The Libertine Collective:

The Libertine Collective is a Connecticut-based creative group of like-minded artists of every medium who express themselves and motivate others. The Collective explores and shares ideas through actions, connections, intellect, communication and intent; allowing for enriched life experiences. In doing so, we inspire one another with endless possibilities and gain insight by learning from one another.

Our overall goal is to bring art and people who appreciate it together in an environment that appeals to even the casual dabbler. By mixing live original music with poetry, visual art and performance art, we hope to generate a sort of spectacle that might offer greater incentive to the community as naturally and organically possible.

contact: Heather at libertinecollective@yahoo.com



Friday, April 23, 2010

2nd Annual Re-Art exhibit at I.O.N, May 8th - June 18th


The Libertine Collective presents: Re-Art II at ION in Middletown

Participating Artists: Joseph Dinunzio, Ted Esselstyn, Sonia Gill, Ashley Kaye, H.L. Groen, Bill Panke, Chris London, Stefanie Marko Lantz, Dayna Mankowski, Corey Pane,  Renana Magee, Roberta Mockus, Daylynn Richards, Carrie Swider, Karl Stephan, Karen Wassmer, Rob White

Opening Reception May 8th 6-9 PM with the music of Mike Cleary

Closing Party / Welcome to Bohemia June 18th 6-9 pm with Bret the One Man Band and the Kelvins

It's Only Natural -386 Main Street, Middletown, Ct
For more information regarded the exhibit please contact H.L. Groen at hlgroen@yahoo.com or Greg Garcia at garciagrc@gmail.com  RSVP on our Re-Art facebook link!

Monday, April 12, 2010

The L.C. presents SPONTANEOUS POETRY and MUSIC: Inspiring the words to flow

The Libertine Collective presents: Spontaneous Poetry and Music: Inspiring the words to flow.


Date:
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Time:
7:00pm - 10:00pm
Location:
The Black Box at Bacon Academy in Colchester CT

THE POETS -- Summer Tate, Jonathan Stanizzi, Jahsh Curzan, John Stanizzi

THE MUSICIANS -- Jason Stanizzi (percussion), Abu Alvin Carter (percussion), and Jim Mercik (guitar).

The audience- YOU, seated on the stage with the performers

The Artists – Corey Pane, Jeff Mansolf

The Black Box at Bacon Academy in Colchester
611 Norwich Avenue
Colchester, CT 06415

$5 cover- proceeds to benefit the students of the Bacon Academy Theater for future events.

EVENT: Strenght in art

Strength in art - an L.C. sponsored event:
Saturday, April 17, 2010
Time:
6:00pm - 9:00pm
Location:
Rockville Elks Lodge
Street:
9 North Park Street
City/Town:
Rockville, CT
Strenghth in art features the talent of 14 local artists, including: Ashleigh Kay, Karl Stephan, Tao LaBossiere, Amy Mielke, Roberta Mockus, Kristen Shaw, Jessica Thurber, Andria Alex, Michelle Podgorski, Karen J. Wassmer, Ethan Boisvert, JoAnne Bauer, H.L. Groen & Ron Thompson. Also, the musical talent of Zeno's Eros will be gracing the reception night!
$5 Donation Admission at the door for adults (kids are free), 100% of which will be donated to the Lance Armstrong Foundation. Please consider making a separate donation to the LAF to help this great cause. Link below for donations and printable mail-in forms.

Artwork will be on display from April 12-24, with viewing hours TBA.

Come join us for an amazing night of art and music at The Rockville Elks Lodge!

Monday, March 29, 2010

Colin McEnroe promotes the L.C.

For those of you who don't know our friend Colin McEnroe (really?), he hosts a radio show on WNPR (90.5 in these parts) aptly called The Colin McEnroe show. Today's topic was the Beatnik Movement, from its roots to its current incarnation. Colin had three Libertines in the studio for the broadcast: Summer Tate, the brilliant poet who read at the most recent Bohemia show, and the musical duo of Chris Phillips (of The Kelvins) and Gary Jacobs on bodhran and flute, respectively. Colin made numerous references to the Libertine Collective as a modern embodiment of the beatnik ideal, and to founders Heather Groenstein and Greg Garcia. He also fielded a call from Greg (aka me), whom he called "the King of the Hartford Beatniks." Ok, the title was way overstated (I'm certainly not the king of the Hartford beatniks, but I love being one of the more vocal of them!), but much appreciated in the sense that it spoke volumes about the Libertine Collective and what we represent. For that, I thank Colin, who just might be the king of the Hartford beatniks! To hear a stream of the show (with several poems by Summer Tate with musical accompaniment by Chris and Gary, as well as commentary by Alan Bisbort), click on: http://www.cpbn.org/program/colin-mcenroe-show. Pics coming!!!

