Student Exhibition Opens to Rave Reviews

Student Exhibition Opens to Rave Reviews:

Fairfield Museum debuts 

‘Our Nation’s Generations’

(Posted to Fairfield.Patch.com 2/4)

By Mike Lauterborn

© 2011. All Rights Reserved.

2/3/11

Fairfield, CT – Normally a fairly tranquil place, the venue echoed with excited chatter, laughter and chirpy shouts, much like the halls of a busy elementary school. As such, it was no surprise to find a pack of bubbly fifth graders at the heart of the din, celebrating themselves and their achievements.

The setting early Thursday evening was the Fairfield Museum and History Center on Beach Road and the fifth graders, 21 students in all, were from the New Beginnings Family Academy of Bridgeport. The students, several teachers, school administrators, museum personnel and a number of parents had all come together for the opening reception of “Our Nation’s Generations”, a new student exhibition featuring a mixed media story quilt, personal artifacts and writings that explore the broad and modern view of family. Also introduced were narrative quilts and illustrations by celebrated artist Faith Ringgold that served as inspiration for the project.

“We’ve been doing outreach programs for the past two years at the museum, working closely with teachers at a lot of different area schools,” said Christine Jewell, the museum’s director of educational programs. “Programs have often related to family and family history, which allows children to explore and connect with the past and make it relevant to their lives today. We’ve also been focused on identifying particular objects like family heirlooms and artifacts that tell stories. In planning an exhibit for Black History Month, we wanted to keep the family orientation and object focus. But rather than focus on ancestors, we wanted to focus on present-day family members or friends that are role models.”

Jewell worked with faculty at New Beginnings to create a student-developed exhibit that showcases work reflecting and capturing the relationship they have with the role models. “They interviewed them, identified objects that connected to that person then created central quilt squares that represent that individual,” said Jewell.

The squares were integrated into one overall class quilt which is now displayed alongside select family artifacts, the students’ essays about their role models, framed illustrations from Faith Ringgold’s children’s books and two of her quilts, respectively titled “Tar Beach” and “My Ancestors.”

“New Beginnings is all about getting kids to think about their future and own abilities, and confidence to believe in themselves,” said Ronelle Swagerty, from the school’s development office. “One student’s thought for an object was her mother’s high school diploma, which was a great achievement in her eyes.”

“My inspiration was my older brother Marcus,” said student Jaleah Bennett, 10. “In times when he has struggled, he has always managed to get through. When I have problems, I think about that and it helps me.”

Bennett’s essay about her brother hung in a frame above a glass display case that contained some of his personal items including a baseball trophy, an athletic shoe, his honor roll certificate and the crown he wore as king of his senior prom.

“My mom is my role model,” said Bennett’s classmate Eyga Williamson, 10. “In a bad predicament, she taught me that everything is going to be o.k. If we’re having trouble, she tells us not to hold our feelings inside and to express ourselves.”

Williamson’s mother, Lakesha Jackson, was honored by the tribute. “It makes me feel very proud. I work hard to be a good example to my children. I always try to encourage them to push themselves to the limit.”

“This is really exciting,” said student Imani Williams. “We worked really hard on this. It’s amazing to see our artwork in a museum.” 

William’s pal Imani Hall noted the educational aspect of the project. “Faith Ringgold taught us how to show our feelings about who we’re writing about. We read her poetry and it helped us write our own pieces of work.”

For Christine Listorti, executive assistant to Paul Whyte, New Beginnings’ principal, the exhibit recalled moments from her past. “These quilts bring back memories of my childhood and my grandparents making quilts in the big room at home with neighbors.”

Both faculty and museum staff made a few remarks at the reception, including Principal Whyte, who noted, “Demographics is not destiny,” and the school’s art teacher, Jennifer Strausser, who said the children “really rose to the challenge and worked together” given the compressed time the class had because of the holidays and all the recent snow days.

As Christine Jewell ushered Eyga Williamson to a podium to read her essay aloud, she asked the bright student how she felt about this special evening. “I feel like a celebrity!” the girl replied.

“Our Nation’s Generations” exhibit will run through March 6. For more information, visit www.fairfieldhs.org

Snow-Melting Latin Rhythms Engage WAC Crowd

Snow-Melting Latin Rhythms Engage WAC Crowd:

Afro Cuban jazz great Arturo O’Farrill provides hands-on demo

(Ran as a full page in Westport News 2/4)

By Mike Lauterborn

© 2011. All Rights Reserved.

