Arts Briefs: Jazz doc and plein air paintings in Northampton, photo workshops in Easthampton, and more
The Northampton Jazz Festival will screen “Brownie Speaks,” a documentary about the life of jazz trumpeter Clifford Brown, at 33 Hawley on Thursday, June 8, at 8 p.m.
The movie, according to a press release, “presents a richly detailed account of trumpeter Clifford Brown’s life, and examines his historical importance in the context of three criteria: innovation, influence, and individuality.” Brown tragically passed away at the age of 25.
A number of renowned jazz musicians, including (but not limited to) Sonny Rollins, Benny Golson, Lou Donaldson, Jimmy Heath, Wynton Marsalis, and Arturo Sandoval, discuss Brown’s life and legacy in the movie.
Ana Bandeira Chocolates will host a reception at 7 p.m. before the screening.
Director and producer Don Glanden, a musician, composer, and educator, will join Northampton Jazz Festival executive producer Paul Arslanian virtually for a Q&A session after the screening.
Tickets are $15 via Eventbrite or $20 at the door.
The Easthampton photography studio theStudio x DavidHeisler (Eastworks studio #249) will host its first three photography workshops this month.
The first two are “Foundation of Photography – The Basics” classes on Thursday, June 19, and Tuesday, June 24, from 6:30 to 8 p.m., for $125. According to a press release, these classes are part of “a beginner-friendly course designed to take the mystery out of your camera and build your confidence behind the lens. Whether you’re just starting out or finally ready to move off Auto mode, this class covers the fundamentals of photography in a hands-on, easy-to-understand way.”
There will also be a “Lighting 101 – Studio Portraits” workshop on Thursday, June 26, from 6:30 to 8 p.m, for $125, which “demystifies artificial lighting and teaches you how to shape mood, tone, and depth through controlled studio setups. Ideal for those ready to go beyond natural light and create intentional, professional portrait work.”
Photographer David Heisler and his wife, model Crystal Trueheart Heisler, whose hometown is Southampton, opened the studio in February. The two met on the reality TV show “The Janice Dickinson Modeling Agency.”
In a press release, Heisler said his mission for the workshops is: “Bring people together, raise the bar, and help every creative level up.”
To sign up for the above workshops, visit davidheisler.com/the-studio-x-davidheisler.
The Amherst Plein Air Society will hold its 10th anniversary exhibition at Forbes Library’s Hosmer Gallery from Tuesday, June 3, through Saturday, June 28.
The show will feature 100 paintings created or begun outdoors, often in the Pioneer Valley, in the past few years – “the result of much creative labor and in spite of many mosquito bites suffered in Plein Air,” according to a press release.
There will be a reception on Saturday, June 7, from 2 to 5 p.m., and an informal reception during Northampton Arts Night Out on Friday, June 13.
The gallery is open Monday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Admission is free, but all paintings are for sale.
The Queer Joy Collaborative will host a Spring Fun Fair Fundraiser on Sunday, June 8, from 3 to 6 p.m. at Smith Vocational and Agricultural High School.
The event is “a vibrant and family-friendly fundraiser celebrating LGBTQ+ joy, art, and connection,” and “an afternoon packed with creativity and community spirit,” according to a press release.
It will feature a performance by the Queer Joy Chorus, an LGBTQ chorus with more than 100 members; the debut performance of the Rhythm & Radiance Kids’ Chorus, made of kids age 6 to 13; games, face painting, and prizes; food trucks, including Caravan Kitchen and Crooked Stick Pops; local vendors; raffles; arts and crafts; tarot readings; queer makers; and a quiet space.
The event will take place rain or shine and is open to guests of all ages.
Tickets are $0 to $5 for children or $10 to $15 for adults, sliding scale, via queerjoycollaborative.org/funfair. No one will be turned away for lack of funds.
Gallery A3 in Amherst is looking for artists to submit to its 10th annual juried show, which will be held Thursday, Aug. 7, through Sunday, Aug. 30.
The theme is “United We Stand: Art for Divisive Times.” In a press release, show coordinator Paula Hite said, “In these divisive times, art can ask questions and suggest answers — and help us stand together. Whether your take is satirical tongue-in-cheek or sincere heart-in-hand, here is an opportunity for you to speak through art. We are looking for work that may be overt commentary, thought-provoking, healing, contemplative, timeless, or contemporary.”
Juror Billy Myers is the artistic director and curator of the Art for the Soul Gallery in Springfield.
Submissions are accepted through Saturday, June 21, for a fee of $38 for three entries and $7 for one additional entry, with a maximum of four entries per artist.
Jury results will be posted online on Tuesday, July 8.
For more information or to submit work, visit gallerya3.com.
The organization Valley to Valley will put on a staged reading of Duncan Macmillan’s play “Lungs” at the Unitarian Society in Northampton on Tuesday, June 10, at 7 p.m.
The show is about a young couple who reckon with personal responsibility and climate change as they debate starting a family. This production stars local actors Eliza Fichter and David Keohane.
The show will benefit a clean energy project in the Intag River Valley in Ecuador.
In a statement, Massachusetts State Rep. Lindsay Sabadosa said, “Valley to Valley connects our region not only to a clean energy project in Ecuador but to the front lines of the fight for climate justice.”
Tickets are free ($20 suggested donation) but registration via Eventbrite is required.
Daily Hampshire Gazette
