Local Arts Council Resurges with The Generator

The Ridgefield Arts Council will host the next installment of “The Generator,” a networking event for artists and creative types, at 7:30pm on Monday, October 19 at Watershed Gallery. The event will feature three brief presentations designed to inform, entertain, and inspire the creative community.

Katie Tomlinson Diamond, who has performed in numerous musical theatre and cabaret shows including Jersey Boys, The Pirate Queen, and The Wedding Banquet will discuss “new beginnings.” The accomplished singer and actor recently launched a new parent-child music class called Little Spinners Music & Movement.  

Kerry Anne Ducey, founder of the award-winning news site network, HamletHub, will discuss blogging for the artistic community. The more than sixty, hyper-local Connecticut and New York HamletHub sites have succeeded in connecting residents with constituents of their towns, while increasing commerce and community.

Finally, award-winning artist James Grashow will discuss the themes of man, nature and mortality addressed in his two major forms of artistic expression: woodcut illustrations and sculpture. Local residents may recall Mr. Grashow’s celebrated cardboard sculpture, Corrugated Fountain, which had its last public (and outdoor) presentation at The Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum in 2012, and was the subject of the documentary The Cardboard Bernini.

In addition, the October event will mark a resurgence of the Arts Council. The committee recently redesigned its mission, charge and logo to reflect its role as a “generator” of attention for and collaboration between members of Ridgefield’s vibrant arts community.

As testament to the power of collaboration, the new logo was developed via the Council’s “Our Artists Our Schools” initiative. Designer Christine DiGuiseppi worked with RHS visual arts students and teacher Anne Lester to develop several concepts for the new logo. The selected design, created by student Nicholas Vezos, embodies the Council’s new mission.

Creative types who live in and around Ridgefield are welcome to attend The Generator.  Cost of attending The Generator on October 19th is $5 for pre-registration (via meetup.com/The-Generator-Ridgefield-CT) or $10 at the door, which covers the cost of wine and light snacks. Watershed Gallery is located at 23 Governor Street in Ridgefield.