Writing Through Grief
Bi-weekly writing program led by author and writing coach Cindy Eastman.
This group is an extension of a workshop held last year when participants expressed a desire to keep going. Research shows that writing can be a healing way to deal with challenging life situations such as loss. Grief is often experienced in community and this writing group will allow participants to explore their own writing as a path through grief. New participants welcome.
starts March 12th.
$10 per session (12 People Limit)
Drop-In Sunday Morning Writing
Inspiration abounds in the artwork on the walls, art books, in shared experiences with other writers, and in our everyday experience of the world around us.
Whether we write poetry or prose, it isn’t always easy to carve out time for ourselves to write. Beginning May 26th, Sunday mornings will provide an opportunity for writers of all skill levels and genres to simply write, and have time to share a new work or work in progress for peer review and feedack, as well as find encouragement and support to progress our own craft and our goals as fellow writers.
Come write your poems, your personal stories, your children’s stories, your memoir by joining us on Sunday mornings for quided writing prompts and focused writing time.
$10
Acrylic Pour
Acrylic Pour with Christy Bonaiuto
Acrylic Paint Pouring is a fluid painting technique used to create art by pouring acrylic paint onto a canvas. Many methods can be used to apply the paint to the canvas, some are more simple and are better for beginners – others are a bit more technical!
$50 (10 Person Limit) - all supplies provided
Drop-In Sunday Morning Writing
Inspiration abounds in the artwork on the walls, art books, in shared experiences with other writers, and in our everyday experience of the world around us.
Whether we write poetry or prose, it isn’t always easy to carve out time for ourselves to write. Sunday mornings provide an opportunity for writers of all skill levels and genres to simply write, and have time to share a new work or work in progress for peer review and feedack, as well as find encouragement and support to progress our own craft and our goals as fellow writers.
Come write your poems, your personal stories, your children’s stories, your memoir by joining us on Sunday mornings for quided writing prompts and focused writing time.
$10
Writing Through Grief
Bi-weekly writing program led by author and writing coach Cindy Eastman.
This group is an extension of a workshop held in 2023 when participants expressed a desire to keep going. Research shows that writing can be a healing way to deal with challenging life situations such as loss. Grief is often experienced in community and this writing group will allow participants to explore their own writing as a path through grief. New participants welcome.
$10 per session (12 People Limit)
VSG First Thursday’s Poetry/Acoustic Open Mic
Featured Poets Mary Panke and Elizabeth Thomas (host - Kate Randall)
Elizabeth Thomas is a published writer and educator who believes poetry is meant to be heard out loud and in person. Her presentation style evolved through the poetry slam, both as performer and youth coach. Now, she can be found hosting workshops for writers of all ages.
Mary Panke has written hundreds of poems about family over the last 50 years. Once upon a time she memorized her poems for slam performance with the likes of Faith Vicinanza and Elizabeth Thomas. Now she hangs with The Monday Poets, a longstanding group of fabulous women writers who meet monthly to share their work. Mary lives in Vernon, CT with her forever partner, Dalia; their 2 adult sons, Max & Sam; 3 cats, Hobbes, Mango & Manuka; and wild puppy Pep Watson.
VSG introduces a new Poetry/Acoustic Open Mic night to Southbury, taking place every first Thursday. Re-knowned poets and local talents alike will find a platform for their poetry, prose, spoken word, and acoustic performances creating a vibrant atmosphere of creativity and expression. By hosting these events, VSG aims to foster a sense of community and promote the art of poetry in Southbury and beyond. Whether you’re a seasoned poet, an aspiring writer, a storyteller, or simply a lover of the spoken word, mark your calendar for our open mic nights.
Free and open to the public (Suggested Donation)
UCC Southbury Strawberry Festival
Come visit the VSG booth at the UCC Southbury Strawberry Festival.
Memoir Writing Workshop
Memoir Writing Workshop with retired professor, author, poet and artist - Davyne Verstandig
Memoir isn’t simply about events we reflect upon. Rather it is about the meaning of the events selected which reveal something important – something transformative. Selecting certain events and then reflecting on them (through writing prompts), you become the editor of your own life — giving it a narrative shape. Insight, attention, and memory are a few ways into the selection process.
Discover how to select the events of your life to write about by using some of Ms. Verstandig’s proven approaches. As a writing consultant, she has helped many people write their memoirs as well as novels and poetry collections and has led writing workshops throughout New England for the past 25 years.
$120 per person - Bring your lunch!
