CELEBRATE! Holiday Festival Saturday, December 10th

Let's celebrate together as the Holiday Season is upon us!

Holiday Festival at Walnut Beach is on Saturday, December 10th from 2pm to 6pm with an Opening Reception for December's Artist - Loretta Mack following at SoBoBo - a wonderful ending to the day's festivities!

Stop in the different shops as you meander down the Avenue! Enjoy all of what each business has to offer!

Fire House Gallery has an exhibit that has an array of different art work. They have a gift shop too! Think about that someone special you are looking for to give a unique gift to. Fire House Gallery will also be hosting ornament making from 4pm to 5pm. A Tree Lighting will take place on their patio at 6:00pm.

Stop off at Alfa's Pizza! I heard that it is the best in the area! The New Town Deli has an array of sandwiches, coffees, sodas and snacks!

Next stop...SoBoBo Art Gallery. Stop in for many surprises...

Walnut Beach Creamery will be on hand offering their famous handmade ice cream. It will be served from an old fashioned push-cart! You can ask about ordering ice cream pies to serve as a special dessert for your family.

A new business has joined us in the area... Taste & See Gourmet Cupcakes and Confections - (they will be opening at SoBoBo's old space 17 Broadway - soon)

They, too, will also be at SoBoBo, offering their sweet treats...

...put in your orders for the upcoming holidays!

Alfa's Jolly Jug will also be offering different flavors of liquIt will add the special touch to your holiday festivities. Buy a bottle as a gift for the friend who has everything!

Bring your kids as you continue strolling down the Avenue and around the corner onto Broadway because...

...Painted You will be doing glittered henna tattoos! How cool is that!

Live music will be filling the air! Tim Payson will be at Wild Expressions Florist

A unique service - Tarot Card Readings - at Wild Expressions

Carolers will be joyously singing! Join in singing with them!

At 6:00 pm make sure to go back to Fire House Gallery! Tree Lighting Ceremony will be taking place!

After the Tree Lighting join in at SoBoBo to end the days event by attending the Opening Reception for December's Artist - Loretta Mack! Meet Loretta and learn more about her style! the reception begins at 6:00 and ends when everyone decides to leave!

Please donate to "Koins for Kids" as we try to make the Holiday Season one of Joy for the children at Boys and Girls Village of Milford - an emergency service for the safety of children. Sometimes due to circumstances children are away from their familes over the holidays. So, please help us help them have a joyous holiday during a sad time in their lives.

Holiday Festival at Walnut Beach a wonderful way to celebrate the Holiday Season!!

Loretta Mack, December's Artist Intertwines Surreal Worlds

"I think the quote by Wassily Kandinsky …

"The true work of art is born from the 'artist':
a mysterious, enigmatic, and mystical creation.
It detaches itself from her, it acquires an autonomous life,
becomes a personality, an independent subject,
animated with a spiritual breath, the living subject of a real existence of being”

...reflects my inner emotional landscape when I am creating my abstract and fantasy pictures.
My belief system is based on the Chinese philosophy of Chi; the vital energy force of Yin and Yang (male/female, positive/negative,) which flows through everything in creation. When we are in harmony with the natural energies around us, we become aware of and feel the oneness of everything.

I use the colors of the Chakras, as well as, form and movement to express this life energy and duality.

"Chi" - oils - by Loretta Mack

Red: Is related to security and survival.
Orange: Home of creativity and sexuality.
Yellow: Is the seat of our emotions.
Green: Represents the heart.
Blue: Communication.
Indigo: Connected to the higher self and psychic abilities
Purple: Home to higher spiritual realms.

These pure colors sizzle with energy and movement and they lift my spirit and revitalize me with new enthusiasm.

