July 2020
Norfolk Artists & Friends 12th Annual Exhibition
Norfolk Artists & Friends (NAF) is celebrating its 12th Annual Exhibition of members' work. NAF members embrace a wide variety of visual arts including, but not limited to, painting, sculpture, photography, jewelry and decorative arts. Usually visible for only four days, this year the show is hanging at the Norfolk Library for the month of August, and this video tour lets you attend from anywhere in the world.
Find out more »Rock Painting for Kids
Please join us for a virtual rock painting session. All you will need is acrylic paint, a paint brush and few smooth rocks of your choosing. They make great garden or lawn decorations! While you paint, notice Botelle Elementary School's vegetable garden in the background. Hidden behind the school lies a wonderful garden containing 16 raised beds. This year, we are growing a wide variety of vegetables that we will be sharing with our town. Come check it out in…
Find out more »A Day at Lost Ruby Farm
Lost Ruby Farm is a small farmstead specializing in crafting cheeses from the milk of its small herd of pasture-raised goats. Owners Adair Mali and Antonio Guindon also raise chickens for egg production, pigs for their whey consumption and and for butchering, and a limited number of turkeys available at Thanksgiving. Join Adair as she shows you around the farm...she may even introduce you to the goats.
Find out more »A Nature Walk Around City Meadow
Take a virtual walk on the boardwalk through City Meadow to view this natural world up close. Learn what has changed since the Town began restoring the site to native plants. Learn to identify the animals and plants encountered, then come enjoy them in person when you can. Your guide will be biologist John Anderson of the Norfolk Conservation Commission.
Find out more »Workshop: Making Sun Catchers and Wind Chimes
Learn how to make sun catchers or wind chimes from objects you find around your house. Metal sculptor Karen Rossi teaches the art of choosing materials and adjusting the right balance. You'll need a hanger, beads and buttons, thin wire and something to cut it with. Everyone in the family will enjoy this one. Download a printable materials list.
Find out more »A Hike on the Norfolk Land Trust Trails
Norfolk has hundreds of miles of trails through beautiful woods and fields, many of them arriving at a summit like Dennis Hill or Haystack Mountain, from where you can look out at a broad, scenic view. This virtual walk lets you sample trails maintained by the Norfolk Land Trust, which publishes maps for downloading and use when you visit in person.
Find out more »Tour: Four Notable Norfolk Houses
This video tour compares and contrasts the exterior architecture of four notable Norfolk houses: The Joseph Battell House (aka Whitehouse), Knolly Brook, Beechwood Cottage and Tea and Cozy Cottage. The four represent different periods in Norfolk's history and demonstrate the changing visions of fashionable design. Tour leader Tom McGowan offers a glimpse of several other historic buildings along the way.
Find out more »Music, Music, Music: Performance by Luna & the Lost Souls
Angela Luna has been known as an innovative, soul-stirring vocalist for more than 25 years. In her early days, she fronted the indie rock darling Jamie Strange, receiving five consecutive “Best Vocalist” awards (Hartford Advocate Poll). Since then, Angela has traveled the world performing with such acts as The Evil Beetles, Jet Black Jane, Ramon & the Monster, Doug Wimbish, her acoustic duo the Angel & the Hustler, and hip-hop sensation Klokwize. Today, she has has returned to her home…
Find out more »Let’s Go Fishing
Fly fisherman Doug McDevitt shares his secrets for a good catch, complete with tips for casting the line and suggestions for places to go.
Find out more »Tour of Husky Meadows Farm
Take a virtual tour of one of Norfolk's most varied farms. Husky Meadows Farm grows organic produce and makes its own pickles and soups. It has a thriving farm stand, sells Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) shares and, when possible, will return to its accustomed place at the Norfolk Farmers Market.
Find out more »A Visit with John Thew
After being a renowned weathervane maker for many years, John Garret Thew has turned to creating what he calls “kitchen watercolors.” In this virtual visit to his studio, John demonstrates his watercolor techniques using a painting of one of the dolls made by his late wife, Eve.
Find out more »Workshop: Printing with Leaves and Found Materials
Join artist/printmaker Susan Rood as she demonstrates how to use leaves, found materials, paint and paper to create art. Fun for all ages but the very young will probably need some help. Materials List Leaves with obvious, raised veins are best. Please use care when gathering. Cut or break off gently, don’t pull. Watch out for poison ivy. (Leaves of three = leave them be!) Look for different sizes and shapes. Enjoy the search. Found materials such as clean plastic…
Find out more »Music, Music, Music: Andrew Thomson
Percussionist Andrew Thomson, aka the Pipeman because of his bagpipe skills, has earned an international reputation as a composer, performer and educator. He has collaborated with a variety of organizations, ranging from the acclaimed choirs of Joyful Noise to the United States Marine Corps, where he was both a a rifleman and the youngest member of the composition and arranging staff at the Armed Forces School of Music. Andrew currently teaches percussion in northwestern Connecticut and gives clinics, recitals and…
Find out more »Music, Music, Music: Josh and Ginny DeCerbo
Josh and Ginny DeCerbo have been making music together since Ginny (Josh’s daughter) was a toddler. Josh will be playing guitar and they’ll both be singing. They’re performing in their South Norfolk music studio.
