials provided by CAW

​

No typical sand or slides at this playground!

​

CAW’s playground has colored sand, wood, clay, tempera and watercolor paints, markers, tissue paper and more items than we have space to list here. Students will use all these supplies to create projects including masks, paper dolls, animals, birds, insects, portraits, and imaginary creatures.

​

How will they do all this? By cutting, folding, stomping, splashing, blending, texturing, painting, and coloring (after they mix their own unique colors).

​

Bet you wish you could stay too!

​

Wednesday morning session is perfect for home-school families.

​

Tuition for this class includes a fee of $20 for materials provided by CAW.

​

Registration is now open for Winter Programs at Oddfellows Playhouse Youth Theater located at 128 Washington Street in Middletown! Beginning January 6, weekly classes in theater, dance, circus, and visual arts will be offered for toddlers to 20 year olds.

​

Exhibition open Wednesday through Sunday from 10am to 4pm EXCEPT Thursday, November 28 (Thanksgiving) and Wednesday, December 25 (Christmas Day) with free parking and admission.

​

Most of the Christians who live in Africa are in the Sub-Saharan nations (nations south of the Sahara Desert), though Christians are found throughout the entire continent. According to a Pew Study in 2018, Christianity is growing the fastest within African countries than anywhere else in the world. Christianity spread into Africa as early as the first century, particularly throughout Northern Africa, and continued right up until the seventh century, when armies practicing the new Islamic faith spread into Africa.

​

The next era of growth began in the 15th century, when many European countries, starting with Portugal, began searching for alternative trade routes to Asia. Europeans established trade posts along the western coast of Africa and sent missionaries to spread the faith. These missionaries brought their own simple plaster crèches with them, and they later enlisted the aid of local artisans to create variations reflective of their own cultures and traditions. These local artisans used native materials that were both abundant and accessible — a tradition that continues to this day.

​

In recent years, Christians in several nations within the African continent have been subjected to persecution resulting in the displacement of millions and numerous deaths. Despite this, the people’s dedication to their faith is unwavering. It is in honor of their spirit and determination that the Blessed Michael McGivney Pilgrimage Center is pleased to exhibit more than 50 works representing 23 countries across the African continent. This exhibit also explores some of the traditions and festivities that have developed throughout Africa to celebrate the season.

​

Mokulito (Lithography on wood) is a form of lithography printmaking that uses wood as a printing matrix instead of metal or limestone. After the plate is prepared, marks are drawn with a greasy substance, etched with gum arabic, and then printed. This process produces detailed prints that differ from traditional lithography due to the uniqueness of the wood grain and texture. In this class you will learn the basics of lithography and how mokulito differs from traditional lithography. Students will learn about different types of wood choices, how to prepare the wood for drawing, try out a variety of drawing materials, prepping the plate for printing and inking. Options to carve into the woodblock print can also add another level of surface manipulation. This class is appropriate for all printing levels and is open to teens and adults. Note: Lithography processes use oil based inks, but require no harsh solvents. One 12 x 12in plywood block is provided and you are welcome to bring

​

Show up for your creative self in 2025 with the Saturday Drawing Club.

​

Explore weekly prompts and materials combined with a mix of conversation, creative time, and feedback. Bring an ongoing project or start from scratch.

​

Tuition for this class includes a fee of $10 for basic materials provided by CAW.

​

The CREC Greater Hartford Academy of the Arts (GHAA) HALF-DAY Program identifies and educates students from diverse socio-economic and ethnic backgrounds who have a passion for the arts and will commit to immersive training in their arts discipline. Our program offers a pre-college, pre-professional, rigorous arts curriculum with 200+ core and elective courses. The curriculum prepares students for post-secondary studies and professional careers in the arts.

​

Students can major in 1 of 6 arts disciplines: Dance, Design & Theater Production, Instrumental & Vocal Music, Musical Theater, Theater, and Visual Arts. From 7:30am to noon, they take their core academic courses at their district high schools. From 1pm to 4:15pm, Monday-Thursday, they attend GHAA Half-day for 13 hours per week of intensive study in their arts major.

​

In 2023, the Greater Hartford Academy of the Arts HALF-DAY program was named the Best Art School Program in the U.S. for the 3rd time in our 39-year history by the International Arts Schools Network.

​

The CREC Greater Hartford Academy of the Arts (GHAA) HALF-DAY Program identifies and educates students from diverse socio-economic and ethnic backgrounds who have a passion for the arts and will commit to immersive training in their arts discipline. Our program offers a pre-college, pre-professional, rigorous arts curriculum with 200+ core and elective courses. The curriculum prepares students for post-secondary studies and professional careers in the arts.

​

Students can major in 1 of 6 arts disciplines: Dance, Design & Theater Production, Instrumental & Vocal Music, Musical Theater, Theater, and Visual Arts. From 7:30am to noon, they take their core academic courses at their district high schools. From 1pm to 4:15pm, Monday-Thursday, they attend GHAA Half-day for 13 hours per week of intensive study in their arts major.

​

In 2023, the Greater Hartford Academy of the Arts HALF-DAY program was named the Best Art School Program in the U.S. for the 3rd time in our 39-year history by the International Arts Schools Network.

