September 04, 2008 12:12 am Newburyport resident Wendy Lynne Dickes captures the beauty of flora, fauna and seascapes in "Moments of Serenity," an exhibit of her oil paintings opening today in Laura Coombs Hills Gallery at the Newburyport Art Association, 65 Water St. Dickes was first introduced to oils as a young child, but did not return to painting until 2001 when she began to study with local painter Pat Lutz. She continued her studies with plein air artists Kevin Shea, Bill Duke and Alan Bull. She tends to highlight subjects for which she has an innate love — flowers, animals and seascapes. The pieces in the show are a direct reflection of Dickes' own life, and include the scenery she encountered when she moved from the Midwest to be near the ocean. "Painting is a creative outlet that brings balance into my life," she says in a press release. "It allows me to spend time with the beauty in our world that is so often missed in our busy lives." The exhibit also features portraits of animals, which are another important element in her life. Dickes has been rescuing animals since she was a girl, and is a volunteer with the Merrimack River Feline Rescue Society based in Salisbury. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of her pet portraits will benefit the Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in Utah. "Moments of Serenity" runs through Sept. 17. An artist's reception is set for tomorrow from 6 to 9 p.m. For more, call the art association at 978-465-8769 or visit www.newburyportart.org or www.thesecretgardenstudio.com. Bridge Gallery spotlights 'At the Water's Edge' Lowell artist Susan Jaworski-Stranc brings viewers "At the Water's Edge" as the featured artist for September at the Bridge Gallery, 113 Merrimac St., Newburyport. Jaworski-Stranc's layered reduction linoleum prints are inspired by traditional ocean themes such as clamming, sea gulls and fishermen and their boats and hauls. The exhibit also features a small collection of her drypoint and pencil sketches and other work. A printmaker and teacher for 30 years, Jaworski-Stranc maintains a printmaking studio at Western Avenue Studios in Lowell. She is a member of the Boston Printmakers and the Center for Contemporary Printmaking in Norwalk, Conn., and paints weekly with the regional plein air group The Newburyport Ten. She is also an associate member of Bridge Gallery. Her artwork is found in numerous public and private collections around the country. A wine and cheese reception for "At the Water's Edge" takes place Saturday, Sept. 13, from 5 to 7 p.m. Bridge Gallery is open Thursday through Monday from noon to 6 p.m. Call 978-457-0166 or visit www.bridgegallerynewburyport.com or www.appleciderpress.net. Slithering fun at Maudslay State Park Snake expert Rick Roth introduces those who dare to the snakes of Massachusetts and the world in a program on Saturday from 2 to 3 p.m. in the park headquarters at Maudslay State Park, Curzon Mill Road, Newburyport. Roth, director of Cape Ann Vernal Pond, will show off some local and exotic snakes and talk about their lives and habitats. All ages are invited. Admission is free. Here's what else is planned this coming week at Maudslay: A history talk and walk series steps off Sundays, Sept. 7, 14 and 21, at 2 p.m. from the park headquarters. Led by the park interpreter, the free walks will explore a different area of the Moseley family estate each week. The house sites are the focus for this Sunday, with the gardens in the spotlight Sept. 14 and the farm complex garnering attention on Sept. 21. Ages 8 and up are invited along. Evening strolls for ages 5 and up set out every Tuesday through September from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Participants will experience various environments on the slow-paced, leisurely walks. Admission to all of the programs is free. Registration is not required. Call 978-465-7223. Amesbury artist shines in September show Amesbury artist Margery Jennings takes over Chase & Lunt Insurance, 47 State St., Newburyport, this month for an exhibit of her work. A lifelong resident of New England, Margery Jennings has been an artist for more than 30 years, working in oil, pastel, acrylic, pen and ink and computer imagining. A member of the Newburyport Art and Greater Haverhill Arts associations, she recently joined The Newburyport Ten painting group. The exhibit featuring about 25 of Jennings' paintings runs through Sept. 30. It is part of the Newburyport Art Association's Wings Exhibit. A wine and cheese reception takes place Friday, Sept. 12, from 5 to 7 p.m. Call 978-462-4434. Photography students in focus at Port cafe Amesbury photographer Robert Chiller and his students share their work in an exhibit this season at Carry Out Cafe and Catering, 155 State St., Newburyport. The student photographers participating in the show are Rebecca Hallisey, Nancy Jervey, Jim Krum, Douglas Mahar, Tracey Marino, Hilary O'Connor, Larry Pearl, Sherry Pearl, Nancy Richards, Maureen Yeager and Dale Young. An opening reception is set for Friday, Sept. 12, at 7 p.m. Hors d'oeuvres prepared by Carry Out Cafe Catering will be provided. No reservations are required. The exhibit runs through Nov. 1. Call 978-499-2240 or visit www.carryoutcafe.com. Exhibit blends art and the environment Newburyport's Andrea Panaro, a recent graduate of Montserrat College of Art in Beverly, is showing her paintings and printmaking at Fowle's on State Street in Newburyport. Panaro, who is passionate about art and the environment, has spent her summer interning with the Green Artists League, a locally based group that raises eco-awareness through art (www.greenartistsleague.org). Ranging from the figurative to abstract, Panaro's work is inspired by nature and metamorphosis. She says her