The Lincoln Squirrel – News, features and photos from Lincoln, Mass.

arts

October doings from the Council on Aging

bemisHere are the October activities hosted by the Lincoln Council on Aging.

Hot jazz for a cool fall afternoon
October 1 at 2:30 p.m.
Whether you like your jazz hot or cool, you’ll love the Trad Jazz Sextet free concert on Thursday, Oct. 1 at 2:30 p.m. at Bemis Hall. This roving band of jazz-lovin’ retirees will have you on your feet dancing one minute, then reminiscing to favorites that will bring back sweet memories the next. Nothing is better for lifting your mood than music, so treat yourself to an afternoon of fun, entertainment, and uplifting old-timey tunes.

Wellness clinics for all ages
October 2 at 10 a.m.
All Lincoln residents are invited to meet with a nurse at Lincoln Woods’ Community Building at 50 Wells Rd. on Friday, Oct. 2 from 10 a.m. to noon. These clinics are funded by the Ogden Codman Trust and provided by Emerson Hospital Home Care. [Read more…] about October doings from the Council on Aging

New exhibits, kids’ activities at the deCordova

The deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum will debut two fall exhibitions on October 3 and is offering several new children’s activities next month.

Fall exhibitions

Drawing Redefined presents the distinctive work of Roni Horn, Esther Kläs, Joëlle Tuerlinckx, Richard Tuttle, and Jorinde Voigt, artists who have maintained a discipline of drawing as a constituent element of their artistic practice. For these artists, drawing is a forum for experimentation, a study, and an expansion of the vocabulary of images that recur in their art. In these artists’ hands and through their bodies, the traditional practice of drawing is transformed into an exploration of time and space manifest in forms beyond conventional linear representation in photographic, painterly, and sculptural work. See the Drawing Redefined web page for more information on the accompanying catalog.

The Sculptor’s Eye: Prints, Drawings, and Photographs from the Collection—drawn from deCordova’s permanent collection, this exhibition features works on paper and photographs by more than 30 artists who are primarily considered sculptors. Their work reveals the multitude of connections between two- and three-dimensional art-making processes and the means by which artists nurture and expand their creative vision. On view are photographs of sculptural forms that explore shared issues of space and volume. Pencil and charcoal drawings display the inventive ways in which artists experiment with spatial illusion on flat surfaces with graphic gestures, contours, and colors. Plans for large-scale art installations exemplify the tradition of artists considering architectural and environmental spaces. Altogether, these works emphasize the interplay of materiality, line, and form across artistic media. For details on the artists int he exhibition, see the Sculptor’s Eye web page.

Drawing Redefined and The Sculptor’s Eye will run through March 20.

“Enveloped by Drawing”

In conjunction with October’s worldwide drawing festival, The Big Draw, families are invited to participate in creating a temporary large-scale drawn sculpture in the galleries with artist Julia Von Eichel. “Enveloped by Drawing” takes place at the deCordova on Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 10 and 11 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and from 2-4 p.m. For families with children of all ages. Free with admission or membership.

A glimpse of "What does the imagination look like?"

A glimpse of “What does the imagination look like?”

Lincoln Nursery School collaboration

Also on view through November 11 is What Does the Imagination Look Like?—an educational exhibit presented in partnership with Lincoln Nursery School (LNS). The interactive exhibit delves into the process of imagination, drawing directly from young students’ conversations and explorations.

During the past academic year, LNS faculty and deCordova’s Learning and Engagement staff explored the process of imagination through children’s inquiries, negotiations, and transformation of materials. This exhibit showcases their research and makes visible the importance of imagination in students’ learning. Visitors to the exhibit can read LNS students’ conversations, view images drawn by the students, build a collaborative city, or create their own unusual sound score.

In conjunction with the exhibit, noted author and educator John Nimmo and LNS faculty will hold a dialogue on the topic of “The Story Behind the Story: Teachers as Collaborators in Supporting Children’s Inquiry” on Tuesday, Oct. 20 from 7-9 p.m. The program will include discussion about the role of the teacher in making curriculum decision and explore the challenges of collaboration, the potential of learning through conflict, and the importance of seeing teaching as a process of inquiry. Registration and $10 fee required.

Support for deCordova’s Family Learning and Engagement Programs has been provided in part by a grant from the Bessie Pappas Charitable Foundation.

Ongoing kids’ programs

Throughout the year, the deCordova offers two recurring monthly programs for children. The next ARTfull play for ages 2-5 will take place on Wednesday, Sept. 30 from 10:30-11:30 a.m., and the next ARTfull Explorations for ages 2-12 will be on Sunday, Oct. 1 from 1-3 p.m.