​

The Yale-China Association is proud to present the 14th annual Lunarfest in New Haven, Connecticut, on Saturday, February 1st, 2025. Lunarfest is the largest celebration of Lunar New Year in Connecticut and is one of New Haven’s premiere cultural events. Lunarfest 2025 celebrates the Year of the Snake in the Chinese Zodiac. The day’s festivities will begin at 10 am with a parade down Whitney Avenue between Grove and Trumbull Streets featuring a lion dance, a traditional Chinese dance performance, martial arts demonstrations, and speeches from local community leaders. Following the parade will be various events and activities that are free and open to the public. Please visit our website for the complete schedule: https://www.yalechina.org/lunarfest#schedule.

​

Bring your families, friends, and festive spirit! Join us in welcoming the Year of the Snake!

​

Would you like to explore watercolors? Feeling unsure or out of practice? You can do it!

​

Watercolors are a whimsical and simple way to explore ideas, make memorable sketches of your travels or daily life, and develop visual self-expression.

​

Students will learn about materials, look at examples, create color studies, make thumbnail sketches to generate ideas and compositions, and develop sketches and paintings that explore color, line, shape, texture, and more.

​

Whether you enjoy landscape, still life, abstract, or contemporary art, you will have the space and support to develop your style and learn helpful techniques to help you on your creative journey.

​

Creativity meets skill development for young artists!

​

Students will learn representational drawing and painting through observation of real objects and images. They’ll explore color theory, texture creation, and value with pencils, pastels, watercolors, and tempera. The focus is on developing eye-hand coordination, drawing skills, and fostering creativity in a supportive environment.

​

Tuition for this class includes a fee of $20 for basic materials provided by CAW.

​

Creativity meets skill development for young artists!

​

Students will learn representational drawing and painting through observation of real objects and images. They’ll explore color theory, texture creation, and value with pencils, pastels, watercolors, and tempera. The focus is on developing eye-hand coordination, drawing skills, and fostering creativity in a supportive environment.

​

Tuition for this class includes a fee of $20 for basic materials provided by CAW.

​

Do you love keeping a journal or planner? My Digital Diary is a fun and creative class where you’ll learn how to make your own stylish digital journal! Using digital sketching techniques on Procreate, you’ll create beautiful illustrations to capture your thoughts, hobbies, and habits.

​

In this class we’ll create graphics, illustrations, and character designs that reflect your personal style – making your diary fun to look at and use.

​

The tuition for this class includes a materials fee of $20 for basic materials provided by CAW.

​

Mark your calendars! We're kicking off something sweet ! 🍪

​

🎉 Introducing Cookie39's Free Cookie of the Month 🎉

​

The first 39 people to visit Cookie39 on the 1st day of each month in 2025 will receive a FREE Cookie of the Month. Doors open daily at 11am sharp. First come, first served.

​

Monthly flavors to be announced on Instagram @cookiethirtynine.

​

Made from scratch daily, baked fresh, and served warm. Tell all of your cookie-loving friends, spread the word, and don’t miss out! 🍪✨

​

Explore and develop designs for relief, intaglio, and monotype printmaking in this hands-on course. Class time will focus on creating original designs and concepts as students experiment with print plate substrates, including Corian®, Tetra-Pak®, vinyl records, and various recycled and found materials. Examples of different print styles will be shared to illustrate these techniques. This course is suitable for beginners and advanced students alike. The inks used can be cleaned up with soap and water, and students will need to bring their own paper for the first session. Includes one 3-hour weekly practice session during monitored practice hours. Tuition for this class includes a fee of $20 for basic materials provided by CAW including Linoleum blocks and black and white ink. 

​

Spectrum Art Gallery's first show of 2025 is "Life in Motion". A six-week show opening on January 24, 2025. The gallery will have images of people or objects in motion. Questions to think about what does motion do to a person or object? What stops it? What makes motion accelerate? What can make motion dangerous? What makes motion beautiful and exciting! The Opening Reception is Friday, January 24, 6:30-9 pm, with wine, food and good company! The show will close Saturday, March 8, 2025.

​

 Slapstick:

​

Curated by Kevin Daly

​

January 11 - March 16, 2025

​

Located at Ball & Socket Arts in The Workshop Gallery, Building 3.

​

Opening Reception on Saturday, January 11, 2025 4-7PM

​

Slapstick is a physical type of humor involving play, exaggeration and activities which may exceed the boundaries of common sense. In Slapstick, each of the artists included explores abstraction in a highly personal way with a sense of play and experimentation, both in process and in materials. The work included is unpretentiously formal, borrowing aesthetic attributes from Pop Art. This work successfully exudes the fun and delight of creation.

​

Featured Artists:

​

Cat Balco

​

https://catbalco.com/home.html

​

https://www.rickwesterfineart.com/cat-balco

​

Melanie Carr

​

https://www.melaniecarr.com/bio

​

 Andy Cunningham

​

https://www.andycunningham.net/bio

​

Niki Lederer

​

https://nikilederer.com/

​

Suzan Shutan

​

http://www.suzanshutan.com/

​

Taro Suzuki

​

https://www.tarosuzuki.com/

​

https://www.highnoongallery.com/artist-page/taro-suzuki

​

A sale of handmade gifts featuring Books, Cards, Pottery, and much more!

