NaNoWriMo a Big Success!

Thank you goes out to everyone who attended, donated to or helped with our National Novel Writers Month 2010 Write-In. It was a very productive day for everyone there, but not just productive. We had a lot of fun along the way.

We also want to thank our many donors such as Subway Restaurants (a complete lunch of yummy sandwiches), Peschell's Bakery in West Haven (pastries that we could not stop picking on all day), Laura McManus (who put together all of the goodie bags), and, of course, the West Haven Public Library staff for the use of the room.

Our next endeavor is going to be in April (date to be determined) when we will host Script Frenzy 2010 Write-In. I've never written a script, but I have always wanted to. I think this would be a good time to try, so join me if you dare. 

The Script Frenzy Challenge: 

30 days. 100 pages. April. Are you in?
www.scriptfrenzy.org

In the meantime, happy holidays to everyone!

Rosemary

West Haven Council on the Arts sponsors writing event at the West Haven Library

West Haven Council on the Arts Presents NaNoWriMo 2010 Saturday, Nov. 13, 2010 9am—4:30pm West Haven Public Library 300 Elm Street, West Haven, CT $20 per person (registration required by 11/5/10) age 13 and over welcome Do you like to write fiction? Have you always wanted to write a novel, but could never find the time? Well, we are giving you the time! 7 1/2 hours of writing time with a little fun thrown in. Word races, trips to the prize table, lunch and snacks from 9am until 4:30pm. You will have space to spread out and a place to plug in your laptop.  Sponsored by the West Haven Council on the Arts, NaNoWriMo 2010 is part of National Novel Writing Month’s annual program to encourage writers to crank out 50,000 words beginning November 1st and ending at the strike of midnight on November 31st. Writers can plan what they want to write, even outline a bit, but they cannot begin writing that Great American Novel until 12:01 am on November 1st. From that point on, they can write anything they want with the exception of writing the same word 50,000 times over. It’s pure quantity over quality. Many writers have gotten their NaNoWriMo efforts published (with tons of revision, of course!). Join us at the West Haven Library on November 13th from 9 ‘til 4:30 for food, fun and as many words as you can write toward your 50,000 word goal! Even if you do not sign up for this year’s national competition, you can still join us and crank out as many words as you can. Who knows? You may be the next published author in West Haven! (Seriously. We’re out here!) Proceeds to benefit the work of the West Haven Council on the Arts. A portion will be presented to the West Haven Public Library for the promotion of literacy.  For more information call Rosemary O’Brien at 203-499-7416 or email artswh@aol.com. You can also sign up securely via PayPal by hitting the donate button below using "NaNo" in the subject line. Grab your pen or laptop, tap into your creativity and come to NaNoWriMo 2010. You can get a start on your bestselling novel while supporting the arts in West Haven. SIGN UP FOR NANOWRIMO WRITE-IN 2010

Indi Film Fundraiser

An Evening with 

My Brother Jack

Hosted by Louise de Carrone & David MacNiven

A Fundraiser to Benefit

An Independent Feature Film

Shooting in New Haven, Winter 2011

Written & Directed by Stephen Dest

Thursday, Sept. 23rd @ 7:00 PM

Lyric Hall

located in the fully restored 

West Rock Theater

827 Whalley Avenue

New Haven, CT

Featuring a live performance by 

Jonny Rodgers

& 

A presentation of the short-film

Blind

written and directed by Stephen Dest

Tickets are available at the door or by visiting:

http://mybrotherjack.ticketleap.com/event/

To learn more about the project please visit:

http://kck.st/auv9PH

Join Artspace For The Opening Of Five New Exhibitions

what?     Free Public Reception

when?    Thursday, July 10, 6-8PM

   where?    50 Orange Street, New Haven, CT

Exhibitions On View June 10-July 17, 2010

Gallery 1-Patrick Chamberlain’s exhibition, On Your Mark, represents the artist’s first solo show and is on view through June 26th.

Gallery 3- Pigeon, by Christina Gundersen, is a site-specific installation of photographic shadows that fill the gallery with an ethereal presence and inquisitive arrangement.

Gallery 4- In Never We Trust, by Mister Never, comments on the practices of financial institutions to produce negative capital, which is also a solid metaphor for an artist’s own struggle to achieve artistic merit.

