Fiber College 2010 will take place at Searsport Shores Ocean Camping in Searsport, from September 9-12. This year's Artist in Residence is weaver, fiber artist and educator Alice Seeger.

 

Fiber College, featuring knitting, felting, weaving, embroidery, spinning, quilting, basket making, woodworking and more, offers over forty affordable classes, free scheduled demos, evening events, a shopper's boulevard, live animals and catered meals. Most classes are limited to twelve students. For more information, call 207-548-6059, or visit Fiber College.

Aarhus Gallery digs deep to bring you the unusual, provocative and stratagraphical ceramic works of guest artist Jonathan Mess, from August 3-29. The opening reception will be Friday, August 6, 5-8 pm.  
                      
Jonathan Mess describes his work: "Clay is an important material because I can literally use the earth's crust as my medium. My recent work has involved several series that visually and metaphorically reference land, maps, strata, geology and geography ... I have engineered and incorporated a low-waste system of making by using recycled clays, slop clay and cast-aside glazes, once-fired, unused, forgotten, discarded, cut-up, and broken work, found cardboard, and even mixing clay that falls to the floor back into my system. I am interested in the physicality and reality of land, the evidence of time and age in the layers of earth, in contrast with contemporary human relationships with land through usage, manipulation, ownership, and division. I am concerned with our responsibility as humans living with the land -- collectively and individually."
 
Also on display, betwixt and between, will be the worldly works of Aarhusians Ingrid Ellison, Annadeene Fowler, Kevin Johnson, Mark Kelly, Richard Mann, Abbie Read, Wesley Reddick and Willy Reddick.
 
Aarhus Gallery is located at 50 Main St., Belfast, and is open daily 10am-6pm and till 8 pm Fridays in July and August as part of Belfast's Friday Night Art Walks. For more information and a slideshow of the current exhibit visit Aarhus Gallery or call 207-338-0001.

Art HOPE, a creativity retreat, is scheduled for Saturday, August 7 from 10 am to 3 pm at Waterfall Arts in Montville. The free retreat is designed for individuals interested in how everyday creativity can inspire good health and a good life. Through art making and storytelling in independent and group activities, participants learn tools for discovering their unique creative gifts while surrounded by the natural beauty of Waterfalls Arts' Montville location.

 

Art HOPE is a grassroots arts and healing initiative involving schools, health organizations and community groups in Maine. The program is based on the simple idea that daily creative activity can enhance our well being, celebrate life and in many ways inspire "Healing Opportunities for People Everyday." Programs are facilitated by Laura Jaquays, a community artist and educator who first created Art HOPE at York Hospital Oncology and Infusion Care, where she is the artist-in-residence. To learn more visit Art HOPE.

 

Although the retreat is free, pre-registration is required and space is limited. For details and registration visit Waterfall Arts or call 207-338-2222.

In the next three weeks, lots of classes for adults, teens and kids are starting in Belfast and Montville. Space is still available as well as partial scholarships for those in need.

 

A new round of classes begin the week of August 2 in Montville with Basic Glass Fusing with Alyssa Oxley and Glass Beads with Suzanne Southworth. Waterfall Arts Montville is a perfect setting for Adele Drake's Plein Air Painting class. For kids, Lisa Newcomb and Jeff Densmore offer Song, Rhythm and Dance for ages 6 to 8. Also starting August 2, Russell Kahn leads a clay class, Sculpture Across the Universe, for 8- to 12-year-olds. From August 4-7, Nick Jackson, a natural builder and Kingdom resident, will work with students on building outdoor cob ovens, from the basics of materials to design and construction. On August 7, Laura Jaquays offers a free Creativity Retreat from 10 am to 3 pm.

 

The last week of classes, August 9-13, include designing your own small green building in The Little Green House II with architect Richard Tremaglio, figure drawing instruction with Kris Engman in the Nude in the Woods and Life Art: Return of the Natives Community Project with Joline Blais. Marta Bernbaum returns to lend her expertise in hard glass torchwork, focusing on small sculptures and glass beads. Nancy Glassman will lead 5- to 7-year-olds in the Natural Art Explorers Brigade, and Jeni Frazee and Tricia Moran will work with 8- to 14-year-olds in two media, movement and watercolor painting in Dance and Paint the Waterfall.