Find out more »Music, Music, Music: Jamal Ford-Bey
Jamal Ford-Bey is a musician, songwriter and singer, and author. He has written music for commercials, web series and podcasts, and has appeared in theatrical productions throughout New England and New York.
Find out more »Music, Music, Music! Performance by Jude Mead
Music, Jude Mead says, is timeless and ageless. From the time she was 16, she has played guitar and written lyrics. To help pay her way through college she sang in coffee houses, then toured with such bands as Dirty Linda, Out of the Blue and Rising Tides, and was even the opening act for Sha Na Na. Later she returned to songwriting and cut two albums of original music: On the Loose and No Guarantee. Jude went down other…
Find out more »Music, Music, Music! Performance by Mike Cobb and Adam Pincus
Former Island Records recording artist Mike Cobb has been playing music since 1990. Originally from Norfolk, Conn., he has toured the U.S. and Spain, playing and singing in English, Spanish, French, Portuguese and Italian, and has shared the stage with Oasis, the Urban Pioneers, the Legendary Shack Shakers and many more. Today, he is based in Brooklyn, N.Y., and leads the Crevulators, who play eclectic Americana. He also produces 1st Place Radio, a podcast with a focus on local and…
Find out more »Stained Glass Windows Tour: Battell Chapel
Take a guided tour of Battell Chapel’s beautiful stained glass windows, designed by D. Maitland Armstrong and Louis Comfort Tiffany. Three large windows designed by Armstrong and made of opalescent glass fill the west end of the chapel. Tiffany’s five smaller windows face them from the east; they depict the four seasons, with a brilliant sunrise as the center.
Find out more »February 2021
Stained Glass Windows Tour: Battell Chapel
Take a guided tour of Battell Chapel’s beautiful stained glass windows, designed by D. Maitland Armstrong and Louis Comfort Tiffany. Three large windows designed by Armstrong and made of opalescent glass fill the west end of the chapel. Tiffany’s five smaller windows face them from the east; they depict the four seasons, with a brilliant sunrise as the center.
Find out more »Lego Design Challenge
Use Legos to build something that represents you, then share your creation with others! At Norfolk's Botelle Elementary School students in grades K-6 participated in this challenge, following the engineering design process: an iterative series of steps that guides engineers as they solve problems. Watch this video to learn more about the process and see the creative ways that students represented themselves with 3D Lego designs. If you are inspired to create your own Lego representation of yourself, share it…
Find out more »How the Norfolk Curling Club Makes Ice
Nothing is more essential to the sport of curling than ice, and having just the right ice makes the experience better. This video is a brief overview of the painstaking process of making ice at the Norfolk Curling Club. Unlike your community skating rink, it takes many days, numerous volunteers and an intense focus on the quality and texture of the ice. Watch as the club transforms a bare concrete slab into a curling sheet by combining multiple layers of…
Find out more »What Do Farmers Do in Winter?
Everyone knows that in summer farmers are busy taking care of crops and animals, taking produce to market, making cheese and the other myriad seasonal tasks that they have to get done. But what happens in the winter when the weather is too cold to grow vegetables and the animals (and people) want to stay indoors? Find out from three of Norfolk's farms: Husky Meadows Farm, Broad Field Farm and Lost Ruby Farm. They are all very different in the…
Find out more »Music, Music, Music! Performance by Dale Savage
Dale Savage started playing drums as a teenager. He played rock and roll and was the drummer for the local band, Surprise Attack. After taking a long break to pursue other interests, he has renewed his love of drumming. He currently plays Roland electronic drums with headphones so that he can play quietly in the basement, but when no one is home he turns on the P/A and gets loud. Enjoy the fun!
Find out more »Cross Country Skiing with Star Childs
Cross country skiing is a wonderful winter sport, good for individuals or families who want to have fun in the open air. Join Norfolk native and forester Star Childs as he shows off his favorite winter sport and offers some tips for success. Both the Norfolk Land Trust and Great Mountain Forest maintain a network of trails all over town and they are open to anyone who would like to use them when the weather is right.
Find out more »Ukulele Lesson 201 with More Chords
Former Island Records recording artist Michael Cobb has been playing guitar and ukulele since 1990. Originally from Norfolk, Conn., he has toured the U.S. and Spain, playing and singing in many languages. This ukulele lesson features a more advanced song with more chords: Here Comes the Sun, by George Harrison and the Beatles. Download a pdf of the chords and tabs to use for this lesson.
Find out more »Ukulele Lesson 101 for Chord Beginners
Former Island Records recording artist Michael Cobb has been playing guitar and ukulele since 1990. Originally from Norfolk, Conn., he has toured the U.S. and Spain, playing and singing in many languages. In this ukulele lesson for chord beginners, Michael teaches C, F, G and Am, with which you can play hundreds of songs. The song played here is Woody Guthrie’s This Land is Your Land.
Find out more »Studio Tour: Susan Aziz, Puppet-maker
Norfolk newcomer Susan Aziz designs and makes puppets and costumes in her studio at Whiting Mills in Winsted. With work that ranges from the whimsical and charming to the serious and contemplative, Susan has found a specialty in creating animals and magical creatures of all sorts. She shares some her favorite projects in this studio tour.
Find out more »Music, Music, Music! Performance by Students from Botelle School
Prepare yourself for a treat! The students from Botelle Elementary School share instrumental and vocal music in this winter concert. It's performed on the stage of the school's Hall of Flags.
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