Are you missing live music this summer? Do you lament the canceled school musicals and concerts? Now you can relax while taking in the sweet sounds of student musicians—right on your own doorstep!—through a POMS Pop-Up Music event.
Bedford Patrons of Music Students (POMS) is offering brief (10–15 minute) concerts by current Bedford music students as a fundraiser, to be given at a time and place of the donor’s choosing. POMS has lined up a handful of BHS student musicians, from a trumpeter to a rock band, who are volunteering their time and talents in a safe, socially distant way throughout the month of August.
Mark David Bailey is known around Bedford as a dad, a talented photographer, and a man with the patience and skill to balance standing stones.
Earlier this week, Bailey went to Rockport with his daughters Lila and Norah to see Comet NEOWISE, balance a rock or two, and take some pictures.
The result?
The compelling image at the head of this story is daughter Lila’s. It was the best shot of the night, showing the 40-pound rock her dad balanced in the foreground, the sea, lights on the horizon, a scattering of stars, and Comet NEOWISE in good focus.
The Tanglewood Marionettes have produced a delightful puppet show video that’s available to watch on-demand, and will host a conversation with the troupe on Saturday morning.
The video is available online by clicking this link to see the full video of this wonderful puppet show.
A future vision of Boston that is somewhere between dream and reality in 5-minute audio plays, beginning with a 5-minute play by Bedford’s Melinda Lopez.
Dream Boston and the Huntington Theatre asked local playwrights to imagine their favorite locations, landmarks, and friends in a future Boston, when we can once again meet and thrive in our city.
Bedford Arts and Crafts Society (BACS) members have been making a difference, using their artistic skills to spread cheer through community service projects. Their current effort is making get-well cards for hospital patients and thank-you cards that are included with meals donated to health care workers through Operation Feed the Soul.
The BACS effort to participate in service projects began two years ago when Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan introduced Project Linus. BACS crafters went to work and hand-crocheted blankets that were donated for children in stressful situations. BACS crafting chair Jane Franklin remembers, “It was a ‘feel-good’ activity, so I actively looked for additional ways that BACS could support our community.” The next year fleece blankets were made and donated. Crafters then assembled an array of holiday gifts (made and donated by generous members) that were donated to the Bedford Food Pantry.
Other projects followed. Some ideas came to members, and others suggested themselves from crafts that were already part of the weekly BACS crafting program held (pre-shutdown) on Wednesday afternoons, 2:00–4:00, at the COA. For example, crafters have held a card-making afternoon about once a month, and many of the cards have found a destination at Cardz for Kidz, sending positive messages to children going through trauma. The card-making effort has continued with Christmas and Valentine’s Day cards for the Bedford VA. Many hands have pitched in, but particular recognition goes to Leslie Gabriele, Teresa Kvietkauskas, and Sandi Rosenfeld for leading these initiatives.
Some months ago, Bedford COA director Alison Cservenschi asked if BACS had use for an assortment of wooden canes. Members decided to repaint and decorate the canes and give them back for seniors to use. BACS crafter Marita Hartshorn took the lead. She brought the canes home, sanding, and putting a base coat on each. Members then used Marita’s suggestions for painting them with colorful designs.
Although the Wednesday crafting sessions have been on hold since the start of the pandemic shutdown, crafters have continued their handiwork from the safety of their homes. For additional information about BACS and its art and craft programs, visit www.bacsma.org
Don’t Miss It! The Bedford Arts and Craft Society’s current juried show at the Bedford Free Public Library is available on its website – Click https://www.bedfordlibrary.net/2020/06/24/virtual-art-gallery/ to see the show.
The coronavirus pandemic and resulting closures of nearly everything didn’t succeed in sweeping Bedford’s 26th annual K-12 Art Show into oblivion. Originally organized by a group of volunteers under the ArtLink banner, this year’s online gallery is the work of the Bedford Schools’ Art Department.
Program Director Sean Hagan wrote, “As you know, we were unable to hold our annual exhibit due to Covid-19. The art department still wanted to honor the great work of our students, so we have embarked on a massive online project.”
When I read an article in the New York Times recently (www.nytimes.com/2020/04/21/arts/design/tenement-museum-coronavirus.html )about how the Tenement Museum in New York City was struggling financially during the Covid-19 pandemic, I thought of how quickly things had changed since we visited the Museum right before Christmas 2019. In fact, even with a Broadway play, a climate justice concert, sojourns on the High Line, and a visit with a high school classmate, the Tenement Museum was the highlight of our trip.
The logistics of First Church’s annual Strawberry Festival mean that an in-person event can’t happen this year, but intrepid members of First Church extend a virtual invitation to the community that has loved the Festival over so many years.
Fix your shortcake, or a hot fudge sundae, and be part of First Church’s virtual B.Y.O.S. (Bring Your Own Strawberries) community event on Thursday, June 11, at 7 pm.
“We’ve never had to think about building community when we haven’t had one.’’
Melinda Lopez, the celebrated playwright who grew up in Bedford and stayed, has time for contemplation about the role of the arts during this interminable quarantine.
BHS Senior Haley Portlock spent much of the past school year developing her senior project, an in-person concert. To adapt to the sudden impact of the coronavirus pandemic and social distancing restrictions, she decided to change her event to an online concert featuring the BHS students and instructors who would’ve appeared in the in-person event.
OK, here’s a link to an inspiring music video created by the performing arts faculty of the Bedford Public Schools. Check it out – and then read about how it came to be.
The Baker-Polito Administration has ordered that starting tomorrow, Wednesday, May 6, face coverings will be mandatory for everyone over the age of 2.
