Construct, Inc. to hold Walk This Way
Great Barrington — Construct, Inc. will hold its 28th annual Walk This Way to Prevent Homelessness on Sunday, Sept. 25, to raise money for the its emergency assistance fund which helps households facing heat emergencies, rental arrears, and other financial challenges.
This year’s walk will honor Construct, Inc. Executive Director Cara Davis, soon to retire after 26 years, and the establishment of the Cara Fund in her name. Registration will begin at 12:30 p.m. with the 3.4-mile walk stepping off from Berkshire South Regional Community Center at 1 p.m. and ending at the Great Barrington Fairgrounds. Each walker is challenged to raise money from sponsors using the traditional Walk Papers available at Construct’s offices or by creating their own fundraising pages.
Walk This Way to Prevent Homelessness will be held rain or shine, with energizing music to start walkers off, a checkpoint midway, and hearty refreshments at the endpoint. Transportation will be provided at any point along the route for walkers who want to jump to the endpoint or return to their vehicles at the start.
For more information, call Construct, Inc. at (413) 528-1985.
–E.E.
* * *
Berkshire Pottery Tour
Berkshire County — Six leading potters of the southern Berkshires will open their studios from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 24, and Sunday, Sept. 25, for the third annual Berkshire Pottery Tour.
The self-guided motor tour will take art lovers through the the southern Berkshires to experience an array of styles in functional and sculptural ceramics, from the Richmond studio of Ben Evans to Paula Shalan in Stockbridge, Lorimer Burns in Housatonic, Daniel Bellow in Great Barrington, and on to Ellen Grenadier in Monterey and Linda Skipper in New Marlborough. The tour runs in a rough circle and can be begun at any point. Visitors to all six studios will be entered in a drawing to win a mug from each of the six artists on this year’s tour by submitting a tour map/brochure, available at all studios, with all six of the potters’ signatures to any of the potters. Distinctive orange and white “Pottery Tour” road signs will be displayed at key turns on the weekend of the event.
Admission is free and families are welcome. For more information, contact Daniel Bellow at (413) 429-7111 or daniel@danielbellow.com.
–E.E.
* * *
Chesterwood announces artist-in-residence Sharon Bates
Stockbridge — Chesterwood has announced that artist Sharon Bates will be in residence through Friday, Sept. 30. The public is invited to attend Bates’ open studio days at Chesterwood’s second studio on Saturday, Sept. 24, and Sunday, and Sunday, Sept. 25 from 2 – 4 p.m. The program is free of charge and visitors are asked to register in advance at the admissions desk or by calling (413) 298-2023.
Bates received Chesterwood’s Lillian Heller Curator’s Award for her month-long residency and living arrangements in the Meadowlark, a studio that was later converted into a cottage by French’s daughter, Margaret French Cresson. Bates is the founding director of the Albany International Airport Art & Culture Program where she curated rotating exhibitions, site-specific projects, and satellite museum exhibitions in the Albany International Airport Gallery and throughout the 250,000-square-foot terminal for nearly two decades. She recently left her position at the airport to pursue her studio practice full time. She has exhibited her work in Los Angeles, Miami, and throughout the Northeast. “Practice,” an outdoor installation originally conceived and exhibited at Chesterwood in 2013, will be included in the Artists of the Mohawk – Hudson Region Exhibition at the Hyde Collection in Glens Falls, N.Y., in October.
For more information, call Chesterwood at (413) 298-3579.
–E.E.
* * *
The Barn at the Egremont Village Inn to present Stardust Jazz
Egremont — On Friday, Sept. 23, from 9 – 11 p.m., the Barn at the Egremont Village Inn will present Stardust Jazz in a new grouping featuring Trice Atchison on vocals, Michael Junkins on guitar, Allen Livermore on sax, Pete Toigo on bass, and Peter Peirce on drums. Known for its warmth and sophistication, the band delivers a large repertoire of classic jazz and blues. Tickets are $12.50. For tickets and more information, see the Berkshire Edge calendar or call the Barn at (413) 528-9580.
–E.E.
* * *
Bidwell House Museum to offer animal tracking program
Monterey — On Saturday, Sept. 24, from 11 a.m. – 2:30 p.m., the Bidwell House Museum will host a program on animal tracking with naturalist David Brown. This indoor slide presentation followed by an outdoor walk will help participants detect and identify some wildlife activity as well as interpret found signs for insight into the lives of wild animals in the region.
David Brown has nearly 30 years of experience tracking wildlife in New England and the Southwest. He is the author of several publications including the recently released book “The Next Step: Interpreting Animal Tracks, Trails and Sign.” His books will be available for purchase and signing at the program.
The cost of the program is $10 for Museum members and $15 for nonmembers. Participants are advised to bring a bag lunch and to dress appropriately for the weather with rugged footwear for off-trail walking. The program is suitable for adults and accompanied teens ages 13 and up. For more information or to register, see the Berkshire Edge calendar or call the Museum at (413) 528-6888.
–E.E.
* * *
Community ReStart to hold fundraising dinner
Pittsfield — On Saturday, Sept. 24, at 5:30 p.m., Community ReStart will hold a chicken parmesan dinner at St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church to raise money to support the winter fuel costs of its three residences. Frank LaRagione and his wife, Evelyn, will prepare the dinner, which will include pasta, salad and dessert. The cost of the dinner is $12 for adults and $8 for children under 12. Both walk-ins and take-out will be served. To make reservations, call (413) 442-8592. For more information on Community ReStart, call (413) 464-9455.
–E.E.