​

Explore, learn, and practice drawing exercises and techniques in a supportive environment. Increase visual perception, skills and confidence, and develop your unique style. Work with drawing pencils, charcoal, pastels, watercolor and ink/pens. Weekly demos and exercises include mark-making, line, value, form, texture and shading. Subjects include animals, everyday objects, portraits, autumn and nature inspirations, as well as students’ interests. We draw from observation, references and imagination. All materials provided. Join us!

​

For returning students, the class will include both new projects and some review.

​

The tuition for this class includes a fee of $20 for basic materials provided by CAW.

​

In this magical experience, students will bring a forest fairy tale to life using markers and colored pencils. They’ll create a series of six enchanting illustrations united by a common theme, with a focus on color, composition, and texture.

​

As they delve into the world of fairy tales, students will learn how to combine markers and colored pencils to produce vibrant and imaginative artwork. This class will spark creativity, enhance drawing skills, and introduce new techniques for using these materials to capture the magic of the forest!

​

The tuition for this class includes a materials fee of $20 for basic materials provided by CAW.

​

Class time focuses on simple Still-Life set-ups ~a bottle, a bowl with fruit, etc. Objects are studied from a tabletop perspective. How to create volume, depth and weight are introduced as participants investigate the power of thin and thick line applications which help to create the shape and mass of objects. Individual attention will be given to each student at their skill level.

​

In the third week participants bring photos or objects from home to draw in an effort to improve how they see and, therefore, their drawing skills. Material list available upon registration.

​

Chris Kunze graduated from Rhode Island School of Design with a BFA in Painting/Illustration. He has had a long & successful career in Advertising and Promotion. His illustrations and designs have been used in books, magazines, newspapers, product packaging and logo design.

​

Chris’ fine art has always remained important throughout his career as a commercial artist.

​

He has had many solo and group shows in New York City, Westchester County and lower Connecticut, showcasing his oil paintings, watercolors and illustrations. Chris was part of an ongoing show at the Arthur Kalaher Fine Art in Sag Harbor, NY from 2011-2019. In 2018 he had a solo show of his watercolors at Teatown Lake Reservation.

​

In 2019 Chris began his participation in Arthouse.NYC’s “Healthcare Heroes Show”.

​

He has memorialized several healthcare workers who lost their lives during the height of the Covid pandemic. These oil portraits were given to their families and were on view at the

​

Big Plaza Screen in New York City.

​

Teaching is a passion that has come to the forefront in the past 15 years for Chris. He has been teaching a plethora of subjects among them drawing, oil painting, watercolors, and more at local Westchester art schools. He is currently teaching at Scarsdale Adult School.

​

Chris grew up in Europe and Westchester County. He currently resides in Salem, Connecticut.

​

Instructed by Annie Sailer

​

39 Putnam Ave, Hamden CT

​

Families can work together or side by side to experiment with printmaking techniques without a press.

​

Instruction will be given for relief, monotype, and collagraph printmaking techniques. Combine multiple techniques to create unique prints on paper or combine plates to make multiple color prints.

​

Try making a small edition of six prints to share, and spend quality time with your family member!

​

Tuition includes a spot for one child (recommended 7-11 years old) and one adult.

​

The tuition for this class includes a fee of $40 for basic materials provided by CAW.

​

 Circophony Teen Circus presents Coalesce, an original Circus-Theater performance, January 30 - February 1 at Oddfellows Playhouse in Middletown.

​

Coalesce, using acrobatics, juggling, unicycling, clowning and other circus skills, explores each human's journey from isolated individuality and self-interest to community and mutual aid. Performed by a company of 12 young people ages 12- 20, Coalesce promises to be a fun and uplifting experience for all ages.

​

Coalesce is directed by Playhouse Artistic Director Dic Wheeler, with additional direction provided by Connecticut-based circus artists Naja Muller and Joel Melendez. Costume Design is by Marion Imbruglio, Lighting Design by Aaron Westcott, and circus trainers are Kayla Bucholz and Jasmine Peck. 

​

Performances are January 30 and 31 at 7 pm, and Saturday, February 1 at 2 pm and 7 pm. Tickets are $15 for adults, $8 for kids, and $25 for Big-Hearted Oddfellows. Seating is limited, and advance ticket purchase is recommended. Tickets may be purchased at https://www.ticketleap.events/tickets/oddfellowsplayhouse/circophony-presents-coalesce .

​

Thursday, January 30 is a “Pay-What-You-Can” Preview.

​

Oddfellows Playhouse is located at 128 Washington Street in Middletown. For more information, call (860) 347-6143, email info@oddfellows.org, or go to www.oddfellows.org.

​

Circophony Teen Circus is a twenty year collaboration between Oddfellows Playhouse and ARTFARM to offer high-level circus training and performance opportunities to teenagers and young adults. 

​

Circophony’s Coalesce is made possible with the generous support of the City Middletown’s Department of Health; Connecticut Office of the Arts/DECD; Middletown Commission on the Arts; The Fund for Greater Hartford; American Savings Foundation; State of Connecticut Judicial Branch (Youth Violence Prevention); Evan Boyd Knoll Memorial Fund; Middletown Youth Services Bureau; Middlesex United Way; and many generous individual donors.

​

See objects and space in a new light while discovering creative techniques to bring your drawing style to life.

