RAMP - Rockingham Arts & Museum Project

10/24/2025

Bellows Falls Island Symposium 10/26 1-4PM
ADMISSION: Free
Space is limited; advance registration required
To register, click here, or call 802-257-0124 x101

LOCATION:
In person at the Bellows Falls Waypoint Center (17 Depot Street, Bellows Falls VT 05101)

ACCESSIBILITY QUESTIONS?
Email [email protected] or call 802-257-0124 x101

Photos and videos may be taken during this event for use in BMAC promotional materials.

Geologist David Howell, archeologist Gail Golec, and architect Dan Scully return for an expanded conversation about the Island in downtown Bellows Falls, Vermont. They will delve into the Island’s geological formations, archaeological history, and architectural transformations. Scully will also share the inspiration behind the design of the Bellows Falls Waypoint Center, highlighting how the Island’s unique character influenced the building itself.

Robert McBride, Bellows Falls resident and founder of the Rockingham Arts & Museum Project, will moderate the talk, guiding this engaging exploration. A follow-up to the January 25, 2025 event “Island: A Conversation,” this gathering offers a closer look at Bellows Falls’s unique 30-acre shelf of bedrock and its evolving story.

Originally a peninsula bounded on three sides by the Connecticut River, the Island became an island in 1802, when the construction of a canal bypassing the Great Falls was completed, severing it from the mainland. Once a gathering, ceremonial, and burial place for the Indigenous inhabitants of the region, the Island has been defined by human manipulation for centuries. Railroads, resort hotels, farm machinery, armament manufacturers, paper mills, and busy roadways have all come and gone. Today, the Island quietly awaits its next chapter.

This event and its precursor emerged from the BMAC exhibition Susan Mikula: ISLAND.

10/19/2025

Looking Back/Moving Forward: Vermont Stories of LGBTQ+ Caregiving & Community
Hybrid Event
October 24: 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm Rockingham Free Public Library 65 Westminster St Bellows Falls VT 05101

Scholar, writer, and performer Andrew Ingall, podcaster and filmmaker Gail Golec, and other special guests shine a light on LGBTQ+ Vermonters whose stories and legacies serve to reimagine care for elders today and in the future.

The program features a performative talk with slides, discussion with community leaders about LGBTQ+ aging and caregiving, Q&A, and a dance party. Ingall states, “My hope is that this event inspires others to honor ancestors, illuminate patterns of q***r resilience across time, and serve as a guidepost to foster stronger connection in our communities.”

In his presentation, Andy pieces together the story of his cousins Warren and Leon. They lived in Townshend from 1980 to 2007 and were partners in life and business for 58 years as antique dealers and designers. For this event, Andy connects Warren and Leon’s remarkable biographies to notable couples in Vermont history: Charity Bryant and Sylvia Drake of Weybridge, whose relationship as “help-meets” was considered a sacred marriage by their 19th century neighbors hundreds of years before the introduction of same-sex civil union and marriage; and Thom Herman and Jeremy Youst, who between 1979 and 1984 owned and operated the Andrews Inn, a hotel, bar, and disco in Bellows Falls renowned both locally and across the Northeastern United States.

Watch the Livestream HEre

The program will be followed by a reception and dance party at Ciao Popolo. Co-hosts include Bellows Falls Pride, Fallsland, Senior Solutions, and Valley Village.
About Warlé

Warle logo that has pride colors on the outer ring of the circle surrounding a large cursive WUsing archival documents, photography, original artifacts, dance, clothing design, and creative nonfiction, Warlé manifests the lives led by Andrew Ingall’s distant cousins. The goal is twofold: to encourage others to explore their q***r ancestry and to generate conversations about how we care for LGBTQ+ elders and refugees today.

10/12/2025

This email shares invitations and information about several Fall Events happening at the 4th Corner, 578 Hitchcock Hill Rd., Windham VT over the next month

The Native Plant Sale

Tomoe Tsutsumi’s performance piece, I want to fix your hole.

A music event with The New Language Collaborative

And the ongoing exhibit, Solidarity

Our 2026 Native Plant Sale is live now through October 30th. With over 70 varieties of Vermont native plants available this is an affordable way to increase native plants in your lawn. Orders are taken now through October 30th, and plants will be available here in early May 2026.

Click on this link to be sent to the order form.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfZrXN04eBFtWCVapXkqqOVOrlddcwqDdAFP01L0NDhJVBuPQ/viewform

On Saturday, 10/25, 12-4, Tomoe Tsutsumi will be in the gallery presenting her performative work "I want to fix your hole". The artist humbly mends for the visitor a worn garment in need of repair. The hole and its repair return an object to usefulness in a gesture of care invoking Louise Bourgeois’ understanding of the needle. The visitors who participate are held in place for the time it takes Tsutsumi to examine the hole and then to mend it. Generating a conversation between the artist and the participant is the point of Tsutsumi’s work falling outside of the transactional discourse between tailor and customer. This work also subverts the discourse around art and its market. The final product is not simply a fixed garment, but also a work of abstract art that bears the handiwork of the artist in bold red thread.

