Category Archives: Arts

Old Lyme Residents Unanimously Approve $2.1M in ARPA Spending in Special Town Meeting

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Selectwoman Martha Shoemaker presents the recommendations from the American Rescue Plan Committee at Tuesday evening’s Special Town Meeting. Photo by Phil Parcak.

OLD LYME – At Tuesday evening’s Special Town Meeting, Old Lyme taxpayers voted unanimously to approve a final disbursement of $2,120,593 in the federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds. The payout includes over 60 individual disbursements addressing 10 key recommendations such as supporting the economic recovery of Old Lyme’s small businesses and supporting public health services.

The vote came following the June 21, 2022 recommendations of the Town’s Boards of Selectmen and Finance.

The Town previously approved $41,622 at the March 21, 2022 Special Town Meeting. The Town has now allocated its total ARPA funding from the Federal Government, as required within the stated deadline.

In September 2021, the Old Lyme Board of Selectmen appointed a committee of a dozen townspeople representing a cross-section of concerns including health and human services, emergency services, business, and tourism. The “ARP Committee” began its work a month later with one of its first tasks being to conduct a survey of residents and business leaders and develop two application processes.

Subsequently, following the submission of almost 80 economic recovery and community initiative grant applications, the ARP Committee created a set of recommendations for the board of selectmen that included distributing up to $10,000 in ARPA funds to 33 individual businesses and nonprofits for economic recovery, and more than 30 initiatives that would serve Old Lyme in its ability to move forward from the pandemic, while better preparing for the future.

Approved initiatives include $275,000 for a new ambulance for Old Lyme’s volunteer ambulance organization, $114,160 toward four years of increased mental health services provided through Lymes’ Youth Service Bureau, and $55,000 to repair the Swan Brook outlet’s wood outfall, an issue that has caused flooding in the Miami Beach and Hawks Nest communities.

Old Lyme Town Clerk Vicki Urbowicz read the motion ahead of the vote in the Special Town Meeting held Tuesday evening. Attorney Victoria Lanier (seated at left) moderated the meeting.

Some initiatives receiving funding will result in fun and innovative ways for organizations to provide services to Old Lyme residents. 

The Old Lyme-Phoebe Griffin Noyes Library will receive $6,350 to fund a mobile/outdoor children’s library service with the purchase of a Library e-assist Book Bike. The Roger Tory Peterson Estuary Center, a center of the Connecticut Audubon Society, can expect to receive $157,095 toward its anticipated children’s science discovery and environmental learning center.

Initiatives to address the local economy by bringing visitors back to Old Lyme include $137,599 toward renovations to the Sound View Community Center, $30,875 toward Black Hall Outfitter’s targeted tourism marketing to watersport enthusiasts, $8,000 toward the 2023 Midsummer Festival, and $2,700 for additional outreach efforts by the Town’s Economic Development Commission.

The full list of approved economic recovery grants and community initiatives can be found at this link.

Old Lyme First Selectman Timothy Griswold felt the grants addressed a broad set of ideas and needs. “The American Rescue Plan Committee took into account a broad range of needs and concerns and addressed them in a rational and unprejudiced way.”

Griswold continued, “These recommendations not only bring funding to individual businesses and organizations that make up the fabric of our community, but also help the Town itself move forward from a time that challenged our ability to provide important public services.” 

In addition to the recovery grants and initiative concepts submitted by Town organizations, the ARP Committee voted to recommend to the Town the allocation of $20,000 to the Town’s Social Services Discretionary Fund to help residents during hardship. The Committee also recommended that any funds not expended by a grant recipient or the Town itself by the Federal deadline of December 2026 be redirected to the Discretionary Fund.

The set of recommendations voted on by the Town Tuesday evening also includes up to $20,000 in administrative, outreach, and legal costs associated with the ARPA funding and up to $20,000 in fees to a consultant hired by the Town to review and recommend the economic recovery grants following his appraisal of applicants’ financial losses.

Thomas Gotowka, Old Lyme American Rescue Plan Committee Chairman, said the Committee met the charge put forward and could be proud of its work. “I am very pleased at how well we [the Committee] covered the community landscape. The list reflects Old Lyme’s needs, as seen in responses to our survey; and an objective appraisal of each application or proposed initiative,” Gotowka said.

He further noted that the Committee had in place several safeguards to avoid any conflict of interest and worked to meet “the requirements and mandates of the legislation.”

About 60 Old Lyme residents were in attendance at the Special Town Meeting Tuesday evening. Following Selectwoman Martha Shoemaker’s presentation of the ARP Committee’s recommendations, those in attendance voted unanimously to approve the package.

Griswold noted that grants to businesses and organizations will be made once the Town receives its second and final ARPA installment, which is anticipated shortly. Letters to grant recipients will go out in the coming weeks.

