OLD LYME – The Witness Stones Poets will join the Nat Reeves Quartet in a Juneteenth celebration of jazz and poetry on the lawn of the Florence Griswold Museum on Saturday afternoon, June 18, at 2 p.m.
The acclaimed Connecticut poets – Marilyn Nelson, Kate Rushin, Rhonda Ward and Antoinette Brim-Bell – will read a verse cycle written in collaboration with the Old Lyme Witness Stones Partnership. The poems commemorate 14 African-descended persons once enslaved in Old Lyme.
The internationally-renowned bassist and bandleader Nat Reeves will offer a musical tribute to those once held in bondage in the community.
Juneteenth is a federal holiday that commemorates the emancipation of enslaved African Americans. The celebration takes place outdoors from 2 to 4 p.m., rain or shine. Limited seating is offered. Lawn chairs or blankets for additional outdoor seating are recommended.
Admission is free.
The event has received generous support from the Side Door Jazz Club and the Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development, Office of the Arts, which also receives support from the federal ARPA program.
The Old Lyme Witness Stones Partnership’s goal is to expand the understanding of local history and honor the humanity and the contributions of those formerly enslaved in the community.
The partnership’s founding members include the Phoebe Griffin Noyes Library, the Florence Griswold Museum, Lyme-Old Lyme Schools, and the First Congregational Church of Old Lyme.
Community partners include the Roger Tory Peterson Estuary Center, St. Ann’s Episcopal Church, Lymes’ Youth Service Bureau, and the Old Lyme Historical Society.
The Partnership has received generous support from a Health Improvement Collaborative of Southeastern Connecticut (HIC) Partnership Grant for Racial Equity.
Witness Stones Old Lyme partnered with The Witness Stones Project, an organization that seeks to restore the history and honor the humanity of the enslaved individuals who helped build our communities.
For further information, visit https://www.witnessstonesoldlyme.org.
Editor’s Note: The Florence Griswold Museum is at 96 Lyme St. in Old Lyme, CT.
OLD LYME — Studio 80 + Sculpture Grounds on Lyme St. in Old Lyme offer a vibrant, artistic environment owned and managed by acclaimed international sculptor Gil Boro, who lives on the property.
Dedicated to arts education and appreciation, Boro vigorously pursues his mission to create a bond between art, nature and community by inspiring and promoting participation in the arts.
Studio 80 + Sculpture Grounds’ 8th annual Summer Sculpture Showcase exhibition provides a unique opportunity for artists to showcase their sculptures in a stunning environment specifically designed to nurture the creative arts. This year, the Showcase features a variety of sculptures from 15 national artists, who represent a broad range of artistic communities, which, in turn, creates an exhibition of diverse sculpture.
All works on the grounds are available for sale.
On Saturday, June 18, an Opening Reception is being held from 5 to 7 p.m. to celebrate the 2022 Summer Sculpture Showcase. It will feature live music by Ramblin’ Dan Stevens, light refreshments, and the opportunity to tour the ground and view the artwork at leisure. All are welcome.
Boro comments, “I’m delighted to be able to open my grounds to these exceptional sculptors whose work intrigues me. Each one offers original creative thinking resulting in a combination of contrasting conceptual designs in a variety of media. I think any visitor to the exhibition is going to be thoroughly engaged by what he or she sees – including children.”
Boro is somewhat unusual as a professional sculptor in that he loves to see folk of all ages directly interacting with his sculptures, noting that he has a strong aversion to exhibitions, “… where people can’t touch my work.”
The Sculpture Grounds are thoroughly invested in the vibrant Old Lyme arts scene and anticipate this exhibition will attract art-loving visitors from near and far. Boro is committed to the important public mission to enrich the cultural life of the region for the education, enrichment, and enjoyment of the community. In previous years, the exhibition has drawn over 7000 viewers to the 4.5-acre sculpture garden located on the Connecticut shoreline.
Studio 80 + Sculpture Grounds is located at 80-1 Lyme St., less than a minute from Exit 70 on I- 95. The Sculpture Grounds are open 365 days a year from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Admission is free. Children, field trips and group visits are all welcome.
For further information, visit the Sculpture Grounds website or call 860-434-5957.
