Parties

Parties

Invisible Cities on View at MASS MoCA

Fiona Breslin reports from North Adams.The opening of the group show Invisible Cities at MASS MoCA on Saturday, April 14 felt a bit like Epcot in the Northeast. Named for Italo Calvino’s novel of the same title, Invisible Cities features two- and three-dimensional art and architecture by ten

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Parties

Ferrin Gallery Dish+Dine: An Arts Salon on Decadence & Decay

Cultural correspondent Bess J.M. Hochstein reports from Pittsfield.The genteel tradition of the art salon finds new vitality at the Ferrin Gallery’s periodic Dish+Dine soirees, which bring together local artists, food, academics, and chefs, plus guests interested in any or all of those topics, to share a

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Parties

From Mountaintop to Rooftop: Celebrants Scale the Heights

Bess J.M. Hochstein reports from Monterey and Pittsfield.Parties reached a peak this Saturday, August 13 – at least two of them did in the Berkshires, where celebrants could scale a rural mountainside to sip pina coladas and daiquiris, or climb a steep set of stairs for an urban party

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Parties

Drama in The Pastures at Volunteers in Medicine Benefit

Bess J.M. Hochstein reports from Southfield, Massachusetts.Supporters of Volunteers in Medicine, which operates a clinic in Great Barrington that provides free healthcare to low-income, uninsured Berkshire workers and residents, gathered at The Pastures during the 'golden hour' on Thursday, August 11, for VIM’s annual benefit.

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Parties

What’s Love Got to Do With It?

Just about everything it turns out, as le tout Hudson showed up at Club Helsinki to celebrate the release of Evermore, a new cd by Chris Swicegood, one half of the local favorite singing duo Chris and Lolly Swicegood. The couple (in photo, left) usually sing together and did that

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Parties

A Pleasant (Valley) Evening of Crickets, Critters & Cocktails Fires Up Support for Mass Audubon

Cultural correspondent Bess J.M. Hochstein reports from Lenox. The annual fundraiser for Mass Audubon’s Berkshire Wildlife Sanctuaries, Crickets, Critters & Cocktails, boasts a winning formula. Take one beautiful evening on a lushly verdant property – in this case, July 30 at Pleasant Valley – decorate with colorful banners and crittery

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Parties

Beauty in Decay Opens at Ferrin Gallery

Cultural correspondent Bess J.M. Hochstein reports from Pittsfield. Leave it to Leslie Ferrin, gallerista extraordinaire, to draw a crowd indoors on a perfect summer afternoon. Such was the case on Saturday, July 30, for the opening of her latest exhibition, Beauty in Decay. This two-pronged show features a wall

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Parties

Berkshire Fringe Celebrates Season Seven

Cultural correspondent Bess J.M. Hochstein reports from Great Barrington.Over the past six years, The Berkshire Fringe has hosted more than 400 emerging artists in an annual, eclectic arts extravaganza including theater, dance, music, film, video, and everything in between. This year’s festival—which kicked off on Monday,

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Parties

Berkshire Botanical Garden's Fête des Fleurs

Gardeners are among the most creative people around, which was evident at the Fête des Fleurs fundraiser at the Berkshire Botanical Garden in Stockbridge on Saturday, July 23. The lavishly decorated tent vied for attention with the hats many women wore to compete in a chapeau contest in which prizes

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Parties

Topiary Artist Pearl Fryar Raises Some Green at The Mount

Cultural correspondent Bess J.M. Hochstein reports from Lenox. Among the many events included in the inaugural Lift Ev’ry Voice celebration of African-American arts and heritage, the appearance by topiary artist Pearl Fryar at The Mount must surely have been the most unexpected and highly anticipated. Fryar, a self-taught

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Parties

Berkshire Playwright’s Lab Benefit Features World Premiere One-Acts

Cultural correspondent Bess J.M. Hochstein reports from Great Barrington. For the fourth-consecutive summer, the Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center is playing host to the Berkshire Playwright’s Lab (BPL), which presents free staged readings of new plays, performed by casts that usually include some high-wattage stars of stage and screen.

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Parties

Flocking to Ornamentum

Stefan Friedemann and Laura Lapachin, owners of  the Hudson gallery Ornamentum, like to cross the line—not only between serious art and wearable jewelry but also between the conscious and unconscious mind. A recent controversial display of taxidermy rabbit heads, ears stuffed with jewels, was a provocative surrealist display worthy

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