Editor’s Note: This article is based on a press release issued by the ARP Committee.

And the Band(s) Played on—Making Music on Lyme Street to Celebrate Midsummer

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Lucas Neil was a popular performer in front of The Old Lyme Ice Cream Shoppe.

OLD LYME — Lyme Street was alive with music last night as a dozen bands and soloists played in different locations stretching from Lyme Academy in the north down to the First Congregational Church in the south.

The Old Lyme Town Band drew a large crowd on the Center School lawn.

The Town was celebrating International Make Music Day, joining many other locations across the globe to mark Midsummer’s Night — the longest day of the year.

The Lyme-Old Lyme Lions did a roaring trade in hot dogs and burgers.

Hundreds of people came out in Old Lyme to enjoy the music and fill the street with relaxed cheer and conversation.

To the delight of many visitors, local celebrity Braiden Sunshine sang on the lawn at Lyme Academy.

Although the weather looked a little ominous initially, it ultimately decided to cooperate and stayed relatively warm and dry throughout the whole event.

‘The Moving Target Band’ played many cheery tunes Tuesday night outside The Village Shops on Lyme Street.

It was a great opportunity to catch up with friends despite the lingering shadow of the COVID-19 pandemic.

John Brown and Friends played Indy Folk and original tunes outside The Cooley Gallery.

The musicians ranged in age from teens to seniors and similarly, the genres of music varied from country to folk to blues and everything in between!

Nightingale’s Cafe featured a variety of solo musicians and bands throughout the evening.

Launched in France in 1982, Make Music Day is an international musical festival open to all who would like to participate, and takes place in over 1,000 cities in 120 countries on June 21, the summer solstice.

‘The Midnight Anthem’ performed in front of Old Lyme’s Memorial Town Hall.

The State of Connecticut Office of the Arts debuted the State’s effort in 2018 with 528 free musical performances at 224 locations across the state, including Old Lyme. 

The band at 71 Lyme St. was ‘Five Bean Row.’

Many thanks to the organizers of this wonderful event, who included Dan and Gail Stevens of the MusicNow Foundation and Nightingale’s Cafe, Old Lyme’s 2021 Volunteer of the Year Cheryl Poirier, and Mary Seidner, Executive Director of LYSB.

Playing a variety of music genres, ‘Hot Strings Cafe’ entertained in front of the Elms Building.

 

Summer Sculpture Showcase on View at Studio 80+ in Old Lyme

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‘Open Plain Gray Wolf’ is one of the featured works in Gil Boro’s ‘Summer Sculpture Showcase’, which opens Saturday in Old Lyme.

OLD LYME — Studio 80 + Sculpture Grounds on Lyme St. in Old Lyme offer a vibrant, artistic environment owned and managed by acclaimed international sculptor Gil Boro, who lives on the property.

Sculptor Gil Boro in his studio in Old Lyme.

Dedicated to arts education and appreciation, Boro vigorously pursues his mission to create a bond between art, nature and community by inspiring and promoting participation in the arts.

Studio 80 + Sculpture Grounds’ 8th annual Summer Sculpture Showcase exhibition provides a unique opportunity for artists to showcase their sculptures in a stunning environment specifically designed to nurture the creative arts. This year, the Showcase features a variety of sculptures from 15 national artists, who represent a broad range of artistic communities, which, in turn, creates an exhibition of diverse sculpture.

All works on the grounds are available for sale.

Ramblin’ Dan Stevens will provide the musical entertainment at Saturday’s Opening Reception.

On Saturday, June 18, an Opening Reception is being held from 5 to 7 p.m. to celebrate the 2022 Summer Sculpture Showcase. It will feature live music by Ramblin’ Dan Stevens, light refreshments, and the opportunity to tour the ground and view the artwork at leisure. All are welcome.

Boro comments, “I’m delighted to be able to open my grounds to these exceptional sculptors whose work intrigues me. Each one offers original creative thinking resulting in a combination of contrasting conceptual designs in a variety of media. I think any visitor to the exhibition is going to be thoroughly engaged by what he or she sees – including children.”

A sculpture, which is part of the 2022 Summer Sculpture Showcase, stands in front of a work by Gil Boro in his permanent exhibition at the Sculpture Grounds in Old Lyme.

Boro is somewhat unusual as a professional sculptor in that he loves to see folk of all ages directly interacting with his sculptures, noting that he has a strong aversion to exhibitions, “… where people can’t touch my work.”

‘Armor’ by Craig Frederick is one of the featured works in the 20222 Summer Sculpture Showcase.

