10/23/2019

Artist Member Spotlight: Tom Ouellette

Tom Ouellette is photographer, long-time ACE Artist Member, and newly an ACE Signature Artist Member. Tom has been involved with Arts Center East, in one capacity or another, since its inception. His work has been included in all of ACE’s past Photography and ACE Artist Member exhibits.

For Tom, photography has been a lifelong hobby. But it was while Tom was a student that he began to consider photography more seriously. “I was inspired to take a more professional approach to photography by a high school Humanities teacher and photographer.” Since then, he has turned his passion into something more. “Over the past 10 years I have developed a small business selling photographs, cards, calendars, and other gifts at craft fairs, farmers markets, and gift shops.”

Tom took his personal business experience and put it to work at Arts Center East. He worked with other volunteers to establish the gift shop, which has continued to grow over the years, and will soon be undergoing renovations. Tom also helped start the ACE Annual Holiday Fair. The growth in size and popularity of the Holiday Fair is much to Tom’s credit.

In his own work, Tom prefers both natural subjects and a natural approach to the photography process. He shoots, prints, mats, and frames his photos himself, and uses little to no digital enhancement or manipulation of the images he captures.

Before retiring, Tom worked as a Senior Environmental Analyst at the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, Office of Long Island Sound Programs. A biologist and self-proclaimed birder, Tom enjoys photographing coastal scenery and farms throughout New England. “I photograph birds in coastal habitats and wildlife preserves. I have also photographed landscapes and wildlife throughout the U.S. (Arizona and New Mexico are particular favorites) and in Canada, Iceland, Ireland and Scotland. I am intrigued by barns, lighthouses and other structural artifacts of society, and I try to capture those images from unique perspectives. I strive to show artistic elements in my landscape photos.” One of his perhaps most striking and distinctly New England photographs is Winter Wind taken in Great Barrington, MA.

When asked if Tom has a preferred subject or location, he replied, “I always have my camera with me and look for the subjects wherever I am.”

You can see more of Tom’s work on his website.

10/11/2019

Take Note! Benefit Concert

The galleries were packed Sunday, October 6 for the Take Note! concert. The acclaimed a cappella group performed to a captive audience, all in support of Arts Center East’s new ceramics program. Take Note! performed arrangements of popular songs like “And So It Goes” by Billy Joel and “Blue Moon” by Rodgers and Hart, as well as a song written for the group by Krisanthi Pappas, “Raising Voices.” Concert goers were delighted with the program and the impeccable performance.

Take Note! is a 20-voice group, under the direction of Linda Tracy, and is comprised of select, talented local singers from diverse backgrounds. A nonprofit organization based in Mansfield, the group performs without charge for the benefit of other local non-profit organizations. The Take Note! mission statement speaks to the spirit of the group: “Through performances in support of charitable endeavors, we are raising voices, raising spirits, raising hope.”

Thanks to generous support from concert goers, we raised over $600.00 for the new ceramics program at Arts Center East!

09/24/2019

Dionysus Theatre Company Brings Detroit ’67 to Rockville High School

After a successful run of shows at Arts Center East, Gabbi Mendelssohn and Dionysus Theatre Company (DTC) are bringing their production of Detroit ’67 to Rockville High School. The show will be performed during the school day, Friday, September 27 for the 11^th grade class. The 11^th grade curriculum typically includes the acclaimed play, A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry. Both A Raisin in the Sun and Detroit ’67 tell stories of black families in 1950’s and 1960’s America, respectively, trying to achieve the American Dream, and confronting ideas of who has access to achieve that dream. A Raisin in the Sun is one of Gabbi’s favorite plays, and one she considered producing for DTC, but instead she chose Detroit ’67, after seeing a production at Hartford Stage. “After seeing the show,” Gabbi said, “I just wanted to take it in and process it and spend time with these characters.” Like A Raisin in the Sun, Detroit ’67 is a story centered on family relationships.

Set in 1967 Detroit, sister and brother, Chelle and Lank, have reinstituted their make-shift after-hours joint in their house on Twelfth Street, with all the hottest music of the day: The Temptations, Marvin Gaye, The Miracles, Martha and the Vandellas. Chelle and her brother are offering some distraction and good time, “just trying to make a lil’ money the best way we know how” (Morriseau. Detroit ’67, Samuel French, 2014, p.16). Of course, the after-hours joint is not exactly legal, and the city cops have been cracking down. But Lank wants more for himself and his family. “I’m tired of […] runnin’ joints outta my basement like I got somethin’ to hide. Like the only way I can be somethin’ is underground. I’m ready to be above ground just like them white folks. Ain’t no tellin’ what Detroit could be if we was all put to good use” (Morriseau. Detroit ’67, Samuel French, 2014, p.19-20). So Lank and his friend Sly have a plan for a new joint. But “The Big Four” have been targeting the Twelfth Street Neighborhood, and things are about to come to blows. Detroit ’67 is the first of three plays written by Morisseau, each depicting a different era in Detroit’s history (the other two are Paradise Blue, and Skeleton Crew).

