Past Exhibitions and Events | 2014

PRESS RELEASE

Sold Out Benefit Performance

QNEK’s Associate Producing Directors, Jenny Dunne and Phil Gosselin present a check for $600 to MAC President, Isobel Marks, from the sold out benefit performance of It’s A Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play.

December 16, 2014

PRESS RELEASE

MAC Education committee reaches out to community!

The MAC education committee held its fourth annual Holiday Craft Class and assisted 8 area children in making three different holiday themed art projects. Although the group was small, everyone had a great time. Photography by Bradleigh Stockwell

October 25, 2014

PRESS RELEASE

Muse-ical Harvest – Wonderful Success!!! 

More than 50 people enjoyed an evening of live musical and reading performance at MAC’s first Muse-ical Harvest event on October 24. Listeners were treated to harp, piano, theremin, and vocal selections, and readings from literary works. We raised almost $200 for the MAC scholarship fund at this event. Thank you, MAC supporters!

PRESS RELEASE

MAC CENTER FOR THE ARTS, Newport, VT –

MAC Center for the Arts and the Vermont Watercolor Society Host the Fall 2014 Watercolor Exhibition “It Happens in Vermont.” Reception on Sept 12, 5-7 p.m.; Exhibition through Oct 3

 “It Happens in Vermont,” an exhibition of watercolor painting sponsored by the Vermont Watercolor Society, opens at the MAC Center for the Arts on Friday, September 12, with a reception from 5-7 p.m. Music will be provided by the Wind Quintet of the Newport Area Community Orchestra. MAC writer-member Catherine Holm will read a short excerpt from her work at 6:15 p.m. after an awards ceremony to three of the artists, when prizes will be announced with a first prize of $75. All work is for sale — the exhibit will be in the downstairs gallery throughOctober 3.  This event will take place at the MAC Center for the Arts Gallery, 158 Main St, in Newport.

PRESS RELEASE

MAC Center for the Arts Hosts Behind the Curtain — Producing On Stage for the Theatre Lover

On  Friday, September 5, from 5-7 p.m., MAC Center for the Arts will host the event “Behind the Curtain — Producing On Stage for the Theatre Lover.” Have you ever wondered what it takes to put on a play or a full-scale stage production? Join the team behind the resident theatre company of the Haskell Opera House, QNEK Productions, for a look behind the curtain; an interactive discussion on creating an entire season of theatre and everything that comes with it. From inspiration to applause, you’ll know exactly what it takes to put on a theatrical event the next time you sit down to enjoy one. This event is led by QNEK Founder and Artistic Managing Director Lynn Leimer and Associate Director Susan-Lynn Johns. This event will take place at the MAC Center for the Arts Gallery, 158 Main St, in Newport. The event is free but donations are appreciated. 

August 2, 2014

PRESS RELEASE

See the work of over 100 people who participated in the Spirit of Newport Community Mandala Weaving Project Now on display at the MAC for the month of August.

Click on the thumbnail images below to see the slide show of this event. Photography by Bradleigh Stockwell

August 13, 2014

PRESS RELEASE

On July 12, 2014 we held our Spirit of Newport Community Mandala Weaving Project during the Aquafest celebrations.  This event drew over 100 people to the MAC tent where they wove on a circular loom, created a clothespin person or wrote their wish for Newport on a ribbon.  There are 80 clothespin people and the ribbons that will be attached to the loom completing the Mandala that will be on display at the MAC Center for the Arts in August.

Click on the thumbnail images below to see the slide show of this event. Photography by Bradleigh Stockwell

PRESS RELEASE

Art in Bloom, MAC Center for the Arts, 158 Main St, Newport, Vermont

Opening on July 24 at 5pm, 4 Seasons Garden Club and MAC present the fifth annual Art in Bloom in which some 20+ floral arrangements are matched to artwork, photography or handcrafts currently on display in the MAC center. Both gallery spaces will be used. This is a two day event with flowers remaining at the center until Saturday 26 July.

Art in Bloom has grown in scope since its inception and has become one of Newport’s most popular events and provides a major fundraiser for both organizations. Tickets are available at the MAC (M-Sat 10-5) $10 each, door prizes.

Opening Reception 5-7pm Thursday July 24, 2014.

PRESS RELEASE

On July 12, 2014 we held our Spirit of Newport Community Mandala Weaving Project during the Aquafest celebrations. This event drew over 100 people to the MAC tent where they wove on a circular loom, created a clothespin person or wrote their wish for Newport on a ribbon. There are 80 clothespin people and the ribbons that will be attached to the loom completing the Mandala that will be on display at the MAC Center for the Arts in August.

Click on the thumbnail images below to see the slide show of this event. Photography by Bradleigh Stockwell

July 4, 2014

PRESS RELEASE

Newport Natural Cafe and Arts Amica of Boston present “Havana Comes to Newport II” for the month of July, with the opening reception on Saturday, July 5 from 6-8 pm. MAC member L. Holliey White of Arts Amica will introduce the exhibit, with a special guest appearance by international jazz singer, and also a MAC member, Eileen Kennedy.