Write It, Polish It, Publish It
Write It, Polish It, Publish It
Continue your writing journey with us. For the first hour we will work on writing. For the second half we will start polishing. Bring with you 10 copies of a poem or a short prose work. And we will spend some time talking about publishing your work
Faith Vicinanza is a published poet and visual artist who has resided in Southbury since 2016. Ms. Vicinanza has published 4 books of poetry, with 3 more on the way. She was a nominee for State Poet Laureate in 2000 and the recipient of the Connecticut Commission on the Arts Advocate for the Arts Award in 2003.
Like all Southbury Public Library programs, this event is free to attend and open to anyone regardless of town of residency. Registration is required. For more information about this program, please email Rebecca at rrandall@biblio.org or call the reference desk at 203-262-0626 ext 2
https://www.southburylibrary.org/event/write-it-polish-it-publish-it-writing-group-6
Drop-In Sunday Morning Writing
Inspiration abounds in the artwork on the walls, art books, in shared experiences with other writers, and in our everyday experience of the world around us.
Whether we write poetry or prose, it isn’t always easy to carve out time for ourselves to write. Beginning May 26th, Sunday mornings will provide an opportunity for writers of all skill levels and genres to simply write, and have time to share a new work or work in progress for peer review and feedack, as well as find encouragement and support to progress our own craft and our goals as fellow writers.
Come write your poems, your personal stories, your children’s stories, your memoir by joining us on Sunday mornings for quided writing prompts and focused writing time.
$10
Drop-In Sunday Morning Writing
Inspiration abounds in the artwork on the walls, art books, in shared experiences with other writers, and in our everyday experience of the world around us.
Whether we write poetry or prose, it isn’t always easy to carve out time for ourselves to write. Sunday mornings provide an opportunity for writers of all skill levels and genres to simply write, and have time to share a new work or work in progress for peer review and feedack, as well as find encouragement and support to progress our own craft and our goals as fellow writers.
Come write your poems, your personal stories, your children’s stories, your memoir by joining us on Sunday mornings for quided writing prompts and focused writing time.
$10
Mindfulness and Art: Tapping into Your Well of Creativity with Awareness and Compassion.
Bring your lunch and snack!
Please join us for a day of mindfulness and art. We will spend the day ease-fully transitioning through several guided mindfulness practices, including sitting meditation, mindful painting and a guided body scan meditation.
We will be creating three “sequence paintings” that can be framed and hung as a series. Sequence painting is a mindful approach to painting developed at River Gallery School by Rick Campman. Sequencing is an art that will allow both beginners and more experienced artists to enter the process of painting at a deep and direct level, creating beautiful paintings even if you have never considered yourself to be an artist. No experience is needed to participate in the program. This workshop will offer you a precious opportunity to pause, connect and create in the present moment.
$90 per person, materials included.
Introduction to Tarot Reading
Beginner’s class includes instruction, a blank journal, and a tarot deck for each student with accomplished reader Christina Arroyo. If you took our previous beginner’s class, you can bring your materials from your prior class and get a $10 discount on the price (the web site will charge $50, but email us and we will refund $10)
$50 (15 Person Limit)
VSG First Thursday’s Poetry/Acoustic Open Mic
Featured Poet … (host - Kate Randall)
VSG introduces a new Poetry/Acoustic Open Mic night to Southbury, taking place every first Thursday. Re-knowned poets and local talents alike will find a platform for their poetry, prose, spoken word, and acoustic performances creating a vibrant atmosphere of creativity and expression. By hosting these events, VSG aims to foster a sense of community and promote the art of poetry in Southbury and beyond. Whether you’re a seasoned poet, an aspiring writer, a storyteller, or simply a lover of the spoken word, mark your calendar for our open mic nights.
Free and open to the public (Suggested Donation)
VSG First Thursday’s Poetry/Acoustic Open Mic
Featured Poet … (host - Kate Randall)
VSG introduces a new Poetry/Acoustic Open Mic night to Southbury, taking place every first Thursday. Re-knowned poets and local talents alike will find a platform for their poetry, prose, spoken word, and acoustic performances creating a vibrant atmosphere of creativity and expression. By hosting these events, VSG aims to foster a sense of community and promote the art of poetry in Southbury and beyond. Whether you’re a seasoned poet, an aspiring writer, a storyteller, or simply a lover of the spoken word, mark your calendar for our open mic nights.
