'Motherhood' by Eva Cocco is included in the 'Viva La Femme!' art exhibition at L'Atelier Berkshires in Great Barrington. Image courtesy L'Atelier Berkshires

Bits & Bytes: ‘Viva La Femme!’ at L’Atelier Berkshires; ‘Berkshire Supergenerians’; ‘In Process with Zoe Scofield’; filmmaking talk

“Berkshire Supergenerians: A Forum for Seniors” is geared toward people in their 60s to their 90s; those concerned about aging well; and those who provide health, wellness and medical services to an older population.

L’Atelier Berkshires’ ‘Viva La Femme!’ exhibit celebrates women artists

Great Barrington — L’Atelier Berkshires presents the exhibit “Viva La Femme!” through Wednesday, June 6. In association with the statewide ArtWeek festival, L’Atelier Berkshires will hold a reception for the exhibit Sunday, May 6, from 6 to 8 p.m. featuring artist talks, live Brazilian jazz music with Vita Kay and a “Drink Your Flowers” spring cocktail tasting with Peony Vodka.

After receiving almost 100 submissions from female artists across the nation, L’Atelier Berkshires curated “Viva La Femme!” as a celebration of the work of contemporary women artists. The exhibition includes paintings, drawings, sculptures and photography by Kelly Birkenruth, Catherine Bohrman, Virginia Bradley, Peggy Braun, Karen Carmean, Eva Cocco, Janet Cook, Jess Cross, Ella Delyanis, Stephanie Deshpande, Kiki Dufault, Shan Fannin, DebiLynn Fendley, Jean Germain, Liz Adams Jones, Aleksandra Katargina, Tanya Harsch, Sarah Horne, Leah Lopez, Carolyn Newberger, Barbara Patton, Peggy Rivers, Gail Rothschild, Jenny Rubin, Rachael Warnock and Allyssa Yamaguchi.

The event is free and open to the public. For more information, contact Natalie Tyler at (510) 469-5468 or natalie.tyler@atelierberks.com.

–E.E.

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Berkshire Museum to host ‘Berkshire Supergenerians’ forum

Mark Pettus, M.D. Photo courtesy Berkshire Health Systems

Pittsfield — Bringing up-to-date research about health and wellness to active seniors is the goal of “Berkshire Supergenerians: A Forum for Seniors,” to be held Wednesday, May 9, from 9 a.m. to noon at the Berkshire Museum.

Massachusetts Secretary for Elder Affairs Alice Bonner. Photo courtesy mass.gov

The forum is geared toward those in their 60s to their 90s; those concerned about aging well; and those who provide health, wellness and medical services to an older population. Speakers will include Mark Pettus, M.D., of Berkshire Health Systems on the topic “Take Charge of Your Health”; Debra Ann Pollack, M.D., of the Danbury, Connecticut, Center for Comprehensive Care on “Healthy Sleep for Seniors”; and Massachusetts Secretary of the Executive Office of Elder Affairs Alice Bonner, Ph.D., on other pertinent health news for independent seniors. The forum will provide a relaxed atmosphere with time for questions and answers, light refreshments, and door prizes.

The forum was organized by year-round Berkshire seniors and volunteers Mary Jane Incorvia Mattina and Francine Weinberg. “We realized that we were only accidentally coming across reliable advice on how to remain active and vigorous as we get older,” said Mattina. “So we created the Forum to provide research about aging well to our friends and neighbors,” Weinberg continued.

The forum is free and open to the public, though registration is required due to limited seating. For more information or to register, see the Berkshire Edge calendar, or contact (413) 528-0457 or supergenerian@gmail.com.

–E.E.

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Jacob’s Pillow to present ‘In Process with Zoe Scofield’

Zoe Scofield. Photo: Juniper Shuey

Becket — Jacob’s Pillow will host a glimpse into the Pillow Lab, its new research and development program, with multiple performances of Princess Grace Award winner Zoe Scofield’s new work “always now” Saturday, May 5, at 2 p.m., 4 p.m. and 7 p.m.; and Sunday, May 6, at 4 p.m.

At the intersection of dance, installation, video and technology, “always now” is presented in two distinct sections and seeks to spark a simple shift in the structure of traditional performance to alter the relationship between audience and dancer. Audience members lay on the floor, head to shin in a perpendicular physical orientation, for the entirety of the performance. In collaboration with designers Juniper Shuey, Thomas Dunn and Julian Marlew, the work aims to expose vulnerabilities of performers by questioning how and if dancers can become audience members again.

Scofield is the co-artistic director and choreographer of zoe | juniper, a Seattle-based dance and visual arts team comprised of Scofield and visual artist Shuey. A 2015 Guggenheim Fellow and 2013 Stranger Genius Award winner, zj has been commissioned over the past 13 years by Jacob’s Pillow, On the Boards, Dance Theater Workshop/New York Live Arts, Bates Dance Festival, DiverseWorks, PS122, Pennsylvania Ballet, ICA Boston, Joyce Theater and others. The company has received awards and residencies from the MacDowell Colony, Bellagio Rockefeller Foundation, Princess Grace Foundation, Mellon Foundation and MAP Fund.

Tickets are $25. For tickets and more information, see the Berkshire Edge calendaror contact Jacob’s Pillow at (413) 243-0745 or boxoffice@jacobspillow.org.

–E.E.

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‘Filmmaking: The Underground Berkshire Industry’

Diane Pearlman. Photo courtesy Jewish Federation of the Berkshires

Pittsfield — On Monday, May 7, at 10:45 a.m., the Jewish Federation of the Berkshires will welcome independent film producer and Berkshire Film and Media Collaborative executive director Diane Pearlman for a talk titled “Filmmaking: The Underground Berkshire Industry” at Congregation Knesset Israel.

Said Pearlman: “Let’s take a journey through the past several decades and discuss the evolution of the film and media industry in our county. You’ll learn about some of the groundbreaking technologies that have been developed here, and why so many filmmakers have decided to make the Berkshires their home no matter where they work in the world.”

Pearlman recently produced the award-winning short film “A Tree. A Rock. A Cloud,” based on the Carson McCullers’ short story and directed by actor Karen Allen. She is currently producing the short video “You Have a Voice,” which focuses on young women and civic engagement. In the 1990s, Pearlman was executive producer and general manager of the Lenox-based visual effects movie studio Mass.Illusion, which created groundbreaking effects for “The Matrix,” “What Dreams May Come” and others.

For more information, contact the Jewish Federation of the Berkshires at (413) 442-4360 x10 or federation@jewishberkshires.org.

–E.E.