1/30/11

Westport, CT – Though recent heavy snowfalls had cooled Westport’s spirits, the hot Latin rhythms that Arturo O’Farrill banged out on a recent Sunday afternoon did much to reignite them.

The pianist, composer, educator and winner of the 2003 Latin Jazz USA Outstanding Achievement Award made an appearance at the Westport Arts Center at 51 Riverside Avenue Jan. 30 to present “Bang on a Drum: Latin Rhythms for Kids” program. The presentation was an introduction for children and their families to Latin rhythms and beats, featuring hands-on demonstrations and education.

“I thought this season we would do world music styles and that it would be great for the community to hear one of the world’s greatest Afro Cuban jazz musicians,” said Brian Torff, Westport Arts Center’s artistic director for jazz. “We always do at least one educational program a year. It’s important to introduce children to the profound value of music to our lives.”

Torff and O’Farrill have a long-standing connection. “I’m a bass player and have performed with Arturo,” said Torff. “We’ve known each other at least 10 years. We spoke about this a year ago and he was very enthusiastic about providing music education.”

To that regard, O’Farrill said, “I founded a non-profit called the Afro Latin Jazz Alliance, which is dead serious about music education. We have residencies in New York City public schools where we actually give students instruments and small group instruction. We send master musicians into the field to teach them how to play. The kids may not realize they’re working with internationally famous musicians. Performing is teaching and teaching is living, and without it you’re winging it.”

O’Farrill has also served on the faculty at S.U.N.Y. Purchase and the University of Massachusetts and has taught everyone from nursery school students to doctoral candidates.

As a performer, Mexican-born, New York City bred O’Farrill created the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra at Lincoln Center and produced a debut album, “Una Noche Inolvidable”, which earned a 2006 Grammy Award. A follow-up album with the Orchestra, “Song for Chico”, earned a 2008 Grammy for Best Latin Jazz Album.

Adults and children alike were excited to be in O’Farrill’s company. “There aren’t many live music experiences that you can expose children to that are age appropriate,” said Norwalk resident Susan Blazer, attending with grandson Logan, 4.

Westonite Candace Halpern, onsite with her husband Jeff and son Alexander, 6, said Westport friends, who knew that Alex is very interested in music, invited them. “He’s been studying the piano for a year and a half. I love the up-close, personal and interactive nature of this event.”

Employing a host of percussion tools including metal shakers, clave sticks, congas, guiros, fuche cabasas, sticks and beaters, O’Farrill engaged the crowd with both his personable style but also a step-by-step educational approach.

“Pretend you’re in Puerto Rico and it’s 90 degrees outside and you’ve got your toes in the sand,” the performer said, demonstrating how to strike a conga with both the fleshy part and heel of his hand. “Open, heel, toe, snap,” he called out. Youngsters in the group mimicked his actions.

“Let’s move our bodies,” O’Farrill added, introducing movement to complement the rhythms. “You’ve got to have fun.”

With the audience’s collaboration, O’Farrill gradually built what he called a “Mambo Lasagna” comprised of instruments, sounds and clapping he termed “ingredients”. It was a hot meal to be sure that sated the appetite of attendees, smiles spreading across their faces.

Fairfield Families Developing Cabin Fever

Fairfield Families
Developing Cabin Fever:

Parents and kids endure
another snow day

(Posted to Fairfield.Patch.com 2/1)

By Mike Lauterborn

© 2011. All Rights Reserved.

2/1/11

Fairfield, CT – An early morning weather system deposited another couple of inches of snow and threatened icing conditions later in the day Tuesday, forcing the closure of town schools. The cancellation surprised many Fairfield parents and disappointed children who have developed a case of cabin fever with all their days off.

“I think some of the snow days have been reasonable, but today we could have had school,” said Harry Murphy, 15, a Fairfield Ludlowe High School sophomore. “I was surprised school was canceled, but I was ok with it as I got to sleep late. I’m just hanging out for the afternoon as my mom has work. My sisters have been playing a lot in the snow. My brother and I will probably need to do some shoveling at some point. Snow is nice to have on the ground, but not the ice and sleet. It can be dangerous, especially for drivers.”

