We are thrilled to announce Meghan Murray has been chosen as The Umbrella's 2016-2017 Artist-in-Residence!

The Umbrella’s Artist-in-Residence program, which offers free housing and studio space to an emerging artist, started in September 2014 with Nina Earley. Nina is a conceptual artist who uses an endless range of mediums to convey her interest in mapmaking and memory. After her yearlong residency, she returned to The Umbrella as part of Mark Maker’s: Cameraless Images, a group show with resident artists Cynthia Katz and Carol Krauss.

By Rebecca Cook

We all know tiny houses are hot, but on a recent Saturday in Concord they were scorching. And yes, it was one of the dog days of summer, but this event didn’t need the sun to sizzle.

The Umbrella and Miranda’s Hearth held the 2nd Big Tiny House Festival on July 16th. The Umbrella staff estimate that three thousand people attended this swirling, multi-layered, hours-long extravaganza.

written by Sarah Fagan, The Umbrella's 2015-2016 Artist-in-Residence

Tiny houses have recently made a gigantic splash, attracting a lot of attention from the media and even starring in their own cable television series. The Umbrella Community Arts Center has joined the party, with two tiny houses on the front lawn for the past year, and the 2nd Big Tiny House Festival coming up on Saturday, July 16th. The event will feature over ten experts in the tiny house movement and six tiny houses open for tours.

Suddenly, it feels like summer! As "Accumulations," the late-summer show of my year's work as artist in residence approaches, I wanted to take this time to remind the Concord community about a group-sourced artist's book I will be binding as a part of the exhibit. 

-written by The Umbrella's 2015-2016 Artist-in-Residence, Sarah Fagan

It's Earth Month at the Umbrella. As a nod to the gallery's current Mother Earth-revering show entitled "It's About Time," I write about just that.

"Politicians don't bring people together. Artists do."
–Richard Daley, Former Mayor of Chicago

Great places depend on their artists in order to thrive.

-written by The Umbrella's 2015-2106 Artist-in-Residence, Sarah Fagan

Development Intern from Lesley University - Emily Laird
By Alice Lesch Kelly
Alice is a writer in Newton who specializes in health and the arts. Her website is alicekelly.net.
     

*Update: Emily is now working as a staff member in The Umbrella's Development office!