Latest news with #HolidayHouse
American Press
26-06-2025
- Entertainment
- American Press
'Nuts and Bolts:' New purpose for retired art
The closing reception is from 5:30 to 8 p.m. today at the Brimstone Museum and Henning Cultural Center, 923 S. Ruth St. in Sulphur. The 22 pieces of art on display at the Brimstone will be auctioned off to benefit Care Help of Sulphur. Brimstone Assistant Director Kat Godsey said the museum and Care Help often collaborate, especially around the holidays, for the annual Christmas Under the Oaks festival and Holiday House shopping event. Care Help creates its Christmas shop in the museum's annex building, and the Brimstone gets to 'nab all the coolest decorations and goodies.' But the expansive outreach programs of Care Help, such as crisis assistance, the food pantry, and Backpack Blessings, are the main reason the Brimstone loves to partner with them, Godsey said. To bring charity to the summer months, Godsey and Executive Director Thom Trahan conceived the idea to ask local artists to repurpose donated art pieces from Care Help. In this 'win-win' partnership, the museum would be able to pay the participating artists with leftover grant funding and Care Help would receive donations from the silent auction sales. Each artist who contributed to the exhibit creatively reimagined one of the donated art pieces (old landscape paintings, mass-produced prints) into brand-new, innovative artworks. 'The concept to repurpose artwork came from seeing the trends on TikTok, etc., where folks would add cartoon characters or monsters into landscapes. We pitched the idea to a few local artists, and before we knew it, the show was a hit,' Godsey said. 'From surreal mashups to humorous reworks and moving visual statements, the show is an exciting blend of repurposed art and fresh local talent.' The arts of repurposing and collage are acts that begin with limitation and turn into possibility, she said. 'When artists begin with something that already exists, especially something discarded or overlooked, it challenges them to see beyond what's in front of them. It's not just about creating something new, it's about reimagining something old, reshaping the story it tells.' She called the process freeing for artists, especially those who have been in a creative drought. Since the canvas is not blank, they feel comfortable enough to 'play, experiment, and rediscover their voice' in conversation with the reclaimed art's past and the artist's present. Not only have some of the artists reignited their artistic practice, but some who don't consider themselves artists have been emboldened to develop their own artistic identity, she noted. 'Nuts & Bolts: Thrifted Art Remade by Local Artists' created an accessible art experience for these local artists. In addition to being paid for their work, the art itself was created at little expense. The beauty of these reclaimed pieces shows that creativity does not have to come at a cost. 'The materials came from a local resale store, things anyone could find for just a few dollars or even less. That's part of the beauty of this show: it proves you don't need expensive supplies or formal training to make something meaningful. All you need is the willingness to look at something differently and take the leap to create,' she explained. 'It reminds people that art isn't about perfection. It's about expression, experimentation, and connection.' The participating artists are: Selvyn Bell, Angelle Boyette, Monette Bourque, Alma Carrera Irizarry, Artist Cid, Skylar Daniel, Alexandra Spears Desormeaux, Page Gardner, Godsey, Tivona Griffith, Torrey Guidry, Alana Jennings, Amanda J., Heather Kinsel, Ella LeJeune, Lori Marinovich, Brittany Manuel, Burn Rourk, Elanor Rourk, Ashley Royer, Christine Smith and Martha Ward. The closing reception is free and open to the public. The gallery is open from 10 a.m. to noon and 1 to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, and from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday.
