The Full Monty director Leigh Barrett is a beloved Boston based actor, singer & director, having recieved two Independent Reviewers of New England (I.R.N.E) awards, three Elliot Norton Awards for Outstanding Actor, as well as the 2018 Elliot Norton Prize for Sustained Excellence.

Dr. Linda Booth Sweeney is a systems educator, author and advocate for healthier human systems. She is internationally recognized for her efforts to make systems thinking accessible to diverse audiences, including students, educators, policymakers, and business leaders. She has made significant contributions to promoting the use of metaphors like the bathtub model to enhance public comprehension of critical issues such as climate change.

On Sunday, March 24, 10:00am - 4:00pm, The Umbrella Ceramics Studio is proud to present a special full-day workshop with internationally renowned ceramic artist Li Hongwei, in association with Pucker Gallery at 240 Newbury Street in Boston, which will host the exhiibtion Li Hongwei: Master of Innovation from March 23-May 5, 2024.

We were able to speak with volunteers and long-time Umbrella patrons Mary and Jim O'Connell about what drew them to The Umbrella and their experience ushering throughout the years.

Tell us a little about yourselves.

As part of our "Month of Thanks" series, The Umbrella was pleased to “Take 5” with Jenna Lozano, a college intern working with our Marketing Team while wrapping up her degree at the School of the MFA at Tufts University. Jenna is contributing her design, social media and accessibility skills to The Umbrella this semester.

Tell us about your background and interests for your studies and thesis at Tufts.

As part of our "Month of Thanks" series, The Umbrella was glad to interview frequent volunteer and program collaborator Joe Palumbo, a Concord resident who has made a huge impact volunteering for several town committees and organizations.

Can you tell us about your background in and return to Concord?

“I think of dance as a constant transformation of life itself."

– Merce Cunningham*

Blog contribution by Becky Bearse

Meet The Umbrella’s newest Artist-in-Residence, Catherine LeComte Lecce, a Boston-based visual artist who explores familial relationships, motherhood, and personal experiences through photography, mixed media, and installation. During her residency, Lecce plans to utilize photography and a gel image transfer process, crafting a series of glass works that delve into the themes of motherhood.

Jasmine Chen is The Umbrella's Fall 2023 Artist-in-Residence. A visual artist originally from Beijing, China, she is currently based in Boston. Her work is in the permanent collection of the Danforth Art Museum and has been exhibited there and at Matter and Light Fine Art, the Jackson Homestead Museum, and elsewhere. It was also featured in a solo exhibit at the New Art Center. She has a B.A. from Harvard and PhD from Brandeis and studied art independently.

We were able to “take 5” with Jasmine earlier this week and visit her studio.