The Buttonwood Tree Hosts International Musicians, a UN Art Show and More

The Buttonwood Tree is honored to host many distinguished guests over the next month along with wellness workshops and classes for young people. See more at Buttonwood.org or call (860) 347-4957. Art Gallery and bookstore open Mon. 10-10, Tues. - Thurs. 10-5:30,  Fri. 10-2, 6-10, Sat. & Sun during events. Free parking nights and weekends, behind It's Only Natural market.

	Don Sineti September Art Exhibit "Whales and Blubber" The Buttonwood Tree is proud to present this month's art exhibit of Marine Mammals by Don Sineti, a distinguished artist, lively musician and gregarious speaker from Bloomfield, CT.  View art during the month of September during the day or during events. Don Sineti , folksinger, songwriter, part-time sea chanteyman at historic Mystic Seaport Museum (with one of the most powerful voices on the Eastern Seaboard!), and long-neck, 5-string banjo picker, is also an award-winning marine mammal illustrator with a number of prestigious exhibitions and books to his credit. For over twenty years, he has combined his exhaustive knowledge of cetaceans (whales, dolphins, and porpoises) with his boundless energy, to deliver rousing renditions of songs from the days of wooden ships and iron men, alongside his own compositions dedicated to saving whales and the degraded marine environment. With a booming voice and a hearty laugh, he shares his music, his art, and his unrestrained love for the whale with audiences of all ages.   FOLKSINGER With folk songs ranging from boisterous sea shanties to haunting whaling ballads and Appalachian instrumentals, Don draws his audience into his music with rollicking chorus songs, accompanying his singing with 5-string banjo (played mostly in the old-time frailing style), concertina, and bones. Most of his music is rooted in the British Isles, Canada, and the United States. LECTURER Don can speak with exhaustive knowledge about whales and dolphins, illustrating his talks with baleen, scrimshaw, and his own sensitive illustrations. He can present a program which deals in a general way with the Order Cetacea, or he can devote himself to an in-depth lecture on a single species, giving suggestions for positive action(s) to save these majestic giants of the deep. His music is an integral part of the program. ARTIST Internationally acclaimed for his accurate portrayals of marine mammals, Don has had showings of his work at the United Nations, Indiana University, and at a number of museums and galleries. His illustration of Connecticut’s State Animal, the Sperm Whale (physeter macrocephalus) has been used in Connecticut’s State Register And Manual (a.k.a. “The Blue Book”). Don was the major illustrator for Alaska Whales And Whaling, and he has had his work published in Alaska magazine, and on the World Of Whales calendar, and The Whale Watchers Guide. His prints are available for purchase, as are note-cards and other items. Custom commissioned works are also possible. ARTS-IN-EDUCATION Don combines his talents as folksinger/shantyman, instrumentalist, artist and lecturer to present educational enrichment programs as either classroom workshops or school assemblies. Extended residencies are also possible. Students of all ages, and almost any artistic aptitude can learn to draw whales and other marine mammals, recognizable by their species characteristics. Don served as a consultant for the 20th Century Fox movie “Master And Commander, The Far Side Of The World”. They requested his input on the traditional sea songs used in the film. He said it was great fun, and he got a “thanks” on the C.D.

BadSlax Jazz September 7 @ 8-10 pm - $12 BadSlax brings diverse players together for sound that’s always funky, swinging, or somewhere in between. One of the area’s premier jazz quartets, their eclectic repertoire runs a wide gamut from vintage gems by Monk, Mingus, etc., to modern classics by Scofield, Metheny, as well some cookin’ originals by their guitarist, Dave. They pride themselves on a lively, groovin’ style that’s accessible to all audiences, but always inventive. see more here
	Events at TBT next week:

	Anything Goes Open Mic (AGOM) September 9th - 7-10 pm,       sign-ups start at 6:30 $5 entry fee, includes a slice of Cardinal pizza Moments of Gratitude Sharing what we're grateful for, raising hope and encouraging fellowship (held during open mic)

	'Rhythms of Life' Film Screening   & Drum Circle September 10 @ 7-9 pm - $15   The film features inspiration from internationally recognized drum circle leaders, music therapists, professional musicians and lots of people who love to drum. There are drummers talking about their healing journeys, playing with cancer, Parkinson’s, depression and other challenges. Immediately after the film we will have a Directors talk and participatory DRUM CIRCLE  to experience what we saw in the film. The film was produced by local filmmaker/drum circle facilitator Craig Norton who has played in a variety of bands at The Buttonwood Tree. see more here

