Schantz Galleries presents work by Maestro Lino Tagliapietra
STOCKBRIDGE — Lino Tagliapietra is considered by many to be the greatest glass blower in history. His influence on a generation of artists has been profound: he has been a mentor, a motivator, an innovator, and a change-maker. Now in his 80s, he’s still pushing the bounds to see what both the material and the man can do.
Schantz Galleries’ first exhibition of the summer, “LEGENDARY,” celebrates Maestro Lino Tagliapietra and his art. Guests will experience a collection of works incorporating both classic pieces as well as recent leaded glass panels the artist created during the pandemic, on view through June 19. Lino has said that “an exhibition is a long process made of life experiences. Every object represents something I would like to be — like a tree that has many branches.”
Lino Tagliapietra was born in 1934 in Murano, Italy and became an apprentice glassblower at 11 years old. He exhibited an immense dexterity for glass and was appointed the title of “Maestro”— an honor reserved for only the best glassblowers — when he was just 21. In 1979, he visited Seattle for the first time and introduced students at the Pilchuck Glass School to the long tradition of Venetian glassblowing. This cross-cultural collaboration helped shape the identity of American glassblowing and offered Tagliapiertra an opportunity to expand his horizons internationally. His work is held in permanent and private collections worldwide, and he has taught throughout the U.S. and internationally.
—A.K.
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Berkshire South to hold Welcome Summer Festival this Saturday
GREAT BARRINGTON — Berkshire South Regional Community Center’s 2nd-annual Welcome Summer Festival will be held at the community center on Saturday, June 4, from 11 a.m.–4 p.m., rain or shine. The outdoor event (indoors, if the weather is inclement) is free to attend and meant for the whole family. Additional activities will be available for a small charge, and all income earned will support Berkshire South’s community programming.
The day’s events include a bounce castle, petting zoo, dunk tank, face painting, arts and crafts vendors, food truck, photo booth, and more. There will be some familiar faces from the southern Berkshire community in the dunk tank, and live music throughout the day provided by Jaane Doe, The Midnight Anthem, and David Reed.
—A.K.
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Music at the Southfield Church opens season with Jon Suters
NEW MARLBOROUGH — Music at the Southfield Church will open its 6th season with guitarist Jon Suters, who will present an hour-long program of guitar masterpieces, featuring works by J.S. Bach, Domenico Scarlatti, Francisco Tarrega, Isaac Albeniz, H. Villa Lobos, and Augustin Barrios.
The opening night concert will be held Saturday, June 4 at 7 p.m. at the Southfield Church, 234 Norfolk Rd, in the Southfield Village of New Marlborough. For more information, a full season lineup, and updated COVID protocols, visit the church website. Admission is free; a collection will be taken at the door to support the artists. A reception on the lawn follows each concert (weather permitting).
Jon Suters studied classical guitar with Richard Provost at the Hartt School of Music in Hartford, Connecticut, and began performing throughout the region with several bands. He had the opportunity to tour throughout the U.S., Canada, and Germany early in his career and eventually worked his way up through the ranks to play with artists such as James Taylor, Charles Neville, Paul Halley, Dr. John, Jimmy Buffett, and Sarah McLaughlin. Suters has taught at Berkshire Country Day School, Simon’s Rock, Austen Riggs Center, and Flying Cloud Institute, and currently instructs at Berkshire Music School and through private lessons.
—A.K.
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Great Barrington Public Theater to host “PERSIST” art show
GREAT BARRINGTON — As part of Great Barrington Public Theater’s (GBPT) 2022 summer season, and in conjunction with its Solo Fest (June 3–July 10), the “PERSIST” art show will feature works created by seven women artists from around the Berkshires. Organized and curated by GBPT Associate Artist Elizabeth Nelson, the exhibit explores themes of erosion, trauma, reimagination, investigation, beauty, and violence. The exhibit will be on view June 4–August 6, outside the Liebowitz Black Box Theater in the Daniel Arts Center at Simon’s Rock, the summer home of GBPT. An opening and reception with the artists will be held Friday, June 17, from 5:30-7 p.m., to coincide with the 7:30 p.m. opening of Robin Gerber’s new play, “The Shot,” featuring actor Sharon Lawrence as Katharine Graham, the famous publisher of The Washington Post.
Gallery works will include photography, drawing, flash fiction/CNF, and sculpture using recycled textiles, found and repurposed objects, and natural materials such as wood, bone, clay, and feathers. Artists include: Parasrevi “Toula” Taliadoros, owner-artist of Make My Day Design; Deirdre McKenna, writer and performer with Powder Keg Writing Group; Lindsay Neathawk, owner of Neathawk Designs; intuitive painter Natalia Bystriany; interdisciplinary artists Merudjina Normil and Ariana Kolins; and multidisciplinary artist Elizabeth Nelson.
—A.K.
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Berkshire Immigrant Center marks 25 years with One World Celebration
PITTSFIELD — The Berkshire Immigrant Center (BIC) will mark 25 years of serving the local immigrant community with its 3rd-annual One World Celebration, Sunday, June 12 at 5 p.m. at Shakespeare & Company. Tickets for the benefit event are $100.
June also marks the Center’s yearly observance of Immigrant Heritage Month. In addition to marking its 25th anniversary, the Center also announces it became an independent nonprofit organization in October 2021. BIC was founded in 1997 by the Jewish Federation of the Berkshires as a project to resettle Russian refugees, and it had continued as a fiscal project of other organizations.
“After 25 years as the region’s only nonprofit dedicated exclusively to meeting the needs of the thousands of immigrants who live and work here, the Berkshire Immigrant Center is thrilled to declare our independence,” said BIC Executive Director Michelle Lopez. “We would not have grown — nor flourished during a global pandemic — if not for the generous support of our Berkshire community, and the immigrants who make our country better every day.”
Honduran-born violinist Jorge Ávila will open this year’s One World Celebration, accompanied by guitarist Oren Fader. A part-time Berkshire resident, Ávila has performed throughout the world, including at Tanglewood, Carnegie Hall, and on Broadway. Alex Torres & His Latin Orchestra will headline this year’s event with a dance-friendly blend of AfroCaribbean rhythms. UK native and Berkshire resident James Warwick, an award-winning actor and director, will serve as Master of Ceremonies, and State Representative William “Smitty” Pignatelli will serve as auctioneer.
The One World Celebration is BIC’s annual benefit to fund its free and low-cost services. The Center’s three accredited caseworkers see more than 750 clients annually, helping them file for Green Cards, DACA renewals, and citizenship applications. The Center offers free beginning English lessons, as well as free classes and tutoring to help residents prepare for the rigorous test required to become a naturalized U.S. citizen. Since March 2020, the Center has raised and disbursed over $600,000 from its COVID-19 Relief Fund, helping more than 200 immigrant families pay for basic needs.
El Centro de Inmigrantes de Berkshire celebrará sus 25 años de servicio a la comunidad inmigrante local con su tercera edición de One World Celebration. Alex Torres & His Latin Orchestra encabezan el evento de este año con una mezcla original y muy bailable de ritmos afro caribeños como la salsa, el merengue, el chachachá y el jazz latino. Las entradas incluyen bebidas y aperitivos.
O Berkshire Immigrant Center marcará 25 anos de serviço à comunidade imigrante local com sua terceira edição do One World Celebration. Alex Torres & His Latin Orchestra encabeçam o evento deste ano com uma mistura original de alta energia dançante de ritmos afro-caribenhos, como a Salsa, Merengue, Cha-cha e Jazz Latino. Os ingressos incluem bebidas e aperitivos.
—A.K.