The Long Wall- Bodies of Trees, by Michelle Levante, is a series of photographic diptych images exploring mans’ perverse relationship to nature, beauty, and juxtaposition. The exhibition represents the first showing of this new series of work.

Gallery 5- Lucky Strike: World War II Army Air Corps Veterans, by Will Holub, is a series of paintings that recount the World War II era from a familial perspective and functions as testaments to the changing face of war and the global economy.

Gallery 7- Artifacts of Affluence, by Eileen Doktorski, is a series of castings from landfill terrain, bringing the subject of waste into the light for the viewer’s closer reflection.

For additional information, please contact Laura Marsh, Communications and Program Director at lauralmarsh@artspacenh.org.

Artist Forum a Success

If you missed the Artists Forum last night, you missed a lot! Several artists from the area got together with members of the West Haven Council on the Arts and discussed ideas on how to fund the future Arts Center, how to earn public interest in the WHCA, and what types of programs artists would like to see (and participate in) at the Arts Center. The WHCA was also able to dispel the myth that we are a performance-based organization when, in fact, we are eager to meet visual artists from all disciplines – painters, photographers, sculptors, writers, and anything we have not thought of yet. It was a very enlightening evening to say the least! In fact, so many ideas were discussed that we plan on having more of these Artist Forums in the future, just to stay in touch with the community.


President Kevin Davignon’s main focus will be to draw up comprehensive business, marketing and development plans to take us into the future. His goal is to fill up a yearly calendar with programs and activities, so meeting with the artists of our community was a great way to figure out what some of these events should be to create a sustainable Arts Center for West Haven and the surrounding communities.

Some of the ideas discussed:

• Connecting with New Haven’s City-Wide Open Studios, though this may have to wait until next year due to application deadlines.
• Space for artists to work after hours.
• The various types of studios we would like to see at the Center.
• Arts camp
• Juried exhibitions
• Artist fairs
• A production combining all different disciplines – artists make the sets, performers perform, musicians play, etc.

These are only some of the ideas knocked around last night. By getting the community together during these informational and brainstorming sessions, we hope to create an Arts Center that will rival none. We invite anyone interested, as always, by joining us at our first Thursday meetings, 7pm in basement room A of West Haven City Hall. We hope to see you there on Thursday, June 3rd at 7pm.

West Haven Council on the Arts Artists' Forum

Are you an artist or are you interested in becoming one? Do you feel you have something to contribute to the Arts in West Haven? If so, we want to hear your ideas at the West Haven Council on the Arts
Artists’ Forum to be held May 25th, 7pm – 9pm at West Haven City Hall, Basement Room B.

Painters…Sculptors…Actors…Musicians…Writers…Graphic Artists…Photographers

The dream of West Haven Council on the Arts is becoming a reality. We want to establish an all-encompassing cultural arts center and we need your help. We are bringing together artists from all media for a brainstorming session to discuss the state of the arts in West Haven. What’s wrong and what’s right? What can WHCA do to address those issues? We would also like to hear your ideas about how we should use the NEW West Haven Cultural Arts Center to foster the arts in West Haven. What classes and events would you like to see once the doors open?

Come out and tell us what you want.

Artists’ Forum

Tuesday, May 25, 2010

7:00 PM – 9:00 PM

West Haven City Hall, Meeting Room - B

Join us and help craft the future of the West Haven Cultural Arts Center.

2nd Annual Family Arts Night to be held at Westwoods Ballroom

West Haven Council on the Arts Sponsors Fundraiser

West Haven, CT – April 9, 2010 – Westwoods Ballroom will be hopping during West Haven Council on the Arts’ Family Arts Night to be held on May 14th, 2010, from 6:30pm to 10:30pm. Affectionately dubbed “FAN” by the members of the WHCA, this event is not only a fundraiser, but a way to reach the community with a night of music, family fun, and information about the West Haven Council on the Arts and its efforts to aid the city in creating the future Cultural Arts Center in downtown West Haven.

Hosted by Paul Scanlon, local teacher and Board Member, FAN will include a number of family-friendly activities including kids’ activities, giveaways and a raffle. The raffle was a big hit last year with baskets containing all sorts of donated goodies from a variety of local merchants. Last year’s basket themes ranged from beach parties to spa days, so there was something for every age and every interest.

