Vermont Festival of the Arts: 100 Events Completed; 100 Events to Go...
Make Way for the Fair!

Even with a second week of activities under the Mad River Valley’s belt, there are still more than 100 opportunities to experience Art in August in the Mad River Valley during the Vermont Festival of the Arts.

The Open Studio Weekend on August 8-9 brought art lovers from the Lincoln Gap to over the Roxbury Gap and onward to Middlesex for more than two dozen artists who opened their doors for the Open Studio Weekend, while the Whittaker Collection, Palettes for Paws, Purely Pastel and Crafty Vermonters all held opening receptions.

Blueberry Moon at Blueberry Lake on Friday, August 7 was a clear but cool night. Mad kayakers hailed from outlying Vermont towns, while Miramar Ski Club used this event as an excuse for a bus trip to the Mad River Valley during the green season.

Performances that went over the top included the annual Vermont Young Musicians’ Award Concert (see separate article on the winners!). At “Pantyhose and Combat Boots,’ one theatergoer was so astounded that she cried, and laughed, and now is looking forward to the second performance by artist Lida Winfield (‘In Search of Air,’ August 21-22). As always, the Skinner Barn performance wowed audiences; ‘Always... Patsy Cline’ runs through August 16.

Performances this weekend include the Cody Michaels in Concert at the Waitsfield Church on August 15. Piano soloist and composer, Cody Michaels finds that the piano is a way to connect with the mystery of creation and every song is a prayer. A former park ranger and farmhand, Cody’s unique, passionate musical expressions inspire comparisons to the likes of Beethoven, George Winston, Keith Jarrett... and Phish. A storyteller and poet, Cody’s exhilarating performances transport audiences to another realm. This concert is by donation.

If you are looking for the definition of summer idyll, take in Vermont Philharmonic Outdoor Pops Concert, at Moose Meadow Lodge on Crossett Hill in Duxbury on Sunday, August 16 at 4 pm. It is a perfect end to a day (or weekend) at the Washington County Fair and Field Days. Oh! Yes! The Fair has come to town! This is truly an event that captures the art of country living. Kenyon’s Field is already awash with tents, and there are three full days of agricultural and purely fun activities for the whole family, with tickets only $10 at the door.

For the young culinary crowd, the White Horse Inn hosts a Teddy Bear Tea on Saturday August 15 at high noon. Bring your best buddy (human or ursine; adult or child), dress up and enjoy a special lunch, tea, sweets and treats. Call 496-3260 for reservations.

Workshops are the word for the next week! Start the weekend out right with Chinese Exercise for Healthy and Vitality, held each year at the Yellow Farmhouse Inn with Richard and Nancy Brown on Thursday, August 13 and Saturday, August 15. Take a course in Small Business Marketing with Craft Fair Coordinator Laura Arneson on Friday, August 14. Learn to grow your revenues by getting beyond daily tasks and looking toward the future. Discover market niches, solve problems, cultivate partnerships, develop cost effective materials and make publicity a priority.

Or learn to throw or fire a pot with The Naked Potter (just a metaphor...).

The Architectural Freehand Drawing Workshop by Yestermorrow runs Friday through Sunday. Always wanted to be able to draw what you see? In this intensive workshop, students develop skills to communicate ideas clearly and accurately with sketches and learn some tricks to create more sophisticated renderings.

On Monday, a Flower Photography Workshop with Amalia Veralli, gives the inside view on her stunning Gerogia O’Keefe-esque images.

The Vermont Poetry Society hosts a fun workshop on Tuesday, August 18: ‘Word Craft.’ Poets take inspiration from the crafts, including pottery, weaving, jewelry and woodworking, displayed in the Festival Gallery. While there are ‘words on the wall’ all month long, Jane Wolmar invites you to write a poem using craft as catalyst during a 2-hour words-on workshop that is an informal foray into spontaneous composition; it is open to everyone. Note: this workshop runs from 4 until 6 pm.

Tuesday, August 18 is the last chance for this year’s run of Millbrook Inn’s ‘India Experience’ Cooking Classes. On Wednesday, start out with ‘Gardening Classes’ with Beth Urie at Sugarbush and end up with the ‘Asian Culinary Odyssey’ at the Weathertop Mountain Inn or the weekly ‘Yestermorrow Lecture Series.’ In the middle of the day, enjoy ‘Thai Flavors’ at Sweet Pea’s Lunch Buffet, magnificent images at the Photo Show, painting at the Parade Gallery and ‘Plein Air’ with Candy Barr. Jennifer Perellie at The Starving Artist offers Mini Art Mondays and Mixed Media Thursdays through the month.

Next Thursday, August 20, there are mysterious goings on! Delve into the enigmas of Web Art with Darlene McCormack; it’s an info-packed, 2-hour workshop on creating images for the web, with a review of some creative sites and photo tools. Later that day, Archer Mayor takes you into the inner workings of his mystery novels, during ‘Library Secrets’ at the Warren Library. That same night, the annual Community Dance takes over the Lareau Pavilion and features a roast of local corn while the the latest crop of Vermont-grown plays opens at the Valley Players with Ten-Fest, a four-day run of ten 10-minute plays from our state’s playwrights.

The Vermont Festival of the Arts is enjoying mostly good weather— and always great art! For more information contact Bev Kehoe 802-496-6682. www.vermontartfest.com