Wednesday, March 24, 2010

The Latest Bohemia Show Considered


Images from event:

Last night's Welcome to Bohemia show was a light year leap from the debut show in January. Perhaps it was the location, though Billings Forge isn't really very "Bohemian" in appearance or vibe.It seemed to be just the right setting for the evening.

Maybe it was the music. HannaH's Field brought a happy, organic, vibe to the evening that had everyone smiling. Really, they got everyone high! Kate Callahan gave everyone chills with her intimate performance, and her percussionist, Allie, had a great feel for the material. Dawn Manogue showed me the goosebumps on her arm, and I'm sure she wasn't alone. DJ Krypt, a late addition to the event, spun some wild-yet-low-key mixes on his tables. My Kelvins had a short set to end rthe night, but we really used all of the energy that had built up to our advantage. We even pulled out a first: I am the Walrus, in its entirety! FUN.

Was it Sugati and her hypnotic belly dancing? Absolutely! She and Chris Phillips (known collectively as Marishka Dance) electrified the room.

It could have been the spoken word artists and their bold forays into linguistic acrobatics and lyrical allure. Summer Tate laid down a gauntlet that was taken up with panache by Nancy Otter. John L. Stanizzi hammered it home with some amazing poems.

It was definitely the art, at least in part. Paintings by Gary Jacobs, Corey Pane, Roberta Mockus and, H.L. Groen (aka Heather Groenstein) surrounded the event and created a lush, vibrant atmosphere.

All of those elements combined to form the perfect tapestry of art, but the audience of over 100 Libertines gave that tapestry meaning. Thank you all for coming out, be you artist or enthusiast. You are all the reason that we exist! We thank all of you for making the night phenomenal.

Galleries of images by Shane Dixon (whose image tops this blog), Jamie Turner, Tony Stanley and others, are coming soon (or go to their FB pages)! 

Tuesday, March 2, 2010

The First Libertine Report 3/2/10

The First Libertine Report will be hosted by WESU and J Cherry presents: Art on Air

When do you ask? - March 2nd at 6:30-7:30. 88.1 - Cofounders Greg Garcia and H.L. Groen will be giving a report about what it is to be a Libertine and some of the Happenings in the area along with upcoming LC events!

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

WELCOME TO BOHEMIA! March 20th 2010

WELCOME TO BOHEMIA!
At Billings Forge in Hartford, March 2oth
563 Broad St, Hartford
6pm * Children Friendly * $5 Cover

Original Music with the Kelvins, Hannah's Field, Kate Callahan and special guests.
*
Original art by Gary Jacobs, Corey Pane, Stanwyck Cromwell and live painting by H.L. Groen
*
Spoken word with Nancy Otter, John Stanizzi and Summer Tate
*
Belly dancing with Sugati

For more information contact libertinecollective@yahoo.com

Saturday, February 6, 2010

Micro Arts with the L.C. (Pictures & Streaming)

Micro Arts Pics and for your listening pleasure...streaming: Micro Arts with the Libertine Collective & Colin McEnroe

Photos of: Heather Groenstein (aka H.L. Groen), Greg Garcia, Dan Blow, Laura Sheehan and Colin McEnroe
All photos taken by Chion Wolf          

 
                                

Next Event in March

The next Welcome to Bohemia! show is booked! We'll be at Billings Forge in Hartford on March 20th. Details TBA.

 http://www.billingsforgeworks.org/

Friday, February 5, 2010

Art Community Opportunities 2-5-10

TODAY!

•    Reminder * Stay tuned today for micro arts with the L.C’s Greg Garcia & H.L. Groen on the Colin McEnroe Show at 1:00pm.  It will also be streamed for your viewing pleasure. For more info go to: Microarts on the Colin McEnroe Show

•    JOB OPPORTUNITIES:
ConnectiKids Inc, a non profit C.B.O. that works with two of Hartford’s Elementary schools, is currently looking to begin Enrichment programming. As part of this process we are looking for instructors ...to teach courses. Participants would be grouped in classes of no more than 15 elementary school students, grades 2-6. Our currents days are Monday, Tuesday and Friday during the hours of 3:30 - 5 p.m. Our rate of pay is $25/hr and courses usually run 5-6 weeks unless it is an extended/specialized project.

