The church has a new owner!

I've heard that the church on the corner of Main and Summer has been purchased and will remain a church. If the rumor is correct, the congregation is Presbyterian. I'm not much of a religious person, but I'm glad it's staying a church.

Yarn anyone?

Oh, I just love good news. Someone emailed me today, and it looks like Maynard will be getting a yarn store! So tell all your knitting and crocheting friends about it, and when the store opens in July, let's make sure they know we're glad to have them.

I absolutely took this image from their Web site

I got this from their blog, but here's a link so you can see it for yourself:

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"The BIG, IMPORTANT Announcement

Posted on May 18, 2016 by islandyarn

I’ve had a stressful few weeks in the store that started with a letter from the landlord informing me that he was going to be doubling the rent.  I hope that NONE of you ever get such a letter.  It is no fun.  And as many of you remember, this is often the letter that means the yarn shop is closing.  So, I went right to work draining my cell phone battery and calling everywhere to try to find space that was affordable and had parking and even tried to explore some more “creative” options.  (Knit a store, anyone?)  And all I found were dead-ends.  Until, the perfect space came up….just down the road on Main Street in Maynard.

Take a deep breath.  It is much closer than you think….I’ve clocked it several times.  From the Market Basket in Waltham, 20 minutes.  That’s all.  And not 20 minutes of congested Waltham driving, but 20 minutes of  -open-the-windows-and-relax driving.  Gorgeous and easy to find.

Though I’m sad to leave our current space and certainly wouldn’t have chosen to go if I didn’t have to, I’m excited to put together the new space, and I know you guys are all going to love it!  And for those of you that can’t make it as often as you would like, bookmark us here!  You can always shop online and we’ll get your goodies to you (you can even drop me a call or email to get some guidance before you order).

We’ll have loads of information in the coming weeks, but as it stands now, Island Yarn will be moving to 189 Main Street, Maynard at the end of July."

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You can follow Island Yarn Company on Facebook. Let's get those "likes" happening. 

This weekend, MCG celebrates 22 years of plant sales!

This Saturday the Maynard Community Gardeners will host their twenty-second plant sale. It's amazing to see that this tradition of getting the community gardening has lasted so long!

A dedicated small crew of MCG members manages to make it happen every year. It's part of their overall mission statement: “Dedicated to sharing a common interest in horticultural activities, promoting town beautification, and creating gardening opportunities for all.” The plant sale fulfills this mission across the board. Firstly, they get plants
to people, creating gardening opportunities. Secondly, the crew of MCG members at the plant sale will gladly spend lots of time talking to you about what kinds of plants would be suited to what you're trying to do. If someone doesn't know an answer to your question, they'll try to find someone who does. And thirdly, the part about town beautification—the money that MCG raises at the plant sale pays for all those beautiful planters that you see downtown during the warm months (that money also goes into paying for garden-related activities that are usually open to the public, but most of the money spent is town beautification).

 
The organization started in 1995, when a vacant parcel of land close to the downtown was slated to become a parking lot. Neighbors to the property fought against the proposal, offering to turn the empty lot into a public garden. And that's what they did! That is why Maplebrook Park exists, because people cared enough to make it something better. All these years later, the club is still caring for that garden; adding plants and pathways, pulling weeds, and dividing perennials. They've got a lot to be proud of. That garden is adjacent to the area where the plant sale is held every year.

If you've been eyeing your property and wondering how to bring a little extra life to it, head over to the plant sale this coming weekend, May 21, 9am-noon. Along with some annuals provided by a local grower, you'll find perennials—plants often dug from members own gardens, and a crew of people happy to talk to you about things that grow around here.

MCG Plant Sale 

May 21, 9am-noon, 

at the corners of Maple, Brooks, and Summer Streets

Don't miss the chance to be part of a public arts project!

While traveling in Portugal last year I saw an amazing art installation done on an art deco shopping mall located on a busy cosmopolitan street in the beautiful city of Porto (or Oporto as it's called in English). Hundreds of ordinary citizens (adults and children, alike) helped build the pieces that made the final installation. The result was an amazing explosion of blue tubes that moved with the wind. It was really cool. I wish I had been part of the project.

Public art changes the flavor of places. It's like a beautiful necklace, or better yet a hat ;-), that takes a basic outfit and turns it into something truly special. That's where Catherine Evans comes in. She's a Maynard Artist who creates, what I think of as "visual rhythms". Her art brings community attention to overlooked environments.












Catherine is getting ready to start a new project, but even better—part of the project involves bringing people together through art. Just stop right there. Doesn't that sound wonderful, the bringing of people together through art? I may not have been part of the Porto art project, but I can certainly be part of this one.

When finished, the work will be installed on the fence across from ArtSpace, and stay up through the summer, adding to ArtSpace Outdoors 2016, an outdoor display of sculpture. Maybe you haven't been by yet, but over the last few months, the ArtSpace grounds have become a wonderful display of form and color. We have some very well-know artists from New England and New York displaying their work here in Maynard. With these new additions, art now spills out of the studio building and into the community, which is just what Catherine Evans is trying to do with her project.