News acorns

firstparish-smSing in the First Parish Church choir

Experience the exhilaration and transformative effects of music by singing in the First Parish Church choir. Researchers have recently discovered that singing in a choir confers all sorts of positive physical and psychological effects, as well as being part of a community of soon-to-be friends. The choir is led by music director and organist Ian Watson, who is also the resident conductor, harpsichordist and organist with the Handel and Haydn Society. Ian also has created a successful concert series, Live in Lincoln Center, that often features First Parish choir members and is held at the First Parish several times a year.

The choir is open to all (you don’t need to become a member of First Parish) and is seeking all parts: soprano, alto, tenor and bass. No audition is required—you just need to have a love of music, be able to carry a tune, want to join a great group of people. Practices are on Thursdays from 7-9 p.m. and Sundays from 9-11 a.m. For more information, call the church at 781-259-8118.

Lincoln Cultural Council grant deadline coming up

The postmark deadline for organizations, schools and individuals to apply forLincoln Cultural Council (LCC) grants that support community-oriented arts, humanities and science projects is October 15. This year the LCC intends to award about $4,400 in grants to multiple recipients. Additional information is included in this press release.

The LCC is a part of, and funded by, the Massachusetts Cultural Council. Forms, local policy guidelines, application procedures, tips for applicants, and a list of frequently asked questions can be found at the Lincoln Cultural Council page on the Massachusetts Cultural Council’s official website. If you have questions, please send an email to the LCC. Completed grant applications and a signed copy of the local policy guidelines should be mailed to:

Lincoln Cultural Council
c/o Lincoln Town Offices
16 Lincoln Road
Lincoln, MA 01773

Get ready for Scarecrow Classic 5K road race

The third annual Lincoln Scarecrow Classic 5K road race will be on Sunday, Oct. 18. The race will start and finish at the Mall at Lincoln Station (145 Lincoln Road). Race day registration and packet pickup will begin at 8 a.m. and the race will begin at 9:30. Proceeds from the event will support the Lincoln Land Conservation Trust (LLCT), which helps manage over 2,000 acres of land and nearly 80 miles of public trails in town as a regional recreational resource for the greater Boston area.

The first 350 entrants will receive a free long-sleeve tech shirt, and there are prizes for the first three winners in each of seven age groups ranging from age 10 to 70+ (see race results from the past two years). There’s also a post-race celebration including plenty of food from local vendors. Register online for the Scarecrow 5K for $30 in advance or on the morning of the event for $35. If you’re interested in volunteering, please contact race director Geoff McGean at 781-259-9250 or McGean.RLF@lincolnconservation.org.

Also available: raffle tickets to benefit the LLCT with prizes donated by local businesses. To buy raffle tickets, ask an LLCT trustee or visit the LLCT offices at 145 Lincoln Rd., Suite 102A (above the Post Office at Lincoln Station). Call 781-259-9251 or email llct@lincolnconservation.org with questions.

DeCordova hires two in development

decordovaThe deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum has hired Bruce Smith as its Deputy Director for External Affairs and Sharon Glennon as deCordova’s Director of Corporate Relations and Art Loan Program.

“The position of Deputy Director for External Affairs is essential to realizing our mission and strategic plan. Bruce stood out among the candidates for his deep and broad experience in fundraising, his ability to connect with people, and his positive, generous spirit,” said deCordova Executive Director John Ravenal.

Smith previously served for five years as Chief Development Officer at Walnut Hill School for the Arts in Natick, where he oversaw a 100% increase in fundraising totals and the launch of the quiet phase of a capital campaign. Prior to Walnut Hill, Smith was Vice President for Institutional Advancement at General Theological Seminary in New York City. During his tenure, the seminary completed the largest capital campaign in its history and opened the Desmond Tutu Center on its historic landmark campus.

Smith holds an MFA in theater from the University of California at San Diego and spent many years in New York acting, writing, and directing before beginning his career in fundraising. He received his BA in English and history from University College Cork, Ireland. He is married to Rev. Kate Malin, rector of St. Anne’s Church in Lincoln.

Glennon’s  priorities will include expanding the pools of corporate members and lending artists, and cultivation corporate partners for deeper support of deCordova’s projects, Ravenal said. Glennon, who has more than 25 years of experience in arts administration and donor and client relationships. previously served as the Executive Director of the Arsenal Center for the Arts in Watertown, where she increased revenue by $500,000 and doubled arts and education programming.

Before that, she held several leadership positions at Berklee College of Music, where she was involved in music creation and production; educational and fundraising events across the world; and the management of international partnerships, study abroad programs, and the Office of International Programs. Glennon graduated from SUNY Brockport and also attended the School of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. She has exhibited her work throughout New England and in New York.