The evening includes music from one of our featured bands, FUNK THAT, which is a generous gift provided by various merchants in West Haven. And for the second year in a row, WHCA’s own Rob Granoth's band, INFINITY PROJECT, will play Modern and Classic Rock hits to get everyone dancing. Attendees are invited to bring their own snacks and a cash bar is being provided by Westwoods Ballroom. Tickets are $15 with free admission for children under 10.

For more information about this event, or to make a donation, please contact the West Haven Council on the Arts at artswh@aol.com, through our blog at http://whcac.blogspot.com or by calling Event Coordinator Cathy Granoth at 931-0232.

New Officers Elected!

On Thursday, January 7th, the West Haven Council on the Arts held elections at their monthly meeting. The new officers and Board Members are as follows:

President, Kevin Davignon
Vice President, Barth McNeil
Secretary, Cathy Granoth
Treasurer, Charles Williams

Board Members: Elaine Carroll, Paul Scanlon, Rosemary O’Brien

A little about our officers:

West Haven resident and newly-elected President of the WHCA, Kevin Davignon, is the Principal Architect at EDA Architecture located in Stamford, CT. He serves on the West Haven Energy Commission, the West Haven Arts Center Building Committee, and is one of the driving forces of the future Arts Center building.

Barth McNeil, Vice President, is a theatre veteran with over 20 years experience, both on stage and as a technician. Before being elected to VP, he served as the WHCA’s first Treasurer. According to McNeil, one of his greatest experience with WHCA to date was as Production Coordinator and Stage Manager for West Haven Summer Youth Theater’s production of Godspell Jr. this past summer.

“I’m sure there are more good things to come and can’t wait to get going again with the kids next summer,” says McNeil.

Cathy Granoth will remain in the position of Secretary for this second round of executive officers. As a union representative in Connecticut, Granoth is experienced in working with municipalities and brings excellent organization skills to the office. She involves her whole family in her work with the Council. Her son, Rob Granoth, is a member of the band, Infinity Project, and frequently plays at WHCA events. Cathy’s favorite experience with the Council was acting with Barth McNeil as one of the main organizers of WHCA’s first Family Arts Night in 2009.

Charles Williams takes on the role of Treasurer for the organization. As a filmmaker, Williams brings a visual perspective to the office, having documented the WHCA’s involvement in the community using video and photography. In 1999, he self-published a book titled, “The Chief,” a historical novel based on the life and times of the late FDNY battalion chief, Wesley Williams.

New Board Member, Elaine Carroll, General Manager of the Stamford Symphony, is an experienced performing arts administrator with a Masters Degree in Performing Arts Administration from New York University. Her undergraduate degree is in flute performance and she plays and sings with a local Irish band.

“I love when the arts and Downtown work together to make West Haven a magical place,” says Carroll who lives very close to the Center. “This past summer I put my 2-year old in her little red wagon and we walked over to the Green on a mid-summer’s night. She fell asleep listening to her neighbors perform Shakespeare.”

All of the officers and Board members, new and old, along with the membership, look forward to helping the West Haven Council on the Arts achieve their goals in the coming years. One of these goals is to help West Haven in their efforts at transforming the former Masonic Temple on Center Street into the West Haven Cultural Arts Center.

Previous President and Vice Pr esident, Paul Scanlon and Rosemary O'Brien, are to remain on the Board of Directors.

“I am excited to see what the future holds for the West Haven Council on the Arts,” said Rosemary O’Brien. “Paul Scanlon wrote up a list of our accomplishments over the past few years and it was extensive. Our challenge now is to keep up the momentum we’ve established so far.”

"We are a vibrant organization," says Scanlon. "I am proud to be a member of such a hard-working organization and look forward to helping the new officers in any way I can."

The West Haven Council on the Arts is a coalition of citizens dedicated to reviving art, cultural events and tourism in our community. Our mission is to strengthen and promote the arts in West Haven by nurturing an appreciation of and participation in artistic endeavors in all media. Through the conversion of The Masonic Temple on Center Street into the West Haven Cultural Arts Center, we intend to provide a forum for local, regional and national artists to display their talents.

Meetings are held in the basement of West Haven City Hall on the first Thursday of each month. The public is invited to attend and new members are always welcome. Membership is $40 for a family and $20 per individual. For more information contact the WHCA at 203-932-2102, or email us at artswh@aol.com.