CHATHAM — As a little girl, Jo Ann Ritter was fascinated by color. She "colored continuously." And later in life, as an artist, this is evident in her work. Beautiful colors in harmony with each other, combined with a subtle use of shading, create a calm, peaceful mood in her oil paintings. Ritter is a plein air painter, one who paints outside and captures the scene fresh from life. Ritter initially studied ...

CHATHAM - Singer, composer and dancer Lisa Sullivan Jason has refashioned her life in middle age by moving from Chatham to New York City to pursue her dreams as a performer on a larger stage than Chatham Bars Inn and the Wequassett Resort and Golf Club provided. “It was cool to go back to New York as an older person,” Jason said during a telephone interview last week. “I look back on life at the Cape – I have ...

“Two roads diverged in a yellow wood.” So begins Robert Frost’s famous 1916 poem “The Road Not Taken.” Wouldn’t it enhance Frost’s poem if you could read it while standing in a picturesque wood? Since mid-June you can. This and 27 other poems—half for adults, half for young readers—are set out on Chatham’s first Poetry Walk thanks to a collaboration between the Eldredge Public Library (EPL) and the Chatham ...

HARWICH — The town has received a $10,000 Communities Cultural District Initiative grant from the Massachusetts Cultural Council to establish two cultural districts, in Harwich Center and Harwich Port. Harwich over the past year has become very active in focusing on cultural activities as a means of driving the local economy. The conversion of the former Harwich Middle School into the Harwich Cultural Center h...

A new light is about to shine on Harwich's cultural stage as a result of a collaboration between the Harwich Cranberry Arts and Music Festival, Inc., and the Harwich Cultural Center, located in the former Harwich Middle School on Sisson Road. Starting on Thursday, July 12 and continuing through Thursday, Aug. 23, Cranfest In The Courtyard will offer a series of acoustic concerts to be held, weather permitting,...

HARWICH — Expansion of the town's art community has been quite noticeable with the activities in the Harwich Cultural Center over the past year. Now the Guild of Harwich Artists is taking it a step further, voting to open up its membership to artists from across the Cape. “The goal here is to expand art in our community,” Guild of Harwich Artists President Chris Banks said. “With the Harwich Cultural Center...

HARWICH — Like spring flowers, arts and culture are blossoming in Harwich. The seed that was planted a year ago when selectmen approved the use of the former middle school for a cultural center is blooming. This weekend will be the start of ArtWeek, a statewide celebration of the arts in the commonwealth, and Harwich will be center stage with demonstrations, performances and exhibits. But that is just one peta...

HARWICH — “These walls are smiling,” someone whispered as the voices of angels filled the sanctuary of the former South Harwich Methodist Church on Saturday. It had been many years since those walls buffered the voices of parishioners. The renewal of voice came in melodic harmony from the Chatham Chorale celebrating the 13-year preservation effort by the Friends of the South Harwich Meetinghouse, Inc., a major...

HARWICH – Cape Cod might be known as a place of wealth, but hunger is a real problem here, one that those at Monomoy Regional Middle School are doing something about. To ensure struggling families have what they need, the school created the Monomoy Market, an in-school food pantry, and to raise money for the market the school will host its first-ever Empty Bowls, Full Hearts fundraiser. Slated for March 26,...

HARWICH — It has been a 13-year undertaking, but the results of the persistence of the Friends of the South Harwich Meetinghouse to preserve and restore the historic South Harwich Methodist Church will be on display over the St. Patrick's Day weekend with a grand opening series of benefit concerts by the Chatham Chorale. The Chatham Chorale will perform four of their popular Celtic concerts at the meetinghouse...

HARWICH — When it comes to supporting local theater, providing studio space for artists, and giving local musicians public performance venues, Harwich deserves to take a bow. But by all accounts, the show’s just getting started. On Monday, the town and the Harwich Cultural Council signed a formal agreement with the Harwich Chamber of Commerce and the Massachusetts Cultural Council (MCC). In so doing, it beco...

HARWICH ─ Judy Collins is well aware that, given the country's current political climate, tensions are high. She hopes her music will help, and she's bringing her best to her Dec. 19 concert at Monomoy Regional High School. “It will be me singing everything I know,” said the award winning singer-songwriter. There will be Sondheim, 'Both Sides Now,' a lot of my hits.” Collins has been a beloved folk songst...

HARWICH — The need to expand services at the community center and cultural center was a clear message sent by selectmen Monday night to Town Administrator Christopher Clark and staff. The message comes on the heels of a few parents urging selectmen a couple of weeks ago to open the community center on Sundays and holidays for their children. The message certainly had the ear of selectmen. On Monday night board...

HARWICH — A decade ago town officials pursued an Adams Grant to develop a cultural and historic identity for Harwich Center that would spur economic growth. While that didn't come to fruition, there have been several initiatives over the past couple of decades that have been marginally successful in using town cultural assets to attract tourists. A new program may help realize those earlier visions. The tow...

HARWICH — The success of the Harwich Cultural Center in the former Harwich Middle School was evident Monday night when selectmen discussed some potential adjustments there. Community Center Director Carolyn Carey told selectmen there is a 21-person waiting list to access space in the facility. Carey said she is working with Facilities Maintenance Director Sean Libby to upgrade the three portable classrooms to ...

HARWICH — The sign outside now identifies the former middle school as the Harwich Cultural Center, and members of the community are being invited inside to explore the transition during an open house from Thursday to Saturday of this week. “There seems to be quite a bit of interest,” Community Center Director Carolyn Carey, who has been charged with leasing rooms in the center, said this week. “I'm excited abo...