Inspiration for my fantasy pictures happens when a shape, color or image catches my attention and …just like in a Rorschach inkblot test, I “see” a story waiting to be painted. To quote another of my favorite people; the Queen in “Through the Looking Glass;” "Sometimes I’ve believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast." "

--Loretta Mack

Loretta Mack, surrealist, delves into the energy's field pulling out a scenario that she puts onto canvas. The energy envelopes her, her mind begins to envision a scene, and as just as mystical as Chinese philosophy is, a creation is formed. The connection continues as one views her work. You can see and feel the energy enveloping you. You don't get 'sucked' into the painting, the energy just surrounds you and you for that moment it is as if you meld with the energy seeing why Loretta created what she had.

During this surreal time in our lives, a surreality, global warming and the economic issues affecting us; having a grave effect on some, you feel as if you need to get lost in another surreal place to counter it, to balance hoping to find an answer to our woes. Loretta has that ability to balance us in the twixt and tween of things. Some might move with the energy while others question the work, but it does give one a harmonious balance so the surreal world we are living in is perhaps more comfortable and seems clearer so we can find the path to leave it bringing more sensibility and direction to find whatever wealth it is we need.

"Gargoyle" -oils - by Loretta Mack

Energy is almost misty, wavy, invisible but can be felt and yet Loretta seems to have been able to capture it defining it. The vibrancy of each color, the defined "outline" that encompasses it - capturing it in a cage so to speak. It shows we can harness it, we can control it, we just need to know how to. That is what Loretta is teaching with each work. By harnessing this "surreal" form we can do anything.

"Gypsy" - oils -by Loretta Mack

Loretta's pastel paintings take the mystical energy, the mystical legends and puts them into human form from Pan to Atlas and Adam & Eve. Stunning portrayals of beliefs from different philosophy traditions - mythical, biblical, transcendental, spiritual and scientific.

"Ladies in Prayer" - oils - Loretta Mack

Loretta will be exhibiting her work at SoBoBo from December 1st to December 31st. SoBoBo Gallery is located at 42 Naugatuck Avenue, Milford, CT. SoBoBo Gallery hours are Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays from Noon until 6:00 pm. A must see!

Holiday Festival at Walnut Beach will be taking place on Saturday December 10th beginning at 2:00 pm. Carolers will be strolling up and down the Avenue, Glitter Henna Tattoos by Painted You, Taste and See, a gourmet cupcake shop will be on hand to take holiday orders and a tasting of their sumptuous confections, Walnut Beach Creamery will also be giving out samples of Holiday Flavors, Alfa's Jolly Jug will be hosting a liqueur tasting with holiday flavors, a tarot card reader will be Wild Expressions, ornament making will be at Firehouse Gallery - hang it on the tree for the Christmas Tree Lighting that will be taking place at 6:00 pm. A lot of fun and good times!

So, join us Saturday, December 10th as we celebrate Loretta with an Opening Reception starting at 6:00 pm. This event ends an exciting day of activities starting at 2:00 pm.... Then meander down the Avenue to SoBoBo and meet Loretta. See you then!

HURRY! It's the Last Art Stroll of 2011....

Tonight's the night! The Last Art Stroll of 2011! Visit Firehouse Gallery from 6:00pm to 8:00pm to meet the artists who submitted their work for the new exhibit "Non-Themed." Find out who one the awards! Don't forget to choose your favorite to win the "People's Choice Award."

When the reception winds down, head down the Avenue to SoBoBo to meet to featured artists this month, Rick Senft, painter is November's Artist and Joyce Densmore, artisan, designer of jewelry is November's Artisan! Learn from them how they create their work...don't forget The Season of Giving is fast approaching too.... and you just might find something at SoBoBo to fulfill someone's Christmas Wish....

Alfa's Jolly Jug will be hosting a wine tasting at SoBoBo....try it, you like it, head down to the Jolly Jug to purchase it...

When you are done making your purchase head around the corner onto Broadway and check out to see what Painted You has on exhibit....and Wild Expressions at Collected Stories has exquisite floral bouquets. The scents that make your senses tingle! Put in an order for the centerpiece you planned to have on your table as you celebrate the Holiday Season...THANKSGIVING is only 14-DAYs AWAY!!

While there, enjoy the merriment of music, good food, and fine people!

A wonderful way to ring in the Holiday Season!