For those Americans fortunate enough to have traveled to Cuba or to have seen an exhibit presented in the U.S. by various galleries and institutions, the quality of fine art from the Republic of Cuba comes as no surprise. For most Americans, however, little is known about the diversity of style and media, technique and subject matter Cuban artists are creating. And there is good reason for that. Although there are some limited travel exemptions in the embargo, and it is permitted to import and exhibit Cuban art here, the task of bringing the art here is tedious indeed. Each piece needs to be registered with the Registry of Fine Arts before leaving Cuba, unpacked at Jose Marti Airport in Havana for inspection and to validate that the appropriate registration fee was paid for each piece (and that no national treasures are leaving the country), then re-packed and hand carried into the United States. Few galleries are willing to engage in such labor intensive activity.

Art is often the first voice of change in a society, and Cuba is no exception. Much of Cuban art reflects the attitude and spirit of the people, the struggle, and their hopeful resolve. The number of exhibits devoted entirely to Cuban art presented in the U.S. in recent years by the art schools, universities, museums and other institutions and galleries attest that the art world acknowledges the talent of Cuba’s contemporary artists.

This exhibit of original works and photographs of present day Havana promises to provide a tantalizing peek at some of the talent from this island nation whose rich cultural history extends back through the centuries, including being home to the second oldest art school in the New World

July, 2014

BOARD of DIRECTORS ELECTED at ANNUAL MEETING
In June 2014, MAC held the annnual membership meeting where the board of directors were elected.The board for 2014-2015 is comprised of: Jennifer Hopkins, Iso Marks, Victoria Mathiesen, Lynn Leimer,Bruce Wilkie,Lisa Daigle-Farney and Jerry Ralya. At a subsequent meeting of the board of directors the following officers were elected unanimously.
Iso Marks, President
Victoria Mathiesen, Vice President
Jennifer Hopkins, Treasurer
Lynn Leimer, Corporate Secretary

All MAC members thank the board for their service and look forward to supporting them.

May 31, 2014

Sixteen attendees Let creativity rip in the “Let it Rip Card Collage Workshop”

Isobel Marks, Vice-President of Memphremagog Arts Collaborative (MAC Center for the Arts) presents MAC’s Art Scholarship award of $300.00 to North Country Union High School (NCUHS) Visual Arts student Tamara Robitille.

Isobel Marks spoke of  MAC Center for the Arts endowment criteria to award an annual scholarship to an Orleans County graduating senior who demonstrates the motivation and talent to pursue their passion for art, photography, music, dance, writing or acting. MAC chose to award the 2014 scholarship to a senior from NCUHS.

Marks explained that MAC Center for the Arts is a registered 501(c)3 charitable organization that supports Vermont’s creative economy through the sale of members work at an art gallery located at 158 Main Street, Newport, VT.  In addition to selling members art and crafts in the gallery the Center hosts a variety of exhibits, lectures, workshops and classes.

Tamara Robitille (aka Tammy) the 2014 recipient of MAC Center for the Arts scholarship award has been involved in North Country’s Visual Arts program throughout her 4 years of High School.Tammy’s passion lends itself to  graphic design and illustration but is also a talented caricature artist, adept at art history and artistic analysis. When asked What do you want people to get from your art? Tammy replied, “I want people to know that I am trying to relate to them in my art….sometimes you have to create unhappy pictures so people can relate to them”.

In addition to Tammy’s artistic pursuits she is interested in child psychology and will be attending the College of St Joseph, Rutland, VT in the fall.

April 25, 2014

NICE ARTICLE IN SEVEN DAYS ABOUT MAC BID EXHIBIT

April 15, 2014

MAC CENTER FOR THE ARTS OPENS COMMUNITY EXHIBIT

A great crowd turned out for the opening reception held on Friday, April 11th for the MAC Center for the Arts community interactive exhibit “Before I Die”. Attendees
made their contribution to the exhibit by using chalk to fill in the sentence “Before I Die I Want to…..”. This exhibit will be in place at the MAC Center until the end of June. All community members are invited to take part in this special exhibit which has now
been recreated in over 450 locations throughout the world. The MAC Center
will be submitting photos of the our walls to the international Before I Die Exhibit website so that our community aspirations may be shared with the world. MAC Center for the Arts is a non-profit art center located at 190 Main St in Newport VT!

The reception crowd enjoyed food and wine while listening to music performed Jeff Fellinger in the main gallery.

Phil Gosselin and Jenny Dunne, both members of QNEK, enjoyed taking part in the interactive exhibit on Friday.

MAC HAS WINNING ENTRY

Memphremagog Arts Collabrative (MAC) is pleased to annnounce MAC received first place in the Newport Winterfest Snowman Decorating contest on February 1, 2014 with their entry “Snow Women At The Beach”. The snow woman was decorated by MAC Center for the Art’s newest member, Lisa Foster who is an artist and set designer for QNEK.

MAC will receive a framed certificate award plus an advertising package.