For Pam Murphy, the day created some challenges and unrest at home. “Cole (Murphy’s 14-year-old son) is doing some drawing and Sam (16) just got up, showered and plopped down in front of the TV. He started complaining when I asked him to shovel the back deck. I’d seen a report that it can separate from the house and collapse under all the snow and ice and I thought it would be an effective use of his free time. After all, he does live here. He didn’t agree. We’re scheduled to get Cole’s braces off today, and then hair appointments up in Ridgefield. I’m debating doing the latter given the icy roads.”

Up on Woods End Road, Ann Kubel was just trying to keep it together with a house full of rugrats. “I’m sick of the snow and I’d rather the kids were in school. The house is filled with not only my own kids but also the neighbor kids. This is the house to be at apparently. They go out, get soaking wet, the clothes go in the dryer, they go back out again, they’re on the Wii screaming. It’s a madhouse. Now I’m feeding everybody lunch and they’ve asked for cookies. I’ll do that then I’m done!”

Kubel added, “The way Fairfield has been calling things, I knew it would be no school or nothing versus a delay, as it was going to be an early dismissal day anyhow due to professional development. Personally, as I have to be home with them, I’m catching up on some house chores that I needed to do. That’s the only good thing about this situation. And it looks like I’ll be doing it tomorrow, too.”

In the Beach Area, Maryann Dolzani was multi-tasking, juggling mom and work tasks. “I’m home but working from home. Elliot (her 9-year-old son) is at a neighbor’s house and Spencer (6) has a buddy over playing. Seeing that the snow stopped and there’s not much going on, I was surprised school was called. The forecast had predicted more of an event though, so I understand why they called it. I feel bad for the kids. It’s fun to be off but I think they miss some of the school activities.”

Benny Ortiz, 7, was happy to be off but running out of things to do. “I have another day off. I’m getting kind of tired of it. I want to get school over with. I just went over to my grandpa’s house, now I’m playing with my little toy.”

Benny’s mom, Pam, who was home from work to watch Benny, was more concerned about how her son’s vacation days were being whittled down. “What’s unnerving to me is the school’s plan to start taking spring vacation days away. I really think they should take the days from the February vacation. I think we should be able to vote on it. I’d rather have the time off when the weather is good. The kids are really getting behind on instructional time this winter. It’s a lot to try and make up for.”

Town Services Tackle Unique Challenges of Sleet/Snow Mix

Town Services Tackle Unique Challenges of Sleet/Snow Mix:

Patch checks in with the 

USPS, DPW and UI

(Posted to Fairfield.Patch.com 2/1)

By Mike Lauterborn

© 2011. All Rights Reserved.

2/1/11

Fairfield, CT – Fairfielders have again been hit with a winter weather event this season, with an accumulation of an inch or two of snow as of 9 a.m. Tuesday morning that forced closure of local public and parochial schools. Unlike previous events though, the latest system calls for unique conditions to develop Tuesday night that include freezing drizzle and sleet and an ice accumulation of up to 0.3 of an inch into Wednesday.

The potential for hazards like slick roads and downed wires and tree limbs exists, which will present challenges to town services like the postal service, United Illuminating and the Department of Public Works. Patch connected with these services to get insight into how they are preparing for these eventualities and a current status on conditions.

Superintendent of Public Works Scott Bartlett, a veteran with regard to winter storm events, had mapped out his plan but said unpredictable factors may alter his strategy.

“We deal first with snow and ice and put a coat of salt down,” he said, “with the priority to make the roads passable. But we don’t know what the ice is going to do. We’re not going to plow off right now, but instead will leave the roads slushy as it’s easier to plow off a slushy road coated with ice than to try and remove ice off a bare road. Once ice forms on the road, it’s trickier to treat. You want to prevent the bonding of ice to pavement.”

With regard to the potential of tree limbs coming down, Bartlett said, “The town owns two aerial bucket trucks that are ready to go, plus we’ve already reached out to our contractors to see how many crews they can provide, but here’s where it gets tricky. We’re assuming the roads will be passable from where the contractors are coming from. If they are, we’ll deploy them. If they are not and we have a coating of up to an inch of ice on the roads, we’ll need to reprioritize where our personnel are in terms of people we need for road salting and for tree maintenance.”