So how can you join me in being part of this? No artistic knowledge is needed. You don't need to be able to draw a stick figure or a straight line.  To quote Catherine, "Each person will express themselves differently in creating their piece. The coming together of those pieces, that is the beauty. And that is community. A big reason behind the project is to make art more accessible to everyone. And not just art done by professional artists."

Of course I love that.

You don't have to be a Maynard resident to be part of this. Artists of all ages are encouraged to participate. You could gather a bunch of your friends, bring your cups of coffee, tea, or juice  boxes and hang out putting these things together. Each participant will make a piece that will become part of the total project.

This project will be started and finished soon, so if you want to be part of it, get on board! One may participate at the following places on the dates listed:

At smARTroom
79 Main Street
Saturday May 7th, 5 to 7:00 pm
(during Maynard Art Walk)

At smARTroom
79 Main Street
Wednesday. May 11th, 7 to 9:00 pm
Saturday May 14th, 1 to 4:00 pm

At ArtSpace
63 Summer St.
Saturday, May 14th 4 to 6:00 pm
(at opening reception of ArtSpace Outdoors 2016)

If you have a large group that would like to participate (troop, club, group), but can't make the dates, drop me a note or message here, I'll try to put you in touch with Catherine as soon as possible so that she might be able to set you up with what you need to join in.

Catherine is still in need of old t-shirts and and CDs/DVDs to use in the project. If you have any to donate, please drop them off at smARTroom.

And don't miss your chance to appreciate more art at ArtSpace. There is a gallery opening for artist Richard Kattman's big, colorful abstractions from 5-7, and tour the outdoor art at ArtSpace and meet some of the artists. May 14, 4-6pm.

Fans of Film is showing "Il Postino: The Postman" May 10 and 11

I'm a founding member of the Fans of Film at Fine Arts Theatre, Maynard. We organized ourselves last year. Here's a post I did about what we were trying to do. This month is the last film in our first six-month series. The next six movies will start showing in June. So keep a lookout for them.

This month, we proudly present "Il Postino: The Postman".

Show dates and times are May 10 and 11 (Tuesday and Wednesday) at 7:30pm.

When exiled Cuban poet Pablo Neruda (Philippe Noiret) arrives on a tiny Italian isle, there's so much mail coming to the island that Mario (Massimo Troisi), an unemployed, uneducated lay-about, is hired as a postman. His job is simply to deliver Neruda's daily mail. Mario soon becomes a student of the poet, learning the art of poetry to woo a local barmaid (Maria Grazia Cucinotta) and sharing his experiences as a struggling working-class villager. A firm friendship develops, and the postman is a changed man.

Among countless awards, "Il Postino: The Postman" received five nominations and one Academy Award in 1995. The film's score, composed by Luis Enriquez Bacalov, won the Academy Award for Best Music (Original Dramatic Score). The film was also nominated for: Best Picture; Best Director (Michael Radford); Best Actor in a Leading Role (Massimo Troisi); and Best Writing (Screenplay Based on Material Previously Produced or Published). In the categories for Best Actor and Best Writing, Troisi received posthumous nominations. He had postponed heart surgery so that he could complete the film. The day after filming was completed, he suffered a fatal heart attack.

Please join us for this wonderfully romantic tale of love and friendship, set against the breathtaking scenery of the Mediterranean.

Fans of Film shows are every second Tuesday and Wednesday of the month at 7:30pm. Ticket price are $7.00 and should be purchased at the door.

We are an independent group of moviegoers whose mission is to promote the showing of exceptional films at our local theater. Celebrating the art of film-making by promoting indie, documentary, foreign and classic film.

All screenings are at: Fine Arts Theatre Place, 19 Summer Street, Maynard, tele: 978-298-5626

Time for the Russian Bazaar again!

I'm fairly new to the Bazaar Russe; I've only attended three times. This event is small town at its finest—delicious, fresh foods, mixing of ages, and banquet-table seating that will have you making a few new friends as you bond over pierogi. I did a couple posts about it last year. Here's the first one and the second one.

Here's this year's schedule:

The next Bazaar Russe will take place on
Fri, May 20  (10:00 a.m.- ­ 8:00 p.m.)
Sat, May 21 (10:00 a.m. -­ 4:00 p.m.)
at 15 Prospect Street, Maynard.

Traditional slavic food for eat in and take out will be available all day starting at 11:00 a.m. on both days.  Eat your fill of pierogi, blini, potato pancakes, borscht, stuffed cabbage, kielbasa, and more and then buy something to take home.  After you've eaten, browse the items for sale including imported Russian nesting dolls and crafts, Russian-style jewelry, handmade crafts and baked goods.

Free parking. Free admission. The bazaar is held in the parish hall of Holy Annunciation Orthodox Church.

Sample menu available here.

Don't miss this wonderful opportunity to both eat great food and tour the fairy princess church!