Kent County Arts and Entertainment Events- October 2022

14 Wednesdays - July 6 through October 5, 7-8 pm
On Zoom for 1st thirteen sessions, with an in-person celebratory meet-up for dinner at the end!
Join Sharon Herz & Ann Farley for this accountability & inspiration group as we read & work through this influential book. Sharon & Ann are simply there to guide the group -- and we may see if each participant would like to take the lead on one week's discussion.

This program requires the use of the book The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron. We will be using the 25th anniversary edition.

The stories are droll, the portraits affectionate, the humor infectious, and the fun unending. Sometimes absurd, sometimes melancholy, but always enjoyable, it is a modern take on the essence of Chekov featuring various comedic styles and characterizations.

Directing the production is Bonnie Hill, a seasoned director who has staged multiple productions at The Garfield Center and Church Hill Theatre, among others.

Mainstay favorite and virtuoso jazz pianist Dick Durham’s concerts at the Mainstay are always a special event. This one is extra-special as we help him celebrate his 80th birthday. During his army days an officer heard him playing in a local club (while he was AWOL) and the next day he was placed in the Army band alongside other jazz greats like Grover Washington Jr. and Billy Cobham. What’s happened since then is local music history. Dick will be joined by Amy Shook on bass, Greg Burrows on drums, and Blake Cramer on vibes.

Karen Stern is a busy harpist in the greater metropolitan New York City area. In her words, she “enjoys sharing beautiful music with kind audiences and appreciates a warm and welcoming setting” where she can do this. This sounds like a perfect match for the Mainstay! Her orchestral experience includes performances with the American Symphony Orchestra, the NYC Ballet, the American Ballet Theater, the NYC Opera, and several Broadway shows. She performs regularly with New Jersey’s Garden State Opera, and the Trilogy Opera Company in Newark.

The Washington College Concert Series presents the Mid-Atlantic Symphony Quintet, (Kimberly McCollum, Yuri Tomenko, Diana Golden, Chris Chlumsky, and Woobin Park), who will perform two beautiful piano quintets from the 19th century. Join them as they perform Piano Quintet No. 1 in A minor, Op. 30 by Louise Farrenc and Piano Quintet in A Major, D. 667 “Trout” by Franz Schubert.
To learn more, visit washcoll.edu/concert

CONTACT:
concertseries@washcoll.edu

Individual tickets are $20 (adults) and $15 (non-WC College Students / Seniors 65 and over / WC Faculty and Staff). Youth 18 and under are free.

Washington College Department of Theatre & Dance presents Angelisa Gillyard.

Thursday, October 6, 13, 20, 27, from 9-11 am

Come have fun and learn how to really remember, and enjoy your upcoming vacations! This is a great class for people who already do plein air painting, and for newbies! It's a way to capture the moments and memories, besides with a photo. We will work small, and progress from there. I will present many ways to quickly capture the moment, not just by painting, but with pens and words. We will visit various sites around Chestertown to paint. It's totally fun!

30 years ago, Steve Abshire, Scott Silbert and Dave Schiff served together as members of the elite Navy Commodores Jazz Big Band. The three of them haven't performed together since. For First Friday in October, Joe Holt has orchestrated a musical reunion, rounding out a swinging quartet, and promising an evening of Joe Holt style memories and fun.

The Mainstay offers the perfect nightcap following an exciting day of Fall Fest music with returning favorites, the Dixie Power Trio. A long time ago in a basement far, far away, three guys got together to learn a couple Dixieland tunes. What evolved was an alternative Dixieland band that featured the tuba, a cornet, rhythm banjo and vocals. Eventually a drummer was added (as the 4th member of the “Trio”). Over time, the accordion, washboard, and harmonica, and guitar were added to the growing list of instruments.

Reception and Book Signing
October 8, 2022
4:00 pm – 6:00 pm
Author’s Talk: 5 pm

This memoir tells the story of the adventures of Ruby and Allen Johnson in the 1960’s as they moved away from Kent County to eventually settle in New York City.

Jane Ferguson, Chestertown Artist, will deliver a presentation on Succulents and demonstrate the creation of a mounded succulent centerpiece.

Jane presentation is the first event in the 2022-2023 Program of All Seasons Garden Club, which meets on the second Monday of September-December and February-June. Meetings begin at 1:00 P.M. with a Business Session, followed at 1:30 P.M. Presentation and Q&A, which is followed by Refreshents.

The class will be held at the Clay Studio from 6 - 8:30 pm on Wednesdays, running from October 12th through November 16th. (6 weeks)

This 6 week course is intended to be a "next step" for returning beginners. Students will expand and refine their skillset through skills instruction and weekly project assignment. It is a great opportunity to move beyond the basic techniques and deepen your experience with wheel-thrown clay.