Bartlett says they are not responsible for electric wire issues – that would be United Illuminating. However, he said, “If wires start coming down, that creates additional issues for us. It requires us to block off roadways and notify the town and the power company. It really complicates things. Dead-ends are a bigger concern than a main road in terms of a tree or wire down because there is less access. With a main road, you have two sides of attack. Of course, with a main, you have an interruption of traffic flow. The mains will always be a priority so that we can enable the passage of emergency responders.”

Reached in Syracuse, NY, United States Postal Service Public Affairs Specialist Maureen Marion, whose responsibility is New England and upstate New York, said the USPS has its own challenges with icy conditions and plan of attack.

“We have a couple of tools at our disposal to deal with ice,” she said. “On the carrier side, that includes footwear with ice grippers to stabilize themselves on treacherous walkways, plus headwear, parkas and snowpants. There’s an initial uniform allowance for career employees and garments are added as seasons approach. Often, letter carriers share garments as their needs change. They look out for each other.”

Marion said the biggest concern this winter has been the USPS’ relationship with its communities and customers. “We need a clear road to go down and clean mailbox to access. We have found by and large people have been as cooperative as they can be but, that said, there are pockets of difficulty all around the region. For the carriers driving our vehicles, we need to snuggle right up to a box as it is too dangerous for our carriers to get out, walk around, dangle and potentially fall out of their seats. We can’t do anything that would cause the carrier to lose control of that vehicle. If we don’t have the clear access, we can’t deliver the mail and will hold it. For carriers that walk, we need to be able to get up front walks and driveways in a safe manner.”

On the electricity distribution front, United Illuminating, as of 10:40 a.m. Tuesday, was reporting only one Fairfield household power outage among 22,194 town customers served. Its site, www.uinet.com, offered tips with regard to being prepared for a potential outage that included turning refrigerator/freezer dials to their coldest settings, unplugging sensitive electronic equipment and unplugging major appliances that are not in use. It also advised having working flashlights, a battery-operated radio, containers of bottled water, a first-aid kit and manual can opener.

First Death Row Inmate Freed by DNA Relates Story

First Death Row Inmate Freed by DNA Relates Story:

Kirk Bloodsworth tells hell-and-back tale to parish group

(Posted to Fairfield.Patch.com 1/31)

By Mike Lauterborn

© 2011. All Rights Reserved.

1/31/11

Fairfield, CT – He was wrongly accused of a horrific crime, placed in a hellish penitentiary and sat on death row. If not for an interest in reading, he may never have become aware of DNA testing, which proved to be his ticket to freedom.

Maryland resident Kirk Bloodsworth, the first death row inmate in the world to be freed by DNA evidence, was on hand Monday night at Our Lady of the Assumption Parish at 545 Stratfield Road to tell his riveting tale to a small group of parishioners, speak about wrongful convictions and urge the abolishment of the death penalty.

An honorably discharged former Marine, Bloodsworth was convicted in 1985 of the sexual assault, rape and first-degree premeditated murder of nine-year-old Dawn Hamilton and sentenced to death. Even though five eyewitnesses placed him with the victim, he continued to maintain his innocence.

“It was an awful thing,” said Bloodsworth, reflecting on his arrest and conviction. “You can’t imagine being taken from your home, being accused of something you didn’t do and then facing 12 people and a judge and being convicted. It was just a horrible situation. The gavel came down and the sentence was death.”

Bloodsworth was transported to Maryland Penitentiary. As he described, “It was one of the most notorious prisons ever. It looked like Dracula’s castle. You could smell the pain and feel the tension in the air. It was a god-awful place. I was thrust into this environment and it was so foreign to me. I was only 22 years old. I wouldn’t wish it on anyone.”

It was unimaginable to him to be associated with such a heinous act. “It was the most vicious crime in Maryland’s history and this is what I was accused of. I was a Marine and was no angel, but I knew what I wasn’t. I wrote everybody I could that I was an innocent man and signed my letters with my name and the initials A.I.M. – An Innocent Man.”

From the moment he entered the prison system, fellow inmates wanted to do him harm. “I was hit in the back of the head with a sock containing D-cell batteries that split my skull, struck in the chest with a Master lock and stabbed in the leg.”

