The Nature of Phenology 11/9/19: Winterberry

Producers: Hazel Stark & Joe Horn
Host: Hazel Stark

In October, the bright red fruits of winterberry often go unnoticed amidst the stunning range of red, orange, yellow, and green painting every nook and cranny of the natural world. But come November, when the landscape turns nearly grayscale, that splash of lipstick red on the landscape is a most welcome sight.

Photos, a full transcript, references, contact information, and more available at thenatureofphenology.wordpress.com.

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Maine Currents 11/7/19: Vijay Gupta Keynote at Belfast Arts in Action

Producer/Host: Amy Browne
Audio recorded by Matt Murphy and edited by Amy Browne

Last weekend the Belfast Creative Coalition and Restorative Art Works (RAW) held the first of what they hope will become an annual, Arts in Action Conference at the University of Maine Hutchinson center in Belfast, Maine. The focus was “summoning the power of the arts to address our opioid epidemic”.

Today on Maine Currents, we have the keynote presentation by Vijay Gupta, founder of Street Symphony, a Los Angeles based non profit organization serving prisoners and people on skid row. Gupta answers the question: “What’s art got to do with it?”

Catch the award-winning Maine Currents, independent local news, views and culture, on the 1st Thursday of every month, 10-11 a.m. on WERU-FM and streaming live at www.weru.org

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Talk of the Towns 11/8/19- Art Amazes, Craft Satisfies: Early History of Haystack Mountain School of Crafts

Producer/Host: Ron Beard
Studio Engineer: Amy Browne

Key Discussion Points:

What were some of the larger conversations in the world of art and craft that gave rise to Haystack? Art vs. Craft, Cranbrook, the Bauhas, Black Mountain, other antecedents?

What was the enduring philosophy that undergirds Haystack from creation to present?

Who were the principle “forces” of what became Haystack (Francis and Priscilla Merritt, Mary Bishop, Marni Sewell, Estelle and William Shevis) and how did they shape it?

What led to the original location of Haystack in Liberty Maine?

What were the first summer sessions like… what was taught? Was there an underlying philosophy to the teaching and learning?

What was the arc of the story of Haystack in Liberty? What were the main points of success? Where was there tension (e.g. summer vs year-round)? What issues did the trustees wrestle with?

What led to the relocation of Haystack from Liberty to Deer Isle?

What was the process of designing the new campus at Sunshine?
Ed Barnes and Fran Merritt, with construction by Basil Bray

Guest:
Alana VanderWerker, Waldoboro, ME artist, author Haystack at Liberty, 2019

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