Main Street Arts Garden Tour
June 10-11, 2023
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Experience three owner-designed gardens as living art forms. The weekend will feature garden sculpture, music, plein air painting, labyrinth walks, and more. Tour begins at MSA, 35 Main Street, Saxtons River, VT. Tickets are $20 in advance or $25 on the days of the event. Included in the entrance ticket price is one raffle ticket with a chance to win gift certificates generously donated by Gardeners Supply Company and local nurseries. Additional raffle tickets will be available. Proceeds from this special event will support MSA's efforts to make programs affordable. Note: A few people have reported having trouble with buying tickets with our online system. We're sorry about that, and don't want you to miss the garden tour! If your credit card was rejected, please email info@mainstreetarts.org. You can come to MSA on the garden tour days and pay by cash, check or credit card at the $20 price.
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Garden 1
Garden #1 features garden rooms of mixed shrub and perennial beds, each with a distinct character, all playing with a sense of enclosure. Moving from formal to woodsy, experience a circle garden, a fire circle, and a mossy labyrinth.
Garden 2
Garden #2 reflects its creator’s enthusiasm for flowers in all seasons. One of its flowerbeds is atop a beautiful retaining stone wall. The small pond reflects lupines and a pond azalea. From the house you see the adjacent field with mowed paths.
Garden 3
Garden #3 combines formal areas and relaxed native plantings. The pergola is home to vines and roses. There’s a mixed bed by the pond, and a new contemplative walk of evergreens that ends in a quiet stone garden. The vegetable garden neighbors a pollinator patch, slowly reducing the lawn.
Schedule of Events
Note: All tickets and event maps will be available for pick up on the
days of the event at MSA, 35 Main Street in Saxtons River, VT.
Restrooms available at MSA only.
Saturday, June 10
10:30 am in Garden #1: Labyrinth talk by Rana C. Williams
10 am – 12 pm in Garden #2: Plein air painting workshop by Kristen Murphy
10 am – 12 pm in Garden #3: Music by Gordon Korstange on South Indian Flute
12 pm at Main Street Arts: Sapling arch demonstration by Mark Ragonese
1:30 pm in Garden #3: A talk by landscape designer Samantha Anderson
Sunday, June 11
10:30 am in Garden #3: A talk by landscape designer Samantha Anderson
12 – 2 pm in Garden #2: Plein air painting workshop by Kristen Murphy
1 pm – 2 pm in Garden #3: Music by Gordon Korstange on South Indian Flute
1:30 pm in Garden #1: Labyrinth talk by Rana C. Williams
Information about the events and the presenters
Plein Air Workshop by Kristen Murphy
Come enjoy the fully immersive experience of making art outdoors. Working en plein air can be a powerful tool to appreciate our surroundings through careful observation and awareness of constant changes. We will begin with a short mindfulness exercise, followed by a drawing/painting demonstration, and finally a chance to depict your own experiences with gentle guidance.
Please bring your own supplies in whatever medium you wish. Remember to consider your seating and shade needs,
work surfaces, and responsible ways to carry out waste material.
Labyrinth Talk by Rana C. Williams
Rana C. Williams is a member of the Labyrinth Society, a group of labyrinth lovers from around the world. Rana became fascinated with Labyrinth walking during her short participation at an Austin Texas UU Church. The group gathered for monthly walks, as well as studied their history and design. She was thrilled to find a labyrinth in her new home of Bellows Falls and would love to form a similar group here. Walking meditation is her method of choice and she likes to walk them barefoot to bring focus to every step.
Structure In The Garden Bed: Using Plants To Frame And Enhance Outdoor Spaces -
a talk by landscape designer Samantha Anderson
Samantha Anderson heads West River Landscape Design of Brattleboro, VT, specializing in residential landscape design. With over ten years of practice designing landscapes of varying scale, location, focus, and complexity, Samantha has deep experience utilizing the building blocks of the landscape, planting in particular, to craft inspired outdoor spaces for Vermont homeowners. In addition to managing West River projects, Samantha also collaborates with leading Southern Vermont landscape architect firms on residential and institutional design projects across Vermont and greater New England. You can learn more about Samantha at
www.westriverlandscapedesign.com .