OLD LYME — Tonight, the Corvettes Doo Wop Revue will perform outdoors in the Lymes’ Senior Center field, 26 Town Woods Road in Old Lyme, starting at 7 p.m. The concert is part of the Summer Sounds Outdoor Concert Series.
The Corvettes perform the toe-tapping music of the Doo Wop era with a fresh new energy.
All ages are welcome to come and enjoy this free musical performance.
Free ice cream will be served at 6:30 p.m. before the concert.
Bring your lawn chairs and dancing shoes!
For more information, call 860-434-4127 or email [email protected].
The Cartells Band, as part of the Summer Sounds Outdoor Concert Series, will perform outdoors in the Lymes’ Senior Center field, 26 Town Woods Road, Old Lyme, CT on Thursday, July 21, 2022, at 7:00pm. This 5-person band will be packing the dance floor! Playing Jazz, Swing, Motown, R&B and Rock n Roll!
All are welcome to join us for this free musical performance Bring your lawn chairs.
Don’t feel like cooking before the concert, the Lions Club will have a cookout at 6pm. Hot dogs, hamburgers, cheeseburgers, drinks, and chips will be available for purchase on the Lymes’ Senior Center grounds. Proceeds go to the Lions Club Scholarship Fund.
Call 860-434-4127 or email [email protected] for more information.
Rock Solid Alibi Band, as part of the Summer Sounds Outdoor Concert Series, will perform outdoors in the Lymes’ Senior Center field, 26 Town Woods Road, Old Lyme, CT on Thursday, July 28, 2022, at 7:00pm. Rock Solid Alibi plays primo cuts from The Allman Brothers, The Cars, Eric Clapton, ZZ Top, Joe Jackson, John Cougar Mellencamp to name just a few.
All ages are welcome to join us for this free musical performance.
Free Ice Cream will be served at 6:30pm before the concert.
Bring your lawn chairs and dancing shoes!
Call 860-434-4127 or email [email protected] for more information.
Take 2 and Call Me in the Morning Band, as part of the Summer Sounds Outdoor Concert Series, will perform in the Lymes’ Senior Center field, 26 Town Woods Road, Old Lyme, CT on Thursday, August 4, 2022, at 7:00pm. Local group comprised of physicians and health care providers. This person band specializes in vocally driven classic rock songs from the 60’s to the 2000’s All ages are welcome to join us for this free musical performance, Bring your lawn chairs. Don’t feel like cooking before the concert? the Lions Club will have a cookout at 6pm. Hot dogs, hamburgers, cheeseburgers, drinks, and chips will be available for purchase on the Lymes’ Senior Center grounds. Proceeds go to the Lions Club Scholarship Fund.
NIANTIC/OLD LYME — Niantic Bay Gallery of Fine Art is hosting an exhibit of work by Lyme Academy of Fine Arts students, featuring academic drawings from current students and a painting by instructor Edmond Rochat.
An opening reception for the exhibition will be held tomorrow, Saturday, Aug. 13, from 5 to 7 p.m. All are welcome and there is no fee for admission.
This is a special opportunity to view and purchase the work of students.
The opening reception in downtown Niantic will feature an evening of both fine art and refreshments.
The Niantic Bay Gallery of Fine Art is located behind the Arthur Murray Dance Center at 291 Main St Unit C in Niantic, Conn.
OLD LYME — On Friday, Aug. 19, from 5 to 7 p.m., Lyme Art Association (LAA) will host an Opening Reception for two new shows, which opened Aug. 12. All are welcome.
The first is Point of View, the 101st Annual Elected Artists Show, which showcases the ‘best of the best’ in representational art from LAA’s Elected Artists.
These are the Association’s most accomplished artists and also torch-bearers for the American representational tradition. They follow directly in the footsteps of the original Lyme Art Colony artists, who hung their tonalist and impressionist works on the walls of the local library back in 1901.
The second exhibition is True Blue. Considered beneficial to the mind and body, the color blue elicits a sense of tranquility and healing. The LAA challenged its Associated Artists to submit work where blue is the predominant or most significant color in their piece. This ode to blue will be both pleasing and intriguing for visitors.
Both shows are on view through Sept. 22, 2022 and sponsored by Chelsea Groton Bank. Admission is free with donations appreciated.
The gallery is open at 90 Lyme St. in Old Lyme from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Wednesday through Sunday, and by appointment. The Lyme Art Association is located in the Old Lyme Historic District in a building designed by Lyme Colony artist and architect, Charles Adams Platt.
