A Paint Night on March 5 will celebrate maple sugar season in the Blackstone Valley. Attendees will be led by artist Libia Goncalves to paint her rendition of “First Snow over the Maple Field.”
Whitinsville, MA (January 15, 2020) – To celebrate maple sugaring season in the Blackstone Valley, Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor (BHC) has teamed up with artist Libia Goncalves of DColorex: Art Lessons and Crafts for All to host a Paint Night on Thursday, March 5, at her new studio located at the Alternatives’ Whitin Mill, 70 Douglas Road, Whitinsville, MA. The paint night will run from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. and a portion of the $35.00 class fee will benefit Blackstone Heritage Corridor.
According to BHC’s Volunteer Coordinator, Suzanne Buchanan, the idea for hosting a paint night was partly inspired by the National Park Service’s “Arts in the Parks” initiative. “I was looking to celebrate some of our program themes this year in a new and creative way and engage our volunteers and the public in the process,” she explains. “After I stumbled upon a maple sugaring painting on Pinterest, the light bulb went off! Soon after, during a meeting with Blackstone Valley Art Association (BVAA) president Lisa Shea about a potential new gallery show at BHC’s office, BVAA member Libia Goncalves’ name came up as a possible artist to lead the paint night and Lisa made the introduction for us. Libia’s studio at the Alternatives’ Whitin Mill is located within the boundaries of Blackstone River Valley National Historical Park.”
Libia followed up and submitted her own rendition of the maple sugaring-themed painting, titled “First Snow over the Maple Field.” The March 5 paint night falls just before the annual Maple Sugar Days event at Blackstone River & Canal Heritage State Park in Uxbridge, MA, on March 7 and 8. Volunteers from BHC’s Volunteers-In-Parks program assist with the event, leading hands-on activities and interpretive tours throughout the weekend. “It’s something they look forward to each season,” Buchanan noted. “It’s almost a reunion of sorts, when volunteers come together near the end of winter to celebrate this New England tradition.”
Future paint night ideas include birds to celebrate spring migration and the bird walk series presented by the Blackstone Heritage Corridor Birding Ambassadors, pollinators for Pollinator Week in June, and in autumn, a river-themed painting to celebrate Blackstone Valley Paddle Club’s 20th season this year and the colors of the fall in the Blackstone Valley.
Advance ticket purchase is required as seating is limited. Purchase tickets online at BlackstoneHeritageCorridor.org/tickets or in person at Blackstone Heritage Corridor’s office at 670 Linwood Avenue, Whitinsville, MA. For more info, contact Bonnie Combs at bcombs@blackstoneheritagecorridor.org or call 508-234-4242.