Small Stones Arts Festival kicks off Friday
The Small Stones Festival of the Arts opens Friday night, starting a week of art and music that includes the Claflin Hill Symphony Orchestra and a night devoted to Bollywood.
The opening night reception begins at 7 p.m. in the Great Hall at One Grafton Common, featuring the Kelly Clark Jazz Trio and the awards ceremony for artists.
The festival’s Call for Art, an invitation to artists and photographs to submit their artwork in two categories – Fine Art Painting and Drawing and Fine Art Photography yielded 565 submissions. A panel of six independent jurors selected 144 submissions featuring artwork of 77 artists residing in communities in Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Hampshire and Rhode Island. Cash prizes will be awarded for first ($500), second ($250) and third ($100) place in both categories. Three Juror’s Choice awards will be awarded. This year exhibit attendees will vote for Popular Choice awards for each category.
Festival exhibit hours are Saturday, 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. and Sunday, 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The music program continues until Nov. 16. The Small Stones Festival of the Arts is a collaboration of three arts organizations – Apple Tree Arts, Worcester County Camera Club and Blackstone Valley Art Association.
Saturday’s schedule includes a 5 p.m. discussion by junior Jim Welu and Nancy Burns will discuss different pieces of artwork from the festival in the auditorium of the Great Hall.
The Sutton Ukulele Strummers, led by Jan Barlow, music and early childhood educator,at Apple Tree Arts, performs at 11:00 a.m. noon, p.m and 1 p.m.
Sunday’s performs include Apple Tree Arts flute students, instructed by Amy Carroll, 1:30-3:00 p.m.
“A Night in Bollywood” features Din Check, the New England premier Bollywood band and a Bollywood dance workshop Friday Nov. 15, 6:00-9:30 p.m.
On Saturday, Nov. 16, 7:30 p.m. a theatrical, musical performance of Igor Stravinsky’s “L’Histoire du Soldat – A Soldier’s Tale” is presented by Claflin Hill Symphony Orchestra’s chamber players and Apple Tree Arts’ actors. Tickets may be purchased for the concerts by calling Apple Tree Arts, 508-839-4286.
At the Festival, many of the artists’ and photographers’ work will be for sale. The Worcester County Camera Club and The Blackstone Valley Art Association will have displays showcasing their organizations and art related merchandise for sale, too. For more details, visit smallstonesfestival.org
Exhibiting artists include:
Fine Art Painting Category
Portugal by Bonnie Frederico, Back Bay in Autumn by Kevin Shattuck, Pemaquid Light by Kevin Shattuck, Little Red Teacup by Anya Leveille, Grandmother’s Pearls by Anya Leveille, Little Red Teapot by Anya Leveille, Sunset on the Grafton Common by Ella Delyanis, November Gold by Ella Delyanis, Frank’s Franks by Christopher Johnson, A Gaggle of Geese by Carolyn Kinloch-Winkler, Sparrows in the Mulberry by Carolyn Kinloch-Winkler, Squirrel in the Morning Light by Carolyn Kinloch-Winkler
Fine Art Photography
The Arch by Bethani Chadbourne, Mazikeen by Bethani Chadbourne, What the River Sees by James Hunt, Deindustrialization, Uxbridge #1 by James Hunt, Deindustrialization Woonsocket by James Hunt.
