How I Do What I Do
– Get a glimpse into the mind of world-renowned fantasy artist, Gary Lippincott. How does he create these magical worlds from his mind’s eye? What has he learned along the way, and what advice does he have for achieving success as an artist? Visual presentation of Gary’s work, followed by a discussion and Q&A from the audience. 
imitry Rimsky grew up in Washington, CT, where he continues to reside. He is a graduate of Shepaug Valley High School, class of 1965. He has been a talent agent creating the Savoy Agency responsible for the entertainment calendars of over a dozen venues in the 1980.’s. He also created the Petaluers mime troupe that sold flowers in many New Have restaurants and nightclubs during the 80’s and 90’s. During the 90’he became a graphic designer and later evolved into a web designer. He currently is a house painter, civic activist in his community and resident poet. Dimitri has been performing his poetry at various coffee houses and other venues since he was 18 years old., starting in New Haven’s famous Exit coffeehouse and venues in Key West , Woodstock and few places he’s forgotten. Most recently he has read at the Washington Art Association, the Gunn Memorial Library, the Sherman Playhouse and Gateway City Arts in Holyoke. Selected poems have been published in the Confluencia in the Valley collected works, 2013 and the No Name Writers Anthology This one has no name in 2016.
Marylou Ferrante – is a multi-instrumentalist who sings & performs old blues, old-time, country & folk music on guitar, mandolin & banjo. Marylou’s performances are filled with storytelling & history. Her passionate expression of these old songs comes from a love of the music and the arrangements themselves, as well as what she says is an appreciation for “the history of these folks and the difficult circumstances they endured.” Marylou has appeared on stage with Maria Muldaur, Chris Smither, Guy Davis, Paul Geremia, and Andy Cohen. Check out Marylou’s music at https://www.reverbnation.com/marylouferrante Marylou’s performances include musical presentations with a historical perspective. A few of the programs that Marylou has developed, “Pioneering Women of Song” ”The Melting Pot of Early American Music” and “The History of the Cambridge Folk Music Scene”. Marylou has performed these interactive presentations for schools and libraries in Massachusetts including area Cambridge, MA schools for the past 8 years through an organization entitled “Folk New England” and funded by a grant through ASCAP “Stories Through Songs”. Marylou Ferrante was described by music critic and writer, Daniel Gewertz, in the Boston Herald, as the Bay State’s finest female acoustic blues interpreter. Marylou has honed her craft listening to the old recordings and learning from some of the great blues players today such as Paul Rishell, Guy Davis, Robert Jones and mandolin great Rich DelGrosso. Marylou teaches privately and in workshops-guitar, mandolin, banjo, and ukulele.
Bill O’Connell lives in the Pioneer Valley of Massachusetts between the Connecticut River and Quabbin Reservoir. Bill is a recent winner in the Atlantic Currents II writing contest for his poem “When We Were All Still Alive,” the title poem from his new book from Open Field Press, which is available at SPDBooks.org. His other books are Sakonnet Point and On the Map to Your Life. Bill is a graduate of UMass Lowell, with a master’s degree from Colorado State University. He has a poem forthcoming in The Lowell Review 2022, due this month.
Katherine McClelland-
Learn how Katherine uses wool fibers to create incredible works of Fine Art. Kat is a graduate of The Maryland Institute, College of Art where she majored in ceramics but took classes in a wide range of disciplines. She is married to a fabulous woodworker and is the mother of two amazing girls. She is an art teacher for a small high school in CT and also teaches felting workshops in a variety of settings. She spends her studio time working hard to develop a body of work in felting, her medium of choice for the last seven years.
– Guitarist, composer, arranger, and conductor Peter Blanchette is known around the world as the inventor of the 11-string arch guitar. His extraordinary repertoire of internationally acclaimed arrangements and compositions spans from medieval, renaissance, and baroque music to World Music, New Music, and his own original pieces. Peter will share his journey as a musician through discussion and performance.
