betterArts Presents OUTDOOR Vino & Van Gogh Paint 'n' Sip Series In July And August

Continuing with the success of betterArts' winter and spring installments of guided Vino & Van Gogh paint 'n' sip series, the organization is offering two very special summer classes that will be held outside at Better Farm.

JULY 7, 6:30-8:30 p.m.

Bring a picnic blanket or towel to our first-ever OUTDOORS paint 'n' sip event, held outside in paddocks where horses and alpacas roam! Enjoy a guided painting workshop from beginning to end, bottomless wine and finger foods. All materials provided! Cost: $30. Register here.

AUGUST 11, 6-8 p.m.

This event is open to parents as well as their children! As always, we will be offering bottomless beverages and endless finger foods to delight parents and children alike! This event will also be held outdoors at Better Farm. All supplies provided! Cost: $30 adults, $15 children under 16. Register here.

 

Spotlight On: Better Festival Featured Artist The Suitcase Junket

One-man band The Suitcase Junket will be a featured artist at this year's Better Festival Saturday, June 18, at Better Farm in Redwood.

The Suitcase Junket is Matt Lorenz, a Vermont-born musician, visual artist, and tinkerer. His artistic vision is one of salvaged and repurposed objects, throat-singing, and original music.

"I'm interested in the hidden voices that reside within things: the songs stuck inside instruments, the story behind the object, the mysterious weight of a word, the harmonic sequence that's in every note waiting to be broken as light through a prism."

Lorenz tours The Suitcase Junket nationally playing on festival stages and city street corners, in concert halls and dive bars, in living rooms and listening rooms. The sound isn't easy to pin into a genre, but The Suitcase Junket is often likened to Tom Waits, The Black Keys and Andrew Bird.

His instruments include a resurrected dumpster-diamond guitar, an old oversized suitcase, a hi-hat, a gas-can baby-shoe foot-drum, a cookpot-soupcan-tambourine foot-drum, a circular-saw-blade bell and a box of bones and silverware that operate much like a hi-hat. He pounds out rhythms with his feet and his twang-and-buzz guitar growls through a couple of old tube amps. On top of all this is the ethereal edge of his overtone throat-singing.

In support of Lorenz's unusual instrumentation, betterArts will host a free workshop during the afternoon of Better Festival helping people of all ages upcycle everyday objects to make instruments.

The Suitcase Junket will perform at Better Festival from 4:30-6 p.m. The band's latest album, Dying Star, was released in March and is available here. Also be sure to check out The Suitcase Junket On Facebook, Instagram and Twitter: @suitcasejunket.

For more information about Better Festival and to Order tickets, click here.

betterArts Presents 'Vino & Van Gogh' Adult Painting Class April 14

betterArts presents the next installment in its adult paint 'n' sip series, "Vino & Van Gogh", from 7-9 p.m. Thursday, April 14, at Better Farm.

This class will feature a Vincent Van Gogh theme playing on an image of a tree with swirls, texture and movement. Instructor Maria VanPelt (LaFargeville Central School) will guide students from start to completion using acrylics on canvas.

As always, all materials will be provided and students will be able to enjoy bottomless wine and finger foods.

Cost for this class is $30. To sign up, CLICK HERE.

This class will be held in the betterArts Art Barn at Better Farm, 31060 Cottage Hill Road, Redwood, NY, 13679. For further information, email info@betterarts.org or call (315) 482-2536.

betterArts Offers Adult Crafts Night March 24

Students will make four magnets and a collage on canvas at the March 24 class.

An extension of betterArts' popular Paint 'n' Sip series, an adult crafts night from 7-9 p.m. Thursday, March 24, will feature two projects, finger foods, bottomless wine, and great company.

Instructor Maria VanPelt (LaFargeville Central School) will guide students through the creation of four magnets (see above photo), as well as a Mod Podge canvas utilizing collage:

All funds raised through betterArts workshops go directly toward arts and cultural outreach in the North Country. Class size is limited to 20 students. Cost is $30.

 CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

Email info@betterarts.org with any questions.

betterArts Partners With Macsherry Library For Annual 'Heart Of Winter' Event

betterArts will run a crafts table at Macsherry Library's annual Heart of Winter Art Show & Chocolate Reception from 11:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 13, at Macsherry Library in Alexandria Bay. 

People of all ages are invited to create valentines, cards, notes and art for loved ones. In the gallery, art and written works will be on display. Chocolate desserts will also be offered, a special Valentine's Day treat donated by the library's board members and staff, local restaurants, and Friends of the Library. 

To enter your art into the show this year, click here.

Macsherry Library is located at 112 Walton St. in Alexandria Bay. Click here for more information.

betterArts To Offer Giftwrap-Making Station at Saturday's Kris Kringle Mart

betterArts will offer free giftwrap-making at this year's Kris Kringle Mart, put on by the Alexandria Bay Figure Skating Club and held at Alexandria Bay's fire hall from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 5.

The annual event, put on by the figure-skating club as a fundraiser, features vendors selling a large variety of handmade items that will make perfect holiday gifts.

betterArts will have lots of art supplies on-hand and members of the organization will be available to help visitors make customized gift wrap for everyone on their list. The group will also offer toy giveaways throughout the day.

Alexandria Bay's fire hall is located at 110 Walton St., Alexandria Bay.

All-Ages Paper Bag Notebook Workshop with Alyssa Curley This Saturday!

Instructor Alyssa Curley of AlternARTive will kick off this year's Better Festival at 12 p.m. this Saturday, June 20, with an all-ages workshop (5+) that will walk students through the creation of a notebook made entirely out of paper products.

Participants may bring any special paper they may have to make the project more personal. The workshop is held at Better Farm, 31060 Cottage Hill Road, Redwood. To pre-register, email info@betterarts.org.

 12 p.m. Free. All Ages (5+). Hosted by betterArts. For more information about the ensuing festival, click here. Better Farm is located at 31060 Cottage Hill Road, Redwood.