“It goes without saying that Detroit ’67 is still super relevant today,” said Gabbi. “We still live in a world struggling with prejudices and inequality, but ultimately this play is a message of perseverance and hope despite the moments when the world is against you.” The play is emotionally charged, both for the actors and the audience. In light of this, the Sunday matinee performances at Arts Center East included a talk-back between the audience and cast and crew after the show. It’s this openness to engagement and discussion that Gabbi wants to bring to the high school audience as well. Prior to the performance, students will be given some background and historical context for the show. Afterwards, moderated by Arts Center East board member Joao Goncalves, students will be invited to reflect on what they’ve seen and ask the actors more about their characters and their experience with the play. “Detroit ’67 initiates a lot of dialogue and debate. It tackles issues around racism, white privilege, police brutality, riots, protests and rebellion Each of these topics are still very relevant today,” said Joao. “I am hoping the students will feel open to talk about the issues that the play raises and that they benefit from the dialogue.”

The RHS production will be staged in a way that is similar to DTC theatergoers. While the RHS auditorium has a capacity of approximately 800 audience members, this production will have a more intimate setting. Students will be seated on stage with the actors, similar to the stage set up at Arts Center East. This creates a more personal and immediate atmosphere for both the actors and audience, and also makes it easier to facilitate the closing discussion.

Beyond the message of the play itself, Gabbi hopes bringing the production to the high school will enhance the students’ experience with the material. While Rockville Highschool has a racially diverse population, “students don’t always see themselves on stage,” said Gabbi. “Each actor has a connection with their character,” commented Joao. “They have real life experiences that they bring to the stage.” This production will bring something different to the students, beyond just the words on the page.

09/18/2019

Artist Member Spotlight: Ceil Rossi

Ceil Rossi is perhaps one of the more nontraditional artists members at Arts Center East. Ceil’s medium of choice is gourds, “nature’s pottery.” She has been a gourd artist for fourteen years. Ceil has shown her work recently at Arts Center East in the Animalia Exhibit and the 8^th Annual Artist Members Exhibit. While she is a juried artist in Arizona, due to the scarcity of gourd artists in New England, she is unable to be a juried artist here. But that has not discouraged Ceil from continuing her passion and teaching others about gourding.

Ceil’s interest in gourd art began with a trip to a California gourd farm. “There were millions of gourds for sale, so many different shapes and sizes. I picked some up and brought them back to Arizona. This trip helped plant the seed of what would become the Carefree Gourd Gallery in Carefree, AZ.” While living in Arizona, she began taking classes from established gourd artists. “There are ‘gourd patches’ around the country. These folks meet monthly and share their art and have juried shows. I was the President of the Southwest Gourd Patch in Phoenix Arizona.” Ceil now teaches others about gourd art and has given her talk “From Field to Fine Art” at various places around New England, including Farmington Valley Art, Windsor Art, and more.

Gourd art is a much more popular art form in the West: California, Arizona, Texas, and New Mexico. “In the Northeast there are very few gourd artists, as this is such a regional art.” To create her artwork, Ceil works with a gourd grower in California, in the Temecula Valley. New England gourds are not the type that are useful for gourd art. The gourds Ceil uses are called “hard-shelled,” as opposed to the thin-skinned gourds of New England. “It takes 180 days to grow and dry the gourd in the field.”

Though Ceil describes her first attempt at gourd art leaving much to be desired, she now creates incredible works of fine art. Ceil approaches the gourds with a design in mind and chooses the gourd accordingly. The paints that Ceil uses are transparent ink dyes, you can see the mottled skin of the gourd. “You don’t want to cover up the skin of the gourd with heavy acrylic paint because it’s part of the beauty of that gourd,” says Ceil. She prefers to work freeform but will plan the design ahead of carving and painting. “Since returning to Western New England 7 years ago, I have changed the type of art that I design. I no longer design Western themes and have changed to a more traditional style that fits New England.”

More of Ceil’s work can be found at www.facebook.com/carefreegourdgallery

09/09/2019

8th Annual ACE Artist Members Exhibit Opening

Sunday, September 8 we celebrated the opening of the 8^th Annual ACE Artist Members Exhibit. Each year Arts Center East holds an exhibition of artwork from our Artist Members. Music for the reception was provided by Kathy King.

program

Bolton Lake in Winter

by Elizabeth Courtney

Bounding Joy

by Heidi Ludwig

A Spot of Tea

by Laura Kinlock

Music provided by Kathy King

Hello!, acrylic

by Ginny Emerson

Carousel Magic, photography

by Linda Ouellette

We invited exhibit goers to vote for their favorite piece.

People’s Choice Awards:

1^st Place: Bolton Lake in Winter by Elizabeth Courtney
2^nd Place (tie): A Spot of Tea by Laura Kinlock and Bounding Joy by Heidi Ludwig

This year’s Members Exhibit includes 123 pieces of various mediums. View the full exhibit program.

Exhibit Dates: September 8–October 6
Gallery Hours: Thursday–Sunday, 1:00–5:00pm

See more about our Artist Members.

Interested in becoming an artist member? Learn more here.

Thanks to our exhibit sponsors, Gamblin Artist Oil Colors and Jack Richeson & Co. Inc.