Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art presents ‘Open + Shut: Celebrating the Art of Endpapers,’ featuring art from more than 50 books
Amherst— From April 19th to November 9th, the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art presents “Open + Shut: Celebrating the Art of Endpapers,” guest curated by Bruce Handy.
The exhibition explores the often-overlooked creativity of endpapers, the decorated pages inside a book’s covers, which have become an expanded artistic canvas in contemporary children’s publishing. It features art from more than 50 books, ranging from classics such as “Blueberries for Sal” and “The World of Pooh,” to three decades of contemporary works by Sophie Blackall, Yas Imamura, Eliza Kinkz, Grace Lin, Jessica Love, Jerry Pinkney, Paloma Valdivia, and others.
Endpapers are the pages pasted inside the front and back covers of hard-bound books, helping to bind the rest of the pages to the cover. For artists and designers, endpapers can be a gloriously blank canvas, setting the mood for the story inside with images full of wit, surprise, and deep emotion. “Open + Shut” will explore how endpapers can tell a story within a larger story, frame or comment on the main story, serve as a warm-up act or overture, or provide extra information, almost like a visual introduction or epilogue.
The exhibit runs from April 19th to November 9th at the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art, located at 125 West Bay Road in Amherst. There will be a curator tour with Bruce Handy on April 19th at 1 p.m. More information can be found online.
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American Mural Project presents legendary blues musician and Grammy nominee Eric Bibb
Winsted, Conn.— On Saturday, April 19th at 8 p.m., American Mural Project (AMP), as part of their LIVE @AMP series, presents an evening of world-class blues with legendary musician and three-time Grammy nominee Eric Bibb.
Known for his soulful voice, masterful guitar work, and thought-provoking songwriting, Bibb will perform in one of the region’s most distinctive venues framed by AMP’s breathtaking 120-foot indoor mural that celebrates American workers.
Born into a family steeped in activism and the arts, Bibb’s father, Leon Bibb, was a prominent civil rights activist and folk singer who marched alongside Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Growing up in the Greenwich Village folk scene, Eric was inspired by legends like Bob Dylan, Odetta, and Taj Mahal, synthesizing those influences into a sound uniquely his own. Bibb’s storytelling transcends genre, focusing on themes of unity, resilience, and justice. Albums like “Ridin’” and “Dear America” showcase his ability to confront historical and modern injustices while offering hope and inspiration.
The concert is on Saturday, April 19th at 8 p.m. at American Mural Project, located at 90 Whiting Street in Winsted. The doors open at 7 p.m. There will be a cash/credit bar serving craft and domestic beer, wine, select cocktails, and nonalcoholic beer and beverages. Tickets and more information can be found online.
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Dottie’s Coffee Lounge presents Domingo Brunch with Makin’ Hay
Pittsfield— On Sunday, April 13th from 10 a.m. to noon, Dottie’s Coffee Lounge presents Domingo Brunch with Makin’ Hay.
Banjoists Mollie Kellogg and Jana Pfeiffer, with guest guitarist Matt Deres, are “Makin’ Hay.” They perform old-time, bluegrass, Americana, folk, and singer-songwriter originals. Most recently, the trio performed in “Incognito Witch the Musical” at the Becket Arts Center.
Mollie Kellogg (banjo/guitar/songwriter) is a multi-disciplinary artist and performer with a passion for old-time music and songwriting. Jana Pfeiffer (banjo) plays banjo with friends at jams and is also a member of The Juckets, a 5 piece Berkshire-based Americana and bluegrass band. She also sings for social justice with the Hoping Machine, and she MC’s the monthly Hootenanny at the Guthrie Center. Matt Deres (guitar) has been a multi-instrumentalist musician for over 35 years, performing in pit orchestras for stage performances and local performing groups.
The performance is on Sunday, April 13th from 10 a.m. to noon at Dottie’s Coffee Lounge, located at 444 North Street in Pittsfield. Sunday Brunch from Core Kitchen is served from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. More information can be found online.
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Spencertown Academy presents downtown NYC rock band Spottiswoode & His Enemies
Spencertown, N.Y.— On Saturday, April 19th at 8 p.m., Spencertown Academy Roots & Shoots Concerts Series presents downtown NYC rock band Spottiswoode & His Enemies.
The band will entertain with a broad selection of tunes—catchy, hilarious, joyful, sometimes tear-jerking stories of love, family, the weather, and everything in between—as well as part of Spottiswoode’s new memoir-in-song, “Youngest Child,” and songs from his musical, “Above Hell’s Kitchen.” “It’s going to be a fun and memorable evening,” says Michele Quigley, co-chair of the Academy Music Committee. “Spottiswoode is an amazing showman and a real character. In addition to singing and playing guitar, he’ll play a song or two on piano and he promises to harass the audience mercilessly and subject them to probing Q&As, singalongs, and spontaneous anecdotes from a life on the road.”
Spottiswoode is an award-winning bandleader, singer-songwriter, scriptwriter, filmmaker, and the frontman for Spottiswoode & His Enemies. His music travels the gamut, drawing comparisons to Tom Waits, Ray Davies, Leonard Cohen, Nick Cave, Randy Newman, and Jim Morrison, He’ll be joined by several Enemies, including John Young (bass guitar), Tim Vaill (drums), and Tony Lauria (piano, keyboards, and accordion). With his band, he has released seven acclaimed records, performed numerous Manhattan residencies, and toured extensively—from SXSW and Lille Europe to Lincoln Center. His songs have been featured in a wide variety of films and television shows and have either won or been nominated for multiple Independent Music Awards.
The concert is on Saturday, April 19th at 8 p.m. at Spencertown Academy, located at 790 State Route 203 in Spencertown, N.Y. Tickets and more information can be found online.
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Olana Partnership presents a special Earth Day Third Thursday at Olana State Historic Site
Hudson, N.Y.— On Thursday, April 17th from 10:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., the Olana Partnership presents a special Earth Day Third Thursday at Olana State Historic Site. Celebrate spring and Earth Day at Olana with free tours, seed packets, zine-making, scavenger hunts, and more.
Visitors can welcome spring and celebrate Earth Day with free artist-designed seed packets from Hudson Valley Seed Co. From 2 p.m. to 5 p.m., stop by the Wagon House Education Center for several fun activities and prizes, including a special nature scavenger hunt with Columbia Land Conservancy. Visitors are also welcome to join a free zine-making workshop all afternoon. All materials, refreshments, and drinks will be provided. From 10:30 a.m. to 3:45 p.m., enjoy free landscape and historic house tours. Spanish language tours will be given at 2:45 p.m. and 4 p.m.
The event is on Thursday, April 17th from 10:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. at Olana State Historic Site, located at 5720 NY-9G in Hudson, N.Y. More information can be found online.
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Wander presents Brick & Sip with Bottomless Bricks
Pittsfield— On Thursday, April 17th from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., join LEGO Master Erin Landry from Bottomless Bricks for Brick & Sip with Bottomless Bricks, a fresh and festive celebration of spring.
Celebrate the return of spring by creating your own LEGO daffodils to take home, complete with a vase, while sipping on a refreshing mocktail or beverage of your choice from WANDER. No experience is needed, just bring your creativity!
The event is on Thursday, April 17th from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Wander, located at 34 Depot Street in Pittsfield. Registration and more information can be found online.
