Well into Winter                                                             February

We chug away through the month and, lo and behold, it is done!

Upcoming in the new week are many activities you may want to take part in.

The first four days of February are certainly worth pulling out your calendars for. On going is Patti Olds' show of pressed flowers at the Little Dog Coffee Shop, the Joy of Art show at the Topsham Public Library, Inspired Hands at USM. A Midwinter's Night's Dream at the Chocolate Church. The Beattie Chicks is continuing to hold their sewing classes to finish that idea you have been mulling over. See our events page for the particulars of those.

The first weekend of February is anything but a hibernating weekend. Friday is the day to dust off your boots and get out there. A new show is opening at the Summer Island Studio with Hati Modr. Also in Brunswick is Alan Mast's show at the Curtis Library opening Friday. In Bath, the Chocolate Church is serving up some music to accompany their winter art show. (So many nice pieces there). Solo Bistro has it's Friday night jazz and is a great place to have dinner. See our events page to find details on these worthy activities.

On Saturday and Sunday, Bowdoinham is the place to be. The whole town is celebrating it's Ice and Smelt Festival Check out their Facebook page about activities which include a beard contest, best smelt recipes, a locally inspired art exhibit, indoor and outdoor activities. On Saturday night they are having a Smelt Ball with music provided by Swing Shift from 8-10. Now, who says Mainers are no fun?

Absolutely plan on being at our Five Rivers Community meeting on February 8 at the Frontier in Fort Andross to meet our new volunteers, see our new interactive website and hear about our new opportunities.Lots of great stuff is going on here at Five Rivers and we want you to be a part of it. Let this be the year that you get involved in the arts and community through Five RiversArts Alliance. Dinner and music are offered by the Frontier following the meeting so you can make an exciting evening out of it. We look forward to seeing you!

The days are getting longer. The woods are beautiful in the snow which gives one an uplift. Keep warm and dry.

Stay art active, my friends.

 

 

January is a Busy Month                                           Mid January 2012

 

There is a lot going on in this midwinter month. With the holidays fading to a happy memory we look forward to art shows and performing arts and events to carry us through the fickle weather of January.

At the Topsham Public Linrary there is an art show through mid February  called the Joy of Art. Juried works have been contributed by some fine local artists and Five Rivers members, such as Jane Page Conway, Antje Kay Sutton, Barbara Snapp, Anne Slocum and others. You should swing by and check that out. Then head up to Bath for a Midwinter's Nights Dream art show at the gallery at the Chocolate Church. The opening for that is the 20th. Review the website via our events page or events column on the right for more information. Visit our members work at the University of Maine's Atrium Gallery, where Susie Perrine has woven a space altering shelter.More Maine Craft Association artists keep her good company.

After refreshing yourself at a local fabulous restaurant,  (Frontier Cafe, Solo Bistro and Scarlet Begonias come to mind) take in a production at the Theater Project of Brunswick. Their Circle Mirror play and the Cabaret are both entertaining and thought provoking.

A cycle in your own studio creating inspired pieces for the upcoming Spring artwalks are the rejuvenation you need before February's calendar kicks in.

What winter????

 

Happiest of Years!                  January 2012

 

As we usher in 2012, the volunteer staff at Five Rivers would like to celebrate our members and followers with our best wishes for the year to come. It is always a great thing to have a new beginning and we hope that your art and your projects will continue on the creative and iinspiring path. The new year is a white canvas, a block of clay and we are excited to see what the creative approach will shape.

There are changes afoot to better serve our community and we would like to invite you to be a part of the FIve Rivers team with volunteering your time and your creative ideas. Please get iin touch, by email(info@fiveriversartsalliance.org) or phone (798-6964) so that we can continue to provide our communities with Arts focused activities and vibrancy. We want to hear your needs and ideas. Stay tuned for new activities and events.

Don't forget to send us announcements of your activities, openings and events.

Look forward to seeing you in the new year!

 

Keeping it Local                    December 2011

Make your holiday season season merry and bright by perusing local artists and performances. Two weekends mark the creativity of Harpswell artists for a great way to show your support of local artisans . Visit open studios and demoinstrations in the Harpswell peninsula and top if off with a dinner at one our superlative local restaurants.Look for a sign with a blue heron in a red scarf in your amble of this llovely peninsula. For more information- Holidays in Harpswell

Many artists are sponsoring open studios and special events, like Arrowsic Pottery, Downtown Moves Up, The Theatre Project and more/. See our Events listings and calendar for details

 

 

Congratulations to Spindleworks!