Included with instruction is twenty-five pounds of cone 6 clay (Standard Brown 112) and six Open Studio tickets.

Join RiverArts and Casa Carmen Wines for a night of painting and wine! Instructor Kris Kelley Majors will teach you how to paint your very own autumn farm landscape inspired by the Casa Carmen poly-culture farm & vineyard in West Grove, PA. Painters of all levels are welcome! Enjoy Casa's premium selection of wine and vermouth as you paint your masterpiece in their bright and beautiful event space in Chestertown. This will be the first in a series of monthly art classes taught by guest artists at Casa Carmen on the second Thursday of each month. All supplies will be provided.

Open House & Fall Fun at Selkie Books of Rock Hall! Local Authors & Local Artists, plus Music!

Enjoy two days of art displays, entertaining art “how-to” demo’s, and wonderful book signings! Come meet and mingle with our amazing “Local Treasures” - the creative local artists and authors who help make “The Pearl of the Chesapeake” such a magical place!

Sunday Afternoon: Live Music by Rock Hall’s very own, Steve McGovern (Blues Harmonica) & Eleanor Dicey (Vocals, Ukulele) of the Blues-Keepers Band!

All Selkie events are free and open to the public. Complimentary Bubbles & Nibbles!

Irish-born/ Britain-based acoustic musician Anthony John Clarke falls into that special camp of musicians who have played the Mainstay and generate frequent, fervent requests to return. It doesn’t hurt to ask – so we did. And he said yes! All AJC ever wanted to be was a songwriter, and by his mid-thirties he was discovered by audiences all over the world. Twenty-five years on he has an international legion of fans and a list of upcoming appearances that stretches two years into the future.

Directed by Prof. Dale Daigle and Sophia Rooks ‘23

In the style of the Neo Futurists, a wild, raucous evening of short, smart, funny plays. This is theater that is a fusion of sport, poetry and living-newspaper. It is a work that embraces those unreached or unmoved by conventional theater. The audience picks the order of plays. The cast promises to do 30 plays in 60 minutes or you get your money back.

The Department of Music Presents Washington College's Jazz Combo (Directed by Ken Schweitzer).

The Seldom Scene is one of America’s best-loved bluegrass bands, and no strangers to the Mainstay. Formed in 1971 in Bethesda, Maryland the group has been instrumental in starting the progressive bluegrass movement as their shows include bluegrass versions of country music, rock, and even pop. What does it take for a bluegrass band to remain popular for more than four decades? For The Seldom Scene, it's meant talented musicians, a signature sound, a solid repertoire, and a sheer sense of fun.
Many thanks once again to the Hedgelawn Foundation for sponsoring this show.

Gabriel Benton is the organist at Grace United Methodist Church, Wilmington, DE. He is a graduate pf the Oberlin and Julliard Conservatories and the Yale Institute of Sacred Music.

What The World Needs Now: An Evening of Song and Dance with Paula Johns and Lea McGowan performing a tribute to the work of Dionne Warwick and Burt Bacharach.

Taking place over the course of two October weekends, the Chestertown RiverArts Studio Tour includes more than 50 working studios throughout Kent and Queen Anne’s Counties. Guests will be invited to explore creative studio spaces, watch artists at work, talk with them about their craft and purchase works at studio prices. Participation in the tour is free, and because it is self-guided, visitors can enjoy this art immersion at their own pace.

Ever wonder what an artist’s studio really looks like? Chestertown RiverArts Annual Studio Tour allows the visitor a chance to take a sneak peek inside Kent and Queen Anne’s Counties' creative spaces. This free, self-guided tour on the picturesque Eastern Shore of Maryland takes place over two Fall weekends rain or shine. More than 50 artists, many nationally known, invite visitors in to talk, check out how they work, and provide the opportunity to buy original artwork at studio prices.

The art is as diverse as the artists who create it, with styles ranging from traditional to avant-garde, expressed in a variety of media that include painting, photography, sculpture, metalwork, pottery, fiber, woodcraft, jewelry, furniture, glass, and more. Studios are also varied with several studio galleries, independent studios in two small art complexes, and many at the artist’s homes – some detached from the main house and some inside the home itself. In a few instances, there are artists displaying their work at a venue other than their own studio.