On Saturday, 11/8 the gallery presents The New Language Collaborative.

Not to be missed, this is a singular sound/music event as the New Language Collaborative responds to the unique architectural structure of the gallery and performance space, sound transcending its usual bounds and becoming a language of its own. As Zinman describes the process, “In the 1950s some musicians felt it (jazz) had become formulaic and so began to push the boundaries of the musical forms abandoning the 32 bar structures that were the mainstay of popular music. There is no repertoire. Each time we want to play something we have never played before.”

Vance Provey of Sandy Hook CT on trumpet, Glynis Lomon of Acton MA on cello, voice and Aquasonic, Eric Zinman of Cambridge MA on piano and John Loggia of Guilford VT on drums comprise The New Language Collaborative. The name, says Zinman, “expresses our commitment to each other and like birds who develop new languages apart from other groups that migrate year after year we continually find our way instinctively and intuitively.”

Audience members are invited to immerse themselves in this innovative performance, where music and sound art merge to create an evocative tapestry of auditory exploration. Whether a seasoned enthusiast or a curious newcomer, this event promises to captivate all who attend, offering an unforgettable evening of creative expression and community connection.

The doors will open at 6PM with a reception. The performance starts at 7PM.

Solidarity: Fabric, Thread and Needle which considers a selection of textile-based works by contemporary artists. The word ‘Solidarity’ conveys a sense of cohesion and interconnectedness that many of these works materially inhabit. The gallery space at Fourth Corner Foundation offers a unique example in support of the notion that architecture may have its origins in weaving. Its interlocking interior walls, like woven threads–warp and weft–creating a visually porous yet structurally sound environment, an ideal setting for an exhibition that reflects the bonds between material, maker and community.

The Fourth Corner Foundation is located 578 Hitchcock Hill Rd., in Windham VT. Contact [email protected] for more info.

40 NEW PLANTS ADDED FOR 2026! THIS SALE CLOSES ON OCTOBER 30th *Instructions* Unlike other plant sales, this will be done as a pre-order in the Fall for pick up in early May. Once you put in your name, phone and email, scroll through over 70 species of VT native plants (all zone hardy to 4 or above)...

10/06/2025

12/12/2024

Jenn Heidbrink writes: "If you have visited the Bellows Falls Opera House recently, you may have noticed how slow the current popcorn machine is and how different the popcorn tastes. When we are busy, the machine runs almost nonstop—Tim was there until 3:00 AM one morning recently! Popcorn machine...

12/02/2024

AIDS Memorial Quilt in Bellows Falls for World AIDS Day: December 4th 10am-5pm at the Rockingham Free Public Library (3rd Floor); 65 Westminster Street, Bellows Falls, VT. Members of Bellows Falls Pride will be on hand to talk, to listen and to answer questions.

11/19/2024

Hello all,

I am Maddie Merchant, Michele Burgess' niece and goddaughter. As most of you likely know by now, my Aunt Michele passed away peacefully and unexpectedly in her sleep on November 2nd. She was truly a one-of-a-kind human. I am writing to you on what would have been Michele's 64th birthday, November 19th. I am here at her beautiful home in Vermont with her husband Bill, dogs/children Banjo & Suci, and my aunt (her sister) Karen. We can see her everywhere. Being here has been an exceptionally special experience. I will miss her magical gifts, collected objects, incredible cooking, striking works of art, and dark drapey clothes. I urge you to find a moment today, on her birthday, to sit with some of your favorite memories of Michele. Find a moment of silence to stare at something beautiful (likely art or nature) and think of her. She has touched so many lives.

I am reaching out to you today because I have organized a fundraiser to support Brighton Press in her memory. Here is a link: https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-brighton-press-in-micheles-memory?qid=476b15dd3edd03fb5b7df8da0cb9e8f7

All funds raised will go towards supporting the continuation and completion of Brighton Press' current works, as well as maintaining and preserving their archives. It goes without saying that all of this will be done in Michele's honor. Any and all support is deeply appreciated. Please feel free to share this link with anyone you know who may be interested in supporting this effort.