Yahoo
18-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Human remains found near Taylor Swift's Rhode Island home have been identified
Authorities have identified the human remains found near Taylor Swift's Rhode Island home. After several outlets reported on the remains last month, the South Kingstown Police Department revealed in a June 13 statement that the remains belonged to 31-year-old Eric Wein of Massachusetts. "After working closely with the Mansfield Police Department and the Rhode Island Office of the State Medical Examiners, the South Kingstown Police Department has formally concluded its investigation," the statement read. "No foul play is suspected." "We extend our deepest condolences to Mr. Wein's family and loved ones during this difficult time," the statement concluded. Wein's remains washed ashore on May 14 in Westerly, Rhode Island, which includes the wealthy enclave of Watch Hill, where Swift owns her sprawling residence. Real estate pushback to ' tax' begins. Will the charge hit everyday cottages? The home, called "Holiday House," inspired the fan favorite hit song, including "The Last Great American Dynasty" from her 2020 album "Folklore." The home even inspired beloved New York Times bestselling author Emily Henry's newest book, "Great Big Beautiful Life." Henry's book, released April 22, follows Alice and Hayden, two journalists vying for the chance to write a blockbuster celebrity memoir. The "Beach Read" author revealed in an interview earlier this year that she drew the story from several real-life tales, including Swift's 2020 song, which is about her Westerly mansion's previous owner, Rebekah Harkness. "I love that song, and love the story behind it," she told E! News in April. "Every once in a while, I find myself back on the Wikipedia page, just reading through. I just find those kinds of larger-than-life families really, really intriguing." "Holiday House" also inspired possible Rhode Island legislation that would enact a "Taylor Swift tax," officially called the "non-owner-occupied tax," which applies to all residential properties assessed at more than $1 million that do not serve as a primary dwelling. To qualify as a primary residence, an owner has to live there more than half the year, or 183 days. By this criteria, Swift would owe Rhode Island around $136,000 in new taxes on her Watch Hill mansion if a new charge to high-end vacation homes proposed in the House version of the state budget passes. Contributing: Patrick Anderson, Providence Journal; Melina Khan, USA TODAY NETWORK - New England This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Taylor Swift's Rhode Island home: Human remains found nearby identified
USA Today
18-06-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Human remains found near Taylor Swift's Rhode Island home have been identified
Human remains found near Taylor Swift's Rhode Island home have been identified Show Caption Hide Caption Taylor Swift's heartwarming visit to a children's hospital Singer Taylor Swift visited the Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital and met with young patients battling illness. Authorities have identified the human remains found near Taylor Swift's Rhode Island home. After several outlets reported on the remains last month, the South Kingstown Police Department revealed in a June 13 statement that the remains belonged to 31-year-old Eric Wein of Massachusetts. "After working closely with the Mansfield Police Department and the Rhode Island Office of the State Medical Examiners, the South Kingstown Police Department has formally concluded its investigation," the statement read. "No foul play is suspected." "We extend our deepest condolences to Mr. Wein's family and loved ones during this difficult time," the statement concluded. Wein's remains washed ashore on May 14 in Westerly, Rhode Island, which includes the wealthy enclave of Watch Hill, where Swift owns her sprawling residence. Real estate pushback to 'Taylor Swift tax' begins. Will the charge hit everyday cottages? The home, called "Holiday House," inspired the fan favorite hit song, including "The Last Great American Dynasty" from her 2020 album "Folklore." The home even inspired beloved New York Times bestselling author Emily Henry's newest book, "Great Big Beautiful Life." Henry's book, released April 22, follows Alice and Hayden, two journalists vying for the chance to write a blockbuster celebrity memoir. The "Beach Read" author revealed in an interview earlier this year that she drew the story from several real-life tales, including Swift's 2020 song, which is about her Westerly mansion's previous owner, Rebekah Harkness. "I love that song, and love the story behind it," she told E! News in April. "Every once in a while, I find myself back on the Wikipedia page, just reading through. I just find those kinds of larger-than-life families really, really intriguing." "Holiday House" also inspired possible Rhode Island legislation that would enact a "Taylor Swift tax," officially called the "non-owner-occupied tax," which applies to all residential properties assessed at more than $1 million that do not serve as a primary dwelling. To qualify as a primary residence, an owner has to live there more than half the year, or 183 days. By this criteria, Swift would owe Rhode Island around $136,000 in new taxes on her Watch Hill mansion if a new charge to high-end vacation homes proposed in the House version of the state budget passes. Contributing: Patrick Anderson, Providence Journal; Melina Khan, USA TODAY NETWORK - New England