“Pony-henge” hits the front page

Harold McAleer's photo of some of the Lincoln ponies having a spot of tea. Click the image to see a gallery of photos in the Boston Globe.

Harold McAleer photographed some of the Lincoln ponies having a spot of tea. Click the image to see a gallery of photos in the Boston Globe.

The Boston Globe has applied its investigative muscle to the mystery of Lincoln’s rocking horses, but the ponies didn’t give up their secrets.

The Globe ran a front-page feature in its September 5 issue about the horses that have accumulated in recent years on a piece of land next to the large meadow on Old Sudbury Road. The horses have taken on different poses, such as a line or racers around the time of the Kentucky Derby, but no one seems to know the how or why of “Pony-henge.”

One of those quoted in the article is Harold McAleer, who has photographed the horses on numerous occasions. Most recently, he sent around a closeup of what might be described as some of Lincoln’s four-legged Tea Party candidates (see above).

The Globe’s web story also included this gallery of photos of the whimsical equine display.

Two library programs on Isabella Stewart Gardner

Jess Piaia performs in period attire.

Jessa Piaia performs in period attire.

The Friends of the Lincoln Public Library are offering a special two-part program on the life and legacy of Isabella Stewart Gardner.

On Saturday, Oct. 24 at 2 p.m. in the library’s Tarbell Room, character re-enactor Jessa Piaia will present a dramatic portrayal of Gardner in “A Visit with Isabella Stewart Gardner: America’s First Patroness of the Arts.” The drama is set in 1910, seven years after the opening of Fenway Court, the house-museum which Mrs. Gardner designed and built for her extensive art collection, and willed to the City of Boston upon her demise. A recognized leader of Boston’s emerging salon scene, Gardner, with characteristic verve and candor, relates episodes about her luminous circle of family and friends, relives journeys to exotic lands, and shares other potentially scandalous encounters. The portrayal runs approximately 50 minutes, with an informal Q&A to follow. Free and open to all.

On Saturday, Nov. 7, a guided tour of the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum with reduced price admission and bus transportation from the Lincoln Library to the museum is being sponsored by the Friends of the Lincoln Public Library. The bus will leave the library at 12:30 p.m. The tour is scheduled for 1:45 p.m. and the bus will leave the museum at 4 p.m., returning to Lincoln by 5 p.m. Total cost is $25 per person payable by check to the Friends of the Lincoln Public Library or in cash. Signup at the Library will begin the first week in September. The trip is limited to the first 20 people who sign up.

News acorns

walkingCirque de Cordova this Saturday, mushroom foraging on Sunday

Inspired by the deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum’s Walking Sculpture exhibition, try out these playful walking strategies with trained Simply Circus instructors on Saturday, August 8. No experience necessary. For ages 8 and up.

  • Stilt-walking lesson and tour — 11 a.m. Experience the Sculpture Park from new heights! Lesson is followed by a guided stilt tour of the Sculpture Park. $12 for members, $20 for nonmembers. Register online by August 5.
  • Tightrope walking lesson — 2 p.m. Test your physical and mental balance! Lesson includes walking tightropes at varied heights in the Sculpture Park. $12 for members, $20 for nonmembers. Register online by August 5.

On Sunday, August 9 at 10:30 a.m., join Walking Sculpture artist Wendy Jacob and the Boston Mycological Club, the oldest mycological club in North America, for a mushroom hunt in the Sculpture Park. Search the grounds for mushrooms and other fungi at 10:30 a.m.; reconvene at noon to identify findings. Bring a basket and a brown bag lunch. Free program for all ages.

Films of Marguerite Duras

August begins a new Lincoln Library Film Society series called “Authors on Screen” with a program of films written, adapted from, and even directed by the French writer Marguerite Duras (1914-1996), an accomplished French playwright, film director and screenwriter. Screenings are at the Lincoln Public Library on Tuesdays at 7 p.m. For more information, email lincolnlibraryfilmsociety@gmail.com

  • Tuesday, August 4 — Hiroshima, Mon Amour. France and Japan, 1959. In French, Japanese and English with English subtitles (90 minutes).
  • Tuesday, August 11 — The Sea Wall (Un Barrage Contre le Pacifique). France and Cambodia, 2008. In French with English subtitles (111 minutes)
  • Tuesday, August 18 — The Truck (Le Camion). France, 1977. In French with English subtitles (75 minutes), preceded by Black Night, Calcutta (Nuit Noire, Calcutta). France, 1964. In French with English subtitles (24 minutes)
  • Tuesday, August 25 — Mademoiselle. France, 1966. In French and Italian with English subtitles (103 minutes).