Free and open to the public (Suggested Donation)
VSG First Thursday’s Poetry/Acoustic Open Mic
Featured Poet … (host - Kate Randall)
VSG introduces a new Poetry/Acoustic Open Mic night to Southbury, taking place every first Thursday. Re-knowned poets and local talents alike will find a platform for their poetry, prose, spoken word, and acoustic performances creating a vibrant atmosphere of creativity and expression. By hosting these events, VSG aims to foster a sense of community and promote the art of poetry in Southbury and beyond. Whether you’re a seasoned poet, an aspiring writer, a storyteller, or simply a lover of the spoken word, mark your calendar for our open mic nights.
Free and open to the public (Suggested Donation)
VSG First Thursday’s Poetry/Acoustic Open Mic
Featured Poet Brad Davis (hosted by Kate Thomas)
VSG introduces a new Poetry/Acoustic Open Mic night to Southbury, taking place every first Thursday. Re-knowned poets and local talents alike will find a platform for their poetry, prose, spoken word, and acoustic performances creating a vibrant atmosphere of creativity and expression. By hosting these events, VSG aims to foster a sense of community and promote the art of poetry in Southbury and beyond. Whether you’re a seasoned poet, an aspiring writer, a storyteller, or simply a lover of the spoken word, mark your calendar for our open mic nights.
Free and open to the public (Suggested Donation)
VSG First Thursday’s Poetry/Acoustic Open Mic
Featured Poet Brad Davis (hosted by Kate Thomas)
VSG introduces a new Poetry/Acoustic Open Mic night to Southbury, taking place every first Thursday. Re-knowned poets and local talents alike will find a platform for their poetry, prose, spoken word, and acoustic performances creating a vibrant atmosphere of creativity and expression. By hosting these events, VSG aims to foster a sense of community and promote the art of poetry in Southbury and beyond. Whether you’re a seasoned poet, an aspiring writer, a storyteller, or simply a lover of the spoken word, mark your calendar for our open mic nights.
Free and open to the public (Suggested Donation)
VSG First Thursday’s Poetry/Acoustic Open Mic
Featured Poet Brad Davis (hosted by Kate Thomas)
VSG introduces a new Poetry/Acoustic Open Mic night to Southbury, taking place every first Thursday. Re-knowned poets and local talents alike will find a platform for their poetry, prose, spoken word, and acoustic performances creating a vibrant atmosphere of creativity and expression. By hosting these events, VSG aims to foster a sense of community and promote the art of poetry in Southbury and beyond. Whether you’re a seasoned poet, an aspiring writer, a storyteller, or simply a lover of the spoken word, mark your calendar for our open mic nights.
Free and open to the public (Suggested Donation)
Ekphrastic Poetry Workshop
Inspiration abounds in the artwork on the walls and in art books.
Ekphrastic poetry has come to be defined as poems written about works of art; however, in ancient. Greece, the term ekphrasis was applied to the skill of describing a thing with vivid detail. One of the earliest examples of ekphrasis can be found in Homer's epic poem The Iliad.
Come create your own epic narrative.
$10
Color Theory
Color Theory with artist and photographer Katie Henry. Her photography is currently on exhibit in the gallery. See photos from our first Color Theory event here
$25 per person - Includes Supplies (15 Person Limit)
Happy Mother's Day (Gallery Open)
Happy Mother’s Day! Bring in a photo of our Weekly email of events to RECEIVE a FREE artist’s notecard of your choice!
Beginner’s Dot Painting Workshop
Beginner’s dot painting workshop, supplies included. Intermediate work will be encouraged and instruction provided if you have basic dotting experience or you came to our first beginner’s class, otherwise you will receive individual instruction as a beginner. It’s great fun!!!!!
$45 (20 Person Limit)
Write It, Polish It, Publish It
Write It, Polish It, Publish It
Continue your writing journey with us. For the first two hours we will work on writing. For the second half we will start polishing. Bring with you 10 copies of a poem or a short prose work. And we will spend some time talking about publishing your work
Faith Vicinanza is a published poet and visual artist who has resided in Southbury since 2016. Ms. Vicinanza has published 4 books of poetry, with 3 more on the way. She was a nominee for State Poet Laureate in 2000 and the recipient of the Connecticut Commission on the Arts Advocate for the Arts Award in 2003.
Like all Southbury Public Library programs, this event is free to attend and open to anyone regardless of town of residency. Registration is required. For more information about this program, please email Rebecca at rrandall@biblio.org or call the reference desk at 203-262-0626 ext 2
Writing Through Grief
Bi-weekly writing program led by author and writing coach Cindy Eastman.
