Fire & Ice Opens at Chesterwood with artist talk
Stockbridge—Berkshire Art Center Artist-In-Residence Natalie Tyler’s exhibition Fire & Ice opens on Friday, September 2, at Chesterwood, a National Trust Historic Site. The public is invited to a free opening reception and artist talk on September 2, from 5-7 p.m., 4 Williamsville Road, Stockbridge, MA.
While the Artist in Residence at Chesterwood, Tyler has created outdoor sculpture inspired by the natural landscape. Tyler’s sculpture explores the fragile and forceful elements of nature, and symbolizes the elements of fire, air, earth, and water. Her most recent sculptures are large-scale and about the effects of climate change on the environment.
Thaw, a site-specific sculpture created during her residency, is installed on a tree within the historic orchard at Chesterwood. Tyler made 50-plus glass icicles that hang from the tree representing the changing weather of our seasons. The icicles glistening in the sun will be seen in the late summer and early fall, warning of a major possible frost during the harvest season.
Another sculpture, WildFire, pairs with Thaw to convey another effect of climate change. WildFire combines various colors of crystal glass, bronze and wood to convey a burning tree that has been engulfed in flames. The flames are cast in the glass so that the sun illuminates the fire as the daylight passes through.
These sculptures will be on view during the months of September and October. There is no fee to view Tyler’s installation in the apple orchard, but Chesterwood does require an admission fee to tour the historic studio, permanent collections, and outdoor sculpture exhibition “Elemental Matters: The Sculpture of Jonathan Prince.” Chesterwood is the former summer home and studio of one of America’s most important and prolific monumental sculptors, Daniel Chester French (1850-1931). Chesterwood is open to the public for touring Thursdays through Mondays from 10:00am to 5:00pm. More information at www.chesterwood.org.
Natalie Tyler is an artist whose sculpture has been shown in galleries and museums across the United States and Europe. Her work, Eagle’s Nest, is in the “Innovators in Contemporary Glass” exhibition at The Sandwich Glass Museum in Cape Cod, Massachusetts from July- October 2022. She lives and works in the Berkshire Mountains of Massachusetts. To see more of her sculptures, visit www.natalietylerart.com, Instagram: @natalietylerart. To schedule a studio visit, contact Tyler at 510-469-5468.
The Berkshire Artist Residency gives local visual artists the opportunity to create new work inspired by their home county. The tailored program gives visual artists exclusive access to world class cultural facilities and historic landmarks to develop new work that intertwines with the fabric of our county. This summer, the three-month long residencies were held at Chesterwood (Natalie Tyler) and the Red Lion Inn (Jody King Camarra).
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Spencertown Academy Arts Center 17th annual Festival of Books
Spencertown, N.Y.—Spencertown Academy Arts Center’s 17th annual Festival of Books takes place over Labor Day weekend, September 2 through September 5. The Festival features a giant used book sale, two days of discussions with and readings by esteemed authors, and a children’s program. Featured authors include Daphne Palasi Andreades, Jean Hanff Korelitz, David Nasaw, Mayukh Sen, and James Shapiro. There will also be a bookmaking arts exhibit by Suzy Banks Baum. Admission is free to all of the events, save for the Members Preview early book-buying opportunity. Masks are required inside the building.
The Festival, which began in 2006 as a book sale to raise funds for the Academy’s community arts programs, has grown into one of the biggest and most eagerly anticipated cultural events of the year.
Authors’ books will be available for purchase and signing. Healthy, delicious snacks and beverages will also be for sale on Saturday and Sunday, including the Academy’s signature “To-Die-For, No-Alarm Vegetarian Chili.”
FESTIVAL MAIN STAGE– Saturday, September 3
The Festival kicks off at 12:00 p.m. with author James Shapiro discussing his latest work, Shakespeare in a Divided America: What His Plays Tell Us About Our Past and Future, which was named by the New York Times as one of the 10 best books of 2020, as well as a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle award for non-fiction. Joining Shapiro in conversation will be Carl Atkins, author of several works on Shakespeare, including Shakespeare’s Sonnets Among His Private Friends.
At 1:30 p.m., winners of the Academy’s 2022 Young Writers’ Contest (Taibat Ahmed, Arianna Camacho, and Amanda Gutierrez) will read their winning fiction and non-fiction entries. The reading will be moderated by Carol Essert.
At 3:00 p.m., New York Times bestselling author Jean Hanff Korelitz will discuss her latest novel, The Latecomer, a profound and witty family story that touches on the topics of grief, guilt, generational trauma, privilege, race, traditions, and religion. Joining Korelitz in conversation will be novelist Molly Prentiss, author of Tuesday Nights in 1980.
FESTIVAL MAIN STAGE– Sunday, September 4
At 12:00 p.m., James Beard Award-winning writer Mayukh Sen will discuss Taste Makers: Seven Immigrant Women Who Revolutionized Food in America, which was named a best book of 2021 by NPR and one of the Wall Street Journal’s favorite books of the year. A group biography, it weaves together histories of food, immigration, and gender told through the lives of seven pathbreaking chefs and food writers. Sen will be joined in conversation by Tamar Adler, chef and author of An Everlasting Meal.
At 1:30 p.m., acclaimed historian David Nasaw will discuss his latest book, The Last Million: Europe’s Displaced Persons from World War to Cold War, in which he tells the gripping yet until now largely hidden story of postwar displacement and the statelessness of refugees left behind in Germany after WWII. Cecile Kuznitz, associate professor of history and director of Jewish Studies at Bard College, will join the author in conversation.
