It is with heavy hearts that we share the sad news on the loss of a committed advocate, trusted board member, loyal and cherished friend this week. Kathy Reticker, we have been honored to know you and work with you. Your presence here and in our community will be greatly missed. Our love goes out to your entire family during this time of sorrow. May you rest in peace.

-written by 2015-2016 Artist-in-Residence, Sarah Fagan

In less than a month, my year as The Umbrella's artist-in-residence will be over. I spend the next few weeks installing my show and wrapping up work in my studio. (I look forward to seeing everyone who can make it at the opening reception of my year-end exhibit "Accumulations," in the gallery on Thursday, September 1, from 6-8 p.m.! Plug, plug!)

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.