Category Archives: News

Registration Open at Lyme Academy of Fine Arts for Wide Range of Continuing Education Programs

Posted on by
Reply

OLD LYME — The Lyme Academy of Fine Arts has announced a full schedule of Continuing Education programs beginning Sept, 27. Both part-time and full-time programs and classes are available, with enrollment beginning immediately.

The part-time Continuing Education classes are open to the community throughout the year and will follow an 11-week trimester. These classes are intended for students of all ages and abilities, who will benefit from skills-based art instruction, led by professional artists.

The three- or four-hour classes will run on weekdays and Saturdays from Sept. 27 through Dec. 11, and range in cost from $500 to $850 per class.  Classes are offered in:

  • Drawing
  • Life Drawing
  • Sculpture
  • Printmaking
  • Oil Painting
  • Content and Composition
  • Figure Painting.

A course in Oil Painting will be offered as part of Lyme Academy’s Fall 2021 Continuing Education program.

The full-time ‘Requisite Program’ is a one-year portfolio preparation program designed to provide a solid, skills-based visual education to develop an individual’s portfolio and abilities under the leadership of professional artists. The program consists of five main courses including Drawing, Sculpture, Painting, Synthesis Composition and Printmaking along with access to lectures, demonstrations, and critiques from Master Artists.

The full-time curriculum classes are conducted five days per week, approximately six hours per day for 11-week trimesters, beginning Sept. 27, with the the trimester school year ending June 10, 2022. The full-time Requisite Program tuition costs total $7,350, which includes the annual tuition of $6,000 and mandatory annual studio fee of $1,350. Scholarships are available.

All classes will be led by professional artists as follows:

  • Kimberly Monson, Drawing, Life Drawing and Sculpture
  • Paul Michael, Printmaking
  • Justin Wiest, Oil Painting
  • Jon Sideriadis Content and Composition
  • Jerry Weiss, Figure Painting.

For more information and to register for any of these classes, visit www.lymeacademy.edu.

Founded in 1976 by the sculptor Elisabeth Gordon Chandler, Lyme Academy of Fine Arts was created as an institution dedicated to a traditional, skills-based education.

Subsequent to a period as an accredited college, Lyme Academy, a non-profit educational organization, is now returning to its founding roots to offer foundational skills in the fine arts; providing a curriculum which combines rigorous studio instruction in drawing and painting with anatomy, sculpture, and the history of art.

The Academy affirms its legacy and commitment to the community of Old Lyme by providing a vibrant schedule of lectures, exhibitions, workshops, and part-time programs.

Located midway between Boston and New York, Old Lyme, Connecticut has been a site of artistic congregation for over a century, becoming the heart of the Lyme Art Colony and the Home of American Impressionism.

Learn more by visiting www.lymeacademy.edu.

Old Lyme Boys Pull Off Decisive First Win of Season After String of Losses

Posted on by
Reply

OLD LYME — The Old Lyme boys notched their first win of the season with an impressive 8-1 victory Thursday afternoon over North Branford,

Goal-scorers for the Wildcats were Liam Celic, Gavin Biega, Mason Wells and Brenden Landry with one goal each and Anders Silberberg and Mason Bussman with two goals apiece.

North Branford’s lone goal was scored by Aleksander Guerrero.

Jonah Lathrop and Aidan Russell defended Old Lyme’s goal with a total of three combined saves.

The Thunderbirds goalie was Lucas Deantonio, who made a remarkable 23 saves.

After an opening loss to Ledyard in a scrimmage, the Wildcats continued to lose successively to Morgan (0-3), East Lyme (1-3), Portland (1-7) and Old Saybrook (1-4). Old Lyme is now 1-4-0 overall and 1-3-0 in the Shoreline Conference.

GO WILDCATS!

Letter to the Editor: Multiple Reasons to Support Halls Rd. Master Plan, Improvement Committee Commended for its ‘Thoroughness’, ‘Clarity’

Posted on by
1

To the Editor:

We are writing to express our interest and support for bringing the Halls Road Master Plan to fruition. We reviewed the Plan and had attended one of the recent information sessions.

We want to acknowledge the thoroughness of the analysis completed by the Halls Road Improvement Committee [HRIC]; and the clarity of both the recommendations and the thoughtful vision for the future.

The Plan seeks to develop Halls Road into a district that would “resemble the small-town, mixed-use neighborhood that Lyme Street was before 1960”.

We applaud the HRIC in prioritizing improvements to roadways and sidewalks required for the safety of walkers and bikers.  The team’s vision is to create pedestrian and bicycle connections amongst Old Lyme’s town center, the “Arts District”, and the proposed “Halls Road “Village District”.

We are walkers, and crossing Halls Road towards the Lyme Art Association can be very perilous. Creating this “safe and attractive pedestrian and cyclist route” will be a daunting challenge. Halls’ position between and amongst four exits and entrances to Interstate 95 North and South will require creative traffic management. Certainly, speed and traffic jams on Rt 156 and Boston Post are good barometers for issues on the interstate.

That said, we are also excited about the reconstruction of the Bow Bridge and access to some new green space along the Lieutenant River. That could provide an historic connection to, or at least a reminder of, the American Impressionists residing and working at Miss Florence’s boarding house.