​

Explore how to add depth, light, shadow, and perspective to your drawings with colored pencils.

​

Focus on beginning your art journey and achieving impressive results along the way!

​

The tuition for this class includes a materials fee of $20 for basic materials provided by CAW.

​

Madison Lyric Stage, an award-winning professional theater company on the Connecticut shoreline, will present the return engagement of We Lived Only for the Music: Max Lorenz and the Third Reich, a one-man play with music, written and performed by international Wagnerian tenor Marc Deaton. Performances, commemorating Holocaust Remembrance Day, will take place January 31 at 7:00 pm and February 1 at 4:00 pm at Shoreline Unitarian Universalist Society, 297 Boston Post Road, Madison, CT.

​

The play, originally produced by Madison Lyric Stage in 2018, chronicles the remarkable life of Max Lorenz, one of Germany’s leading Wagnerian tenors during the 1930s and 1940s. A star of Wagner’s Bayreuth Festival and known as Hitler’s favorite singer, Lorenz faced significant danger with the rise of Nazism due to his Jewish wife and concealed homosexuality. His connection to the Wagner family, particularly Winifred Wagner, ultimately saved his life from the terror of the time, though not without great personal sacrifice.

​

Featuring operatic excerpts by Wagner and Strauss sung by Deaton, this play marks the launch of Madison Lyric Stage’s new Winter Concert Series.

​

The performances on January 31 and February 1 will be followed by a talk back interview moderated by award-winning local journalist Pem McNerney about Deaton’s 40-year anniversary in opera.

​

“I am thrilled to once again share Max Lorenz’s inspiring story with the shoreline community,” said Marc Deaton, artistic director of Madison Lyric Stage. “This play explores the intersection of Wagner’s operatic genius and the devastating impact of the Third Reich and the Holocaust. It is a testament to the resilience of art and the human spirit against incredible odds.”

​

Tickets are $40 and available at madisonlyricstage.org or by calling 203-215-6329.

​

 Circophony Teen Circus presents Coalesce, an original Circus-Theater performance, January 30 - February 1 at Oddfellows Playhouse in Middletown.

​

Coalesce, using acrobatics, juggling, unicycling, clowning and other circus skills, explores each human's journey from isolated individuality and self-interest to community and mutual aid. Performed by a company of 12 young people ages 12- 20, Coalesce promises to be a fun and uplifting experience for all ages.

​

Coalesce is directed by Playhouse Artistic Director Dic Wheeler, with additional direction provided by Connecticut-based circus artists Naja Muller and Joel Melendez. Costume Design is by Marion Imbruglio, Lighting Design by Aaron Westcott, and circus trainers are Kayla Bucholz and Jasmine Peck. 

​

Performances are January 30 and 31 at 7 pm, and Saturday, February 1 at 2 pm and 7 pm. Tickets are $15 for adults, $8 for kids, and $25 for Big-Hearted Oddfellows. Seating is limited, and advance ticket purchase is recommended. Tickets may be purchased at https://www.ticketleap.events/tickets/oddfellowsplayhouse/circophony-presents-coalesce .

​

Thursday, January 30 is a “Pay-What-You-Can” Preview.

​

Oddfellows Playhouse is located at 128 Washington Street in Middletown. For more information, call (860) 347-6143, email info@oddfellows.org, or go to www.oddfellows.org.

​

Circophony Teen Circus is a twenty year collaboration between Oddfellows Playhouse and ARTFARM to offer high-level circus training and performance opportunities to teenagers and young adults. 

​

Circophony’s Coalesce is made possible with the generous support of the City Middletown’s Department of Health; Connecticut Office of the Arts/DECD; Middletown Commission on the Arts; The Fund for Greater Hartford; American Savings Foundation; State of Connecticut Judicial Branch (Youth Violence Prevention); Evan Boyd Knoll Memorial Fund; Middletown Youth Services Bureau; Middlesex United Way; and many generous individual donors.

​

 Eastbound Theatre – My Children! My Africa!

​

January 31 – February 15

​

Fridays & Saturdays 7:30  Sundays 2:00. Education, Not Violence, Is the Answer 

​

Generational conflict over the most effective means for ending apartheid in South Africa lead to an explosive confrontation between a gifted but impatient black township youth and his devoted but “old fashioned” black teacher … The unexpected involvement of a young white woman who befriends and learns from both men strips away the political trappings to reveal the human trauma at the heart of South Africa’s … tragedy.

​

By Athol Fugard

​

Directed by Noelle Fair

​

​

Athol Fugard  is an internationally acclaimed South African playwright whose best-known work deals with the political and social upheaval of the apartheid system in South Africa.

​

Exhibition open Wednesday through Sunday from 10am to 4pm EXCEPT Thursday, November 28 (Thanksgiving) and Wednesday, December 25 (Christmas Day) with free parking and admission.

​

Most of the Christians who live in Africa are in the Sub-Saharan nations (nations south of the Sahara Desert), though Christians are found throughout the entire continent. According to a Pew Study in 2018, Christianity is growing the fastest within African countries than anywhere else in the world. Christianity spread into Africa as early as the first century, particularly throughout Northern Africa, and continued right up until the seventh century, when armies practicing the new Islamic faith spread into Africa.