Spindleworks was chosen by the Maine Arts Ciommisiuon to design and create the ornaments for the tree of Maine on the National Mall in Washington DC. THey are having a banner season with the release of their new book -Don't miss the book signing party at the Gulf of Maine.

For more information on our local celebrities http://www.spindleworks.org/

 

Arts Enhance the Holidays

Whatever the holiday, the Arts make it rich with traditions, delight and decor. Midcoast Maine is enhancing  it's holiday verve with a number of events. Have a difficult person to gift? Consider a one of a kind artwork. Need a family activity? The performing arts are a perfect solution to a variety of tastes. Make your holiday unique and memorable by supporting your local artists.

Here are some picks we are looking forward to. See our calendar and events column for details

Downtown Moves Up - Holiday Art Show and Sale, featuring 20 artists in a fabulouos space-upstairs in perfect time for gift giving!

Spindleworks- Book Publishing Party at the Gulf of Maine Bookstore

Big Brothers and Big Sisters is featuring several events- Treasure the Spirit of Friendship Holiday Celebration and Auction and the  Big and Littles Holiday Party-

 The Theater Project   Miracles on School Street  An All Age Collaboration Friday and Saturday at 7:30, Sunday at 2:00

Studio Theatre of Bath’s annual Christmas show. Barbara Robinson’s The Best Christmas Pageant Ever

Image: Southside Winter Fair Canberra

 

 

 

The Last Pecha Kucha of the Year- Monday Nov. 7

The Frontier Cafe will again be the venue for the last Pecha Kucha of 2011. What is Pecha Kucha? A series of speakers who will present 20 images of their passions for twenty seconds each. It makes for a lively and diverse evening. Audience members are encouraged to ask questions following each presentation.

Speakers for this session will present beekeeping, memoir writing, green energy advocacy, creative arts, travel and media. Presentations will begin at 6:00.

Five Rivers Arts Alliance members meetings are held with the support of Women, Work and Community and Frontier

To reserve your seat for November 7 Pecha Kucha Brunswick Night, email us at info@fiveriversartsalliance.org.  Seats are $5 for members and $10 for non-members for this event.  Space is limited.

 

 

Last of the Season ArtWalk: October 21 in Bath

• Link to web page for 3rd Friday ArtWalk

Openings are planned for Markings Gallery and Just Framing and many of the artists’ studios.  Take the evening to explore Bath’s fine artists and craftspeople in their studios and several galleries.

Just Framing, 149 Front St will hold a reception for “Baum Studio Student Show” during the ArtWalk. The exhibit includes oil paintings by students of Martha Baum.  And at Markings Gallery, 50 Front St, two multihued exhibits:  “Delicious Wool, Local Color” and “A Colorful Palette.” The first feattures Maine artist and Farmer Nanne Kennedy’s Seacolor yarns and Maine Blankets and the latter highlights artists Annette Kearney, Heidi Daub, Ann Sklar, Liz Messler, and Natasha Kempers-Cullen and other Maine painters working in oils, watercolors, encaustics, and acrylics.  Truly a colorful palette at Markings Gallery.

Chocolate Church Arts Center will be open 5-7 to show “Drawn From Nature, Three Maine Artists,” work of kdb-Karen Dominguez, Nancy Keenan Barron, Allen Ponziani.  Sam Armentrout invites the public to her 72 Front St Studio, and the Carriage House, one of Bath's preservation landmarks, will again be open to show works by Roz Martin and Judy Conlan.

Live music is on tap at C Ford Gallery, which hosts “Artifacts;” Solo Bistro features “Sue n' Blue” with Sue Sheriff, vocals and Pete Blue, Keyboard; and singer songwriter Michael Krapovicky will play at Bath City Hall.  Image: Geranium, on view at Markings Gallery.

Open studios welcome visitors in downtown Bath and in the city’s north end and outer Congress Street environs.  If you have missed the “Drive” part of this event before, these sites are just a few minutes from downtown Bath.  Whether you explore by foot, or by car you will find all the makings of a great evening in Maine’s Cool Little City. Brochures and information can be found at the Bath City Hall Group Show, 55 Front St.

 

 

Oct 3. Member Meeting “Preparing for Pecha Kucha Night”

“Preparing for Pecha Kucha Night” was the subject of October 3 Member Meeting at 6pm at Frontier, 14 Maine St, Brunswick. 

Pecha Kucha presenters Ed McCartan and Jean Maginnis offered tips forr creating and presenting at Pecha Kucha.  McCartan is a visual artist who has participated in several Pecha Kucha Nights in Maine.  Jean Maginnis is Director of Maine Center for Creativity, in Portland. Best known for its international Art All Around™ design competition, Maine Center for Creativity is an advocate for Maine innovation and creativity.  The meeting is free for Five Rivers Members, $5 for others. To reserve a seat contact Five Rivers at 798-6964, info@fiveriversartsalliance.org.

