Friends of Island Park presents an art exhibition at the Latchis Gallery, 50 Main Street in Brattleboro, Vermont on view until September 13th with a reception during Gallery Walk on September 4th from 5-8pm.
Featured in the exhibition is a four panel mural celebrating the history of the circus on the Island. It was recently designed and painted by Cynthia Parker-Houghton with the help of Brattleboro-West Arts members and can be seen in the Latchis Gallery. Its next destination will be an installation near the Anna Hunt Marsh Bridge.
Artists represented in the exhibition are: Lewis Bryden, Christine Copeland, Ralph DeAnna, John Dimick, Betsy Hall, John Hooper, Cynthia Houghton/Natalie Blake Studios, Kerry Ann Kazokas, Naomi Lindenfeld, Steve Lloyd, Stacy Morse, Tina Olsen, Walter Slowinski, Erin Weaver, Marc Winnat and Cai Xi. Most of the works are for sale.
Historically, the Island in the Connecticut River was used for many activities including ball games, musical events, and circus performances. Prior to the 19th and 20th centuries it was inhabited by the indigenous people of this area. The Vernon dam was erected in 1909, flooding most of the Island and reducing its area from 22 acres to 7 acres. The Anna Hunt Marsh and Charles Dana Bridges were erected in 1920 and 1927 respectively, and provided a direct route to travel between Brattleboro, VT and Hinsdale, NH.
During the 30 year planning phase for the John Stark Bridge, which has now replaced the aging steel Anna Hunt Marsh and Charles Dana bridges, an agreement was reached to rehabilitate the old bridges and maintain them for public non-motorized use. The adjacent General John Stark Bridge was opened in December of 2024. Excited about the possible new uses of the Island, in the spring of 2024 a community group of volunteers named Friends of Island Park was formed, and started to clean up trash from the Island and to work to manage the invasive vegetation. Their efforts have been halted since the Hinsdale selectboard voiced staunch opposition to allowing public access to the Island out of a concern that policing the Island placed an undue burden on the Town of Hinsdale. New Hampshire DOT erected gates topped with barbed wire in September of 2025 to prevent access to the Island.
Currently, a working group of members from the Hinsdale and Brattleboro selectboards are determining a way forward that respects the concerns of both towns and honors the decades long agreement to open the Island for public non-motorized use.
Unable to work directly on stewardship of the Island, the Friends of Island Park have been putting effort into enhancing and celebrating the natural beauty and history of the Island and surrounding area. The location is a nexus of two towns and two states, connecting the Connecticut and West Rivers, Mt. Wantastiquet trails, the Whetstone Walkway, West River Trail and the Fort Hill Trail, serving as a connector for walkers, hikers, bike riders, skateboarders, anglers, boaters, schoolchildren, and visitors to the area. The group hopes that the Latchis exhibition will bring a greater appreciation and awareness to this greenway and the group’s mission to work cooperatively with officials in NH and VT to transform this unique space into a thriving, car-free amenity that enriches lives through diverse recreational activities, natural beauty, and community events.
Enjoy the Riverfront Connections Art Show and Historical Retrospective. Hours are Fridays 5-7pm and by chance or appointment. To receive updates regarding improving riverfront connections, the twin bridges and island greenway contact: friendsofislandparkvt@gmail.
Pictured above: “River Currents” colored porcelain platter and “Over and Underworld Tea Journey” watercolors on tea bags
Learn how to create dynamic, layered surfaces with colored slips! (Naomi Lindenfeld returns to Portland Pottery for her second workshop! Some of you may remember her from her colored porcelain/nerikomi workshop last year!)
This is a full-process 2-day workshop, meaning that Naomi will demonstrate everything from building pieces with fresh clay to finishing them with slip decoration. She will show slab building techniques, such as using templates, folding, wrapping, and draping slabs – and folding, attaching, and treating seams, edges, and corners effectively. You will learn how to roll slabs to use as a canvas to practice your slip decoration technique before applying it to your own pieces. Finally, Naomi will guide you through sgraffito, stenciling, combing, printing, inlaying, and painting with 8 colored slips to create surfaces on your ceramics that have depth and intrigue. She will also explain how slips are made so that you can make your own if you’d like!
