New Britain theater offers online summer classes for youngsters

NEW BRITAIN — No Boundaries Youth Theater has canceled its in-person summer production of “Seussical Jr.”

Instead, NBYT is offering oneweek online classes. Each meets for one hour a day, and some will offer direct feedback to each student in addition to the group instruction.

Discounts are available when registering students for multiple classes. To register, go to www.NBYT.org.

“Normally this program would provide students with a monthlong journey from read through to production, meeting new friends and gaining valuable life skills along the way.

“We miss our young thespians and look forward to the day when we can bring this type of programming back to our community,” members said in a statement.

Artists wanted for Madison fall festival

MADISON — Spectrum Gallery’s show in the Autumn Arts Festival in Madison is seeking representational and abstract painters, collage artists, photographers, potters and ceramicists, glass, wood and fiber artisans and jewelry designers.

The outdoor arts festival will be held on the Madison Town Green, Boston Post Road/Route 1 and Copse Road, Oct. 10 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Oct. 11 from noon to 5 p.m.

Rain date is Oct. 12 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Artists participating on the green can also submit artwork for a six-week show at Spectrum Gallery in Centerbrook, Sept. 25 to Nov. 8.

Receiving will be Sept. 13 to 18 from 1 to 6 p.m., except Sept. 14. For all submissions, visit spectrumaprtgallery.org/future-exhibitions or email three or four highresolution jpegs of work with titles, medium and dimensions to Barbara@spectrumartgallery.org.

Spectrum Gallery offers art classes

All classes and workshops at Spectrum Gallery and Arts Center in Killingworth will be held online until further notice.

Register and pay at spectrumartgallery.org or call 860-6635593. Material lists are available. Choices include: Storytelling with Collage — Explore, collect and organize materials into bundles to create a visual layout for stories and then learn to adhere them to a substrate using 140-pound paper cut into 8-inch squares as the support.

Students work on design, placement and composition and how to choose a focal point.

Start gathering twigs, bark, flat stones, flowers, Queen Anne’s lace and leaves which you should, ahead of class, press between heavy books with wax paper. Also collect a variety of papers, both commercially bought and handmade.

Visit fabric and antique shops to find different textured and patterned fabrics, unique stamps, stencils and inexpensive metal charms. Also, learn to use distress ink or pastels to tint the edges.

Once registered, additional information, visuals and ideas will be emailed to you. The classes will be held from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. July 8, 15, 22 and 29 and Aug. 5. Cost is $120.

The Art of Writing Poems about Art — Steven Ostrowski, a published poet, painter and professor, will offer an online Zoom workshop in which participants engage in the art of writing poems about artworks.

Using the “Permission to Play with Language” model that Ostrowski developed for the Central Connecticut Writing Project, participants will create new imagistic poems about an artwork or several artworks of their choice — whether it be the well-known work of a famous artist, the work of an unknown artist or the work of the participant himself.

The goal of the workshop is to produce original poems that participants can be proud of and enjoy creating. Classes are at 6 p.m. July 13 and 20. Cost is $80 for both sessions.

Group seeks medical equipment donations

Wheels for the World is collecting used wheelchairs and other medical equipment differently because of the pandemic.

Those who want to donate can call 203-235-4686 or 203-747-0542 and Wheels for the World will schedule a day and time to pick up the equipment, which can be left outside your home or business.

Receipts will be mailed the next business day.

Empty Bowls dinner will be held Oct. 8

HEBRON — Students and staff are preparing for their third Empty Bowls dinner, which has been rescheduled for Oct. 8 from 6 to 8 p.m. in the RHAM High School cafe.

The original date was April 2. For the last Empty Bowls dinner, in March 2018, 400 ceramic bowls were made in advance by students, staff and community members.

Due to overwhelming support from the community, the event sold out, ran out of bowls and almost completely ran out of food. It raised more than $7,000 for local food banks.

All proceeds from Empty Bowls events benefit the Hebron Interfaith Food Bank, Marlborough Food Bank and the Andover Congregational Church Food Pantry.

Guests are invited to choose a handmade ceramic bowl to use for a simple meal of soup and bread and to take home as a reminder that there are always empty bowls in the world.

In addition, there will be student ensemble and solo performances from RHAM’s select choir, Encore, for diners’ entertainment.

Dinner tickets are $15 for adults, $10 for students and children. Ticket order forms are at rhamschools.org. Additional monetary and food donations will be accepted. A sellout is expected.

The students are also selling student-designed Empty Bowls T-shirts on the night of the dinner to raise more money.

For information, call Carrie Dinunzio at 860-228-9474, ext. 3946, or carrie.dinunzio@rhamschools.org.