Arts briefs: Upcoming online events

November 13, 2020  |  Waterbury Roundabout

Vermont Creative Network looks to shape creative sector action plan with Nov. 17 online ‘IdeaJam’ 

The 4-County Zone, a creative collective covering Washington, Lamoille, Franklin and Grand Isle counties, invites all creative sector artists, businesses, workers, supporters and entrepreneurs to a statewide “IdeaJam” conversation on Tuesday, Nov. 17 online via Zoom. 

The “IdeaJam” will seek to find ways to advance Vermont’s creative sector, learn how the creative sector can contribute to a vibrant Vermont, and identify regional needs. The exercise is part of the Vermont Creative Network’s project to draft an action plan to identify ways to support, market, and grow the creative sector and help ensure that it can help grow Vermont’s overall economy. Vermont’s creative sector supports some 41,000 jobs and contributes $1 billion to the state’s economy.  

The event will bring together people who work in and support Vermont’s creative sector  from visual and performing artists to those who work in specialty foods, design, film and media, culture and heritage, and literary arts. The 4-County Zone will host a breakout conversation to identify regional needs and priorities. 

The free event will run from 12 to 1 p.m. on Zoom with an optional networking session at 11:30 a.m. Register at createvt.org/events. The next IdeaJam will be Dec. 1 and the process concludes with a final Jamboree event on Dec. 15. All sessions are held on Zoom, and are free and open to the public. 

A program of the Vermont Arts Council, the Vermont Creative Network is a broad collective of organizations, businesses, and individuals working to advance Vermont’s creative sector. More online at vermontartscouncil.org/vermont-creative-network and the planning process at createvt.org.

Online workshop to explore ‘Illusions in Art and the Art of Optical Illusions’ 

Michael J. Strauss.Courtesy photo.

Across Roads Center for the Arts in Waterbury Center will host an online workshop presentation Thursday, Dec. 3, from 7 to 8:30 p.m. featuring artist, author and retired University of Vermont professor Michael Strauss. 

Sponsored by the Grange Hall Cultural Center, “Illusions in Art and the Art of Optical Illusions” will feature still images, video and exercises for participants taking part from home. The workshop is recommended for ages 15 and up and the fee to attend is by donation using a sliding scale. 

The talk and demonstrations will explore the question of whether seeing is believing or if believing is seeing. 

Strauss will discuss connections between looking at art and looking at magic using pattern recognition; optical, color and contrast illusions; visual creation of form; occlusional blocking, amodal completion, misdirection, inattentional blindness, and sleight of hand. Artists, educators, or those interested in science, language and perception should find his presentation of interest. 

Register online at sevendaystickets.com or contact info.acrossroads@gmail.com or 244-4168. Website: acrossroads.org.