The Sculpture Grounds are thoroughly invested in the vibrant Old Lyme arts scene and anticipate this exhibition will attract art-loving visitors from near and far. Boro is committed to the important public mission to enrich the cultural life of the region for the education, enrichment, and enjoyment of the community. In previous years, the exhibition has drawn over 7000 viewers to the 4.5-acre sculpture garden located on the Connecticut shoreline.

A view across the Sculpture Grounds towards the Lieutenant River at 80-1 Lyme St. in Old Lyme.

Studio 80 + Sculpture Grounds is located at 80-1 Lyme St., less than a minute from Exit 70 on I- 95. The Sculpture Grounds are open 365 days a year from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Admission is free. Children, field trips and group visits are all welcome.

For further information, visit the Sculpture Grounds website or call 860-434-5957.

Two New Exhibitions on View at Lyme Art Association Through Aug. 4

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‘Foggy Harbor’ by Carole Constant is one of the signature works in the ‘Ship to Shore’ exhibition on view at the Lyme Art Association through Aug. 4.

OLD LYME — Two new exhibitions are on view at Lyme Art Association (LAA), Ship to Shore and Renaissance in Pastel. An opening reception and award presentation for both exhibitions is being held Friday, June 17, from 5 to 7 p.m. Admission is free and all are welcome.

Celebrating all aspects of sea and shoreline life, Ship to Shore is a member’s exhibition, which features a broad range of styles and mediums including paintings, drawings and sculptures. The exhibit is juried by Anthony Tomaselli, who is a painter based in Providence, R.I. He apprenticed with Gene Tonoff and Joseph Rotundo and is represented by a variety of galleries.

Lyme Art Association Gallery Manager Paul Michael says, “Our coastal communities are a vital part of New England life. This show acts as a survey of contemporary maritime artwork, celebrating the seas that connect us.”

Concurrent with Ship to Shore, the Connecticut Pastel Society will display Renaissance in Pastel. The exhibition includes the finest pastel work from the Connecticut Pastel Society member artists. Lyme Art Association is delighted to welcome back the Connecticut Pastel Society for this always impressive show.

The exhibition’s awards are juried by Eileen Casey. Casey is a member of the International Association of Pastel Societies Master Circle and graduated from Emmanuel College in Boston.

In addition to these two exhibitions, Lyme Art Association’s youth exhibition, Water All Around Us, will be on display in the Mile Brook Gallery.

The shows run through Aug. 4, 2022.

Lyme Art Association is located in a building designed by Charles Adams Platt and located within the national historic district at 90 Lyme Street, Old Lyme, CT.

Ship to Shore is made possible by the generous support of the LAA’s premier sponsor, Essex Savings Bank.

The LAA was founded in 1914 by the American Impressionists and continues the tradition of exhibiting and selling representational artwork by its members and invited artists, as well as offering art instruction and lectures to the community. Admission is free with contributions appreciated.

Gallery hours are Wednesday through Sunday, 10 to 5 p.m.

For more information on exhibits, purchase of art, art classes, or becoming a member, visit the LAA website or call (860) 434-7802.

Old Lyme Sister Mural Dedicated in Old Lyme

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OLD LYME — On Sunday, June 12, the newly-created ‘Welcome’ mural at Lyme-Old Lyme Middle School (LOLMS) will be dedicated at a ceremony starting at 2:30 p.m. and running through 3:30 p.m.

The dedication will be preceded by a Community Talk and celebration of the mural from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. Those attending will discuss what has been learned in the last two years of PARJE action and what can be done better in the future.

The talk will be held in the LOLMS Auditorium or if the weather is pleasant, then the group will meet in the adjacent courtyard.

All are welcome to attend at either or both events.

The mural is part of the Sister Murals Project sponsored by Public Art for Racial Justice Education (PARJE), which was officially launched March 1, 2021.

The primary mission of PARJE is to utilize the broad appeal of art and education to confront racial injustice.

The ‘Welcome’ mural at Lyme-Old Lyme Middle School, which will be dedicated today.

One mural has already been unveiled in Norwich and murals have now been completed in Old Lyme and New London.

The lead artists for the Old Lyme mural is Jasmine Oyola-Blumenthal, who is an alumna of Lyme Academy College of Fine Arts

The Old Lyme Sister Mural has been installed inside Lyme-Old Lyme Middle School, adjacent to the gymnasium.

In addition to her role as lead artist, Oyola-Blumenthal worked with school faculty to develop student workshops, which coordinated with the project.

Oyola-Blumenthal and her counterpart for the New London mural, Marvin Espy, were selected from a field of nearly 20 applicants.

In her application, Oyola-Blumenthal referred to the ability of art to inspire people to talk to one another, commenting, “Art is a neutral vessel that can bring forth conversations that can be uncomfortable and promote opportunities to open dialogue on racial justice and education.”