Ventfort Hall Gilded Age Mansion & Museum presents ‘New England Movies: How and Why,’ a ‘Tea & Talk’ with American film director and screenwriter Jay Craven
Lenox– On Sunday, March 1st at 3:30 p.m., Ventfort Hall Gilded Age Mansion & Museum presents “New England Movies: How and Why,” a “Tea & Talk” with American film director and screenwriter Jay Craven.
Craven will talk about his adventures and experiences developing a sustained filmmaking career set in Vermont and Massachusetts, sharing the rich satisfactions and substantial challenges that come from a deep immersion into place-based narrative filmmaking. He will describe working with a wide range of actors, including Rip Torn, Tantoo Cardinal, Kris Kristofferson, Martin Sheen, Ernie Hudson, and Michael J. Fox. Expect hair-raising tales, a few laughs, madcap adventures, and behind-the-scenes insight into how all this unfolded and continues to evolve under an ever-shifting media landscape.
For four decades, Craven has written, produced, and directed character-driven films deeply rooted in Vermont and New England, including five “Vermont Westerns” based on the works of award-winning Northeast Kingdom writer Howard Frank Mosher. His latest film, “Lost Nation,” digs into the parallel Revolutionary War era stories of Ethan Allen and the pioneering Black Guilford poet, Lucy Terry Prince. His other films have adapted stories by Jack London, Guy du Maupassant, George Bernard Shaw, Craig Nova and, currently, Henrik Ibsen and Dashiell Hammett. Craven also made the regional Emmy-winning comedy series “Windy Acres” for public television, and seven documentaries.
Craven’s films have played festivals and special screenings including Sundance, South by Southwest, The American Film Institute, Lincoln Center, Cinematheque Francaise, the Constitutional Court of Johannesburg, and Cinemateca Nacional de Venezuela. Awards include the Vermont Governor’s Award for Excellence in the Arts, the Producer’s Guild of America’s NOVA Award, and the National Endowment for the Arts American Masterpieces program. His film “Where the Rivers Flow North” was a named finalist for Critics Week at the Cannes Film Festival.
The talk is on Sunday, March 1st at 3:30 p.m. at Ventfort Hall Gilded Age Mansion and Museum, located at 104 Walker Street in Lenox. A tea will follow the presentation. Tickets and more information can be found online.
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Berkshire Botanical Garden presents its annual ‘Bulb Show,’ a springtime tradition
Stockbridge– From February 20th through March 20th from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Berkshire Botanical Garden (BBG) presents its annual ‘Bulb Show,’ a springtime tradition and a bright, fragrant retreat from winter’s chill.
A tribute to beauty, renewal, and the quiet rhythm of the seasons, visitors can expect hundreds of bulbs filling the space, from beloved tulips, daffodils, and grape hyacinths to more unusual varieties that surprise and delight.
Creating this burst of color begins quietly in late summer when BBG horticulture staff selects and orders the season’s bulbs. Planting begins in the fall in the greenhouse, and then the bulbs spend weeks in cool rooms where temperatures remain close to 42°F to simulate winter. As their chilling period ends, the bulbs move back to the greenhouse to “wake up.” Over several weeks, they send up shoots, leaf out, and eventually burst into color. Before they’re displayed in the Fitzpatrick Conservatory, each pot is topped with moss, pine needles or nut shells, and the display team adds finishing touches, including succulents, branches, and small stumps to create depth and contrast.
The show runs from February 20th through March 20th from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Berkshire Botanical Garden, located at 5 West Stockbridge Road in Stockbridge. Admission is free, and everyone is welcome. More information can be found online.
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Multidisciplinary artist and researcher Gabrielle Senza presents “I MUST BE INVISIBLE,” an intimate performance lecture and participatory workshop at Studio Lab Eleven
Great Barrington– On Sunday, February 22nd at noon, Multidisciplinary artist and researcher Gabrielle Senza presents “I MUST BE INVISIBLE,” an intimate performance lecture and participatory workshop at Studio Lab Eleven.
The event is part of the ongoing “In/Visibility Lab,” a creative research platform exploring who and what is seen, ignored, or rendered invisible in contemporary life. Blending storytelling, music, guided reflection, and facilitated dialogue, “I MUST BE INVISIBLE” invites participants to explore personal and collective experiences of visibility, belonging, and presence.
