Alumnus John Gambino ’05 will be performing Barty Smarty’s Christmas Caper, a live, interactive, multi-media, musical, comedy, dance along, sing along, Holiday event for the whole family at the Barrington Public Library, in Barrington, RI, on Sunday, Dec. 18th at 2pm.

“I’m trying to create a cultural event for kids that adults will enjoy as well,” said Gambino. “There will be something for everybody.” –featured in the Barrington Patch

“Barty Smarty’s Christmas Caper is a hilarious Interactive Musical Holiday Happening for the whole entire family! Join Barty as he croons to you in your seat, busts a move down your aisle, and forces you to sing along to his very own upbeat electronic versions of the most beloved Holiday tunes! Accompanying the freakishly festive music will be a visually stunning video collage of classic Holiday animations and television specials projected onto the big screen. There will also be many other surprises you will NOT want to miss!”

www.montserrat.edu

Sophomores Elaine Carreiro, Elizabeth (Liz) Laskey, and Dominique Butori

Montserrat’s Holiday Art Sale at 301 Gallery Friday, Dec. 2 was a great success! Over 50 Montserrat alumni, students, faculty and staff displayed their incredible handcrafted fine arts, sculptures, jewelry, photography and much much more!! Thank you to everyone who made the night possible. Special thanks to Image Librarian Sally Seamans for all of your work in putting this event together.

www.montserrat.edu

The Creative Economy Association of the North Shore in conjunction with Montserrat College of Arts and the Enterprise Center at Salem State University Present:

CEANS Fall Event at Montserrat College of Art Gallery
Monday, Nov. 14th, 5 –  7 p.m. 23 Essex Street, Beverly, MA

Special Guests: Helena Fruscio, newly appointed Creative Economy Industry Director for the Commonwealth will discuss “Berkshire Creative” and her new state-wide position. Dee Schneidman, Research Manager for the New England Foundation for the Arts will provide an update on the 2011 report “New England’s Creative Economy: Nonprofit Sector Impact.”

On view at Montserrat Gallery will be Home Sweet Home, which includes site-specific installations by three New England artists: Elizabeth Alexander, Samantha Fields, and Kirsten Reynolds.

Click here to sign-up today!

www.montserrat.edu

Fashion Show on Wheels: Presented by Bless-by-Bless Couture: Fashion for Life!

Day (4-6PM): Roller skating, Live musical performances by pop sensations Girls’ Nite Out & Nicholas Tetreault, Free snacks and refreshments, Live DJ, Red Carpet photo opportunities with photographer Stewart Smith, Face painting, and Kid-friendly silent auction (Tickets: $10 for adults and $8 for those under 18)

Evening (7PM-12AM): Roller skating, Bless-by-Bless Fashion Show on skates, Musical acts AHMIR, Liana Veda, Girls Nite Out & Kik-It, Silent auction, Complimentary Hors D’Oeuvres, coffee & dessert bar, beer & wine cash bar, and Red carpet photo opportunities with photographer Todd Lee. (Tickets: discounted to $18 before Nov. 5 and $25 at the door)

Visit rollingforlife.org for more information about this event!

Tickets available at City Side Diner, 275 Cabot St., The Roller Palace, or by making out a check to Rolling for Life, Inc. and sending it to Lisa Glover, Founder and Director, 3 Driscoll Lane, Beverly, MA, 978.578.7628

“May 19th: At the final North Shore Art Teachers Association meeting for the 2010/2011 school year, I will be presenting a workshop for art educators on the topic of Mosaics. This workshop is meant to provide art teachers with a wealth of possibilities for incorporating the study of mosaics at any age level. In addition to providing lesson plans and examples, this workshop also gives teachers the information needed to pursue mosaics for their own pleasure.

“May 20th: I have been invited to be a guest teacher at the Bell School’s Fine Arts Day in Marblehead. At the event I will be teaching four kindergarten art classes where the students will make clay birds accompanied by hand-crafted birdhouses.

“May 22nd: On this Sunday there will be the Third Annual Sacred Art Show at Holy Family Church in Lynn, MA. This will be my third year volunteering in the capacity of art director and developing art lessons that coincide with the weekly gospel curriculum. The students’ artwork will be on display for one day only. A press release is expected to appear in the Lynn Item some time this week, so keep an eye out for it. Here is the press picture of two of the first grade students holding the birds that they made — these are the same birds that the kindergarten classes will be making at the Bell School.

“And in July…
I will be returning for my third summer as an art teacher at the Arts At Tower summer program at the Tower School in Marblehead. In the past two summers I have taught mosaics, puppet making, painting, paper mache and paper sculpture, and stamp design, among other courses. This summer’s courses have yet to be established.”

Be sure to check out margauritaspear.blogspot.com!

