Past Exhibitions and Events | 2023

Hanging By Threads Quilt Show

Oct 21 – Dec 30, 2023

“Hanging by Threads” is a joint quilt exhibit between the MAC and the 45-year-old North Country Quilters Guild. Opening Reception is from 5-7 on Friday, October 20th, and the exhibit runs through Saturday, December 30.

Please join us for the widely anticipated Opening Reception on Friday October 20, from 5pm – 7pm! Come to enjoy the unique collection of remarkable and diverse quilts, good company, conversation, wine, and refreshments!

In conjunction with the “Hanging by Threads” quilt exhibit, MAC is raffling the beautiful quilt throw shown below, which is currently hanging behind the desk at MAC, and is also featured in the poster for the exhibit. Created by beloved MAC member Carolyn Ferrara, proceeds from the quilt raffle will go to MAC’s Jim McKimm Scholarship Fund, which is awarded annually to a high school senior who is pursuing a career in the Arts.

Raffle tickets are $5.00/ea, and are available at the desk. The drawing will be held on Saturday, December 16, at noon. We have 500 tickets and we hope to raise $2500 for our Scholarship fund.

Carolyn was always interested and active in community affairs and was always very generous with her quilting projects, and with her time and devotion to MAC, and devoted a lot of time to MAC’s scholarship program. This raffle is indeed a wonderful way of honoring the memory of our good friend and dear MAC member, Carolyn Ferrara.

MAC’s Annual Holiday Sale,

20% off everything!

Dec 8-9, 2023

MAC’s annual 20% off sale  is scheduled  for Friday, December 8 and Saturday, December 9!

Special new addition to the holiday sale this year: Harpist Morgaine Bell will be playing in the store during the sale, on Friday, December 8th, from 11am – 2pm. Come and enjoy some lovely holiday music!

MAC covers the 20% for all member sales, which is one of the many benefits of being a member!

Halloween 2024!

 Very special thank you’s  go out to Victoria Mathiesen, with assistance from Wendy and Ralph Zimmerman, for creating the 2023 MAC Scarecrow for our window, and to Nettye Lamkay and Vickie Orvis for handing out candy to all the Trick or Treaters!

MAC Authors’ Reading

Invitation: Members of the community (and beyond) are invited to join us for a MAC Center for the Arts Poets and Writers Reading this Saturday, October 14th, 2023 from 1-4pm in the downstairs gallery at MAC, 158 Main St, Newport, VT.

Children’s books will be read from 1:00-2:30 pm with a brief intermission followed by readings from works of poetry and prose for a general audience. This is a free event,  open to all. Refreshments will be served (tea and cookies).

Come to MAC this Saturday to sit down, relax, and enjoy listening to our authors read from their published books of stories and poems. Hope to see you there!

Post event writeup: In the gallery at the MAC Center for the Arts on Saturday, October 14th, author members of MAC read from their published works and works in progress.

The readings began with children’s books written and/or illustrated by Elaine Cole Kerr, Brian McCrae, Jerry Johnson, Tanya Sousa and Brian McCrae. They were followed by works of prose and poetry with readings by poets Ron Lavalette, Mark Creaven, and Susan Davis. Patty Oliver-Smith read a selection of poems by Peggy Sapphire who was unable to attend the event. Jerry Johnson read from his mystery novel in progress, and Patty Oliver-Smith read from her second memoir in progress.

The published books from the reading as well as other works by MAC authors are for sale in the authors’ section of MAC.

photo credits Jerry Johnson

Art in Bloom

Two unique garden-related exhibitions this summer at MAC Center for the Arts!

The first of two garden-related exhibitions “Bees on Peas: And other Observations in the Garden” will take place at the MAC Center in Newport starting Saturday, June 30 and running until Saturday, September 9. Using a variety of mediums, gallery artisans’ work will highlight all things garden-related, such as water, fields, flowers, vegetables, trees, herbs, indoor gardens and/or houseplants, pollinators, patios, climate, the four seasons and more. The event is free and open to the public.

On Friday, July 21, the tenth Annual two-day “Art in Bloom” event opens with a ticketed ($10) reception from 5-7 pm benefiting the Four Seasons Garden Club and MAC Center for the Arts. The reception will also feature the Bees on Peas artisans and exhibits, complete with wine and appetizers and musical entertainment by guitarist extraordinaire Ben Kinsley.

A summertime favorite, Art in Bloom boasts over 20 floral arrangements that glean their inspiration from the extraordinary artwork currently on display in the MAC Gallery. Interpretation and unique creativity provide this festival not only with a splendid array of visual delights, but a fete of fragrance. This nature-meets-art annual fundraiser can also be viewed for free to the public on Saturday July 22. Special this year is the addition of the summer long garden related exhibit “Bees on Peas” as a back drop for these inspirational floral arrangements.

Tickets may be purchased at the MAC Center. For more information, call MAC at 802.334.1966, or visit maccenterforthearts.com and/or fourseasonsgardenclub.org.

