Roger Rees worked with Danielle Steinmann, Erica Lipez and Stephen Sanders to organize "The Unknown Monet Revealed," a dramatic reading of the painter's letters.
WILLIAMSTOWN - As part of a collaboration of two powerhouse arts organizations, the Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute hosted nearly 150 people for "The Unknown Monet Revealed" on Monday night.
The Williamstown Theatre Festival’s Artistic Director Roger Rees joined actor and violinist Erica Lipez and the Clark’s assistant curator of education Danielle Steinmann for a dramatic reading of painter Claude Monet’s personal letters, written between 1864 and 1926.
“We really just wanted to explore Monet’s reasons for creating art,†said Stephen Sanders, the assistant to the creative director and general manager at WTF.
One of the most recognizable painters of the 19th and 20th centuries, Monet is considered one of the founder’s of impressionism, an artistic movement that centered on representing movement and light in artwork. The “Unknown Monet: Pastels and Drawings,†the Clark’s summer exhibition, displays more than 80 pieces of Monet’s work and challenges traditional ideas about the painter and his methods.
Rees gave life to Monet’s letters, which chronicled the journey of a man plagued by financial woes and struggling with acceptance both in his personal and professional lives. Using Monet’s own words, Rees revealed a truly emotional man who loved passionately, despaired deeply and wrote dramatically. Most famous for his tranquil paintings of nature scenes, Monet lived a tumultuous yet full life, dedicated to artistic pursuits until his last days.
“These are real letters by a real man,†said Rees after the performance. “He lived a rather poignant life and it’s truly moving to read his letters.â€
Collaborating for the third summer, WTF and the Clark aim to place art in context in a unique form, allowing viewers to create new connections and looking at art in a new way.
“The educational value of an event like this is priceless,†said Steinmann, who framed the reading of the letters by providing biographical information about the painter. “What we try to do at the Clark is to understand the human experience and allow people to get to know artists as humans.â€
“Going into the gallery and seeing a piece of art, I wonder ‘What motivates artists to create it?’ After a reading like this, you can go and see the human element in the painting,†said Sanders.
"The Unknown Monet" will be on display at the Clark through Sept. 16. The Clark is at 225 South St. The galleries are open daily from 10 to 5, and closed Mondays September through June. Admission is $12.50 for adults, free for children 18 and under, members, and students with valid ID. For more information, call 413-458-2303 or visit www.clarkart.edu
Jen Thomas may be reached at jthomas@iberkshires.com or at (413) 663-3384, Ext. 23.
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Williamstown Fire District Expects Slightly Lower Tax Rate
By Stephen DravisiBerkshires Staff
WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — A rise in operating expenses for the Williamstown Fire Department will be offset by lower debt service payments on the new fire station, resulting in a slightly smaller tax bill from the district, officials noted last week.
One week after the Prudential Committee, which oversees the district, reviewed the fiscal articles it will send to May's annual district meeting, the fire chief explained that while operational funding is up by by nearly $125,000 from the current fiscal year to FY27, a drop in principal and interest payments will make up the difference.
Currently, the tax rate for the district — a separate taxing entity apart from town government — is projected to be $1.15 per $1,000 of valuation in the fiscal year that begins on July 1. The current rate is $1.24.
In FY26, district taxpayers paid $1.9 million toward principal and interest for the Main Street fire station. The draft warrant for the May 26 annual district meeting calls for $1.7 million to be raised for that capital expense, a drop of just more than $198,000.
"The impact of the new debt and, indeed, the entire budget is offset by certain revenue items, particularly the $5.5 million in gifts from Williams College and the Clark [Art Institute]," Chief Jeffrey Dias wrote in an email discussing the proposed budget.
The $500,000 pledge from the Clark and the $5 million donated by Williams College are being utilized at the start of the payback period for the bonds that fund the station's construction — when those payments are higher.
Melissa Cragg, chair of the Fire District's Finance Committee, explained that the use of those gifts early in the process will not necessarily mean a sticker shock down the road.
Our Friday Front Porch is a weekly feature spotlighting attractive homes for sale in Berkshire County. This week, we are showcasing 84 North Summer St.
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The tax bill of a median-priced single family home will go up by 8.45 percent in the year that begins July 1 under a spending plan approved by the Finance Committee on Wednesday night.
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Colleen Taylor and her brother and business partner Sean Taylor grabbed the concession offered by the Five Corners Stewardship Association, which purchased the store at the junction of Routes 7 and 43 in 2022.
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The Prudential Committee last week reviewed a draft annual fire district meeting warrant that includes an operational expenses budget up 9.4 percent from the figures approved at the May 2025 annual meeting.
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