John L. Prescod, ConnectiKids Inc. 814 Asylum Avenue Hartford, CT 06105, 860-522-8710 ext. 12, Email: johnpre@ct-kids.org, http://www.ct-kids.org


•    FOOD FOR THOUGHT (Will be on L.C discussion board under Artist Community Awareness) From Luis Cotto…

Just thinking out loud and would love some feedback. A proven developer is considering doing some stuff with the Swift factory building (> 30,000 sq. ft) in the northend over by where Garden Street/Westland Street/Love Lane meet.

My questions to the Hartford area peeps are the following:

Does Hartford have the artist community clamoring for artist studio/work/residential space? Are the days of the old Colt Building beyond us or is there a need out there?
Are there any artisanal, light manufacturing type of craft businesses who would benefit from a low market rate, high quality type of space? If you had a wish list surrounding such a big space...what would it include? Do people in the technology sector think that this space (tons of parking) can become a technological space? What kind of light manufacturing type of businesses could people throw out that would include possible employment opportunities for local residents. Just trying to gauge some stuff. I think next steps include another possible forum conversation at Real Art Ways...but until then, It would be good to start a conversation.

peace and thank you!! Luis

And from H.L. Groen…

•    There is also a large warehouse that might be available for studio space in Newington right of the Berlin Turnpike. The idea is to have an “Open Space” for artists and instead of paying a lease per month it would be a fee per month, as in a membership fee based on how many artists would be involved. The more members – the less the fee. This is an idea that is not new and has been done in New York City. Are there artists out there that are interested and is the Berlin Turnpike an ideal location?  The idea is to surround yourself with creativity from others. To inspire one another and help one another produce, communicate and create.
here's a link to what i'm talking about (to give you an idea):  http://www.brooklynartistsgym.com/membership.html

•    TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES…Due to new Facebook we are having difficulties posting other links from facebook. Please be with us!

If you have a link that you are able to share PLEASE post to our wall…such as Bi Polar JukeBox, Matt Zeiner Band events both this weekend.

Also check out the infamous poet John Stanizzi at the Windsor Freight House this Sunday!  Here’s the link for that: http://www.windsorartcenter.org/upcoming_program.html

The L.C.

Thursday, February 4, 2010

Micro Arts with Colin McEnroe, H.L. Groen & Greg Garcia on WNPR

MICRO ARTS on the Colin McEnroe Show (FM 90.5)

photo by Chion Wolf

Greg Garcia and Heather Groenstein (aka H.L. Groen) will be LIVE on the Colin McEnroe Show to discuss the Libertine Collective and “microarts" - low-overhead performing arts endeavors that may be more doable in the midst of a funding crisis:

"The national arts ecology is more fragile than since the Great Depression and the Fed's WPA. For dance, it's especially acute. The City of Hartford is attempting to secure Federal Stimulus Act monies for a round two of "arts and heritage" job grants, How about, instead, small strides locally?

Greg Garcia co-founded the Libertine Collective with artist Heather Groenstein (aka H.L. Groen). They've brought several art shows to Artspace Hartford, the 650MAC gallery in Middletown, and Alchemy Café. Of these, all have integrated live music and two have included spoken word poetry. Their newest endeavor: Welcome to Bohemia! is an attempt to fuse all of these mediums (along with belly dancing and other performance art) as naturally as possible in a recurring series. All shows have been run on the cheap, with DIY advertising and a lot of Facebooking. You can join the conversation. How is the Connecticut art scene reinventing itself in order to survive in a changing economy? "

Airs at 1:00 pm on WNPR and can be heard through steaming afterwards.
Call us. 860-275-7266 or e-mail colin@wnpr.org.

To listen to the LIVE show - microarts

http://www.cpbn.org/program/colin-mcenroe-show

http://www.libertinecollective.com


Wednesday, February 3, 2010

New blog logo by the gifted Greg Garica

Bohemis Pic #2

 
Art by Iya Tucker at Welcome to Bohemia!

Bohemia Pic #1

Chris Phillips of the Kelvins on his Kushtar