About our cover artist
Thomas Torak was born in Pottstown, PA in 1953 and moved to New York in 1974 to study at the Art Students League. He studied the first year with Robert Beverly Hale and the next seven years with Frank Mason. Under Mason, he learned not only the art of painting but also the craft. He prepares his own canvas, mediums and varnishes and uses only hand ground paint, often grinding the colors himself, a difficult and time-consuming task,...
Tourism equals economic development
Local organizations, backed with municipal dollars, are filling a void left by the state in its tourism funding priorities. That’s a good start. We could do even more by working together. By Lynn Barrett Vermont — especially Southern Vermont — has everything people are looking for. They just don’t know it exists, and they don’t even really know where it is. How can we get the region to become top of mind? Amy Spear, vice president of...
’A remarkable part of the legacy’
Putnam Block redevelopment project invests in tradesmen Skilled workforce shortages plague the construction industry, and while construction has gained nationally, Middlebury-based Bread Loaf Corp, construction manager of Bennington’s ambitious Putnam Block Redevelopment Project—which is intended to catalyze economic and community development in southern Vermont—isn’t satisfied with the pace. Where the firm joins its peers in...
Rising Stars: Mitchell-Giddings moves up
With move, Mitchell-Giddings Fine Arts curates a whole new view Jim Giddings and Petria Mitchell have lived and painted in Vermont for more than 35 years. Both are well known in Brattleboro as artists and for their long history of involvement with such venerable area arts organizations as Windham Art Gallery, Brattleboro Museum & Arts Center, Brattleboro West Arts, and the River Gallery School. The two met in the late 1980s as...
Museum expansion: Reveling in Brattleboro
BMAC’s ambitious buildout does what no one else can do The Brattleboro Museum & Art Center (BMAC) and M&S Development are embarking on a new $30 million, 55,000-square-foot building to be constructed at the foot of Main Street in Brattleboro, alongside a cascading waterfall in the Whetstone Brook. The building will contain state-of-the-art museum galleries and classrooms, 24 apartments overlooking the Connecticut River, a cafe...
Bennington’s Lightning Jar: You can work with this
A happy hub for students, entrepreneurs, professionals Located in downtown historical Bennington, The Lightning Jar is more than a coworking space: It’s also a resource for those seeking to make their business dreams come true by focusing on connectivity. Networking is essential to those trying to build a business. Since 2015, The Lightning Jar has been working with local and regional organizations and special interest groups to make...
Off the beaten places: Winter family fun
Everyone’s got their groove when the snow falls Southern Vermont features a host of alternative family winter activities, including ice skating, sleigh riding, snowmobiling, snowshoeing, tubing, and cross-country skiing. What are you making time for? Ice Skating If carving figure eights is your thing, you’ll want to check out the great ice at the Riley Rink at Hunter Park in Manchester Center. A new, state-of-the-art facility, Riley...
In the Museums
Bennington Museum 75 Main St., Route 9, Bennington 10a–5p (Closed Wed) http://www.benningtonmuseum.org 802 477-1571 THRU MARCH 12: Annual Student Art Exhibition. MARCH 28–JUNE 10: “Love, Marriage, and Divorce.” THRU MAY 10: “Gritty Streets to Green Mountains: Paintings by Scot Borofsky.” THRU MAY 25: (re) Sounding. ONGOING: Thirteen galleries comprise the largest repository for art, history, and innovation in Southern...
At the Galleries
Canal Street Gallery 23 Canal St., Bellows Falls 11a–5p, Wed–Sat http://www.canalstreetartgallery.com 802 289-0104 FEB 12–APRIL 4: “Changing Form: Fine Art Ceramics,” a collection from artists creating sculptural and functional original artwork using clay as a primary medium. Crowell Gallery at the Moore Free Library 23 West St., Newfane 1–5p, Tues, Wed, Fri; 2–7p, Thurs; 10a–1p, Sat...
Music, Theatre, Puppetry, Circus
Bennington College One College Dr., Bennington http://www.350vt.nationbuilder.com/hollynear 802 442-6411 MARCH 21: Folk singer Holly Near in a benefit concert sponsored by Climate Advocates Bennington, 350Vermont, Bennington College, Queer Connect, and Vermont Arts Exchange. The iconic Near has connected with all major social movements of the past 50 years: anti-war, women’s rights, anti-nuclear, gay rights, racial justice, and...
Special events
Bromley Mountain Route 11, Winhall http://www.Bromley.com 802 824-5522 FEB 15: February Festival: Yearly celebration kicked off with a torchlight parade, followed by fireworks, music, dancing, and a live auction. Historical Society of Windham County 6th Annual Soup Fest & Silent Auction NewBrook Fire Station, Route 30, Newfane http://www.historicalsocietyofwindhamcounty.org MARCH 29: An ever-popular event with more than 100 silent...
Maple festivals
Whitingham Maple Festival Various locations in Whitingham. See Whitingham Maple Festival’s Facebook page for updates. MARCH 21–22: Celebrate an important aspect of the town’s economic and cultural heritage with sugar-makers’ open houses, a craft fair, and other activities. Vermont Maple Open House Weekend At various sugar-makers’ sites statewide. http://www.Vermontmaple.org/maple-open-house-weekend MARCH 21–22: Maple Open House...
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Southern Vermont Arts & Living chronicles the innovative culture and sophisticated country lifestyle of Southern Vermont.
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