Stephy Doyle, a Bedford mom and photo editing wizard, has created cool images of 45 masked characters based on the most popular cartoon figures from book characters, to Mickey Mouse and Disney princesses, and the most daring superheroes or superheroines.
Editor’s Note on March 11, 2020: Postponed until further notice
Each year the seniors of Bedford and surrounding towns submit their art work for display at The Jacob Wren Throckmorton Memorial Art Show. Friday 3 April 8:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. and Saturday 4 April 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. with a reception honoring all submitting artists at noon on Saturday. A family activity of rock painting has been a special high light of this two day event. Rock painting activity is Saturday from noon – 2:00 p.m. This art show is guaranteed to inspire and delight visitors of all ages. Join us for a time of fun, comradery, inspiration and community spirit as we honor Jacob’s life and his incredibly talented art work along with the art work of seniors. All forms and mediums of art work are welcomed and enjoyed. Please call the Bedford Council on Aging to arrange to drop off your art pieces for submission. 781. 275 6825.
The Getty Museum in California recently challenged its social media followers to re-create their favorite artwork with what they found laying around the house.
LET’S TRY IT IN BEDFORD!!
Collaborate with your family, do it on your own, introduce the kids to a little art history, brush off the art history books from college, and GET CREATIVE!
Editor’s Note on March 11, 2020: Postponed until further notice
Each year the seniors of Bedford and surrounding towns submit their art work for display at The Jacob Wren Throckmorton Memorial Art Show. Friday 3 April 8:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. and Saturday 4 April 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. with a reception honoring all submitting artists at noon on Saturday. A family activity of rock painting has been a special high light of this two day event. Rock painting activity is Saturday from noon – 2:00 p.m. This art show is guaranteed to inspire and delight visitors of all ages. Join us for a time of fun, comradery, inspiration and community spirit as we honor Jacob’s life and his incredibly talented art work along with the art work of seniors. All forms and mediums of art work are welcomed and enjoyed. Please call the Bedford Council on Aging to arrange to drop off your art pieces for submission. 781. 275 6825.
Late last week and on Saturday morning, Bedford residents were cheered by the sight and sound of a Young Drummer marching through Bedford neighborhoods.
A member of Lexington’s William Diamond Junior Fife and Drum Corps for the past four and a half years, the Young Drummer has been interested in drumming since he was four-years-old.
His interest in fife and drum music aligned with an early passion for history after watching the Colonial re-enactors gather on Bedford Common before they marched off to Willson Park during Bedford’s annual Pole Capping ceremony.
An annual benefit to celebrate and support our partners in West Virginia. LIVE Appalachian Music and Storytelling with musicians from West Virginia
Southern Style Cooking
Cake Walk
Food, Fun, Goods & Services Silent Auction
Sweet & Savory Food Sale
Giving Wall – opportunities to support specific projects in West Virginia
For the Kids! Children’s music set
Kids Crafts
Cupcake Walk
Pam Aghababian, Teen Services Librarian (and official Peeps-master) at the Bedford Free Public Library tells The Citizen that the 10th Annual Peeps Diorama contest is “going virtual.” If you submitted an entry before the Library closed, you do not need to re-submit. The Library has your information and your pictures. Deadline for submitting your entry is April 8. You will be able to view the entries and vote for your favorite on the Library website. Winners will be announced on April 15.
Brad Conner, Music Director at First Parish on Bedford Common, will lead a Bedford Lyceum focusing on the music of Ludwig van Beethoven TONIGHT, Tuesday, March 24 at 7 pm. The program is available free of charge le via ZOOM.
The BCA Photo Group welcomes Suzanne Revy, photographer, educator and editor, to speak on Breaking Into Fine Art Photography (suzannerevy.com). Revy teaches at the New England School of Photography and the Institute of Art and Design at New England College. She is the Associate Editor of the online magazine, What Will You Remember? and serves on the board of the Photographic Resource Center. Revy will discuss breaking into the fine art space, peek into the role of curator and juror, describe the hard work of positioning oneself to be invited to participate in a show and talk about the Boston photography scene.
In its 12th year, GirlPower invites mothers and daughters to learn about each other through activities designed to build confidence, self-advocacy, and self-care. Girls and moms will find new ways to connect to each other and find community with other mothers and their daughters. Facilitated by Susanne Liebich, Founder/Creative Director
In its 12th year, GirlPower! has been guiding girls to find their unique voices through movement, discussion, journaling, art, and nature. Activities are designed to build confidence, self-advocacy, and self-care. Girls will find ways to connect with new friends and discover more about themselves. Facilitated by Susanne Liebich, Founder/Creative Director.
The BCA Photo Group Technical Series welcomes Kathryn Dow, a long-time birder, wildlife photographer and workshop leader, speaking on “Waterscapes and Wonders from the Woods.” She has instructed classroom and field workshops (annual Festival of the Cranes in NM, Bosque Del Apache NWR and Florida’s Space Coast). She is also a Field Naturalist for Maven, an optics company (https://kathryndow.photoshelter.com). Dow will discuss field shooting techniques, equipment, camera settings and processing. Highlights of her talk include: finding and approaching subjects, reading the light, composition (framing, mood, habitat to include with a subject, image capture angles), focus point selection on still and moving subjects, manual exposure, and helpful histogram settings. Doors open at 6:30 for socializing and image sharing (Elm Street entrance).
Bedford High School Performing Arts proudly presents Legally Blonde, The Musical in March.
The story of Elle Wood and Bruiser’s Harvard adventures will be told by an energetic cast of 41 students, a crew of 25 students, and eight student musicians playing in the pit. The musical is rated PG-13.