In closing, we want to congratulate the team’s proposal for the creation of Design Guidelines that will help ensure that new development along Halls Road is required to go beyond the “nuts and bolts” of zoning regulations to assuring the “look and feel” is compatible with Old Lyme’s “small town feel”.

We are very glad that the team recognized that the residential aspects of the “Village District” will not only provide options for those moving into the community, but also enable older residents’ attractive opportunities to remain in Old Lyme.

It’s time to put a Halls Road, whose primary goal is to serve as an interstate service area pit stop, in our rear-view mirrors.

Sincerely,

Christina J. Gotowka and Thomas D. Gotowka,
Old Lyme.

Editor’s Note: This is a shortened version of a letter submitted by the authors to the HRIC in support of its Master Plan.

Musical Masterworks Announces Season Starting Oct. 23 in Person; Arron Stepping Down as Artistic Director, Lark to Replace Him

Posted on by
Reply

Musical Masterworks Artistic Director Edward Arron is stepping down at the end of the 2021-22 season. Photo by Hak-Soo Kim.

OLD LYME — Musical Masterworks (MM) will be back in person this fall for their 31st season with an array of professional chamber music concerts programmed by Artistic Director Edward Arron. The concerts will take place in MM’s traditional home at the First Congregational Church of Old Lyme.

Alden Rockwell Murphy, who serves as MM Board President, comments, “It will be wonderful to be back in community, where we can experience the joy of sharing this music together.”

The MM Digital Brochure provides details about the upcoming season, which is filled with performances by Masterworks veterans, as well as some exciting debut performances. The first concert will take place Saturday, Oct. 23.

This season Edward Arron’s final season as Artistic Director will be celebrated. He says in the MM brochure that he feels, in order to allow for fresh ideas for Musical Masterworks, it is time for him to step down.

Violinist Tessa Lark will replace Edward Arron as MM Artistic Director for the 2022-23 season.

Arron has chosen violinist Tessa Lark as his successor. Lark will serve as Artistic Director Designate this season; she will be performing at and co-hosting four out of the five MM concerts.

Regarding COVID-19 safety protocols in respect of the reopening, MM, together with the First Congregational Church of Old Lyme, will be monitoring and adhering to CDC and CT guidance throughout the season. Musical Masterworks will be in touch via email prior to each concert to ensure that you are aware of current attendance guidelines so you can safely enjoy their performances.

Musical Masterworks commits to continue to be vigilant in making the health and safety of their musicians, audience and staff a priority as the (hopeful) return to normalcy continues.

Death Announced of Jeanette Frances Jowdy, Mother of Valerie Chapman of Old Lyme

Posted on by
Reply

Jeanette Jowdy

BOZRAH — Jeanette Frances Jowdy, 94, surrounded by her family, left us peacefully Sept. 17, 2021, to continue on her spiritual journey to her eternal home to be with our Lord.

She was predeceased by Albert P. Jowdy Sr., her beloved husband, who left us in 1981; and she was the daughter of the late Joseph Socha Sr. and Victoria (Trella) Socha.

Jeanette, who was a lifelong resident of Bozrah, thoroughly enjoyed her life as a homemaker as well as taking care of her family. She was a communicant of Saints Peter and Paul Church in Norwich. She was a generous and giving person. Cooking, baking, reading, listening to country music, and watching both the boys and girls Husky basketball games were some of her favorite pastimes.

While Albert was alive, she was a member of the Ledyard Squares square dancing group and she spent many hours dancing and meeting many wonderful people. She also liked to attend Bozrah Democratic Town Committee meetings.

She is survived by her brother Leon (Deborah) Socha of Wilmington, N.C.; and sisters, Martha (Leo) Laliberte of Ojai, Calif., and Rita Grubbs (Vernon) of W. Va.

She is also survived by her three children, Catherine Driscoll of Waterford, Michael Jowdy of Bozrah, and Valerie Chapman and her husband Lawrence of Old Lyme. She was “Grammy” to Jacqueline Driscoll of Royal Oak, Mich., Caitlin Silverstein and her husband Brett of Arvada, Colo., Shannon and Jennifer Chapman of Old Lyme, and Daniel Chapman of San Diego, Calif.

She also had many nieces and nephews.

Besides her husband Albert, she was predeceased by her brothers, Chester and Joseph Jr. (Anne) Socha; and a sister Edna (Raymond) Drozynski. In addition, she was predeceased by her sons, Albert Jr. and Paul Jowdy and son-in-law James Driscoll.

The family would like to thank Jeanette’s “Angel” Susan Alfieri, who was there for her when she really needed her and who always made sure she had plenty of delicious food. The family would also like to thank Amber, her short-term caregiver in her final months.

Visitation will be held from 4 to 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 24, at the Labenski Funeral Home, 107 Boswell Avenue, Norwich. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held 10 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 25, at Sts. Peter and Paul Church, 181 Elizabeth Street, Norwich, with burial to follow in St. Joseph Cemetery, 815 Boswell Avenue, Norwich. Family and friends are invited to attend.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Sts. Peter and Paul Church or to St. Vincent de Paul Place, 120 Cliff Street, Norwich.