Berkshire Museum presents ‘Art of the Hills’ 2024, a juried exhibition featuring regional artists
Pittsfield— From October 5th through January 5th, Berkshire Museum presents “Art of the Hills” 2024, a juried exhibition offering a look into Berkshire-area working artists through various mediums, expressions, and styles.
“Art of the Hills” first debuted at Berkshire Museum as a bi-annual exhibit in 2018 and continues to celebrate the artistic and creative culture of the region through both emerging and established artists working or living within 60 miles of the museum’s location in downtown Pittsfield. The exhibit will feature 41 works by 33 artists drawn from over 1,200 submitted works, selected by jurors Berkshire Museum as Chief Curator Jesse Kowalski and retired museum curator Kentaro Tomio.
“The overwhelming response from over 460 regional artists to the Berkshire Museum’s call for art speaks to the vibrancy of the Berkshire County artist community, and reinforces the museum’s commitment to showcasing these local artists. We are excited to welcome these talented artists ‘home’,” said William Dore, Berkshire Museum Exhibitions Manager.
The exhibit runs from October 5th through January 5th at the Berkshire Museum at 39 South Street in Pittsfield. There will be an opening reception on Saturday, October 5th from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. It is free and open to the public. More information can be found online.
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Crandell Theatre presents a screening of ‘How to Come Alive with Norman Mailer’ followed by Q&A with Danielle Mailer, Norman Mailer’s daughter
Chatham, N.Y.— On Saturday, September 28th at 7 p.m., Crandell Theatre presents a screening of the documentary “How to Come Alive with Norman Mailer” followed by Q&A with artist Danielle Mailer, Norman Mailer’s daughter.
Norman Mailer, America’s most controversial and bestselling author of the 20th Century, had a life that was certainly stranger than fiction. Propelled by his tremendous ego and contrarian spirit, Mailer’s ceaseless visibility in the public eye lasted six decades, during which he had six tumultuous marriages, nine beloved children, 11 bestsellers, three arrests, and two Pulitzer Prizes.
The first documentary with full access to Mailer’s family and their archive, the film follows him from his formative years in Brooklyn through his career as a preeminent cultural voice, unearthing a treasure trove of intimate and never-before-seen footage, outtakes, audio recordings, and interviews from throughout his life. Mailer lays himself bare, foibles and all.
The event is on Saturday, September 28th at 7 p.m., Crandell Theatre at 48 Main Street in Chatham , N.Y. The screening will be followed by a Q&A with Danielle Mailer. Tickets and more information can be found online.
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MCLA to present ‘Myths & Monsters of New England,’ a talk by Professor Dr. Hannah Noel Haynes
North Adams— On Thursday, October 3rd at 7 p.m., MCLA Professor of Interdisciplinary Studies Dr. Hannah Noel Haynes will present on “Myths & Monsters of New England,’ a talk exploring New England folklore, insight into historical places, and why certain stories are repeated in human history.
Noel Haynes, a cultural theorist, has a special interest in vampires and how vampirism in Europe made it to New England. Her class also studied various sightings of bigfoot in Berkshire County and students shared their own haunting stories. They learned about different cultures and how folklore impacted certain areas such as Bennington and the Bennington Triangle or stories related to North Adams and indigenous people, and the Hoosac Tunnel being haunted from the deaths of the workers who built it.
The talk will be on Thursday, October 3rd at 7 p.m. in the Feigenbaum Center for Science and Innovation atrium at MCLA at 47 Blackinton Street in North Adam. A Q&A will follow the talk. More information can be found online.
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11th annual Berkshire Pottery Tour
Berkshire— The 11th annual Berkshire Pottery Tour is on September 28th and 29th from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. in Richmond, Stockbridge, Housatonic, Great Barrington, and Monterey.
Visitors are invited to look inside several very different working pottery studios with a wide variety of ceramic art, techniques, and ideas. Each studio has its own character and each offers something unique, a range of price points, and invited guest potters. At Berkshire Art Center’s Stockbridge location, visitors can see the beautiful ceramics studio and kilns, and meet faculty members who share their passion for clay and teaching.
The tour is on September 28th and 29th from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. in a geographic loop that brings visitors through Richmond, Stockbridge, Housatonic, Great Barrington, and Monterey. Participants can begin the tour at any studio. More information, including a map of locations can be found online. Maps will also be available at each studio, and orange and white Berkshire Pottery Tour road signs will mark key turns on the weekend of the event.