The LAA was founded 1914 by the American Impressionists and continues the tradition of exhibiting and selling representational artwork by its members and invited artists, as well as offering art instruction and lectures to the community.
For more information on exhibits, purchase of art, art classes, or becoming a member, visit www.lymeartassociation.org or call 860-434-7802.
OLD SAYBROOK — Join Salt Marsh Opera on Friday, Aug. 19, at 6 p.m. for a free concert at the Old Saybrook Town Green. Rain date is Saturday, Aug. 20.
The concert will run from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Arrive early for the best seating. This event is suitable for all ages.
Bring your blankets and lawn chairs, settle in, and enjoy these three performers:
KIRK DOUGHERTY, TENOR
ABIGAIL PASCHKE, SOPRANO
BLAKE HANSEN, PIANIST
OLD LYME — Lyme Academy of Fine Arts invites both aspiring and experienced artists of all ages to participate in a free information session on Wednesday, Sept. 21, from 6 to 8 p.m.
Interested students will have the opportunity to tour the campus and studio spaces, and to learn more about the new art class offerings for 2022-2023, including the Studio Immersion and Young Masters Afterschool Programs.
In addition, live drawing demonstrations by Academy members will provide a glimpse into the high level of instruction that students receive at the Academy.
The session will also include an opportunity to meet the faculty, including Lyme resident and acclaimed artist Rick Lacey, Director of Youth Programs, and Edmond Rochat, new Director of Continuing Education and Principal Anatomy Instructor at Lyme Academy.
A registration table will be on site to facilitate enrollment in all ongoing and upcoming classes.
De Gerenday’s Fine Art Materials and Curiosities, newly opened on the Academy campus, will be open during the event.
Registration for the Information Session is appreciated for planning purposes but not required. To register for the Information Session, visit this link.
The mission of the Lyme Academy of Fine Arts is to teach the foundational skills of drawing, painting, and sculpture in the figurative tradition. By its commitment to training students in these skills and an engagement with contemporary discourse, the Academy will empower a new generation of artists.
Through its programs and related ventures, including the opening of de Gerenday’s Fine Art Materials and Curiosities on its historic campus, the Academy is committed to enriching the cultural life of the community. Learn more by visiting www.lymeacademy.edu.
Second Annual LOLFSG Open House Slated for Saturday, Sept. 24, All Welcome
OLD LYME — The Lyme-Old Lyme Food Share Garden (LOLFSG) celebrated a milestone this week!
Following a much-needed rain event, mid-week volunteers harvested kale, tomatoes, string beans, peppers, eggplants, and more. In doing so, the garden reached a total donation threshold of more than 2000 pounds of produce in its first growing season.
The LOLFSG President Jim Ward commented, “This incredible accomplishment is due to the dedication of volunteers and community support.”
Ward noted that the realistic LOLFSG goal for the 2023 season is to double production and is already looking forward to a “Two-Ton Tuesday.”
To celebrate the successful inaugural growing season and to learn more about the garden, all are invited to visit the 2nd Annual LOLFSG Open House on Saturday, Sept. 24, at the garden from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m.
The garden is located at Town Woods Park behind the Field House and playground.
OLD LYME/LYME — On Saturday, Sept. 24, Lyme resident Joe Fitzgerald, pictured left, will bring his Quartet to The Side Door at the Old Lyme Inn.
The Joe Fitzgerald Quartet comprises Fitzgerald on bass, Kenny Wessel on guitar, Frank Carlberg on piano and Anthony Pinciotti on drums.
Fitzgerald has been in the thick of the New York jazz world for the last few decades, performing, recording and touring internationally with many prominent artists including John Abercrombie, Donald Brown, Dominique Eade, Lee Konitz, Datevik Hovanesian, Bruce Barth , Ted Curson , Kenny Wessel and countless others.
He is very much looking forward to this return to The Side Door. Visit this link to purchase tickets.
Guitarist and composer, Kenny Wessel has worked in projects playing jazz, ranging from straight-ahead to free music, and continues to explore world music, investigating points of intersection between jazz and North Indian music. He has toured and recorded with Ornette Coleman for over 12 years as a member of Prime Time.
He is currently on the faculties of Western Connecticut State University and the New York Jazz Workshop. For more info, visit www.kenwessel.com, or to contact Kenny, [email protected].