Sunday’s final program at 2:30 p.m. will feature Daphne Palasi Andreades discussing her celebrated debut novel, Brown Girls. The book is about a group of friends and their immigrant families from Queens, New York—it’s a tenderly observed, fiercely poetic love letter to a modern generation. Joining the author in conversation will be Julie DeLisle, former director of the Chatham Public Library.
CHILDREN’S PROGRAM
The Festival of Books children’s program on Saturday, September 3 from 10 – 11:30 a.m. will feature a meet and greet with Elephant & Piggie, fun-loving friends in two dozen books by award-winning author and illustrator Mo Willems. Kids will be able to have their pictures taken with the costumed characters, get crafty with Elephant & Piggie-related art activities, and listen to the duo’s stories read by librarian and storyteller Ann Gainer.
GIANT USED BOOK SALE
At the heart of the Festival is a giant book sale, one of the biggest in the region, featuring more than 15,000 gently used books, including fiction and non-fiction, hard and soft covers—all offered at affordable prices. There’s a special Kids’ Corner for young readers and a media section full of DVDs, CDs, audio books, and vinyl LPs. A first-floor gallery features a handpicked selection of specialty books, limited editions, and out-of-print books.
Friends of the Academy donate books and a dedicated band of volunteers, led by Wayne Greene, spend countless hours throughout the summer carefully sorting and organizing the books in preparation for the sale.
“We’re especially excited about an extensive collection of jazz books and LPs donated by a life-long collector and a large collection of rare art books that feature works by Ellsworth Kelly—a generous donation from a former assistant of the late artist,” says Greene.
The book sale is open to the public on Saturday, September 3 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Sunday, September 4 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and on Monday, September 5 (bargain day) from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Admission is free. Teachers with ID receive a 20% discount on their purchases (except in the Special Books Room).
In addition, Spencertown Academy members will have the first crack at the books during the Member’s Preview on Friday, September 2 from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. Free for members, $10 for member’s guests, and memberships will be available at the door or online. Refreshments will be served during the evening hours.
For more information, please see www.spencertownacademy.org.
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Guild of Berkshire Artists gallery opening
West Stockbridge— On September 1, a show featuring Guild of Berkshire Artists members Michael Coyne and Bruce Shickmanter will open at Art on Main in West Stockbridge, located at 38 Main Street.
The show will run through September 5, and an artist’s reception will be held on Saturday, September 3 from 2 – 4 p.m. Both retired physicians, the artists will exhibit paintings and metalwork.
Michael Coyne is a retired emergency physician who spent his career at Berkshire Medical Center. After retiring from medicine he gravitated towards artistic pursuits. He works with metal and ceramics, and he paints with oils, watercolors and acrylics. Much of his work is inspired by nature, mountain biking, music, and color. He particularly enjoys abstract interpretations.
Bruce Shickmanter retired in 2012 from his work as a physician in Berkshire County. After retirement he decided to pursue a long-term interest in watercolor painting. In his paintings Bruce tries to use pleasing shapes along with light and color to convey a sense of magic, mystery and movement. He uses the texture and matte finish of gouache to create a contrast with the transparent and ephemeral qualities of watercolors. The scenes he paints are often places he has come across while hiking or biking or are inspired by a photo that stimulates his creativity. Bruce’s paintings have been shown at St. Francis Gallery in Lee, MA, The Artful Mind Gallery in Lenox, MA, Chocolate Springs Cafe in Lenox, MA and in multiple group shows in various locations with the Guild of Berkshire Artists.
Show Hours: Thurs 3 – 7 p.m., Sat/Sun/Mon, 12 – 4 p.m. | 38 Main Street, West Stockbridge, Mass. Reception: Saturday September 3, 2 – 4 p.m.
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Nora Brown with Stephanie Coleman at the Guthrie Center
Great Barrington— Sixteen-year-old Bluegrass musician Nora Brown, joined by Stephanie Coleman, will perform at the Guthrie Center on Saturday, September 3.
Brown plays old-time traditional music with a particular interest in eastern Kentucky and Tennessee banjo playing. Along with the banjo and guitar, she also sings traditional unaccompanied ballads from southeast Appalachia and beyond.
Brooklyn Magazine describes Brown as “a rising star in the world of bluegrass music.” This year, she appeared on NPR’s Tiny Desk series.
Stephanie Coleman is a fiddler, banjo player, and singer based in Brooklyn, N.Y. As a child growing up in Chicago, Coleman was first exposed to traditional music by her father, a fiddler himself. For more than two decades, she has immersed herself in Appalachian and Irish fiddle styles, exploring both the craft and the rich history behind the music. Coleman has studied with master fiddler Connie O’Connell and toured the US, Europe, and Australia with pioneering string band Uncle Earl. She remains a regular award winner in the renowned contest at the Appalachian String Band Festival and has collaborated with several Irish music luminaries. Most recently, Stephanie can be seen fiddling and singing in the latest season of HBO’s Crashing.
Doors for the concert open at 6:30 p.m., and the show begins at 8 p.m. Tickets are $35, and can be bought at this link or by calling The Guthrie Center.
Dinner, beer, and wine will be available for purchase. Masking is highly recommended for indoor performance spaces as per the CDC’s guidance.
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Applications open for writing residencies at The Mount
Lenox— The Mount, Edith Wharton’s former home in Lenox, Massachusetts, in partnership with Straw Dog Writers Guild, offers one-week residencies during March for nine emerging writers. Three writers each for three weeks will receive a $500 stipend, workspaces at The Mount, and lodging at a neighboring inn for the entirety of their residency.
The weeklong residencies will be held from March 5 – 11, March 12 – 18, and March 19 – 25. The application will open on September 1, and close on October 1. There is an application fee of $25, which will be waived for members of The Mount and Straw Dog Writers Guild, or for financial hardship.
For more information, visit www.edithwharton.org/calendar/wir-program/
