In the Gallery: "Together" by Nancy Earle, SMIC

Presently, in the Marie Louise Trichet Gallery are works which comprise the second of our three retrospectives to celebrate the 15th Anniversary of the gallery. Each of the artists have had a solo show in the gallery since it opened in April, 1994. In the upcoming weeks, we will feature on our blog one of the pieces in the show and a brief reflection by the artist who created it.

Gallery hours are Monday - Saturday 10 am - 4 pm. The present show will run until August 22, 2009.

"Together" by Nancy Earle, SMIC

Through the use of figures, as well as patterns, associations and symbols, Nancy maps out stories around events in life as well as, reflections on nature. Images such as the moon, sun, water, mountains, pots, vessels, crosses and trees convey archetypes. These symbolic images help to dissolve barriers between cultures and spiritualities. Nancy weaves these images into more personal themes in order to create other ways of looking at the familiar so that experiences in life such as healing ,celebration, suffering, death, and birth retain their deeper meaning.

In the Swim of Things

Local youth enjoy swimming lessons offered by Litchfield Parks and Recreation Department and given in the pool at Wisdom House.

For further information call Litchfield Parks and Recreation Department at 860-567-7569 or email Director Brent Hawkins, hawk@townoflitchfield.org.

July 22: Feast Day of Mary Madalene, Apostle to the Apostles

Mary Magdalene, Apostle to the Apostles, is honored as a Saint in the Catholic, Orthodox Christian, Lutheran and Anglican communities. Her feast is celebrated on July 22.

Mary Magdalene in the past, was erroneously thought to be a prostitute who was redeemed by Jesus. This was a teaching of Pope Gregory the Great in the 6th century, but there is no Biblical foundation for this notion. In fact, Mary Magdalene was a leader in early Christianity and is noted in the Bible to have been the first witness to the Resurrection and the first one to whom Jesus appeared after his Resurrection (John 20).

An inspiring image of Mary Magdalene (Mary of Magdala), shown here has been created by artist Janet McKenzie of Vermont.

The tri-fold card shows Mary Magdalene with the women, Mary with Jesus, and Mary with apostles John and Peter. These cards are available through Wisdom House for $5.00 each. For copies, email us at programs@wisdomhouse.org or mail to Wisdom House - Cards, 229 E. Litchfield Rd, Litchfield, CT 06759.

In the Gallery: Hugh O'Donnell

Presently, in the Marie Louise Trichet Gallery are works which comprise the second of our three retrospectives to celebrate the 15th Anniversary of the gallery. Each of the artists have had a solo show in the gallery since it opened in April, 1994. In the upcoming weeks, we will feature on our blog one of the pieces in the show and a brief reflection by the artist who created it.

Gallery hours are Monday - Saturday 10 am - 4 pm. The present show will run until August 22, 2009.

Artist Hugh O'Donnell says: "I made this painting of a Young Tree last year as the wind moved through it like a breath. The tree shook brightness off into the air so that I could not tell the difference between leaves and light. Painting this tree in the landscape has been the most direct and least abstract painting from life that I have ever done and I enjoyed the simplicity of creating it.

"Trees and other miracles of nature are my subject matter, and always they make me want to bring emphasis to something I can say about the sensation of seeing and feeling them. Usually when painting such natural elements they undergo a much greater degree of abstraction as I look into the heart of them to find out what makes them "go." I then work towards an abstraction of an aspect of that quality that emphasizes the struggle for light and space going on in the natural world and within our bodies, aiming to create an image that triggers a physical sensation of it in me. I edit or abstract out other aspects. This abstract process is fundamental to my way of painting."

Mementos of the Medieval Recorder Concert

On June 18, the faculty of the Susan Iadone Recorder Workshop gave a concert of Medieval Recorder Music in the Chapel to honor Wisdom House's 60th Anniversary.