See you there!

Usher in the Holidays Strolling Down the Avenue...

Thursday, November 10th - Last Art Stroll of 2011! Join us as we wind down the year and the Avenue enjoying an evening of good cheer and wonderment! New artists, new exhibits and perhaps you will meet new friends!

Starts at 6:00 pm that evening at Firehouse Gallery, 81 Naugatuck Avenue....with an opening reception celebrating a new exhibit and the last one for 2011~ they will re-open in 2012!...

Meander down Naugatuck to SoBoBo and meet with Rick Senft who is November's Artist and Joyce Densmore who is November's Artisan! Both creative works leave you thinking about how they would look in your home and how they would look on you! (respectively that is)

Also at SoBoBo Kitty Olsen and Mary Anne Lagana, both are fibre artists...try on their scarves, there are styles to suit the winter or for an evening out perhaps New Year's Eve! Warren Bryant brings a new abstract side to art, Matt Roe as usual brings contemporary and modern art to a new level, Matt Hester, Angelina Scott and Kimberly Pisco - photography to a new level. Arlene Capozzi brings nastalgia back with her paintings of Savin Rock and Walnut Beach amusement parks, while William Gallagher hand carved Santas. Stephen Fortier, a wood turner, designed an array of bowls from reclaimed wood! Besides jeweler Joyce Densmore we have Analiese, Sam, Lara, Teru, Patti, Carlyne and Keelin...a beautiful array of adornments!

We have a surprise at SoBoBo --- Alfa's Jolly Jug will be hosting a wine tasting at the Gallery! There is going to be some very interesting flavors....and what a way to find that fine wine or liquer for the Holidays!

Painted You will be open and you must stop in Wild Expressions at Collected Stories and enjoy the merriment!

Come enjoy an evening of merriment and a friendly gathering!!

"Joyce Densmore a Jewelry Engineer"

"My work background is chemical and mechanical engineering, but I've always had an artistic side to balance my engineering - whether it was sewing, smocking, painting porcelain dolls, watercolors, or designing jewelry. With my jewelry, I started working mainly with pearls. I love the organic look and feel of different types of pearls mixed with just about any stone. I branched out to working with copper, brass and sterling after taking a metal-smithing class - cold working metal -- bending, hammering, cutting, rolling (I have this very cool rolling mill!) - I find that metal work is a good blend of art and engineering."

--Joyce Densmore

"Tiger's Eye" - by Joyce Densmore

Even though Joyce has a rigid scientific background, her engineering abilities have created jewelry that is elegant yet precise, has an air of sophistication yet methodical, and can be casual yet orderly. You can see her mind working as you put on the strand of pearls, or the "waves" she creates out of copper and sterling silver using iridescent iris tube beads accenting the piece. Her choice of hand carved bone designs add that exquisite oriental flavor to some of her works.

"Sign of the Winter Palace" - by Joyce Densmore

"Gold Reflections" -by Joyce Densmore

As she chooses what beads, whether faceted tiger eye or faceted onyx, she wants to use her analytical minds eye begins to flow from a mathematical formulae to the fluidness of design. Methodically placing each bead on the wire, without thought, creating a piece of jewelry that catches your eye. Some balance equally, some balance asymmetrically all on purpose but yet without thought as the analytical envelopes the flow converging to form on unique yet sublime piece.

"Gia's Gold" - by Joyce Densmore

Joyce has an old world stature about her, with that she carries a sophisticated air that flows when she enters a room. It is that sophistication which is seen in her work, the impeccable, precise tooling that completes each piece.

Joyce Densmore is exhibiting her work at SoBoBo until the end of November. If you truly don't know what gift to get someone, perhaps you should stop in, see her work. You will know her unique, yet sublime designs and it is guaranteed you will not know which one to choose.

SoBoBo located at 42 Naugatuck Avenue, Milford is opened Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays from Noon to 6 pm.


Join us on Thursday, November 10th as we celebrate the last Art Stroll of 2011. The opening reception at Firehouse Gallery begins at 6:00 pm.