STUFF YOU SHOULDN'T MISS

      ArtBits always features a calendar of the goings on of Franklin County artists. Check out these events around Franklin County. Each issue includes the entire text of our weekly newspaper column.

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      Stop in for live music and more at the Fairfax Music Sessions at the Foothills Bakery in Fairfax most Saturday afternoons at 1 p.m., at various restaurants around Franklin County throughout the week, at the Bayside in St Albans Town most Sunday afternoons, and the Cambridge CoffeeHouses at 7 p.m. on the first and third Wednesday of every month.
     These gatherings bring new opportunities, gossip, "show-and-tell" and occasional workshops. The booked performances and acoustic Open Mike Nights feature music, readings, and more from the best new artists in Vermont.

      Find links to these events and more in our Spotlight!

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OPERA HOUSE FOLK

      The Opera House at Enosburg Falls presents Karen McFeeters in Concert at the Opera House in an evening of original contemporary folk/pop music on Saturday at 7:30 p.m.
      "I'll be performing songs from [her new] album," Ms. McFeeters said, plus one brand new piece that will debut in Enosburg. "I wrote it for my step granddaughter who just turned 1," she added.
      The Saturday concert will be "a full 2-hour cabaret show" with accompaniment from Craig Anderson, guitar, and Gregg Jordan, bass. Singer-songwriter "John Gibbons will join us on four of my songs, to add his acoustic guitar and voice for three-part harmonies. I will play my keyboard on many of the songs. I will also play my acoustic guitar on a couple of tunes."
      Ms. McFeeters has sung lead and harmony vocals on recordings by fellow songwriters. She has performed with singer/songwriters Patti Casey, Carrie Newcomer and Diane Ziegler and is a member of a vocal/acoustic trio with Craig Anderson and John Gibbons.
      A St. Albans native, Ms. McFeeters began her folk career at the Songwriter's Showcase at Burlington's Contois Auditorium. She has participated in Summer Sounds, First Night--Burlington, the Mad River Valley Festival of the Arts, the St. Albans Concert in the Park Series, and the Independence Day Celebration on the State House lawn in Montpelier. She has headlined the benefit concerts WomenFolk (with Susannah Clifford Blachly, Kristina Stykos, Carol Abair and Rebecca Padula) and Karen McFeeters & Friends (with Paul Webb, Craig Anderson, John Gibbons and Carol Abair). Proceeds benefitted Kids On The Block Vermont.
      Her current album, Here and Now, was chosen as one of the best singer/songwriter albums of 2009 by the Times Argus. Se wrote nine of the songs on this CD which also includes covers of Susannah Clifford Blachly's Hope Begins in the Dark and Carol Abair's Chelsea. She released her solo debut album, Bachelor Girl, to a standing room only crowd at the FlynnSpace in Burlington. That album was one of the Top 10 Best releases by Vermont Artists.
      "Life is grand," she said. She continues to write and perform and to work with singers, teachers, radio announcers, and others with voice problems. "I will begin volunteering at the King Street Youth Center in Burlington this winter, doing music programs with children. So music and the voice remain central to my life in Vermont."
      Admission is $10 for adults and $8 for students and senior citizens for cabaret style seating. Tickets are available now at Better Planet Books, the Franklin County Regional Chamber of Commerce, Precious Things, and the Opera House box office.

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ART ON THE WALLS

AROUND FRANKLIN COUNTY--According to a radio ad I heard last month, there are now only 12 shopping days left until Christmas. I think that might be a slight exaggeration but not much.

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ENOSBURG FALLS--The Artist In Residence Gallery features different artists each month and all have work for sale. This month, the spotlight is on painters Ann Allen, Helen Kyle, Mary Reid, Cordell Smart, and Pamela Tobin, fiber artist Jan Brosky, and photographer Charlotte Rosshandler.
      The A.I.R. gallery hosts a free meet-the-artists reception with refreshments tonight from 5 p.m. until 8 p.m. The exhibit continues through the end of November.
      The Artist in Residence art cooperative features paintings, fiber arts, stained glass, sculpture, lamps, pottery, folk art boxes, scarves, hats and more by 45 Franklin County and surrounding area artists. It is owned and operated by the artists and sponsors. The Village Frame Shoppe is located within the coop as a resident framer. The Blue Crayon, a small private studio, is available there for individual or small group lessons. The gallery, located at 349 Main Street, is open Wednesday-Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday, noon to 5 p.m.

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ST ALBANS--The Northwestern Medical Center Gallery hosts the St. Albans Artists' Guild this month. Guild artists offer work in a variety of media and genres from painters and photographers including Janet Bonneau, Cheryl Messier, Millie Boyd, Linda B. Clark, Beverly Montiel, David Juaire, and Trish Vaillancourt. All have work for sale.
      The show continues through the end of November.

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ON STAGE LIVE

ESSEX JUNCTION--On Tap at the Lincoln Inn offers Blues Night with the Nobby Reed Project tonight at 7 p.m.
      Call 802.878.3309 or email for more info.

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ST. ALBANS--The Overtime Saloon also presents the Nobby Reed Project on Saturday at 9 p.m.

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COLCHESTER--The Elley-Long Music Center hosts an English Country Dance featuring Amy Cann, McKinley James, Aaron Marcus, and Camerson Zweber on Friday from 7:30pm to 9:30pm at the in. All dances will be taught, walked through, and prompted by Wendy Gilchrist, Martha Kent, and Val Medve. There will be an advanced dance workshop for more experienced dancers at 7 p.m.
      Email for more info Val and Tom Medve.

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BURLINGTON--Fiddleheads will hold a rehearsal in the Billings North Lounge at the University of Vermont on Saturday at 9:30 a.m. - 12 noon. Latimer Hoke will teach the first hour and Tim Cummings the last hour.
      The workshop is presented by Fiddleheads, Vermont Violins, and the UVM Old Time Music Club. Email for more info.

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MUSIC ON AUCTION

     Bidding at the Vermont Youth Orchestra online auction opens on Monday at 9 a.m. The event features more than 100 unique items to meet their goal to raise $11,000 to support the orchestral, choral, and scholarship programs.
      Current items include concert and event tickets, music lessons, handcrafted items, Vermont products and vacation packages, gift certificates galore, and much more. More includes tickets to The Addams Family on Broadway and there is a private hot-air balloon flight for two.
      Click here to see and bid on all 121 items.
      There is still time to donate. "Auction items come in all shapes and sizes so be as creative as you like."
      Call Liza Reed (802.655.5030 x 105) or email for more info.

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CLICK HERE: ART SITE OF THE WEEK

     Colin McCaffrey is a Vermont born entertainer, songwriter, music producer, and BMI artist. He performs nationwide as a singer/songwriter and freelance musician. His site includes his schedule, record store, songsmithing news, contact info, and downloadable MP3s in Bluegrass/Folk, Jazz/Swing, and Country/Blues/Zydeco.

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FRANKLIN COUNTY BOOKSHELF

      ArtBits features a quick weekly peek at the bookshelf or night stand of the folks you know in and around Franklin County. That popular feature has a page of its own at the Franklin County Bookshelf here on the AAC site.

SUPPORT LIVE ARTS IN YOUR TOWN!

All Arts Council of Franklin County

Dick Harper, Chair
P.O. Box 1
Highgate Springs, VT 05460
email us