The following text was the spoken introduction so beautifully delivered by Jennifer Sperry Steinorth at Lore event on June 18, 2010.

photo by Robert Bushway

photo by Robert Bushway

photo by Robert Bushway

Holly floats - photo by Robert Bushway

photo by Robert Bushway

Good Evening.  What a beautiful night.  My name is Jennifer Steinorth

photo by Robert Bushway

photo by Robert Bushway

photo by Robert Bushway

photo by Robert Bushway

and on behalf of the women of Lore, I’ve been asked to make a few announcements.  Firstly, a friendly reminder to turn off all communication devices, you will thus avoid getting glared at by your neighbors…..Second, due to the delicious light still pouring from the sky, there is a program change…Andrea Maio’s Film will not be viewed first, but rather, later in the program, following….  Thirdly, there are some very important thank you’s,  the women of Lore would like to bestow….for the sumptuous food, Suz McLaughlin of Still Grinning Cattering and Ireland Sutter, Cuisine.  For the delightful libations, the artful Mead Master, Bruce Grossman and our server Mary Pitcher, the talented tech crew, Stephen Kelly, stage manager and Lighting, Shaun Ancheck the sound guru, and photographer Robert Bushway for photo-documenting this event and process, and Stylist and Fiber Artist Sharron May of Beyond Salon for the exquisite transformations in locks that you’ll see on stage tonight.

Special gratitude is owed to the Mills Community House Board for permitting this use of this beautiful space.  Many of you may be familiar with the history of the building, but for those of you who are not, the original structure was built in 1909 to serve as the girls dormitory for the Benzonia Academy, formerly Benzonia College.  In 1858 the pioneers who settled at the end of Crystal Lake a then, remote place, the did so with the express purpose of establishing a college.  It is probable, in the early 1900′s when this building was a dormitory, that house rules for the girls were strict, in accordance with the customs of the day.  Boys were probably not allowed, nor skirts above the knee, perhaps dancing would not have been permitted at all, but this is a place where women could come to gain an education and so better themselves and the world.  Though the use of this building has changed, the mission of the Mills Community House remains consistent with desires of the pioneers who settled here.  And so is it consistent with the work of the seven women artists here tonight, pioneers in their own right, drawing from their personal histories threads to weave together the beautiful tapestry you will witness this evening.

One final note, to keep the fabric of this performance unbroken, the artists have requested that you hold all applause until the end, and that you please join them for the reception to follow which promises good conversation, great food and perhaps a little more dancing.  I can tell you, it will surely be difficult to hold your applause, so please join me now, in putting my hands together, to thank all those who have worked on this project and to welcome the talented women performing tonight.  Enjoy the show.



photo by Robert Bushway