Page 20 THE VILLADOM TIMES III • November 7, 2012 Upper Saddle River Villadom Happenings (continued from page 2) Learn about crazy quilts The Brownstone Quilters Guild will meet on Thursday, Nov. 8 at the Central Unitarian Church, 156 Forest Avenue in Paramus, at 7 p.m. Quilt artist Betty Pillsbury will present the “History of the Crazy Quilts” and the specialized techniques for surface embellishment. Using antique quilts and fabrics, Pillsbury will include a discussion of the crazy quilt rage of the 1800s. The fee for non-members is $5. On Nov. 10, guild members and Pillsbury will host a Crazy Quilting Workshop from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The workshop fee is $50. For more information, or to register, contact Alex at (201) 201-327-1807 or Alexflager@yahoo.com. Employment workshop scheduled Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church’s Career Resources Ministry, in its continuing effort to provide help to people seeking employment, will present the second of a four-part series of workshops on Sunday, Nov. 18 at 1 p.m. The workshop will be held in the meeting room in the lower church and is open to anyone seeking employment and those who anticipate possible unemployment. Parish membership is not required. Workshops are presented by the Career Resources Ministry, whose members are dedicated to helping those seeking employment. Professionals in the field will present the workshop and will be on hand to give advice. This workshop topic is “Get Your Message Out: Networking.” Participants should bring a recent resume or job experience information. Anyone interested is welcome to attend. For more information, call Carol Shea at (201) 447-4215 or Tom Lewis at (201) 445-1864. Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church is located at 1 Passaic Street in Ridgewood. Dancers welcome new members North Jersey English Country Dancers welcome newcomers to their Nov. 11 dance at the Unitarian Society of Ridgewood, 113 Cottage Place in Ridgewood. All dances are taught and prompted, and the music is live. Come with or without a partner. Instruction for beginners starts at 1:30 p.m. and the main dance is held from 2 to 5 p.m. For more information, visit www.maxellute.net/njecd html or call (201) 445-4497. ‘Everything Diabetes’ health fair set On Saturday, Nov. 10, the Diabetes Foundation, Inc. and the Ridgewood YMCA will hold “Everything Diabetes.” This event will provide information, advice, and resources for those living with diabetes, and those who are looking to prevent it. Admission is free. The fair will be held from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Ridgewood YMCA, 112 Oak Street in Ridgewood. The event will feature free health screenings, including eye health, foot, blood pressure, and blood sugar checks; fitness and BMI assessments; and other testing. Certified diabetes educators, dietitians, and other medical professionals will be available to discuss nutrition, weight loss, diabetic medications and supplies, physical activity, behavior change, complications, and signs and symptoms. Hourly educational seminars on nutrition and other related topics will be presented by various professionals in the field, including the Valley Hospital. Visitors will enjoy giveaways, cooking demonstrations, and refreshments from vendors and local businesses and health professionals. For information about this event, call (201) 444-0337. Junior League to host 26th Festival of Trees In celebration of 80 years of service to Bergen County, the Junior League of Bergen County will host its 26th Festival of Trees, “A Festive Night in Black & White,” on Saturday, Nov. 17 from 7 to 11 p.m. at the Hackensack Golf Club, 880 Soldier Home Road in Oradell. Attire for the evening is black tie preferred. This event will include a cocktail hour, an auction, and a dinner program. Proceeds will support the JLBC’s community projects and initiatives, including providing at-risk families with tools to facilitate their children’s academic success. Tickets are $150. Contact Rebecca Wickre or Marcee Taylor at FESTIVAL@THEJLBC.ORG, call (201) 4472292 or go to http://www.thjlbc.org. The Saddle River Valley Cultural Center will host an exhibit of the work of contemporary expressionist Michael Raucheisen on Sunday, Nov. 11. The public is invited to attend the 3 p.m. reception, which will feature Raucheisen and his visually engaging pieces. A Baltimore born singer, songwriter, and artist, Raucheisen now lives near Boston. Raucheisen’s song, “In Love with a Friend” was part of the Grammy-nominated Deep Dish album, “George Is On.” Surrounded by art and the musical operatic world of his grandfather, a respected German pianist, Raucheisen’s artistic development began at a very early age. His painting and creative growth have also been influenced by the works of Peter Max, James Rizzi, Jackson Pollock, Picasso, Miro, and Van Gogh. In 2006, he began painting his flower series, partly to express his celebration of the blessings of marriage, family, and friends, and as a thank you to everyone special in his life. Stepping out to take a new and unfamiliar direction, Raucheisen has found an identifying style that is uniquely his own. Ignoring the traditional approach, his paintings move with simpler lines and a contemporary color palette. Today, his paintings may be found in private and corporate collections around the world. Many years ago, when Raucheisen was traveling was traveling home from his honeymoon, he and his wife were in a near fatal accident, but emerged uninjured. That night, he began dreaming of a painting hanging over his bed. This painting would figure in his dreams every night for several weeks. What began as “test” paintings became a series that took on a life of their own. In early December 2008, nearly two years after the first “dream” painting was created, he was inspired to create another project that would be a collective of art and history, and make this unexplainable dream a reality. The year-long “I Had a Dream: A 365 Day Retrospective” project entailed Contemporary expressionist’s work now on exhibit at cultural center A work by Michael Raucheisen. producing one painting every day during 2009. On the back of each painting, a diary or recap of the day’s events was inscribed, creating a daily time capsule within each piece. The project, completed on May 8, 2010, includes 365 paintings with the daily recaps, which were assembled to present a tangible retrospective of art and history for 2009. The Saddle River Valley Cultural Center, located at 305 West Saddle River Road in Upper Saddle River, was formed in 1982 to present cultural events and to increase awareness and appreciation of the fine arts. At the same time, the organization is preserving the old Saddle River Methodist Church, built in 1842, as a historical site. For details about the exhibit, call (201) 825-3366.