​

The next era of growth began in the 15th century, when many European countries, starting with Portugal, began searching for alternative trade routes to Asia. Europeans established trade posts along the western coast of Africa and sent missionaries to spread the faith. These missionaries brought their own simple plaster crèches with them, and they later enlisted the aid of local artisans to create variations reflective of their own cultures and traditions. These local artisans used native materials that were both abundant and accessible — a tradition that continues to this day.

​

In recent years, Christians in several nations within the African continent have been subjected to persecution resulting in the displacement of millions and numerous deaths. Despite this, the people’s dedication to their faith is unwavering. It is in honor of their spirit and determination that the Blessed Michael McGivney Pilgrimage Center is pleased to exhibit more than 50 works representing 23 countries across the African continent. This exhibit also explores some of the traditions and festivities that have developed throughout Africa to celebrate the season.

​

Discover the artistry of rug tufting, a creative process where participants will sketch a pattern on a cloth, then use a tufting gun to inject the yarn into the cloth.

​

Participants will delve into the hands-on experience of tufting their own unique designs. The process begins with sketching a pattern on a cloth, followed by using a tufting gun to intricately inject yarn into the fabric canvas. Each participant will be assigned the use of tufting gun and frame, all materials will be provided to create a rug approximately 20" x24". Over the two sessions participants will create a carpet of their own design which they can take home.

​

What to Expect:

​

Participants will explore the fascinating world of rug tufting, with each attendee provided with the necessary tools, including a tufting gun and frame. With expert guidance, you'll bring your vision to life, creating a stunning rug approximately 20" x 24".

​

This class runs over 2 sessions: Sunday 10a - 5p & Monday 6p - 8p. The Monday session is for finishing the backing on your rug. If you cannot make the Monday portion, please inform the instructor so your rugs method can be adjusted to finish in one day. 

​

Skills Learned:

​

• Sketching rug designs on cloth

​

• Operating a tufting gun with precision

​

• Weaving techniques for texture and color variety

​

Who Should Take This Class:

​

This workshop welcomes both beginners and those with some experience eager to explore the art of rug tufting and bring their designs to life.

​

What's Provided:

​

• All necessary materials for rug tufting, including yarn and fabric canvas.

​

• Expert guidance and assistance throughout both sessions.

​

• Tufting gun and frame assigned for individual use

​

Reserve your spot now for a captivating journey into the art of rug tufting. Limited spaces available. Unleash your creativity and take home a unique carpet crafted by your own hands!

​

This class runs over 2 sessions: Sunday 10a - 5p & Monday 6p - 8p. The Monday session is for finishing the backing on your rug. If you cannot make the Monday portion, please inform the instructor so your rugs method can be adjusted to finish in one day. 

​

Instructor: Vanessa Reyes

​

Workshop Ticket Fee: $157.00

​

MakeHaven members: $134.00

​

You must click below and REGISTER to attend at:

​

https://www.makehaven.org/civicrm/event/info?id=339&reset=1&reset=1

​

Scroll to the bottom of the page and complete the information under Register (gray box) and hit submit. You will receive an acknowledgement by email. Questions? Email info@makehaven.org

​

Spectrum Art Gallery's first show of 2025 is "Life in Motion". A six-week show opening on January 24, 2025. The gallery will have images of people or objects in motion. Questions to think about what does motion do to a person or object? What stops it? What makes motion accelerate? What can make motion dangerous? What makes motion beautiful and exciting! The Opening Reception is Friday, January 24, 6:30-9 pm, with wine, food and good company! The show will close Saturday, March 8, 2025.

​

 Slapstick:

​

Curated by Kevin Daly

​

January 11 - March 16, 2025

​

Located at Ball & Socket Arts in The Workshop Gallery, Building 3.

​

Opening Reception on Saturday, January 11, 2025 4-7PM

​

Slapstick is a physical type of humor involving play, exaggeration and activities which may exceed the boundaries of common sense. In Slapstick, each of the artists included explores abstraction in a highly personal way with a sense of play and experimentation, both in process and in materials. The work included is unpretentiously formal, borrowing aesthetic attributes from Pop Art. This work successfully exudes the fun and delight of creation.

​

Featured Artists:

​

Cat Balco

​

https://catbalco.com/home.html

​

https://www.rickwesterfineart.com/cat-balco

​

Melanie Carr

​

https://www.melaniecarr.com/bio

​

 Andy Cunningham

​

https://www.andycunningham.net/bio

​

Niki Lederer

​

https://nikilederer.com/

​

Suzan Shutan

​

http://www.suzanshutan.com/

​

Taro Suzuki

​

https://www.tarosuzuki.com/

​

https://www.highnoongallery.com/artist-page/taro-suzuki

​

Overcome the mysteries of the sewing machine and discover how fun and easy it can be! Learn the basics of machine sewing including threading, operating, and troubleshooting.

​

Practice using the machine and then move on to simple projects for yourself or for gift-giving. Choice of projects will include a 4-patch pin cushion, Boho bags, zippered pouch, and items for the home such as pillow covers. Tips for altering clothes can also be covered. Previous students are welcome to attend and work on their own projects.

​

Tuition for this class includes a fee of $15 for basic materials provided by CAW.

​

We invite families to join us for folktales, myths, and exciting stories from around the world that highlight objects in the collection and inspire children of all ages to view art in new ways.  

