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This coming weekend I will be seeing a friend, Victoria Taketa, from San Jose Japantown. Vickie is visiting AMP for the first time. We met 20 years ago in California when she and her mother, Akiyo, came to contribute to a giant AMP project in tribute to those who survived life in the internment camps during WWII. After a year of planning this collaborative project, our AMP crew traveled first to Japantown, then headed to a site in the desert for a pilgrimage at Manzanar, California, a former internment site. We met over 1000 people who were relatives or had, themselves, been interned in the camps.
Vickie’s mom arrived using a walker to get around, breathing with the aid of an oxygen tank and speaking little English. Akiyo unwrapped her Yasutomo Calligraphy brush and set out her inks. For several hours, this woman stood braced by her walker, practicing on newsprint. Finally, late in the afternoon, she unwrapped her rice paper scroll and began to write, describing her coming to America as a 19 year old girl right through life in the internment camps and after.
Her last line: “Yet, as I look back today, the happy moments are what I am thankful for, as I await my place in heaven.” Akiyo Inouye Taketa died months after our project leaving a message as vital today as it was then.
And get excited…this is another giant collaborative project to be installed at AMP coming up!! So many surprises ahead.
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LIVE @AMP is excited to present three singing and swinging a cappella choirs for a night of soaring voices in our soaring space! Each ensemble brings an eclectic repertoire, rich and complex harmonies, and standout soloists. Brandeis University’s Starving Artists, UCONN’s Extreme Measures and Wesleyan’s Notably Sharp will each perform a set and then come together for an a cappella supergroup blowout finale!
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AMP’s live events are supported by the generosity of the Magnifico Family.
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AMP's popular Happy Hour Piano Series eases you into the weekend with live piano music and libations in Connecticut's most unique art space. Pianist Mary DiPaola has performed at the Litchfield Jazz Festival and Hartford Jazz Festival. She is on faculty at the Hartt School at the University of Hartford and teaches music at Aiken Elementary School in West Hartford. Her recordings include Cat’s Cradle and Seventh Sign.
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The piano series is supported in part by the Greenberg family.
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Innovation Wall Exhibit at AMP
October 10–26
For more than 350 years, Connecticut has been the birthplace of invention. The helicopter, nuclear submarine, the first space suit on the moon, and even the Wiffle Ball were all born and manufactured in Connecticut.
To honor this legacy, the American Manufacturing Hall of Fame (AMHoF) is partnering with AMP to host the Innovation Wall, a 1,500 sq interactive display featuring 50 Connecticut Innovation Firsts. This "greatest hits" of Nutmeg State ingenuity includes everything from the first nuclear submarine to the first moon walk, from Sikorsky to Silly Putty, from PEZ to parachutes. Visitors can even hold racing bicycle wheels that won 14 medals at the Paris Olympics.
The exhibition is included at no extra charge with regular admission to AMP.
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Family Day
Saturday, October 11
Tell a Story in 3D!
Three reasons why AMP’s mural is awesome: 1) the artwork was created collaboratively, 2) it tells a story, and 3) it’s told in three dimensions! Now you and your gang can make awesome art together that tells a story in 3D - no special glasses necessary! Through The Game, participants will build colorful 3D creations together and then bring their artwork to life through stories. Let your imagination run wild by mashing up your original art with others to make whole worlds, characters, and fantastic plot twists!
Developed by multimedia artist and educator Gerald Moore, The Game is presented through Arts for Learning Connecticut.
Schedule of Activities
Doors Open 10am
Teen Art Studio 10:30am (see below)
Story Time & Craft 11am
Art & Explore 12pm
Interactive Program: 1:30pm
Save these Family Day dates:
Oh Zap! Fun with Lasers November 8
Funny Business: Improv Comedy December 13
Family Days run in tandem with Teen Art Studio—something for everyone.
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AMP’s Family Days are supported by the generosity of the Comis Foundation and Torrington Savings Bank.
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Teen Art Studio
Saturday, October 11
10:30am–1:30pm
Whether you're a returning teen or new to the studio, Teen Art Studio is your space to experiment, create, and connect. Held every second Saturday, this drop-in program is led by professional teaching artist Shana Bazelmans and open to teens ages 13–18.
Explore new materials, build your skills, and try everything from painting and sculpture to animation and fashion design. A $5 materials fee includes access to the mural exhibit and all Family Day activities—or attend free with an AMP Student Membership ($25/year).
While teens are in the studio, the rest of the family can take part in Family Day activities.
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Teen Art Studio is made possible in part by the Torrington Savings Bank Foundation.
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Teen Art Workshop: Teens Helping Teens
Saturday, October 25
10:30am–1:30pm
Learn how to recognizes signs of a mental health crisis and what you can do to help. This session combines suicide prevention training or QPR (Question, Persuade, Refer) and allows teens to use their creativity and art-making to reflect on what they’ve learned. This supportive program is presented in partnership with McCall Behavioral Health Network and participants will be certified in QPR. Suggested donation: $10 for materials.
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Halloween Window Painting Contest
Saturday, October 25
The 43rd Halloween Window Painting Contest hits Winchester on Saturday, October 25. Open to all K–6 students (local, out-of-town, and homeschooled), this spooktacular tradition brings teams of two kids downtown to paint their assigned windows starting at 9am. Watch the magic—and the monsters—come to life!
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