The Art of Summer

summer sun field

Being creative provides us with the ability, or at least the possibility, of taking our thoughts and making them a reality. The process often starts with us saying, “I have an idea.”

Here in Manchester and the Mountains creativity is rich and abundant. There are many among us who have that knack–the ability to innovate, communicate, collaborate, and execute.

This summer, the community celebrates the 100th anniversary of Yester House at Southern Vermont Arts Center and Dorset Theatre Festival’s 40th, so we thought it appropriate to dedicate this issue to the arts.

Theatre, visual arts, and music are cornerstones of artistic expression in this area. We learned about playwright Theresa Rebeck’s inspiration to create the play  downstairs for the Dorset Theatre Festival. The show explores the relationship between a brother and sister and is performed by real life siblings Tyne Daly and Tim Daly. From Weston Playhouse Theatre Company, we felt the spirit of collaboration and fun and witness the vision turned reality of the new Weston Center for the Arts. We present the unique photography of Stephen Schaub who will be exhibiting at the Southern Vermont Arts Center and Helmholz Fine Art this summer. We heard from Manchester Music Festival about the process of recruiting world-class musicians, and Taconic Music shared the excitement about their debut season and described how rehearsals are an intimate part of the creative process.

In “Romancing the Stones,” we learned about the vision of John Von Bargen, an entrepreneur who created a family legacy turning gemstones into an art form, jewelry. In “Conserving Higher Ground,” we focused our attention to the beauty of the nature that surrounds and inspires us all.

“Behind the scenes,” another creative endeavor is emerging in our community. ART Manchester was conceived while producing this issue with the vision to exhibit artists in the area who may not have other opportunities for exposure. As a result of teamwork and collaboration, the town, local business owners, and Southern Vermont Arts Center will transform this idea into a reality. Look for these new storefronts around Manchester this summer season alongside permanent galleries.

Come be inspired and entertained this summer in Manchester and the Mountains by all of those who had an idea and turned it into a reality.

— Marcia Lissak