Real Wall
Bethani Blake at Real Art Ways

Real Art Ways presents artwork by Bethani Blake  Blake translates a present day world which depicts personal nostalgia, recontextualizing appropriated and personal images. A first generation Black person in an immediate family of white Americans, she grew up surrounded by iconography and other paraphernalia specific to American culture and first-world consumption. Conflicting agency as a consequence of existing between contradictory circumstances, she chooses to acknowledge this connection which drives her to depict an experience in contemporary society with subject matter…

Real Art Ways presents Thin Ice; a solo exhibition by Joseph Smolinski.  Thin Ice, 2020 Digital animation, 6 min. 31 sec. I was born in the 1970’s shortly after the Oil Embargo that brought our country to a halt. The period of 1975-1980 was a missed opportunity to learn from our unsustainable addiction to fossil fuels and embrace innovative new green technologies. In hindsight, this inaction has set us on a course of grave danger all while marketing campaigns from…

Real Art Ways presents Distant Bystander; a solo exhibition by Priya N. Green  Priya N. Green’s work delves into the fragile interplay between sight, perception, and reality. Anchored in the relentless repetition of images from the 24-hour news cycle, Green’s paintings grapple with the tension between agitation and desensitization. This constant barrage of mediated visuals shapes her response: a search for emotional connection amidst the noise. Rooted in large-scale oil paintings, Green’s recent series draws from found images of protests…

Real Art Ways presents a solo exhibition by Christa Whitten.  Cairns have long served as way-finding constructions in terrain where the trail may become unclear. These carefully stacked rock piles act as navigational aids and are trusted to guide the way in critical conditions, such as when dense fog or storms obscure the path. They provide direction in uncertain times. These cairns are offered as places to pause and reflect, reminding us to focus on the waypoints in the storm…

“…witty, wise, and warm character study.” – Indiewire 100% on Rotten Tomatoes Writer and teacher Iris (Naomi Watts) finds her comfortable, solitary New York life thrown into disarray after her closest friend and mentor (Bill Murray) dies suddenly and bequeaths her his beloved 150 lb. Great Dane. The regal yet intractable beast, named Apollo, immediately creates practical problems for Iris, from furniture destruction to eviction notices, as well as more existential ones, his looming presence constantly reminding her of her…

Join us Thursday, April 17, from 6 to 9 PM for our Creative Cocktail Hour. Admission is free. We’ll have music, a food truck, custom cocktails, hands-on art-making activities, and exhibitions on view! But most importantly, you’ll be there!   Solo Exhibitions: Thin Ice by Joseph Slominski Distant Bystander by Priya N. Green Shadows Taller Than Our Souls by Christa Whitten On View: Real Wall: Bethani Blake False/Idle by Doug Beattie (2FL 56 Arbor)   DJ (6:00 -7:30 PM) Kasey Cortez  …

“…an engaging delight from start to finish.” – The Hollywood Reporter Inspired by the true story of a disillusioned Englishman who went to work in a school in Argentina in 1976. Expecting an easy ride, Tom discovers a divided nation and a class of unteachable students. However, after he rescues a penguin from an oil-slicked beach, his life is turned upside-down.

  In celebration of Earth Day, meet us at George Day Park (across from 56 Arbor Street) from 9 am – 1 pm on Friday, April 25, for a clean-up of the Park and our local Parkville neighborhood. Help care for your community, meet new people, and prepare the garden. Snacks and lunch will be provided! PLEASE NOTE: Volunteering will include participating in physical activities such as walking, raking, lifting, etc. If you would like to volunteer, please sign up…

Presenting in partnership with the Hartford Public Library…Please join us on Saturday, April 26, 4:00 pm for a conversation with author Dr. Maria Sirois to celebrate the launch of her new book, The Generous Exchange: How Attention to Beauty, Goodness, and Excellence Restores Us and Our World. “Maria Sirois is a healer, of people and of communities. And when she turns her attention and voice to healing our global village, I feel more optimistic about what lies ahead. This profound book is a…

“One red square can change your entire perception of the world.” – Science.org In his new documentary, OBSERVER, filmmaker Ian Cheney (THE ARC OF OBLIVION, KING CORN, THE SEARCH FOR GENERAL TSO, THE CITY DARK) embarks on an experiment in which he brings a series of keen eyed observers – scientists, artists, a hunter – to a range of locations around the world, often without telling them where they are going, and asks them simply to describe what they see. What unfolds is…