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Sixth annual Hilltown open studio tour
Worthington— The sixth annual Hilltown open studio tour with live art demonstrations is on October 5th and 6th from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. from South Worthington to Plainfield. Learn how to do everything from painting atmosphere in watercolors to throwing pot forms, taught by local artists of national renown in their home studios.
This year, the tour will be centered around Worthington, which is the highest town in the state and especially dramatic in leaf season. The tour hub, at 6 Williamsburg Road in Worthington, will be located in a recreated 19th century schoolhouse with tall antique windows illuminating the eight artists featured there. At the tour hub, there will be artist presentations, a food truck, and gorgeous fall scenery.
“Guests can expect to be inspired not just from the many demonstrations, but from the restored barns and houses that Hilltowns artists live and work in,” says fiber artist and retired architect Kathy Ford, who is also the president of the Hilltown Arts Alliance. Her creative space is a 28 square foot post-and-beam house from the 1790s. Ceramicist Emmett Leader has turned a three-story barn into a large-scale studio where he sculpts his work inside what were cow stalls. On Saturday, Leader will also be firing an outdoor bread oven he created. He will be serving freshly baked bread while local klezmer musicians entertain.
The tour is on October 5th and 6th from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. from South Worthington to Plainfield. A map of locations can be found online. Maps are also available at each stop on the tour and at the tour hub at 6 Williamsburg Road in Worthington. More information can be found online.
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Whiting Mills annual ‘Spooktacular’
Winsted, Conn.— The Whiting Mills’ annual ‘Spooktacular’ is on October 5th and 6th from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Ghosts, goblins, witches, and other heroes of horrors will abound in Whiting Mills. Thirty Artists’ Studios will be open and brimming with frightful delights, oddities, tantalizing treats, and whimsically spooky creations. In addition to exploring working artist studios decked out for Halloween, there will be scavenger hunts, a costume contest for adults and children, an interactive monster display, and candy for all trick-or-treaters.
One studio not to be missed is Tina’s Baskets and Woven Arts which has been cleverly decorated with all things Halloween. Tina Puckett is an internationally award-winning woven artist specializing in everything from intricate baskets and bowls to woven sculptures and wall hangings. When visiting the studio don’t miss the chance to enter the drawing to win a beautiful Gothic black basket embellished by bittersweet filled with Halloween candy.
The free event is on October 5th and 6th from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Whiting Mills at 100 Whiting Street in Winsted, Conn. More information can be found online.
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Berkshire District Attorney’s Office senior citizen fraud event
Berkshire— On Thursday, October 3rd at 10 a.m. and 2:30 p.m., the Berkshire District Attorney’s Office will host workshops focused on senior citizen fraud with the US Department of Justice, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Department of the Treasury, the Federal Bureau of Investigations, and the US Attorney’s Office.
There is a north county session on Thursday, October 3rd 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at All Saints Episcopal Church at 59 Summer Street in North Adams. There is a central/south county session on Thursday, October 3rd from 2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. at Lenox Town Hall at 6 Walker Street in Lenox.
The workshops are free and open to all senior citizens and community providers that serve senior citizens. To register, call Kathye DeWitt-Allen at the Berkshire District Attorney’s Office at 413-443-5951, extension 251.
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North Chatham Free Library presents ‘Medicare 101,’ a free program on applying for Medicare
North Chatham, N.Y.— On Wednesday, October 2nd from 10 a.m. to noon, North Chatham Free Library presents ‘Medicare 101,’ a free program on applying for Medicare.
If you are approaching age 65 and are beginning to think about applying for Medicare, join North Chatham Free Library for a seminar to help you get started with the process. Experienced Columbia County Office for the Aging staff will be on hand to explore what you need to know to make sound decisions.
The topics slated for discussion include:
· What is the difference between Part A and Part B?
· When can I apply?
· What are the penalties if I don’t apply?
· Do I want traditional Medicare or a Medicare Advantage Plan?
· Do I want a Medigap Plan to supplement traditional Medicare?
· How do I get prescription drug coverage?
· What if I have coverage from my previous employer as part of a retirement plan?
The event is on Wednesday, October 2nd from 10 a.m. to noon at North Chatham Free Library at 4287 Route 203 in North Chatham, N.Y. The seminar will conclude with a Q&A to ensure all the topics have been covered and attendees can have the opportunity to clarify any details. More information can be found online.