Reception: June 24th, 7-9 pm
McGuire Gallery, 465 Commercial St., Provincetown MA 02657
For more info, contact 508-221-0416, or visit michaelmcguire.net

Also, Senior Ariel Heinemann has been accepted to the MFA program at the Savannah College of Art and Design. Congratulations Ariel!!

Thursday, May 5 at 7 pm
17 Cox Visual Art Center
17 Cox Court, Beverly, MA

What’s this tour all about? Well, It’s Montserrat’s way of bringing together student writers, local poets, area businesses, and enthusiastic listeners to celebrate the power of poetry and community. Each month a new venue and theme will be selected. This month’s venue is 17 Cox Visual Art Center and the current exhibition, Good Work(s).

A poem about visual art, huh? That’s right, folks.  This month the theme is Ekphrastic Fantastic!  The Good Work(s) show at 17 Cox champions kindness as well as content and features the work of 8 artists known for their good work and good character.  What better way to champion these fine folk than to write a poem in response to their work?

What kind of prompt is that?  That’s Ekphrastic Fantastic! And here’s what you do:

Step 1:  Visit the Cox 17 website to view the Good Work(s) exhibition.  www.17cox.com

Step 2: Use the work of any of the 8 featured artists as inspiration for your poem.  Feel free to snoop around the artists’ websites.

Hey, I’ve got just the poem for this month’s tour. Can I read it? We are accepting submissions via email at cmichaels@montserrat.edu and in the Writing Center, located on the 2^nd floor of Montserrat’s library. The deadline is Tuesday, May 3rd. We’d love to read your work!

I don’t write poetry, but I sure am interested in this tour. Can I still attend the event? Absolutely! Come and listen and cheer on the readers at 7:00.  Even Better – Make a whole night of it -Come to the Good work(s) reception at 5:30 and the Artist Talk at 6:30.

Wait! I’ve still got questions! Just talk to Colleen Michaels, Montserrat’s Writing Center Director. She’s at cmichaels@montserrat.edu or 978-921-4242 ext 1254.

Judith Brassard Brown, Sutri Hillside, mixed media, 2011

Back Forty:
A selection of artists who have shown here over the last forty years:  Sandra Allen, Joel Babb, Phyllis Berman, Judith Brassard Brown, Walter Crump, Nick Edmonds, Beth Galston, Alfred Glover, Marsha Goldberg, Chris Gustin, Linda Huey, Judy Bergman Hochberg, Lance Keimig, Peter Madden, Joyce McDaniel, Rob Millard-Mendez, Phyllis Palmer, Lois Tarlow and Malcolm Wright.

Exhibition Dates: May 1 – September 4, 2011
Reception: Sunday, May 22, 1:30 – 3:00

AT the Art Complex Musuem in Duxbury
189 Alden Street
Duxbury, MA 02332-3801
(781) 934-6634

Thursday,  April 21 at 7 pm
Boot, Straps, and More Thrift Store
198 Rantoul Street, Downtown Beverly

What’s this tour all about? Well, it’s Montserrat’s way of bringing together student writers, local poets, area businesses, and enthusiastic listeners to celebrate the power of poetry and community. Each month a new venue and theme will be selected. This month’s venue, Beverly Bootstraps Thrift Store, is chock-a-block full of bargains for a cause.

A thrift store, huh? That’s right, folks.  Sure, we could play with the word “Boot” or “Strap.” Easypeasy. But what makes this thrift store so special is how the Ordinary blends with the Extraordinary. Here’s your two-prompt theme:

Option 1: Write in praise of an ordinary household item, one that you might find in the store.  Stop in, browse a bit, and find what will become the subject of your submission. “In Praise of End Tables” or “Ode to My $2.00 Velvet Blazer.”

Option 2: Write about the extraordinary of Beverly, the generous spirit of a person or place. Wondering what’s so extraordinary?  Check out all of the amazing work done by Beverly Bootstraps right here in the neighborhood – www.beverlybootstraps.org

Hey, I’ve got just the poem for this month’s tour. Can I read it?  We are accepting submissions via email at cmichaels@montserrat.edu and in the Writing Center, located on the 2nd floor of Montserrat’s library. The deadline is Friday, April 15th. We’d love to read your work!

I don’t write poetry, but I sure am interested in this tour. Can I still attend the event? Absolutely! Come and listen and cheer on the readers.  Make a donation to the thrift store or shop for your newest treasure. Most importantly, come check out what the writers of your community are up to!

Wait! I’ve still got questions! Just talk to Colleen Michaels, Montserrat’s Writing Center Director. She’s at cmichaels@montserrat.edu or 978-921-4242 x 1254.

On the fourth stop of the Improbable Places Poetry Tour, members of the Montserrat and Beverly Community gathered to celebrate the power of poetry and community. Inspired by the poem “One Flower” by Jack Kerouac, poems didn’t have to be “flowery,” but had to “reference at least one flower.” We can’t wait for the next stop!

For more information about the tour, contact Colleen Michaels at cmichaels@montserrat.edu!