Originally a native of Helsinki, Finland, Frank Carlberg has carved himself quite a niche in the New York jazz community. As a leader, Frank’s groups include the Frank Carlberg’s Word Circus, the Tivoli Trio and The Frank Carlberg Large Ensemble.
In addition to his playing and composing activities Carlberg also serves on the faculty at New England Conservatory. He is also a partner in Red Piano Records, an artist run cooperative label.
Anthony Pinciotti is a dynamic, innovative drummer well versed in jazz, rock, and world music. Based in New York City, Anthony performs and tours extensively with many of the most vital and forward-looking musicians on the scene today.
For more information about The Side Door, visit this link.
“Conduct Us” October 2, 2022, 12:30 PM – 1:30 PM, Hygienic Art Park
On Sunday, October 2 from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m., members of the Eastern Connecticut Symphony Orchestra will be located at Hygienic Arts waiting to perform, all they need is a conductor. The general public will have a chance to conduct In the Hall of the Mountain King, Blue Danube Waltz, Toreador Song from Carmen, Can-Can from Orpheus in the Underworld, and William Tell Overture (The Lone Ranger Theme.) Everyone is invited to step up to the podium and try their hand at conducting the orchestra. Our Music Director and Conductor Toshiyuki Shimada will be there to give guidance and encouragement to the volunteer maestros!
Hygienic Art is located at 79 Bank Street, New London. This unique experience is free and open to the public in the outdoor Frank Loomis Palmer Amphitheater. Pack a lunch or enjoy takeout from the many eateries on Bank Street and come enjoy a gorgeous fall afternoon with us. Families and children are welcome and encouraged.
“Conduct Us” started when the ECSO participated in the international Make Music Day movement, which brings free, community-wide, outdoor musical celebrations to hundreds of cities worldwide! We last held this fun community event in Mystic River Park and we are delighted to bring it to New London.
LYME — On Sunday, Oct. 2, join Pete Picone, Connecticut DEEP wildlife biologist and native habitat expert, for a tour of the meadow and surrounding shrubland in Jewett Preserve.
The meadow walk, which is co-sponsored by the Lyme Land Trust, Lyme Pollinator Pathway and the Town of Lyme, will start at 1:30 p.m. and last until 3:30 p.m.
Meet at the Jewett Preserve in Lyme, Conn. Park in the lot on McIntosh Rd, about 1/4 mile from the intersection with Rte. 156.
During the tour, Picone will make recommendations for nurturing the vegetation that provides habitat for wildlife. Learn about which plants are beneficial for pollinators, and how to manage invasives. His guidance can be applied to enhancing habitat in your own back yard.
Registration is required at [email protected].
OLD LYME — The final Hikers’ Happy Hour of 2022, sponsored by the Open Space Commission, the Old Lyme Land Trust, and the Old Lyme Inn, will be held on Wednesday, Oct. 5.
A guided hike will leave at 4:15 p.m. from the Bunny Hutch behind the Old Lyme Inn to explore the Champlain North Preserve.
After the hike, a friendly happy hour at the Old Lyme Inn will follow from 5 to 7 p.m. Drinks will be half-price from 5 to 6 p.m.
Even if you do not hike, you are still welcome at the Inn for Happy Hour.
Hikers should wear comfortable walking shoes and bring insect repellent.
In the event of rain, meet at the Old Lyme Inn for Happy Hour instead of the Bunny Hutch.
Information on the Champlain South Open Space and its trails may be found at: https://www.oldlyme-ct.gov/
OLD LYME — On Saturday, Oct. 8, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., the Old Lyme Land Trust hosts a Free Outdoor Workshop at Watch Rock Preserve with local artist Barbara Barry.
Nature Journaling with watercolor and pen!
Rain date is Sunday, Oct. 9.
All materials provided or bring your sketchbook and paints as we capture the beauty of the Watch Rock Preserve in watercolor and pen.
Meet at the Watch Rock Preserve at the parking lot at 10 a.m. and we will all walk in together. (Off Rte. 156 at Joel Road)
Bring a lightweight chair or blanket to sit on, there are a few tight turns so no rolling bags. Also bring bug spray/sunscreen/hat/water/snacks – whatever you need to feel comfortable carrying and sitting on.
Donations are encouraged.