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.

The Umbrella Arts Center is pleased to present Fresh Ink: Contemporary Explorations in Printmaking, November 16, 2023 - January 4, 2024, juried by Carolyn Muskat. The exhibition includes printmakers from all across New England who use a variety of techniques in unexpected ways that push the boundaries of printmaking and speak to contemporary audiences. We spoke with Muskat about printmaking, jurying, and her upcoming Umbrella workshop.

As the Outreach Coordinator, Kyle’s role on the Umbrella Arts Education team is to conduct arts education experiences with community partners on the local and regional level, in addition to organizing on-site arts programming for a variety of audiences. With an M.Ed. in Arts, Community & Education from Lesley University and a life-long passion for the arts, Kyle enjoys developing programs that provide a creative and open space for people to engage with the arts, and with each other.

Among the programs she coordinates: 

By Pamela Ellertson

In his exhibition running through November 12 at The Umbrella Arts Center, fine art photographer Jordan Kessler creates beauty with everyday objects in the three series featured in the show: Death of Print, Zero Toys, and Battery.  In it, magazine shreds metamorphose into abstract compositions; filing cabinets and fax cords archive a bygone era; and AA batteries align into geometric, visually pleasing patterns.