News acorns – 7/13/15

peckSpecial screening Tuesday of “To Kill a Mockingbird”

Join us on Tuesday, July 14 at 2:30 p.m in the Lincoln Public Library’s Tarbell Room for a special showing of the 1962 classic To Kill a Mockingbird starring Gregory Peck in his Oscar-winning role. July 14 is also the release date for Harper Lee’s second novel, Go Set a Watchman (actually written before To Kill A Mockingbird) where we’re introduced to Scout Finch as a young woman. The library has ordered copies in various formats. We know there’s a waiting list for the book, and we will be adding more copies as demand dictates.

First Parish hosts Tibetan-themed events
The First Parish Church will host two public events in Lincoln:
  • Geshe Dondup Tsering, a renowned Tibetan monk and Doctor of Buddhist Philosophy who teaches Jhamtse groups, will give a talk on Sunday, July 26 at 10 a.m. at the church. The topic is “Living with Compassion in a Difficult World.” The presentation will include an introduction to meditation and a short meditation session.
  • On Monday, July 27 at 7:30 p.m. in Bemis Hall, there will be a screening of the award-winning documentary Tashi and the Monk (click here to view trailer). This 40-minute film features a Tibetan monk’s journey to rescue orphaned and neglected children and the transformation of a troubled young girl who joins the Gatsai community he founded. The film tells a universal story of how the power of love and compassion gives rise to healing.Geshe Dondup Tsering will be available for questions following the film. A link to the film’s trailer.

 

Tonight’s concert called off

cloud-stormThe Parks and Recreation Department concert with the Infractions scheduled for tonight (July 1) has been cancelled due to expected bad weather. Park and Rec hopes to reschedule and will announce a new date if and when it becomes available.

News acorns – 6/23/15

Library closing on July 3 and Saturdays; book sale on July 17

The Lincoln Public Library will be closed on Friday, July 3 in honor of Independence Day. The library will be open this Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. but will then be closed on Saturdays until September 12 (the first Saturday after Labor Day). On Saturday, July 11, the Friends of the Lincoln Library will hold another half-price book sale in the basement of Bemis Hall  form 9 a.m. to noon. That part of Bemis Hall will close for construction later that month.

Summer self-defense class for girls and young women

The Lincoln Police are running their self-defense class for high school and college-age girls from Lincoln and Sudbury on August 11 and 13 from 6:30-9:30 p.m. The class will take place at the Parks and Rec Department in Lincoln. This is the same class that takes place during the year at Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School. On the first day, we’ll talk about general safety and dating safety, and then we’ll begin practicing physical self-defense moves like strikes, blocks, and knee strikes. On the second day, we’ll have an officer in a padded suit “attacking” participants, who will use moves they’ve learned to escape. This part of the course is intense but amazing and empowering. The goal of the course is escape. These classes are extremely popular and space is limited, so please contact Jena Salon at jenasalon@gmail.com to sign up or ask questions.

Library book club meets

bookwormCome to the next “Who Picked This Book?” Club meeting at the Lincoln Public Library on Monday, July 6 at 7 p.m. when they will be discussing The Art Forger by B.A. Shapiro. The book’s jumping-off point is the art heist at The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. Filled with local scenes and flavor—what better why to start the summer off? Copies in various formats are available at the library’s circulation desk. The August 3 meeting will discuss The Children Act by Ian McEwan. For more information, please visit the club’s web page or call 781-259-8465 ext.202. Refreshments will be served.

Summer exhibition opening reception at deCordova

The deCordova Sculpture Park and Musuem is holding an opening reception on Wednesday, July 8 from 7-9 p.m. (rain date, July 15, 7-9 p.m.) for Architectural Allusions. One of deCordova’s first themed outdoor exhibitions, it explores the presence of architecture in contemporary sculpture as artists reinvent architectural traditions, from ancient ziggurats to modernist pavilions. This international group exhibition includes new commissions, long-term loans, and permanent collection works. Artists include Stephanie Cardon, Dan Graham, Esther Klas, Sol LeWitt, Monika Sosnowska, Kenneth Snelson and Oscar Tuazon. Free and open to the public. Please RSVP by emailing rsvp@decordova.org.

St. Julia’s Parish summer schedule

The summer schedule for the St. Julia Parish (including St. Joseph’s Church in Lincoln) is as follows:

  • Saturday at 4 p.m. – St. Julia
  • Sunday at 9 a.m. – St. Julia
  • Sunday at 10:30 a.m. – St. Joseph
  • Sunday at 5 p.m. – St. Julia