​

Meet by the couches in the Gallery lobby.  

​

Creativity meets skill development for young artists!

​

Students will learn representational drawing and painting through observation of real objects and images. They’ll explore color theory, texture creation, and value with pencils, pastels, watercolors, and tempera. The focus is on developing eye-hand coordination, drawing skills, and fostering creativity in a supportive environment.

​

Tuition for this class includes a fee of $20 for basic materials provided by CAW.

​

Creativity meets skill development for young artists!

​

Students will learn representational drawing and painting through observation of real objects and images. They’ll explore color theory, texture creation, and value with pencils, pastels, watercolors, and tempera. The focus is on developing eye-hand coordination, drawing skills, and fostering creativity in a supportive environment.

​

Tuition for this class includes a fee of $20 for basic materials provided by CAW.

​

Welcome to Life in Color: HAIRSTORY

​

Join us for an evening of celebration, creativity, and unapologetic pride! Life in Color: Hairstory is a celebration of Black hair in all its textures, styles, and beauty. Through fashion, choreography, and storytelling, we’ll take you on a powerful journey, highlighting the cultural significance, personal struggles, and triumphs that come with embracing our natural hair.

​

This isn’t just a show, it’s a movement, celebrating Black excellence and the vibrant artistry of self-expression.

​

🎭 Dress Code: Show off your best extravagant hairstyles and semi-formal attire. This is your moment to shine!

​

✨ VIP CELEBRITY SEATING ✨

​

For our special guests:

​

• Enjoy front-row seating with exclusive perks

​

• Be personally escorted to your seat like the VIP you are

​

• Receive a gift bag filled with curated goodies

​

• 1 food & drink pass (21+ for alcoholic beverages only)

​

VIP tickets are limited, so treat yourself—you deserve it!

​

Don’t miss this one-of-a-kind experience that celebrates the beauty, history, and future of Black hair.

​

 Eastbound Theatre – My Children! My Africa!

​

January 31 – February 15

​

Fridays & Saturdays 7:30  Sundays 2:00. Education, Not Violence, Is the Answer 

​

Generational conflict over the most effective means for ending apartheid in South Africa lead to an explosive confrontation between a gifted but impatient black township youth and his devoted but “old fashioned” black teacher … The unexpected involvement of a young white woman who befriends and learns from both men strips away the political trappings to reveal the human trauma at the heart of South Africa’s … tragedy.

​

By Athol Fugard

​

Directed by Noelle Fair

​

​

Athol Fugard  is an internationally acclaimed South African playwright whose best-known work deals with the political and social upheaval of the apartheid system in South Africa.

​

 November 18, 2024 – February 7, 2025

​

Opening Reception on Thursday, November 21, 4:00-6:00pm at Pegasus Gallery.

​

  Kat Owens creates life-size portraits of animal species impacted by plastics discarded by humans. Each work is composed of consumer waste and recycling stream packaging that are manipulated into visually striking compositions. The basis of her process includes mosaic, quilt, and collage traditions but encompasses a larger artistic practice of observation, research, community engagement, and environmental education.

​

​

The power of Owens’ artwork resides in the pattern rich arrangements of graphic text fonts, inherent material surface contrasts, and bold color interactions. The overall visual effects these packaging combinations offer are further heightened by juxtapositions of their recognizable product components and the life-like animal portraits they contain. In spite of the visual pleasure Owens’ arrangements of everyday plastic materials offer, the species represented in each project is poignantly fabricated from the very material pollutants that threaten them.    

​

Kat Owens is an interdisciplinary artist, teacher, and researcher who focuses on the environment. Owens holds a PHD in Governance and Sustainable Development from the University of Twente (the Netherlands). She also holds an MA of Environmental Studies, a BA Biology, a BS Anthropology, and a BA Studio Art from the College of Charleston, South Carolina. She has led community workshops and exhibited her artwork throughout Connecticut, regionally, and internationally. See more of her work at: www.katowens.com

​

Pegasus Gallery is located within the library on the first floor of Chapman Hall, Hours: Monday-Thursday: 8:30 am - 7 pm; Friday: 8:30 am - 4 pm.

​

The Niche is in Founders Hall across from the Registrar’s Office, Hours: Monday through Thursday 7:30 am – 5 pm; Fridays 8 am – 4 pm.

​

https://mxcc.edu/art-exhibits/

​

CT State Community College – Middlesex

​

100 Training Hill Road, Middletown, CT 06457

​

New and experienced students will focus on making pottery on the wheel.

​

Start by using methods of wedging, centering, hand and finger positioning for raising a vessel, and positioning one’s body for dealing with a mass of clay on the wheel. Demonstrations will cover the importance of trimming techniques and various forming processes.

​

Wear clothes that can get dirty.

​

Pottery tool kits are available for sale in the studio for $27. Cash or check only.

​

Firing fees are $3/pound. Cash or check only.

​

Includes one 3-hour weekly practice session during monitored practice hours on a first-come, first-served basis.

​

A sale of handmade gifts featuring Books, Cards, Pottery, and much more!

​

Learn how to make a clamshell box–a box that looks like a book, especially when set on a shelf. The design can be easily adapted in shape and size to accommodate a wide range of objects from prints, small objects, or books. Students will to the pieces and construct the two-tray cloth-covered box accented with decorative paper. Many of the basic bookbinding techniques will be taught such as measuring, cutting, and gluing.