To pass the time in his narrow, cockroach-and-rat-infested rundown cell, Bloodsworth began reading. One book, “The Blooding”, by Joseph Wambaugh, which told about how DNA testing was successfully used in a criminal case in England, had a life-changing impact.

“I requested testing through the prosecutor’s office,” he said. “The prosecutor agreed, but said the results would need to be made public. I said ‘fine’ as I knew I was innocent. It took a year, as there were only two DNA labs in the country in 1992. The tests proved my innocence and were confirmed by separate FBI tests. I was released five months later on June 28, 1993, after nine years in prison.”

Bloodsworth became a Catholic while incarcerated, in a ceremony conducted underneath the gas chamber. Now he tries to change laws and has a DNA law named after him – the Kirk Bloodsworth Post-Conviction DNA Testing Program, which was achieved through The Justice Project and Congress. It provides funding for post-conviction DNA testing for indigents or states that aren’t able to fund it.

“It has already benefited a fellow in Arizona, two inmates in Washington state and people in Virginia,” he said of the effort. “You shouldn’t be in a prison for something you didn’t do and, if you can take a DNA test, it’s the best way to go.”

Bloodsworth added, “I work with people to try and abolish the death penalty because of one fact: we could execute an innocent person. We have a death row population of 3,500 and a prison population of 2.5 million. The risk is too great for error. One hundred and forty inmates have been exonerated from death row – 14 of whom have been proven innocent by DNA testing.”

The ex-Marine admits it’s a controversial topic. “No one can deny the emotional weight on society to punish wrongdoing but we must rise above letting someone else fall for a crime they didn’t commit. I can’t condone the death penalty. I used to think people got what they deserved but when this happened to me, I realized it could be real bad.”

Even among attendees, there was division on the topic. Fairfielder Irene Gifford said, “I feel very strongly against the death penalty, as many people are likely incarcerated who are not guilty, often inner city people. I think they should just be kept in jail.”

Sharing an opposing view, Fairfielder Diane Quaranta said, “Though I’m pro-life, I believe that people who have committed terrible, heinous crimes should be put to death if they are guilty. But I feel a good advocate needs to be assigned to each individual person to explore all evidence and to make sure nothing’s been overlooked.”

Bloodsworth’s story is told in the book “Bloodsworth: The True Story of the First Death Row Inmate Exonerated by DNA” by Tim Junkin.

Profile of a Profiler

Profile of a Profiler:

Silhouette Artist Deborah O’Connor visits Troy Fine Art

(Posted to Fairfield.Patch.com 1/30)

By Mike Lauterborn

© 2011. All Rights Reserved.

1/29/11

Southport, CT – A fascination with a set of profile cutouts that her best friend had done when they were young girls steered Deborah O’Connor to pursue a career as a silhouette artist. Now a Master Silhouettist, O’Connor brought her services to Southport for the day on Saturday.

Hosting the Wakefield, Rhode Island artist from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. was Troy Fine Art at 3310 Post Road. Her program, titled “A Silhouette of Love”, offered area families the opportunity to capture their likenesses for posterity in silhouette form.

A portion of the proceeds will benefit the Fairfield Arts Center.

“One of the first silhouettes I ever saw was that of my best friend and her sister,” said O’Connor, 59. “They had them done by a silhouettist at Old Orchard Beach in Maine back in the late 50s. In person, the two girls looked identical in complexion and hairstyle, but when you looked at the two cutouts side by side, they were definitely distinctive. These images stayed in the back of my mind as I began studying oil painting, something I pursued into my 20s.”

O’Connor studied with Gene Tonoff, a Bulgarian oil painter, and, in fact, planned to pursue oil painting as a career. Toward that goal, she attended the Boston School of Fine Arts for a year. But the silhouettes kept coming back to her and altered her plans.

“In my early 20s, I began looking for formal programs to learn silhouetting, but there were none,” O’Connor explained. “I decided to make a go of it on my own, found a paper source, bought small scissors and practiced on people in restaurants and with relatives and friends. Then I began booking myself into various art shows.”

O’Connor says things really took off at that point. “Once I got exposure, opportunities just began coming. I didn’t have to promote myself. Thirty-five years ago, people were very familiar with the medium, but there weren’t a lot of places where they could get the work done.”