Making A Sapling Arch with Mark Ragonese
Mark Ragonese is a master woodworker, sculptor and multi-media artist. He designs and builds one of a kind fine furniture and sculpture and outdoor site and event- specific installations. In his work, he stresses the importance of individuality,
membership in a community, and the significance of a handmade object. Mark will demonstrate the power and ease of creating a simple sculptural element for the garden, an arch made of saplings. You can learn more about him and his work at
www.markragonese.com.
Gordon Korstange on South Indian Bamboo Flute
Gordon Korstange is a writer and musician who lives in Saxtons River, VT. He began learning south Indian music as a Peace Corps volunteer, then continued his studies at Wesleyan University with T. Viswanathan where he received an MA in World Music and Creative Writing. He has performed with poet Robert Bly and dancer Nina Gulati, combining poetry, music, and Indian dance.
Note: All tickets and event maps will be available for pick up on the
days of the event at MSA, 35 Main Street in Saxtons River, VT.
Restrooms available at MSA only.
Saturday, June 10
10:30 am in Garden #1: Labyrinth talk by Rana C. Williams
10 am – 12 pm in Garden #2: Plein air painting workshop by Kristen Murphy
10 am – 12 pm in Garden #3: Music by Gordon Korstange on South Indian Flute
12 pm at Main Street Arts: Sapling arch demonstration by Mark Ragonese
1:30 pm in Garden #3: A talk by landscape designer Samantha Anderson
Sunday, June 11
10:30 am in Garden #3: A talk by landscape designer Samantha Anderson
12 – 2 pm in Garden #2: Plein air painting workshop by Kristen Murphy
1 pm – 2 pm in Garden #3: Music by Gordon Korstange on South Indian Flute
1:30 pm in Garden #1: Labyrinth talk by Rana C. Williams
Information about the events and the presenters
Plein Air Workshop by Kristen Murphy
Come enjoy the fully immersive experience of making art outdoors. Working en plein air can be a powerful tool to appreciate our surroundings through careful observation and awareness of constant changes. We will begin with a short mindfulness exercise, followed by a drawing/painting demonstration, and finally a chance to depict your own experiences with gentle guidance.
Please bring your own supplies in whatever medium you wish. Remember to consider your seating and shade needs,
work surfaces, and responsible ways to carry out waste material.
Labyrinth Talk by Rana C. Williams
Rana C. Williams is a member of the Labyrinth Society, a group of labyrinth lovers from around the world. Rana became fascinated with Labyrinth walking during her short participation at an Austin Texas UU Church. The group gathered for monthly walks, as well as studied their history and design. She was thrilled to find a labyrinth in her new home of Bellows Falls and would love to form a similar group here. Walking meditation is her method of choice and she likes to walk them barefoot to bring focus to every step.
Structure In The Garden Bed: Using Plants To Frame And Enhance Outdoor Spaces -
a talk by landscape designer Samantha Anderson
Samantha Anderson heads West River Landscape Design of Brattleboro, VT, specializing in residential landscape design. With over ten years of practice designing landscapes of varying scale, location, focus, and complexity, Samantha has deep experience utilizing the building blocks of the landscape, planting in particular, to craft inspired outdoor spaces for Vermont homeowners. In addition to managing West River projects, Samantha also collaborates with leading Southern Vermont landscape architect firms on residential and institutional design projects across Vermont and greater New England. You can learn more about Samantha at
www.westriverlandscapedesign.com .
Making A Sapling Arch with Mark Ragonese
Mark Ragonese is a master woodworker, sculptor and multi-media artist. He designs and builds one of a kind fine furniture and sculpture and outdoor site and event- specific installations. In his work, he stresses the importance of individuality,
membership in a community, and the significance of a handmade object. Mark will demonstrate the power and ease of creating a simple sculptural element for the garden, an arch made of saplings. You can learn more about him and his work at
www.markragonese.com.
Gordon Korstange on South Indian Bamboo Flute
Gordon Korstange is a writer and musician who lives in Saxtons River, VT. He began learning south Indian music as a Peace Corps volunteer, then continued his studies at Wesleyan University with T. Viswanathan where he received an MA in World Music and Creative Writing. He has performed with poet Robert Bly and dancer Nina Gulati, combining poetry, music, and Indian dance.
MSA is grateful to our generous sponsors