The work has been presented internationally in conferences, cultural spaces, and small-group settings, and is designed to foster thoughtful conversation in an increasingly fragmented world. “Creating spaces where people can be truly seen, heard, and celebrated is at the heart of my work,” says Senza. “It’s deeply moving to hold that space with others, especially at a time when many are searching for connection and belonging.”
Gabrielle Senza is a multidisciplinary artist whose work addresses human rights, environmental themes, and the unseen dynamics shaping collective experience. Her work has been presented in solo and traveling exhibitions throughout the U.S. and abroad and is included in the collections of the Whitney Museum of American Art, MoMA New York, Lifetime Entertainment, and numerous private and corporate collections. Founded in Berlin in 2017, her “In/Visibility Lab” operates as a mobile creative research platform through installations, performance lectures, and participatory workshops. She will be joined by Dan Ruderman as Lead Lab Technician.
This announcement follows recent news that Senza has been shortlisted as an official speaker for London Experience Week this April, where she will share the work with an international community of experience designers, artists, and cultural leaders. Additional “In/Visibility Lab” events are planned for March and April in NYC, London, and beyond, with dates to be announced.
The event is on Sunday, February 22nd at noon at Studio Lab Eleven, located at 11 Railroad Street in Great Barrington. The doors open at 11:30 a.m. Tickets and more information can be found online.
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Olana Partnership presents ‘The Geography of Color: Frederic Church’s ‘Autumn’,’ a presentation by Nicholas Robbins, Lecturer in British Art at University College London
Hudson, N.Y.– On Tuesday, February 24th from noon to 1 p.m., the Olana Partnership presents “The Geography of Color: Frederic Church’s ‘Autumn’,” a virtual presentation by Nicholas Robbins, Lecturer in British Art at University College London.
Learn more about Frederic Church’s dynamic use of color during this presentation of new research on “Autumn,” a painting in Olana State Historic Site’s collection. This presentation will highlight the scholarship of Nicholas Robbins, Lecturer in History of Art at University College London and contributor to forthcoming publication, “Frederic Church: Global Artist.”
Received his BA and PhD in art history from Yale University, Robbins’ research centers on intersections between art, science, and environment in the long nineteenth century. He co-curated the exhibition “Picturesque and Sublime” at the Thomas Cole National Historic Site in 2018.
The virtual presentation is on Tuesday, February 24th from noon to 1 p.m. on Zoom. Admission is free. Registration and more information can be found online.
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Friends of the Bushnell-Sage Library presents a historical presentation by author Bernard A. Drew
Sheffield– On Sunday, February 22nd at 2:30 p.m., the Friends of the Bushnell-Sage Library presents a historical presentation by author Bernard A. Drew, as part of a three-part lecture series that celebrates various aspects of the 250th Anniversary of the American Revolution.
The focus of Drew’s well-researched talk is the five military marches that traveled through South Berkshire County in 1676-1787. The first two occurred before Great Barrington parted ways with Sheffield in 1761. Another s is the subject of his book “Henry Knox and the Revolutionary War Trail in Western Massachusetts,” which details the cannon caravan that gave General Washington an important advantage and victory in the American Revolution.
Bernard Drew is a former weekly newspaper editor and reporter. He has authored 30+local history books. Since 1996, he has written a biweekly “Our Berkshires” column for The Berkshire Eagle.
The presentation is on Sunday, February 22nd at 2:30 p.m. at the Bushnell-Sage Library, located at 48 Main Street in Sheffield. Admission is free, and everyone is welcome. More information can be found online.
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‘Introduction to Smartphone Photography,’ a ‘Lunch & Learn’ with photographer Thaddeus B. Kubis
Sheffield– On Wednesday, February 25th from 1 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., Sheffield-based photographer Thaddeus B. Kubis’ “Lunch & Learn” series, a monthly opportunity to enhance your photography skills with a structured and innovative program, continues.
Aiming to teach a creative topic in a creative atmosphere, sessions will be hosted by Kubis at various regional restaurants, each selected for their creative atmosphere and culinary offerings. Each meeting will facilitate discussions on classic photography, its influence, and the impact of artificial intelligence on photography. The sessions are designed to provide participants with the opportunity to address questions, troubleshoot challenges, and stay informed about developments across all aspects of photography. This month’s focus is smartphone photography.
The session is on Wednesday, February 25th from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. in Great Barrington. To express interest, please email info@tbkphotos.com. The next sessions are introduction to DSLR/mirrorless photography on March 25th and basic portrait photography on April 29th. More information can be found online.