pieces are designed to feel as though they are shifting, changing and growing. Her show can be viewed weekdays from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. and weekends from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. through Sept. 25. Author exposing Lincoln conspirator Author and historian Kate Clifford Larson shares the story of a little-known participant in the plot to kill Abraham Lincoln in her new nonfiction book, "The Assassin's Accomplice: Mary Surratt and the Plot to Kill Abraham Lincoln." She'll visit Jabberwocky Bookshop in The Tannery, 50 Water St., Newburyport tomorrow night at 7 to highlight the book. Surratt — a Confederate sympathizer who ran the boarding house in Washington where the conspirators — including her rebel son, met to plan the assassination — was the first woman to be executed by the U.S. Set against the backdrop of the Civil War and based on long-lost interviews, confessions and court testimony, "The Assassin's Accomplice" tells the intricate story of the Lincoln conspiracy through the eyes of its only female participant. Larson, of Winchester, teaches history at Simmons College in Boston. She is also the author of "Bound for the Promised Land: Harriet Tubman, Portrait of an American Hero." Admission to tomorrow's program is free. Call 978-465-9359 or visit http://jabberwocky.booksense.com. Spend the morning with some Farm Friends Farm Friends, fun-filled, hourlong adventures for preschoolers ages 3 to 6, takes place Tuesdays and Fridays at 10 a.m. at Spencer-Peirce-Little Farm, 5 Little's Lane, Newbury. Each week features a different theme, highlighted by a story, craft project and visit from a furry or feathered friend or other farm activities. Upcoming programs include "Corn" tomorrow, "Farm Trucks" on Sept. 9 and 12, and "Little Red Hen" on Sept. 16 and 19. Admission is $10 per child per session, with a $3 discount for members of Historic New England. Each program is limited to 15 children. Reservations are preferred, but drop-ins are welcome. Call 978-462-2634 or visit www.historicnewengland.org. `Women of Revolutionary War Times' film Area filmmaker Dan Tremblay presents "Women of Revolutionary War Times" on Tuesday, Sept. 9, at 7 p.m. at Newburyport Public Library, 94 State St., Newburyport. The production involves local Revolutionary-period encampments and historical accounts of women's roles during the 1775 period. It was filmed in Lexington, Concord and North Andover. Admission is free. Call Tremblay at 978-777-2711 for more. 'Bhutan: Birding on Top of the World' lecture Bill Gette, director of Mass Audubon's Joppa Flats Education Center in Newburyport, presents a slide program and lecture titled "Bhutan: Birding on the Top of the World" on Wednesday, Sept. 10, at 7:30 p.m. at the center, 1 Plum Island Turnpike, Newburyport. Gette led a three-week trip to the Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan in April. He will share his photographs of the people, religious art, architecture and wildlife of the country. Admission is $4. Mass Audubon members get in free. Registration is not required. Call 978-462-9998 or visit www.massaudubon.org. `Battle of Franklin' for Civil War Roundtable Historian Dick Simpson highlights the "Battle of Franklin" when the Civil War Roundtable meets Wednesday, Sept. 10, at 7:30 p.m. at the Hilton Senior Center, 43 Lafayette Road (Route 1), Salisbury. Admission is free. Anyone with an interest in the Civil War is invited. Call Tom at 978-462-8518. `Newburyport: The African Connection' program Celebrate African history, culture, art and music and learn about Newburyport's historic and current connection to Africa in a program next week at the Custom House Maritime Museum, 25 Water St., Newburyport. "Newburyport: The African Connection" takes place Thursday, Sept. 11, from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Representatives of the two local Sister City programs — the Greater Newburyport/Bura Alliance and Amesbury for Africa — as well as the International Medical Equipment Collaborative, Shalupe and other organizations will discuss their current projects in Africa. African art and artifacts will be on display, and African music will set the tone for discussions. Complimentary food and wine will be served.¬ For more on the program, contact Steve Bentley at 978-465-6811 or e-mail sb@cheezygreetings.com. Talent Show set for Atria Merrimack Place Atria Merrimack Place in Newburyport is hosting an Extravaganza Talent Show on Friday, Sept. 12, at 2 p.m. The free annual show is part of a weeklong celebration for National Assisted Living Week. It will feature the talents of the residents, families, staff and friends of Atria Merrimack Place, a senior living residence at 85 Storey Ave. Refreshments will be served. For information or to reserve a seat, call 978-462-7324. Search on for Hometown American Idol The Rotary Club of Greater Georgetown is seeking performing artists for its third annual talent show, Hometown American Idol 2008 set for Saturday, Nov. 1, at 7 p.m. at Georgetown High School. Contestants will vie for a $500 first prize with a local "celebrity" panel of judges picking the winner. The show welcomes singers, dancers, musicians and other performers. Contestants may perform a cappella or with musical accompaniment, but backup singers aren't allowed. Demo tapes no more than three minutes in length should be sent to Hometown American Idol, in care of RCGG, 7 Parish Road, Georgetown 01833. The entry deadline is Sept, 26. Call 978-352-6774 or 978-352-8881 for more. ¬¢¬¢¬¢ To submit a Lookout item, e-mail it to svartabedian@newburyportnews.com, fax it to 978-465-8505, or mail it to The Daily News, 23 Liberty St., Newburyport, MA 01950.
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