Situated on a scenic peninsula where the Chester and Sassafras Rivers meander into the Chesapeake Bay, Kent County has retained its serene beauty despite the passage of time. Located on the banks of the Chester River, Chestertown is the oldest mid-Atlantic port of entry. It has been designated by the state of Maryland as an Arts and Entertainment District; its mayor, Chris Cerino remarked, “The downtown arts scene has grown by leaps and bounds in the past decade…Chestertown is fast becoming a regional arts destination.” In addition to the charm of Chestertown, out-of-towners often remark on how much they enjoy the tranquility of the countryside, water views, and small, friendly towns.

It is recommended that visitors start their tour at the RiverArts Gallery, 315 High Street, Suite 106 where there will be an exhibit of works by the artists on the tour to help decide on must-see venues. Brochures are available from local Chestertown establishments and at RiverArts.

Marc’s annual exhibition has become synonymous with Sultana’s Downrigging Festival. Now in its 22nd year, the Sultana Education Foundation’s Downrigging Weekend Festival is one of the largest annual tall ship gatherings in North America.
During Downrigging our Exhibition Hours at the High Street location:
Friday, October 28 | 5:00-7:30pm
Saturday, October 29 | 10:00am – 5:00pm
Sunday, October 30 | 11:00am -3:00pm

Catching the Light - a plein air painting workshop that concentrates on catching the light and essence of a scene and a day. Students will work on compositional planning, using the practice of notan and value studies to get everything down before the light shifts. See more at https://community.chestertownriverarts.org/program/catching-the-light

A RiverArts Salon is a (virtual) place to learn something new, share ideas, explore interesting topics, see and be seen, and have fun.

Some people find contemporary art to be intriguing, while it perplexes others. In this tour, we'll be discussing several works from the Smithsonian American Art Museum's collection, all by artists who are currently producing new works.

Register here to get the Zoom link:
https://community.chestertownriverarts.org/program/smithsonian-tour-oct-18

Kohl Gallery and the McLain Program for Environmental Studies present an exhibition of photographs taken by Washington College students of the Radiant Echo permanent light installation located in the McLain Atrium of the Toll Science Center. Washington College Students were invited to submit photos to an open call contest which was juried by professional artist/photographer, Roxana Azar. The exhibit and opening reception will be held at Kohl Gallery. Contest winners will be announced at 5pm. Light refreshments will be served.

Kohl Gallery and the McLain Program for Environmental Studies present an exhibition of photographs taken by Washington College students of the Radiant Echo permanent light installation located in the McLain Atrium of the Toll Science Center. Washington College Students were invited to submit photos to an open call contest which was juried by professional artist/photographer, Roxana Azar. The exhibit and opening reception will be held at Kohl Gallery. Contest winners will be announced at 5pm. Light refreshments will be served.

Taking place over the course of two October weekends, the Chestertown RiverArts Studio Tour includes more than 50 working studios throughout Kent and Queen Anne’s Counties. Guests will be invited to explore creative studio spaces, watch artists at work, talk with them about their craft and purchase works at studio prices. Participation in the tour is free, and because it is self-guided, visitors can enjoy this art immersion at their own pace.

Ever wonder what an artist’s studio really looks like? Chestertown RiverArts Annual Studio Tour allows the visitor a chance to take a sneak peek inside Kent and Queen Anne’s Counties' creative spaces. This free, self-guided tour on the picturesque Eastern Shore of Maryland takes place over two Fall weekends rain or shine. More than 50 artists, many nationally known, invite visitors in to talk, check out how they work, and provide the opportunity to buy original artwork at studio prices.

The art is as diverse as the artists who create it, with styles ranging from traditional to avant-garde, expressed in a variety of media that include painting, photography, sculpture, metalwork, pottery, fiber, woodcraft, jewelry, furniture, glass, and more. Studios are also varied with several studio galleries, independent studios in two small art complexes, and many at the artist’s homes – some detached from the main house and some inside the home itself. In a few instances, there are artists displaying their work at a venue other than their own studio.

Situated on a scenic peninsula where the Chester and Sassafras Rivers meander into the Chesapeake Bay, Kent County has retained its serene beauty despite the passage of time. Located on the banks of the Chester River, Chestertown is the oldest mid-Atlantic port of entry. It has been designated by the state of Maryland as an Arts and Entertainment District; its mayor, Chris Cerino remarked, “The downtown arts scene has grown by leaps and bounds in the past decade…Chestertown is fast becoming a regional arts destination.” In addition to the charm of Chestertown, out-of-towners often remark on how much they enjoy the tranquility of the countryside, water views, and small, friendly towns.

It is recommended that visitors start their tour at the RiverArts Gallery, 315 High Street, Suite 106 where there will be an exhibit of works by the artists on the tour to help decide on must-see venues. Brochures are available from local Chestertown establishments and at RiverArts.