New York Times
06-06-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Times
Mine! Mine! Mine! Children's Books About Greed
I am old enough to remember a time when we didn't need books to tell us that greed and lying are bad, when it was assumed children would be taught these lessons by their parents. Sadly, times have changed. Now it seems necessary to educate children — and their parents — on these subjects. Lucky for us we have two excellent new books to help us do it. The Caldecott medalist Chris Raschka's lightly illustrated novel PEACHALOO IN BLOOM (Neal Porter/Holiday House, 304 pp., $18.99, ages 10 and up) follows a girl named Peachaloo at the magical moment in childhood when she gains both the power to understand 'what people really mean, not just what they're saying,' and a 'blooming sense of good and evil' — abilities that will soon be sorely needed in her little town in central Pennsylvania's Appalachian Mountains. Raschka's prose is charming, written in a rural deadpan reminiscent of Kate DiCamillo, and the accompanying drawings are comical and oddball, like many of the novel's eccentric characters. Occasionally Raschka indulges in playing with the world he's created rather than pushing the story along, but taking joy in one's creation is a small sin, and smaller still when the creation is as worthy as the kooky town of Fourwords (whose name refers to the four words carved into the door frames of its oldest buildings: Hope, Faith, Charity and Patience). Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Daily Mail
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
My mom used to work for Taylor Swift... here are the places the popstar loves to visit
Taylor Swift may be the biggest pop star on the planet - but that doesn't mean she avoids hanging out at local hotspots. A longtime Swiftie has revealed some of the singer's favorite places to visit in the beachside town of Mystic, Connecticut - sharing his mom used to work with her and knows all the popstar's hidden gems. The seaside town, not far from Rhode Island, is home to Swift's $17 million vacation mansion - often referred to simply as 'Holiday House.' Calvn revealed in a recent clip that his mom worked as a cleaner and would often tidy the house, including after her 'iconic' Fourth of July parties. 'My mom used to work for Taylor Swift and although I will not and cannot say anything about personal about Taylor, I can share some of the local businesses where I live,' the fan and content creator said in a recent video. 'Where Holiday House is, where she frequents - this is general knowledge, already known,' he assured viewers. He added: 'We get a lot of tourists every year because she frequents these places so here we go.' He started off with 'the most famous and well known' establishment - Mystic Drawbridge Ice Cream on Main Street. 'It's very quaint, there's a lot of lore,' he teased, adding there's a 'really famous' picture of the Bad Blood singer and Selena Gomez sharing an ice cream nearby. He also pointed out another street, showing viewers a picture of the duo crossing the street many years ago. The next stop on his Taylor Tour was a clothing store called The Black Dog - famously, the name of a song on her The Tortured Poets Department album. While the song is believed to be referencing a pub in South London, Calvn quipped: 'Need I say more,' as he stood under the sign. He then moved on to Sift, a bakery which usually has a 'line out the door,' before giving an honorable mention to the Cider Mill. 'It's a cider mill, it's the oldest in the country,' he shared, expressing his particular fondness for the donuts. In another video, Calvn gave some more insight into what the superstar was like to work with. 'All I can say about Taylor is that she is just as nice and kind and everything like that in a person as you'd think she is,' he gushed. He started off with 'the most famous and well known' establishment - Mystic Drawbridge Ice Cream on Main Street The creator even said that she would give all of her staff gifts at Christmas including 'little pastries that her chef would make,' gift cards for the grocery store, and even tickets to the Reputation tour. 'It was a really weird time, I met a lot of cool people when I would go over there to help my mom, especially when I was in high school, it's pretty insane,' he reflected. Taylor purchased the sprawling multi-million dollar property in 2013, and has welcomed countless A-List guests since then - including ex-boyfriends Tom Hiddleston, Calvin Harris and Joe Jonas - to the mansion and hosted several of her famous 'Taymerica' 4th July parties. Her Rhode Island home - which was known as 'Holiday House' in the 1940s - was once owned by Rebekah and her husband William Harkness, a Standard Oil heir who was one of the wealthiest men in America. Making for an iconic tradition, almost every Independence Day the 34-year-old pop star gathers together all of her A-List pals at her Rhode Island residence to host an extremely star-studded bash. The hitmaker's girl gang members such as Selena Gomez, Blake Lively, and Gigi Hadid are usually in attendance, as well as a few famous exes such as Tom Hiddleston popping up over the years. The Pennsylvania-born star put together the annual event at her New England residence for the first time more than a decade ago and then continued every year until Donald Trump became president, before bringing it back in 2023.