	Heather Pierson Acoustic Trio September 13 @ 8-10 pm - $15 Heather Pierson, Davy Sturtevant,and Shawn Nadeau perform a wide variety of original, uplifting Americana, with some very choice covers, ranging from Folk to New Orleans traditional jazz to blues. Make a reservation here

	"Aligned with Source" Personal Development Workshop September 14 @ 10:30-Noon - $10 Topic: The Law of Divine Compensation Do you really wish for Abundance? Let’s look at how you can open yourself to receiving it.   Don Sineti  & Steve Roys  Art Reception & Concert September 14 Reception @ 4-6 pm Free Concert @ 8-10 pm - $18. Students $10. Come join us in having a whale of a good time with Artist/ Shantyman Don Sineti accompanied by Steve Roys. Don Sineti's award-winning art has been shown Internationally and in the United Nations. He began doing artwork of Cetaceans (whales, dolphins and porpoises) after returning from Vietnam. Make a reservation here SIGN UP NOW: Reiki Level 2  September 15 @ 1:00 pm - 7:00 pm Cost: $130 for Buttonwood Tree members $140 non-members Manual for class can be purchased for $15. (Members please call or email to sign up) Reiki is a Japanese practice which heals the body and soul, and promotes a more restful, relaxed state of being. Eileen practiced as a critical care nurse at Yale New Haven Hospital for over three decades.  Her life had always been devoted to helping the sick and the needy, even beyond 1999, when she became a Reiki Practitioner. Since then, she has been offering Reiki treatments to patients, families, and staff at the hospital.  Starting in 2012, she’d begun offering free Reiki sessions to female cancer patients at the annual Spa Days at the Jewish Community Center ( JCC ) in Manhattan, and soon became a regular participant at several public Reiki clinics.  She even offers weekly Reiki treatments at the Wallingford Senior Center, Orange Chiropractic Inc, and the Wallingford YMCA. Following her retirement from Yale New Haven Hospital in 2017, Eileen’s goal has been to reach out to the community, so they may learn and appreciate Reiki.  She became a Reiki Master this year, which enables her to teach Reiki as a personal healing practice to restore physical and emotional balance, therefore promoting rest, relaxation, and healing. If you are in need of a better quality of life, we implore you to indulge in this wonderful set of classes! Change is assured, but it only begins if you’re willing to take it! Website: https://www.reikiwitheileenanderson.com/ Reiki Level 1 September 22 and 29 @ 1:00 pm - 6:00 pm Cost: $150 for Buttonwood Tree members $160 non-members  Cost includes manual. (Members please call or email to sign up) This is a two part class. You must attend both to get certified. Watercolor Class for Teens SEPTEMBER 28     3-5 pm Taught by local artist, Jenavieve Hawkins Please contact us if interested  @ 860.347.4957 Sponsored by the MCA (Middletown Commission on the Arts).   Preregistration required. There is a $10 fee for the class which includes supplies, scholarships are available.  Other upcoming concerts: New Leaf Irish Band  CD Release Party September 20  @ 8-10 pm    $15. Hola Pops! A Night of Originals and A Tribute to Louis Armstrong September 21   @ 8-10 pm     $20.      Vincent Hsu & Soy La Ley Afro Cuban Jazz Trio  Feat. Victor Lewis, double bass, Victor Lewis, drums & Zaccai Curtis, piano.  The Buttonwood Tree puts Middletown on the map as we are honored to be among only 5 US cities for this world-premier tour. (New Orleans, Chicago, NYC and Madison, WI)   Hsu invites the master musician Victor Lewis and the outstanding pianist Zaccai Curtis to join him for this special project, bridging the collaboration between musicians from Taiwan and U.S., in hopes of expanding the understanding and aesthetics of both cultures and creating a new musical possibility. The drumming of Mr. Victor Lewis was not only recognized internationally but has widely influenced the generations to come. His album ‘Know It Today, Know It Tomorrow’ has become the must-have for jazz musicians and audiences alike. Mr. Zaccai Curtis has also established himself as one of the best pianists who can flawlessly express himself through both styles of jazz and Afro-Cuban music.   Ebin-Rose Trio & Local Honey September 27  @ 8-10 pm   $15 The Kennedys  (American folk-rock / pop) September 28  @ 8-10 pm   $20     Reservations are recommended, space is limited! SAVE the DATE: Oct 18 and 19 Buttonwood's special 30th Anniversary Event Cheers to 30 Years!