​

No experience necessary. Intermediate students may work on independent box projects.

​

Plus receive one 3-hour monitored open bench session each week.

​

Registration is now open for Winter Programs at Oddfellows Playhouse Youth Theater located at 128 Washington Street in Middletown! Beginning January 6, weekly classes in theater, dance, circus, and visual arts will be offered for toddlers to 20 year olds.

​

 November 18, 2024 – February 7, 2025

​

Opening Reception on Thursday, November 21, 4:00-6:00pm at Pegasus Gallery.

​

  Kat Owens creates life-size portraits of animal species impacted by plastics discarded by humans. Each work is composed of consumer waste and recycling stream packaging that are manipulated into visually striking compositions. The basis of her process includes mosaic, quilt, and collage traditions but encompasses a larger artistic practice of observation, research, community engagement, and environmental education.

​

​

The power of Owens’ artwork resides in the pattern rich arrangements of graphic text fonts, inherent material surface contrasts, and bold color interactions. The overall visual effects these packaging combinations offer are further heightened by juxtapositions of their recognizable product components and the life-like animal portraits they contain. In spite of the visual pleasure Owens’ arrangements of everyday plastic materials offer, the species represented in each project is poignantly fabricated from the very material pollutants that threaten them.    

​

Kat Owens is an interdisciplinary artist, teacher, and researcher who focuses on the environment. Owens holds a PHD in Governance and Sustainable Development from the University of Twente (the Netherlands). She also holds an MA of Environmental Studies, a BA Biology, a BS Anthropology, and a BA Studio Art from the College of Charleston, South Carolina. She has led community workshops and exhibited her artwork throughout Connecticut, regionally, and internationally. See more of her work at: www.katowens.com

​

Pegasus Gallery is located within the library on the first floor of Chapman Hall, Hours: Monday-Thursday: 8:30 am - 7 pm; Friday: 8:30 am - 4 pm.

​

The Niche is in Founders Hall across from the Registrar’s Office, Hours: Monday through Thursday 7:30 am – 5 pm; Fridays 8 am – 4 pm.

​

https://mxcc.edu/art-exhibits/

​

CT State Community College – Middlesex

​

100 Training Hill Road, Middletown, CT 06457

​

Develop your pottery skills as you focus on wheel-throwing techniques in stoneware and porcelain. Lessons will cover both functional and decorative pottery with emphasis on classical forms as we know them. Students will be shown how to apply glazes and/or oxide washes to achieve desired results, such as combining glaze colors and the application of wood ash to create unexpected effects on their work. Wear clothes that can get dirty. Pottery tool kits are available for sale in the studio for $27 and firing fees are $3/pound. Cash or check only. Includes one 3-hour weekly practice session during monitored practice hours on a first-come, first-served basis.

​

Learn basic metalsmithing for making jewelry, developing new skills, or strengthen existing ones. Weekly demonstrations introduce tools and techniques required for working with nonferrous sheet metal and wire. Demonstrations may include sawing, filing, cold-connecting, soldering, surface embellishment, forging, shaping, fold forming, finishing, and patina coloring.

​

The tuition for this class includes a fee of $40 for basic materials provided by CAW.

​

Symphonia: Dialogues of Landscape, Ritual, and Resilience aims to explore the profound and intricate intersections of religious, ecological, and expressive themes through the works of four Chicago-based artists: Joanne Aono, Karen Azarnia, Jon Seals, and Michelle Wasson. Envisioned as an artistic conversation that transcends traditional boundaries, the exhibition is designed to encourage contemplation and dialogue, creating an immersive experience for the viewer to explore.

​

As an artist and farmer, Joanne Aono explores the intersection of nature and the cultural significance of food sovereignty across communities, drawing on humanity's historical reliance on the earth for survival. Through large drawings on agricultural fabric and small panel drawings depicting foraged foods and cultivated plants, Aono conveys themes of impermanence, the passage of time, and the interconnectedness of life, emphasizing the essential care needed for the holistic sustenance of the Earth and its elements.

​

Through painting, Karen Azarnia explores themes of time, home, memory, and natural life cycles. Navigating the delicate balance between abstraction and representation, works from her Verdant series are characterized by lushness and generosity – an act of care for the viewer. The work seeks to inspire renewal and resilience, drawing parallels between the meditative rhythms of nature and the painting process.

​

Employing a unique mixed-media approach, Jon Seals utilizes materials directly harvested from environmentally shifting landscapes. The symbiotic exchange with the soil, water, and plant life is evident in artworks created through pouring, dipping, and combining hand-drawn and painted elements. The integration of water sourced on-site deepens the artist's connection with the land and sea.

​

Michelle Wasson's paintings serve as a sensual refuge, intuitively created from memory and imagination. Her canvases, flowing between landscape, still life, and the figurative, portray surreal planes where divine vessels evoke the power of nature to create, destroy, and create anew, offering a reflection of our shared humanity in the natural world.

​

While each artist in Symphonia offers a distinct viewpoint embodied through their own uniquely built worlds, together these worlds intertwine to culminate into something much larger. It is through this simple yet powerful act of shared connection in which Symphonia ultimately seeks to inspire a renewed sense of environmental consciousness, and a commitment to preserving the sacred harmony within our world.