MAC Center for the Arts is located at 158 Main Street gallery in Newport VT. Summer gallery hours: Mon-Sat 10-5. Both Memphremagog Arts Collaborative and the Four Seasons Garden Club are non-profit 501(c)(3) organizations.

“Bees on Peas”

Two unique garden-related exhibitions this summer at MAC Center for the Arts!

The first of two garden-related exhibitions “Bees on Peas: And other Observations in the Garden” will take place at the MAC Center in Newport starting Saturday, June 30 and running until Saturday, September 9. Using a variety of mediums, gallery artisans’ work will highlight all things garden-related, such as water, fields, flowers, vegetables, trees, herbs, indoor gardens and/or houseplants, pollinators, patios, climate, the four seasons and more. The event is free and open to the public.

On Friday, July 21^st, the tenth Annual two-day Art in Bloom event opens with a ticketed ($10) reception from 5-7 pm benefiting the Four Seasons Garden Club and MAC Center for the Arts. The reception will also feature the Bees on Peas artisans and exhibits, complete with wine and appetizers and musical entertainment by guitarist extraordinaire Ben Kinsley.

A summertime favorite, Art in Bloom boasts over 20 floral arrangements that glean their inspiration from the extraordinary artwork currently on display in the MAC Gallery. Interpretation and unique creativity provide this festival not only with a splendid array of visual delights, but a fete of fragrance. This nature-meets-art annual fundraiser can also be viewed for free to the public on Saturday July 22. Special this year is the addition of the summer long garden related exhibit “Bees on Peas” as a back drop for these inspirational floral arrangements.

Tickets may be purchased at the MAC Center. For more information, call MAC at 802.334.1966, or visit maccenterforthearts.com and/or fourseasonsgardenclub.org.

MAC Center for the Arts is located at 158 Main Street gallery in Newport VT. Summer gallery hours: Mon-Sat 10-5. Both Memphremagog Arts Collaborative and the Four Seasons Garden Club are non-profit 501(c)(3) organizations.

ArtQuest Workshop –

Creating Tye-Dye T-Shirts Using Sharpies!

with Nancy Nash and Iso Marks

Saturday, June 17th, 2023

2023 Jim McKimm Scholarship Recipient, Chloe Currier

The MAC Center for the Arts is delighted to honor our 2023 cholarship winner! Chloe Currier, 2023 recipient of the Jim McKimm Memorial Scholarship at the MAC Center for the Arts in Newport, has visited with the scholarship committee to tell us all about her first semester at the Maine College of Art and Design in Portland, Maine. Rather than publish a photo back in June, we decided to interview her after her first semester about her classes, her favorite mediums, and her plans for the future.

Chloe graduated from Lake Region Union High School and her beloved art teacher was Miss Harper. She has evolved from painting to new and exciting mediums. Fall semester 2023 -printmaking, photography, pottery, metals, 2D collage and English – All A’s!!!

One of the reasons we chose her was her foresight, that as an artist you must also be able to market yourself and also manage the business aspects of your art, and have some backup plans along the way. Chloe has great plans for her future in the arts and for her future adventures. So happy to be a part of your college experience, Chloe. We are so proud of you.

“In Focus” Photography Exhibition 

In Focus, a group photography exhibition and the first exhibit of 2023, kicks off on Saturday April 22 and runs through Saturday June 17 in the MAC Center for the Arts Downstairs Gallery.

The exhibit features MAC photographers Rob Boskind, Lawrence Cincotta, Karl Ehrlich, Steve Malshuk, Elinor Osborne and Ralph Zimmerman and the works span a wide range of subject matter.

MAC is located at 158 Main Street, Newport. For more information: (802) 334-1966, www.maccenterforthearts.com.

Opening and Closing Receptions:

Friday May 26, 4-6pm, Memorial Day weekend, and Friday, June 16, 4-6pm: free receptions for “In Focus”, an exhibit by MAC’s photographers Rob Boskind, Lawrence Cincotta, Karl Ehrlich, Steve Malshuk, Elinor Osborn and Ralph Zimmerman.

Ben Kinsley, guitarist extraordinaire, and MAC performing artist member, will perform at both.

All are welcome!

Celebrating Poetry Month at MAC Center for the Arts! 

In celebration of National Poetry Month, the Memphremagog Arts Center is hosting  “Poetry in Motion”, an annual poetry reading event, on April 23rd from 1:00-3:45 pm at the MAC Downstairs Gallery. The event is free and open to the public, and refreshments will be served. The MAC Arts Gallery is at 158 Main Street, Newport.

During the celebration, participants can listen to others and/or share three of their original poems. The deadline to register to read is Friday, April 21st. Contact Dianne Laplante: laplante@vtlink.net and Patty Oliver-Smith: pattyos@earthlink.net to register.

For more information, 802 334-1966, www.maccenterforthearts.com and Dianne Laplante at laplante@vtlink.net and Patty Oliver-Smith at pattyos@earthlink.net.