15th Family Arts Festival was held Sat, Sept 17, 10 - 4 on the Brunswick Town Mall

We had a great day on Saturday making all kinds of art, painting faces, making music and enjoying the gorgeous fall day.  Thank you one and all for coming to be part of the day!  Check back soon for more photos!

Image: Donna Parkinson helps a young artist at Bubble & Print Workshop at 2011 Family Arts Festival. Photo by Robin Brooks.

 

 

 

 

 

Five Rivers Arts Alliance Creative Communities Meetings wrap up in Brunswick

• We had a great season of Creative Community Meetings.  Check back to this website, or sign up for eNews:"Artist Opportunities" (upper right column of this page) to find more workshop and educational opportunities for artists and entreperneurs.  Here is a recap of this spring's topics:
• March 7:Creative Communities Meeting: "Getting Found - Search Engines, Keywords, Directories, Mobile" at Curtis Mem. Library
• March 16. "Pull Marketing and Getting Found" Workshop: 5:30-7:30pm; Bayview Gallery, 50 Maine St, Brunswick.  This workshop is $20 for Five Rivers Members and $25 for nonmembers.
• March 21: Pecha Kucha Night-. Details on this page
• May 23: We have rescheduled "Community Building with your Customers and Prospects- Social Media- Blogging, Facebook Updates, Twitter Updates" for May 23 at 6pm at Frontier!

Joan Carney, of Fresh View Inc., coaches artisans, solo entrepreneurs and small business owners on strategic planning and implementing. She helps them layout and implement a framework  for incorporating systems & best practices, newly learned & adopted skill sets & habits to best leverage their strengths and grow their business.

Sign up for eNewsletters

• "Arts Events" eNewsletter (sent weekly with events in greater Five RIvers region)
• "Artist Opportunities" eNewsletter (sent twice a month to Five RIvers Members). 
• Go to top of Right-hand column (this webpage) to join our email list

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Ongoing

• We have a new calendar format!

Submit local arts & cultural events on our new calendar.

Workshops, exhibitions, lectures and performances are welcome. Click on calendar link above and follow the instructions for submission. Guests, please peruse our wealth of creativity to add to your schedule.

 

ARTS & CULTURAL DESTINATIONS AND PROGRAMS:

Performing Arts:

• Bowdoin International Music Festival (Brunswick)

• Maine State Music Theatre (Brunswick)

• The Theater Project (Brunswick)

• Daponte String Quartet •

• Bowdoin College Dept. of Music (Brunswick)

• Bowdoin College Dept. of Theater and Dance (Brunswick)

• Frontier Cafe, Cinema & Gallery (Brunswick)

 

VIsual Arts:

• Bowdoin College Art Museum (Brunswick)

• Merrymeeting Arts Center (Bowdoinham)

• Chocolate Church Arts Center Gallery (Bath)

History:

• Maine Maritime Museum (Bath)

• Peary-MacMillan Arctic Museum (Brunswick)

• Pejepscot Historical Society Museums (Brunswick)

ONGOING ART & CRAFT CLASSES FOR ALL AGES:

• Halcyon Yarn: http://halcyonyarn.com/classes.php
• West Island Gallery: http://www.westislandgallery.com/classes.html

• Maine Art Glass,  Lisbon Falls, 353-6700 www.maineartglass.com
• Dance Works, Bath. 725-9997
• Full Circle Dance Classes, Try one for $5! Beginner to Advanced 729-3855 www.fullcircledancestudio.com

• Merrymeeting Adult Ed, regional: http://merrymeeting.maineadulted.org/
• Art Mind and Soul Studio, Brunswick: http://artmindandsoulstudio.com/default.aspx
• Bowdoin Craft Center, Brunswick: http://studorgs.bowdoin.edu/craft/
• SCOTTISH DANCE CLASS.Contact: Patti Tillotson, 833-2329, pstillotson@gmail.com
• CG Jung Center: www.mainejungcenter.org
• ONGOING Hati Modr teaches painting and drawing in Harpswell using "Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain" approach and painting. Contact: 833-2815

Image: Walker Art Building, Bowdoin College. Photo by Gravelly

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our programs rely on community support.

Find out how you and your business can support Five Rivers programs and gain valuable visibility with a sponsorship. Click here for Sponsorship rates for Five Rivers programs. Call Five Rivers Arts Alliance at 798-6964 for more information..