With love and care,
Maddie

Here is the text included in the fundraiser:

We are deeply saddened to share that on November 2nd, 2024, Michele Burgess passed away unexpectedly. Michele was an exceptionally talented painter, bookmaker, teacher, gift-giver, dog-lover, and cook–as well as our dearest and most beloved partner, collaborator, sister, and aunt. A fiercely devoted artist all her life, she left behind an astonishing body of work. (Some of which can be seen on her personal website: https://www.micheleburgessart.com/)

As many of you know, Michele was the creative director and heart of Brighton Press (https://www.brightonpress.net/), founded in 1985 by her husband Bill Kelly. A small but mighty operation, Brighton Press has been defying the odds for decades, creating some of the most exquisite and innovative fine press, limited-edition artists’ books and broadsides. Brighton Press is represented in over 100 public and private collections, including the Achenbach Foundation for the Graphic Arts, the Getty Research Institute, the Library of Congress, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the National Museum of Women in the Arts, the Newberry Library, the Minneapolis Institute of Arts, University of Vermont, Indiana University, Stanford University, and numerous other university libraries and museums.

In the days before her passing, Michele was deeply and happily engaged in her latest project, Nocturne, pulling prints and working with her dear assistants Bill, Nelle, & Abby. We are reaching out to Michele & Bill's greater community now with an opportunity to support Brighton Press. All funds raised will go towards the continuation and completion of Brighton Press' current works, as well as maintaining and preserving their archives. It goes without saying that all of this will be done in Michele's honor. Any and all support is deeply appreciated. Please feel free to share this link with anyone you know who may be interested in supporting this effort.

If you would like to be kept in the loop about opportunities to purchase art and books, as the Brighton Press's inventory and archives are organized, please send a note to us at the email address linked here.

11/19/2024

Hello all,

I am Maddie Merchant, Michele Burgess' niece and goddaughter. As most of you likely know by now, my Aunt Michele passed away peacefully and unexpectedly in her sleep on November 2nd. She was truly a one-of-a-kind human. I am writing to you on what would have been Michele's 64th birthday, November 19th. I am here at her beautiful home in Vermont with her husband Bill, dogs/children Banjo & Suci, and my aunt (her sister) Karen. We can see her everywhere. Being here has been an exceptionally special experience. I will miss her magical gifts, collected objects, incredible cooking, striking works of art, and dark drapey clothes. I urge you to find a moment today, on her birthday, to sit with some of your favorite memories of Michele. Find a moment of silence to stare at something beautiful (likely art or nature) and think of her. She has touched so many lives.

I am reaching out to you today because I have organized a fundraiser to support Brighton Press in her memory. Here is a link: https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-brighton-press-in-micheles-memory?qid=476b15dd3edd03fb5b7df8da0cb9e8f7

All funds raised will go towards supporting the continuation and completion of Brighton Press' current works, as well as maintaining and preserving their archives. It goes without saying that all of this will be done in Michele's honor. Any and all support is deeply appreciated. Please feel free to share this link with anyone you know who may be interested in supporting this effort.

With love and care,
Maddie

Here is the text included in the fundraiser:

We are deeply saddened to share that on November 2nd, 2024, Michele Burgess passed away unexpectedly. Michele was an exceptionally talented painter, bookmaker, teacher, gift-giver, dog-lover, and cook–as well as our dearest and most beloved partner, collaborator, sister, and aunt. A fiercely devoted artist all her life, she left behind an astonishing body of work. (Some of which can be seen on her personal website: https://www.micheleburgessart.com/)

As many of you know, Michele was the creative director and heart of Brighton Press (https://www.brightonpress.net/), founded in 1985 by her husband Bill Kelly. A small but mighty operation, Brighton Press has been defying the odds for decades, creating some of the most exquisite and innovative fine press, limited-edition artists’ books and broadsides. Brighton Press is represented in over 100 public and private collections, including the Achenbach Foundation for the Graphic Arts, the Getty Research Institute, the Library of Congress, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the National Museum of Women in the Arts, the Newberry Library, the Minneapolis Institute of Arts, University of Vermont, Indiana University, Stanford University, and numerous other university libraries and museums.

In the days before her passing, Michele was deeply and happily engaged in her latest project, Nocturne, pulling prints and working with her dear assistants Bill, Nelle, & Abby. We are reaching out to Michele & Bill's greater community now with an opportunity to support Brighton Press. All funds raised will go towards the continuation and completion of Brighton Press' current works, as well as maintaining and preserving their archives. It goes without saying that all of this will be done in Michele's honor. Any and all support is deeply appreciated. Please feel free to share this link with anyone you know who may be interested in supporting this effort.

If you would like to be kept in the loop about opportunities to purchase art and books, as the Brighton Press's inventory and archives are organized, please send a note to us at the email address linked here.

We are deeply saddened to share that on November 2nd, 2024, Michele Burgess… Maddie Merchant needs your support for Support Brighton Press in Michele's Memory

11/08/2024

This Sunday! Come see our feature documentary, Sara's Circus, at the Bellows Falls Opera House. We'll be doing a Q&A afterward, and this is the last time the film will be playing at a theater for the foreseeable future.