 

As classes may fill quickly, sign up as soon as possible. For details about the summer program, to register, request a scholarship application, to volunteer or to be added to the mailing list, call 207-338-2222 or visit Waterfall Arts.

 

Wait Until Dark Movie on the Wall
Waterfall Arts has its second Wait Until Dark Movie on the Wall series on Friday, August 6. The exact lineup has not been chosen yet but the films are from Maine filmmakers. Some of the alums may have attended the Governor Anderson School and would like to come back and see how it has been re-purposed. There will be musical entertainment after 8 pm till it gets dark enough to show the films. Refreshments are available for sale. Chairs are available, but everyone is welcome and encouraged to bring their own lawn/lounge chair or blanket, plus a jacket.

Join baker Spiros Polemis and make your own loaf of Spiros' favorite bread at The Good Table (call 207-338-4880 to reserve a spot) Saturday, August 7, from 2-4 pm. Cost is $30.00. This is a "hands-on" learning experience making a simple, delicious bread that will start you on your own bread-making journey.

 

You'll need to bring:
1. A six-cup (or slightly larger) mixing bowl -- ceramic, glass, or steel -- if you want to take home your dough
2. A tea towel or two
3. An apron (or wear old clothes)

 

Spiros Polemis' introduction:
"Raised in New York, I moved to Maine with my wife, Buffy Parker in 1996. I was a printer, Buffy a graphic designer. We now live in Stockton Springs where Buffy's fine cooking with local fresh ingredients is a regular culinary delight. However, for a long time we lacked a good bread course for her wonderful meals. I always wanted to learn to bake good bread, but was intimidated by what I thought was a difficult craft. I decided the first step was to choose which bread would be my ideal -- French or Italian. At a restaurant in Montreal, the warm delicious French bread served made my decision for me.

 

"I purchased a classic French bread book, watched Julia Child, and made my first loaf: a baguette. Although it was not the bread I was looking for, it was a start. On a visit to the good table, Vicki showed me a copy of Peter Reinhart's The Bread Baker's Apprentice: Mastering the Art of Extraordinary Bread, which I bought. Among others, he described a very special bread, le pain à l'ancienne, developed by Parisian baker Philippe Gosselin. I made the bread and it turned out perfect the first time and every time I've made it. The book and recipe changed my life.

 

"Pain à l'ancienne requires overnight fermentation in the refrigerator. Each of you will have the opportunity to prepare a fresh batch of dough from scratch, and then, from dough previously prepared, shape and bake your own loaf. This is a craft, but not a difficult one to acquire. Learning how to make this bread will encourage you to branch out and try other bread projects. I look forward to seeing you August 7." 
 
The Good Table is located at 68 Main St. in Belfast.

Featured Artist
The Artist's Eye, nature photographs by Alec Hartman from Vassalboro, Maine, will be on display August 2-30. The opening will take place along with the Belfast Gallery Art Walks and the Co-op's monthly wine tasting on Friday, August 6, 7-9 pm. For more information on the artist, visit Alec Hartman's Web site.

 

Wine Tasting and Art Opening
Friday, August 6, 7-9 pm, Co-op Cafe. The Belfast Co-op free monthly Wine Tastings consist of a sampling of highlighted wines for the season along with gourmet cheeses and crackers. A local wine distributor and the Co-op's wine manager, Ron Poirier, will be available to answer your questions.

 

Early Closing
2 pm, August 8, summer staff party. The Deli will close at 1 pm.

 

Third Thursday Donation Day
Avian Haven, a wild bird rehabilitation center located in Freedom, Maine, will receive 1% of the Belfast Co-op's sales for August 19.

 

Customer Appreciation Day
Saturday, August 21, 10 am-6 pm. Music, book sale, door prizes, samples, free massages, health consultations, cookout, bloodmobile, in-store sales and more.

 

Belfast Co-op Member Super Sale Day
10% off storewide, on Wednesday, September 1!