​

Free and open to the public.

​

Exhibition co-curated by Karen Azarnia & Jon Seals.

​

This exhibition will be on view at the Yale Institute of Sacred Music’s Miller Hall at 406 Prospect Street, New Haven from January 23-March 6 on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 12-4 p.m.

​

All are welcome to join us for an opening reception for this art exhibit on Wednesday, January 22 at 5 p.m.

​

Sponsored by the Institute of Sacred Music’s Religion, Ecology, and Expressive Culture Initiative.

​

We are excited to announce that the ISM will be linking its exhibitions to the Smartify app. The app is available as a free download from the App Store and Google Play, or you can access content through the Smartify webpage at  app.smartify.org. The Smartify app will allow you to directly scan artworks that are on display, as well as QR codes that are placed around the exhibition, to receive more information. You will also be able to save your favorite artworks and share them to social media.

​

Contact: Anesu Nyamupingidza

​

Art credit: Michelle Wasson: Golden Lacuna, Aurea Nova Series, 2023

​

View event page

​

A sale of handmade gifts featuring Books, Cards, Pottery, and much more!

​

In this class enter the Art of the Abstract using mixed mediums, fluid acrylics, acrylic ink, neocrayons, pencils and permanent markers. This requires some self-examination and exploration to find your visual inspiration to actualize the art and to create a finished work by the end of the 5-week session.

​

Start with a couple of small 5 x7 mat boards doing fast, fun, instinctual exercises and small expanding scribbles and doodles. Then graduate to a larger substrate and with some guidance go through the steps to complete your abstract work of art.

​

Supply list available upon registration and instructions for caring for your new supplies to use them again and again.

​

Regina Thomas’ collage and mixed media art is a mélange of visual stimuli, colors, and shapes involving different genres from the representational to the abstract.  These multi-layered works portray her view of the world, never realistic, injecting her own narratives, metaphors, and icons.  Regina works instinctually, and her desire is to stimulate and intrigue the viewer, make a connection, bringing their own experiences to the work.

​

Regina has lived and traveled throughout Asia and Europe.  While in London, she attended Richmond University concentrating on the Art Disciplines as well as Studio classes.  Upon her return to the states she continued refining her art through classes and workshops at RISD (Rhode Island School of Design), The New Art Center in Newton – MA, South Shore Art Center – MA, West Hartford Art League, Creative Arts Workshop/New Haven, CT, Yale University and The British Art Museum.

​

Regina has been included in many juried exhibitions in New England. Thomas shows in private galleries and has private collectors across the U.S., Europe, South America and Asia. Her most recent shows have been at The John Slade Ely House in New Haven, and The Spectrum Gallery in Centerbrook where she also holds classes in collage and mixed media art.

​

Registration is now open for Winter Programs at Oddfellows Playhouse Youth Theater located at 128 Washington Street in Middletown! Beginning January 6, weekly classes in theater, dance, circus, and visual arts will be offered for toddlers to 20 year olds.

​

Join Yale Consort for a musical service.

​

Free and open to the public.

​

View Yale Consort events page

​

Due to the off-campus nature of Yale Consort events, they will not be livestreamed. We invite you to join us in person as you are able.

​

Yale Consort, a newly formed professional vocal ensemble conducted by Professor James O’Donnell and sponsored by the Yale Institute of Sacred Music, provides high quality choral music for a series of evening services in local parishes and chapels.

​

Contact: Clifton Massey

​

Instructed by Annie Sailer

​

39 Putnam Avenue

​

Hamden, CT 06517

​

Join us to draw or paint from a live nude model. The 3-hour session includes mixed-length poses. These are monitored “open drawing” sessions; there is no instruction.

​

The course runs monthly on the first Tuesday of the month.  Session Dates: 1/7/25, 2/4/25, 3/4/25

​

Step into a world where history meets harmony at the Bluegrass Jam at the Museum! Dive deep into the heart of American bluegrass music, as the Shore Line Trolley Museum transforms into a vibrant stage for an evening of musical enchantment.

​

On the first Tuesday of each month, as the clock strikes 6:00pm, witness a musical rendezvous that celebrates the soulful rhythms and spirited tunes of bluegrass. Whether you're a seasoned musician or someone who simply loves the melodies, there's a spot for you in this musical extravaganza. Come with friends, family, or venture solo – all are welcome!

​

Set against the backdrop of the Shore Line Trolley Museum's historic charm, attendees will be treated to the mesmerizing sounds of bluegrass, surrounded by the timeless allure of vintage trolleys. It's not just a concert; it's a journey through time, where every note echoes the legacy of a cherished American musical tradition.

​

Bring along your curiosity and immerse yourself in an evening of musical brilliance. Whether you're strumming along or swaying to the rhythms, Bluegrass Jam at the Museum promises memories that will linger long after the last chord is played.

​

While the event itself is a gift to music lovers, we kindly suggest a donation of any amount to support the Shore Line Trolley Museum's continued dedication to preserving history and promoting the arts.

​

Mark your calendars, spread the word, and let's make history together at Bluegrass Jam at the Museum. A night of melodies, memories, and magic awaits!

​