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Previous ProjectsMARATHON - WORLD PREMIERENEW YORK INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL Screening: October 29th, 2009 at 6:10
p.m. Village East Cinema MARATHON WINS BEST SCREENPLAY AND BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY DURING WORLD PREMIERE AT THE NEW YORK INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL, OCTOBER 29TH, 2009
FUNDRAISER SPECIAL EVENT - DELTA RISINGAn intimate evening of the Blues featuring: The exclusive screening of this award winning film, starring Morgan Freeman, Willie Nelson and James Montgomery followed by a live performance with legendary blues musicians James Montgomery and Bruce Marshall. SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2009 FILM SCREENS AT 6:00 MYSTIC ARTS CINEMA (EXIT 90 off I95) FOLLOWED BY A LIVE PERFORMANCE AT THE STEAK LOFT TICKETS FOR BOTH EVENTS $20 ($25 AT THE DOOR) Purchase tickets at www.WilliamMeredithFoundation.org with donation and leave name so your ticket will be reserved for you at the door, purchase tickets at the theatre, or call 860-961-5138 SPECIAL CONNECTICUT SCREENING OF MARATHONONE DATE ONLY: November
22, 2009 4:00
Dedication Tree PlantingRED TREES RISING On Halloween day, 2009, a loyal crew of friends gathered to help move 5 beautiful Japanese Maples that Rita Dawley had donated to the Center. We intended to transplant them in the memorial garden we are building in William's memory where some of his ashes have been placed. Raphael, Ron, Betsy, Steve, Rita, and Har Lee gathered with shovels and began to work. Unfortunately, the trees were so large, and electric wires ran through the roots connecting to who knows what, that we had to switch to plan B: A quick trip to Home Depot to purchase 5 smaller Japanese maples to place into the trench Richie Wilson had kindly dug for us with his backhoe. They turned out beautifully and we all adjourned for hamburgers and beer after. They will sleep through the winter and in the spring, we will hire some proressionals to move the larger trees to the property line. This will be an expensive proposition. As Mrs. Lemington says in William's poem, "Roots," "a tree repeats its structure, up and down, The roots mirroring the branches." If she's right, we have a challenge on our hands. If you would like to have your name placed on a plaque under one of these beauties in memory of William, please contact us. Poetry, Students, and trees were the three legs of a tripod on which William built his life. Here is one of his more beautiful tree poems: Tree Marriage Poetry Readings CELEBRATION OF POETRY, ART AND THE BULGARIAN CONNECTION On August 20th, 2009 The Hygenic Gallery in New London opened an extraordinary exhibition tracing this history of years of friendship between the artistic communities in Bulgaria and the city of New London. This bridge was first established when William invited Bulgarian poets to visit the Library of Congress when he served as Consultant in Poetry. This history of the artists that followed reads "like a ship's log – a logbook of voyagers,"in the words of one of those poets, Lyubomir Levchev. The exhibition, Bulgaria // Then + Now brought togetherA selection of paintings, drawings, film, photography, sculpture + poetry reflecting the artists' experience during their residency exchange + their most recent endeavors as well as a look into some of the history and friendship created. The exhibition featured poems by William Meredith and a special poetry reading featuring readings by Richard Harteis + Valentin Krustev + Daniel Gula. Among the photos and poems exhibited on the walls was the following appreciation of William's role in helping to establish this extraordinary bridge between our cultures. There is an oft quoted proverb that Success has many fathers, while failure is an orphan. Fortunately for New London and Bulgaria, the extraordinary relationship that was born between the artistic communities of our two countries in the 90's has now fully matured and continues to grow through succeeding progeny. It has been nurtured by many "fathers" and mothers over the years and stands as a remarkable achievement, a model really of how artists can grow and prosper and help us in our common human endeavor when good will, hard work, philanthropy and talent come together. Taking credit for his part in such achievement is not something William Meredith would have been interested in. Humility was a cardinal virtue in his character. But since his death, and as his partner of nearly 40 years, I feel the need to speak of his legacy in this regard, a bit uxorial maybe, but, well, there it is. The bridge between our countries first took form when William served as the Poet Laureate of the US and invited Lyubomir Levchev and other Bulgarian poets to the Library of Congress in 1980. In the following years William visited Bulgaria many times and helped establish scholarships, art exhibits, readings and publications. For this work in the culture he was granted Bulgarian citizenship by presidential decree in 1996. And he continued to support the wonderful artist exchanges and projects that began to take form through the generosity of Sharon and Hugh Griffis. After an extended visit to New London, Lyubomir wrote a beautiful series of poems, SKYBREAK, in which he dedicates poems to all his new friends in America. In the title poem he writes, "William has reigned over many a chasm. The gift we have all received in return has been the friendship of so many extraordinary Bulgarian artists and the chance to share our work and our lives with each other. The story gives heart, and recalls the opening lines from William's poem, "Dalhousie Farm": Will you live long enough to sit in the shade Art ExhibitionsWilliam Meredith and Richard Harteis have sponsored
numerous exhibitions for artists from the US and Bulgaria since the year
2000. After his death, such exhibitions have continued under the auspices
of the Foundation including several shows at the New Have Free Public
Library and the Norwich Arts Council. The foundation also hosted
a black tie dinner and
private screening of the film MARATHON for
300 guests in November of 2008. The following is a list of venues and
examples of the art which has been exhibited.
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