February 13, 2013 Kenneth Colangelo

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The community is invited to the following events, performances and exhibits at Tunxis Community College in Farmington.

• March 4, 1-2:30 p.m.:

Guest lecture: “Beyond Utility: A Liberal Arts Education in an Era of Standardization” by Leon Botstein, Ph.D., president of Bard College, educational reformer, author, and music director/conductor. Held in Room 6-127, the talk is free. Botstein will share his views on the dangers of academic conformity, the rewards of alternative approaches to testing and learning, and the value of original thinking for students discovering a meaningful career and life. Botstein is one of the founders and leaders of Bard High School Early College in New York and New Jersey. He is also author of “Jefferson’s Children: Education and the Promise of American Culture” (1997), in which he proposes ending public schooling after tenth grade so that students can begin college early. Botstein’s books and essays on education, music and other topics have been widely published. His honors include the National Arts Club Gold Medal, the Centennial Medal of the Hartford Graduate School of the Arts and Sciences, and several other awards. Pizza, desserts and beverages will be served. The lecture is one of a series of talks on philosophy and the history of ideas. For more information, call 860.773.1603, or email [email protected].

Photo of Botstein below.

• March 4-April 4:

Gallery Exhibition: “Diverse Collections in Retrospect,” a collection of approximately 50 oil paintings, drawings and hand-colored photographs of landcapes and still lifes by Laurie Tavino will be on display. Tavino is a former National Endowment for the Arts recipient and winner of the Tassy Walden Award for Children’s Book Illustration Portfolio (2007). She resides in Suffield and is author of “Suffield’s Old Bridge Neighborhood” (Arcadia Publishing, 2009). Opening reception is March 4, 4-7 p.m. in the Wallace Barnes and Barbara Hackman Franklin Art Gallery. Free. Refreshments will be served. The Barnes-Franklin Gallery is open Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m.-8 p.m. and by appointment. For more information, email [email protected]

Photo below: “Assisi Window” by Laurie Tavino.

• March 14, 7 p.m.:

The New York Times bestselling author Amy Bloom will talk about her books and the writing process in Founders Hall, followed by book signing and refreshments. Free. The author of two novels and three short stories, Bloom is a past National Book Award finalist and nominee for the National Book Critics Circle Award. Her stories have appeared in “Best American Short Stories,” “Prize Stories: The O. Henry Awards,” and numerous anthologies here and abroad. She has also written for The New Yorker, The New York Times Magazine, The Atlantic Monthly, among many others, and has won a National Magazine Award. Her most recent novel, “Away” (Random House, Inc., 2007), was an epic story about a Russian immigrant. Her new collection of short stories, “Where the God of Love Hangs Out” (Granta Books), was published in 2010. She became Wesleyan University’s Writer-in-Residence in 2010 and previously taught creative writing for many years at Yale University. Contact Patrice Hamilton at 860.773.1643, [email protected].

Photos below of Amy Bloom (photo by Elena Seibert) and her book “Where the God of Love Hangs Out.”

April 1-5:

“Faces of Survival Exhibit” will be on view daily from 8 a.m.- 9 p.m. in the Administration Building Main Lobby to commemorate National Sexual Assault Awareness Month in April. On loan from Connecticut Sexual Assault Crisis Services, Inc. (CONNSACS), the tabletop display uses personal stories and pictures of 26 Connecticut sexual assault survivors to educate the public about the impact of sexual violence and to help combat the stigma surrounding the issue. Free. Contact Colleen Richard, Ph.D., at 860.773.1637, [email protected].

April 9-30:

Gallery Exhibition: “34th Annual Student Art Show,” a juried show of works by Tunxis art students representing a variety of media including paintings, drawings, sculpture, photography, digital fine art, and graphic design. Opening reception is April 10, 4-7 p.m. in the Wallace Barnes and Barbara Hackman Franklin Art Gallery. Free. Refreshments will be served. The Barnes-Franklin Gallery is open Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m.-8 p.m. and by appointment. For more information, email [email protected]

April 19 & 20:

Theater Production: Tunxis Stage, by arrangement with Samuel French, Inc. will present Sarah Ruhl’s comedy “Dead Man’s Cell Phone,” directed by Tunxis theater lecturer Michael Nowicki, on April 19 and 20 at 7:30 p.m., and matinee April 20 at 1:30 p.m. in Founders Hall Theater. Appropriate for teens and adults. Tickets are $5, and can be purchased in the Administration Building Main Lobby Monday through Thursday starting on April 8, or online now at http://tunxis-stage.brownpapertickets.com for a small service fee. Tickets may also be sold at the door if the performance is not sold out. For more information, call 860.773.1635 or email [email protected].

From fine arts, health, and technology to liberal arts & sciences programs, Tunxis offers over 60 associate’s degrees and certificates, providing critical thinking and problem-solving skills that prepare students for transfer to bachelor’s degree programs and employment in areas with industry need. Tunxis is located at the junction of Routes 6 and 177.

PHOTOS:

Leon Botstein

Leon Botstein

"Assisi Window" by Laurie Tavino.

“Assisi Window” by Laurie Tavino.

Amy Bloom, photo by Elena Seibert.

Amy Bloom, photo by Elena Seibert.

"Where the God of Love Hangs Out," by Amy Bloom.

“Where the God of Love Hangs Out,” by Amy Bloom.