This group is an extension of a workshop held last year when participants expressed a desire to keep going. Research shows that writing can be a healing way to deal with challenging life situations such as loss. Grief is often experienced in community and this writing group will allow participants to explore their own writing as a path through grief. New participants welcome.
starts March 12th.
$10 per session (12 People Limit)
"From the Serene to the Surreal"
Established New York artist Andrew Chin's paintings are "soft edge art." His work takes a soft approach to making a statement infusing humor, heart, wit, charm, and simplicity. Andrew's paintings stem from several influences beginning with Dada and Marcel Duchamp in questioning what art is, to Rene Margarite's absurdity of vision, encompassing Norman Rockwell's themes of the 'heart,' and pop artists such as Lichtenstein and Andy Warhol's representations of American Culture. (http://atchin.com/)
As an artist, Patti Maher is interested in simple, elegant lines...in shadows and negative space. She works in pencil, pen & ink, watercolor, and sometimes combines these media. Maher's work is very quiet in nature, taking the subject matter down to its core substance. Her work is intended to provoke deep thought and a feeling of peace. Maher studied English and Art at Principia College. Maher has worked at various jobs including bank teller, instructional aide, cabinet-maker's apprentice, and piano teacher. She's met people from all walks of life and seeks to find the thread that connects them all. Her work expresses her experiences, including her love of music, children, and nature. (https://pattimaher.com/)
Agnes Wnuk is an experienced freelance fine artist skilled in Photography, Drawing, Oil Painting, Watercolor and Art History. In the last six years, the fine arts have pulled her to exploring colored pencil, oils, pastels, watercolors and urban sketching. Agnes has sketched on location in Bermuda, St. Maarten, Mallorca, Spain and Key West, as well as around New England, New York State ,and Colorado. She took part in the annual Urban Sketchers Symposium in Amsterdam in 2019, completing an entire sketchbook during a week-long excursion. Agnes has taught workshops in urban sketching and watercolor and served as a judge for an exhibition for the Manchester Art Association. (https://aawnukart.weebly.com/)
VSG is thrilled to present the work of these exceptional artists. Join us for this sensory experience. Free and open to the public.
VSG First Thursday’s Poetry/Acoustic Open Mic
Featured Poets Sharon Smith and William Singer Moorhead (host - Kate Randall)
VSG introduces a new Poetry/Acoustic Open Mic night to Southbury, taking place every first Thursday. Re-knowned poets and local talents alike will find a platform for their poetry, prose, spoken word, and acoustic performances creating a vibrant atmosphere of creativity and expression. By hosting these events, VSG aims to foster a sense of community and promote the art of poetry in Southbury and beyond. Whether you’re a seasoned poet, an aspiring writer, a storyteller, or simply a lover of the spoken word, mark your calendar for our open mic nights.
Free and open to the public (Suggested Donation)
Introduction to the Foreign Exchange Market
Please join us for an introduction to the shift in the financial markets from outdated processing systems into digital currency and block chain. Learn the basics of economics and finance and how you can take control of systematic tools to analyze the foreign exchange market as well as the cryptocurrency market and take action on valuable insight collected from these tools to keep you or your business 10 steps ahead of the crowd.
$50 (10 Person Limit)
Vision Board Workshop for Adults
Vision Board Workshop for Adults - A vision board (or dream board) is a collection of images and words that inspire and motivate you to reach your goals. They represent the changes you'd like to see in your life. Maybe you want to eat healthier meals, get back to the gym or just spend more quality time with family and friends.
Materials provided, led by Claudia Fox
$45 (20 Person Max)
Beginner’s Dot Painting Workshop #2
Beginner’s dot painting workshop, supplies included. Intermediate work will be encouraged and instruction provided if you have basic dotting experience or you came to our first beginner’s class.
$45 (20 Person Limit)
Acrylic Pour
Acrylic Pour with Christy Bonaiuto
Acrylic Paint Pouring is a fluid painting technique used to create art by pouring acrylic paint onto a canvas. Many methods can be used to apply the paint to the canvas, some are more simple and are better for beginners – others are a bit more technical!
$50 (10 Person Limit) - all supplies provided
Sober Sip & Paint
Sober Sip & Paint - with photographer and artist KT Henry.
Bring a friend, a spouse, a family member, a picture of your pet. You will be doing a portrait painting of each other, best to have a person to share this experience with.
$50/person - all supplies provided.