Watershed connections: As readers may have heard, Watershed Center for the Ceramic Arts, at 19 Brick Hill Road in Newcastle, was recently awarded a $35,000 Art Works: Creativity Connects grant to support a series of public programs in collaboration with the University of Maine Cooperative Extension. I recently asked Claire Brassil, Watershed’s program and marketing coordinator, to elaborate on what the grant means for the center in 2017.
Brassil said that one of Watershed’s significant grant-supported activities will take place in Philadelphia on Oct. 7 – a celebration of the center’s 2017 Legends, namely New York ceramic artist and educator Wayne Higby; Pennsylvania potter, teacher, and writer Jack Troy; and Pennsylvania porcelain artist Paula Winokur.
“Our 2017 Legends are all distinguished artists who have made considerable contributions to the ceramics field throughout their careers,” she said. “They also have long-term relationships with Watershed as advisory council members, guest artists, and residency session leaders.”
Brassil noted that “with the University of Maine Cooperative Extension and award-winning radio producer Julie Burstein, we will honor our 2017 Legends through the production of podcasts and public conversations. The interviews and conversations will engage these master artists in a dialogue about land, resources, and climate change with faculty from science and humanities disciplines at the University of Maine, and local representatives from natural resource-based industries such as farms and fisheries.” Stay tuned.
Kurt Anderson at work on one of the 500-plus plates needed for the 2017 Watershed Center for the Ceramic Arts Salad Days event, which will take place on July 8. (Photo courtesy Claire Brassil)
A heads-up: Watershed’s 30th anniversary Salad Days celebration will take place on its beautiful, expansive Newcastle grounds on July 8 and will feature the creative, colorful plates made by 2017 Salad Days artist Kurt Anderson. This family-friendly event, as the many people who attended in 2016 can attest, features countless salads and other delicious foods either made at Watershed from local organic produce or donated by area restaurants, live music and pottery demos (including a hands-on clay area), and a pottery sale and raffle. Attendees even get to keep their plates! (My family’s 2016 Salad Days plates, made by artist Liz Hafey, are favorites at my house.)
Go to watershedceramics.org for more information.
Coming up at Savory Maine: I checked in with Damariscotta artist Polly Steadman, who coordinates the art exhibits at Savory Maine Dining & Provisions, located at 11 Water St. in Damariscotta, to see what that cozy venue will offer art lovers in 2017.
“The walls of Savory Maine Dining & Provisions are a natural showcase for art,” Steadman said. “Owner Grace Goldberg delights in sharing the special and abundant talent of the area artists with the public and … presents eight six-week exhibits annually, usually spotlighting a solo artist. She also gives an opening reception for each artist. Heading the exciting lineup for 2017 is Priscilla McCandless, whose rich, bright oil paintings will greet you when the restaurant reopens from its winter break on Feb. 9.”
Join the Sheepscot Valley Chorus: I discovered on Damariscotta pianist and organist Sean Fleming’s Facebook page that the Sheepscot Valley Chorus is inviting new members to the group to sing up-and-coming choral composer Dan Forrest’s “Requiem for the Living” and songs by Duke Ellington at the group’s spring concert. Fleming is the accompanist for the chorus.
The chorus, directed by Linda Blanchard, will hold its first rehearsal of the year at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 17. Those interested in joining are encouraged to attend this rehearsal, which will be held in the fellowship hall of the First Congregational Church, at 28 High St. in Wiscasset. New singers are welcomed into the group without an audition.
Listen to “Requiem for the Living” at danforrest.com.
Speaking of Sean Fleming: He will accompany the Midcoast Community Chorus on Sunday, Jan. 15 at its winter concert, “All You Need is Love,” at 4 p.m. at Camden Hills Regional High School’s Strom Auditorium. The talented and busy Fleming is also assistant director of the group. Learn more at mccsings.org.
Cool offerings at Lincoln Theater: “The Eagle Huntress” opens on Friday, Jan. 13 for an eight-day run. The movie, rated G, tells the true story of a 13-year-old Mongolian girl named Aisholpan who becomes the first female in 12 generations of her family to become a master eagle hunter. The story is inspiring and the scenery is breathtaking. Watch the trailer at lcct.org.
“The Curious World of Hieronymus Bosch,” focusing on the 2016 art retrospective of the wildly creative Bosch at the Het Noordbrabants Museum in the Netherlands, plays at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 14, part of Lincoln Theater’s Exhibition on Screen series.
Speaking of Lincoln Theater: My friend and I went to see The Met Live in HD screening of the Giuseppe Verdi opera “Nabucco” there on Saturday, Jan. 7. We arrived about 10 minutes before the start time – to a lobby packed with people waiting in a snaking line to buy tickets. As it turned out, the venue was just about sold out for this fantastic show based on historical events that took place in Jerusalem and Babylon. Lincoln Theater Executive Director Andrew Fenniman, who was busy selling tickets as fast as he could, had a detectable smile on his face.
Next time, I will arrive earlier.
Write to me at clbreglia@lcnme.com.
