Cultural correspondent Bess J.M. Hochstein reports: While sports enthusiasts took their places on the couch to enjoy chips, dips, drinks and other pre-game Super Bowl shenanigans, artists and other community members stopped at 31 South Street to take a gander and shop at the new space shared by Storefront Artist Project and Emporium. The new location gives both entities a higher-visibility, higher-traffic vantage on Park Square, Pittsfield’s central thoroughfare, in a space that once served as a temporary shop for Berkshire Museum, conveniently located right next door. Not only does the move bring Storefront Artist Project back to its main street roots, with huge plate glass windows through which the community can look in on what’s happening in the Pittsfield art world; it also affords copious display space for Emporium’s delightful merchandise.
Pittsfield director of cultural development Megan Whilden and artist Jeanet Ingalls; filmmaker Erica Spizz and feng shui consultant Jeanette Maguire.
Artists Stephen Lussier and Eric Drury flank Lisa Parise; Jess Conzo and artist Diane Firtell.
Glass artist Colin Toomey, Emporium proprietress Carrie Wright, and hair stylist Tony Barnini; Berkshire Museum executive director Stuart Chase and Julie Chase of The Clark.
Berkshire Museum's Natural Science Coordinator Scott LaGreca with his husband, Keith Babuszczak, assistant superintendant of the Pittsfield public schools; Berkshire Museum's Maria Mingalone and Jeremy Goodwin.
Intellectual property lawyer and erstwhile pop star Paul Rapp with artist Michael Rousseau; Caity Delphia and Kevin Hillman, a French teacher at St. Joseph Central High School.
Timothy Kushi of the Moscow Ballet with Rebecca Weinmann and Pittsfield Contemporary's Jay Elling.
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Matteline deVries-Dilling, founder of Lite Brite Neon, one of the evening's honoree of this year's Upstate Benefit adresses the gala from the Caboose's caboose.
- Karen Pearson. Courtesy Art Omi.
Olana senior vice president and landscape curatorMark Prezorski, president Sean Sawyer, The evenings honoree Kristin Gamble and New York State Assemblymember Didi Barrett.
- Oxygen House Photo