The craft was challenging at first, said O’Connor. “When I first started doing silhouettes, the key thing was analyzing a face to identify unique features. But as I became recognized and people lined up for their silhouettes, I found that I would get into a Zen-like state and the cuttings would more or less produce themselves.”

O’Connor says the skill takes focus. “My painting teacher, Tonoff, would have me do exercises in focusing, which is key in being disciplined in the craft.”

Silhouette sittings at the gallery were by appointment and the first family to show was the Busks, from Westport – Fred and Andrea and their girls Lulu, 11, and Bella, 9. “This is the first time we’ve done this with our children, though my wife and I had our own done as children. We wanted to ‘document’ our children with their mother at different ages, so this will be the inaugural session. Then, I will do one with our son Kee, who is 12.”

Waiting on deck was another family, the Schermanns – Ian and Katy and their daughter Audrey, 2, from Norwalk. “I heard this is really cool to watch,” said Katy. “My younger sister had one done. I thought it would be special to have one of Audrey, especially to capture her cute little round nose.”

As Andrea Busk completed her sitting and her daughter Bella took her turn, gallery co-owner Denise DiGrigoli Amuso explained framing and mounting options to her and her husband.

“Deborah did my daughter’s silhouette three years ago and I loved it and wanted to bring her to our new studio, which we opened Nov. 1,” said Amuso. “We’ve called today’s program ‘A Silhouette of Love’ as it’s really a celebration of a family moment.”

As Bella completed her sitting, she shared what it was like to be captured in this way. “You have to stare at the same place and you can’t move your eyes. When someone goes in front of you, it’s tough not to smile. It’s really hard to sit still like that for so long, although really it was only about five minutes. It just seemed longer.”

Card-Making Workshop Draws Crafty Crowd

Card-Making Workshop Draws Crafty Crowd:

Hobbyist Nicki Shopis 

demonstrates techniques

(Posted to Fairfield.Patch.com 1/30)

By Mike Lauterborn

© 2011. All Rights Reserved.

1/29/11

Fairfield, CT – They were rock and rolling, stamping, punching and fiddling with their stampa ma jigs, activities you would think wouldn’t be permitted in a library environment. But it was all above board and part of a craft-oriented workshop Saturday afternoon.

The craft was card-making and the workshop was led by hobbyist and Fairfielder Nicki Shopis at Fairfield Public Library Woods Branch at 1147 Fairfield Woods Road. Conducted in the library’s Down Under Teen Space, the program attracted 15 people that came to learn how to make their own creative greeting cards.

Shopis bills herself as an Independent Stampin’ Up Demonstrator and explained that Stampin’ Up is a stamp and paper crafting company that sells stamps and paper crafts through demonstrators like herself.

“I took a class back in August and started buying the materials and felt I could get cost efficiencies by joining and becoming a demonstrator,” said Shopis.

She explained that she’s been a hobbyist and scrapbooker for the past 12 years and that she’s a former sixth grade teacher in Fairfield. It was an activity connected with a class trip that spurred her interest in arts and crafts. “We took our class to Nature’s Classroom in Silver Bay, NY to expose them to nature,” she said. “When we came back to school, we created a scrapbook about the experience, which really got me excited about and into scrapbooking. Card-making evolved from that. I make all my own cards now for family and friends, for every occasion.”

Deputy Librarian Nancy Coriaty was glad to have Shopis present the class. “Nicki is part of the knitting club that we hold here on Thursday mornings. She was telling us about her card-making and I asked her to come conduct a workshop. The program is all about learning and curiosity.”

Coriaty says the program fills a void. “There are so many people in the Baby Boom range that were curious about certain things that weren’t able to enjoy them when they were working that we are now beginning to offer. Card-making is very unique, and handmade and homemade items have become very popular.”

Shopis distributed packets of materials to each workshop attendee and provided instruction and hands-on guidance as each participant worked on a technique.

Fairfielder Judy Weiss, busy folding a card, said, “This is something different and I like to do creative projects. I work in the school system and might suggest this for my kindergarten class.”

Pat Jankovsky, also from Fairfield, said, “I enjoy doing crafty things as a former Girl Scouts leader. I landed here by accident – my daughter was supposed to be here. There’s something about handmade cards – you can’t throw them away.”