First Fridays Artswalk Preview for March 1

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March Upstreet This Friday for Artswalk!

Over fifteen new art shows, live painting, printmaking and drawing demonstrations plus a secret glimpse of centuries-old Masonic symbols make March 1st a lively First Fridays Artswalk in Pittsfield's Upstreet Cultural District Click here for a handy downloadable map and guide to the March 1st Artswalk, or pick one up upstreet! Below are some highlights from south to north.

First Fridays Artswalk | Friday, February 1st | 5-8pm | Upstreet Cultural District | 413-443-5601 | FREE

 

Freemason Symbols at the Masonic Temple

Curious about the Masons and their ceremonies? The Pittsfield Masons offer a rare look into the symbols of the Freemason fraternity—which has been part of Massachusetts history since 1733—displaying hand-painted 18th-century aprons.

Masonic Temple | 116 South Street


 

Photography by Alexa Green & Lear Levin 

Museum Facsimiles—in its new location at 31 South Street—presents the unique photography of Alexa Green (at left) and Lear Levin. Recent graduate of the film program at Tisch at New York University, Green spent a semester in Cuba photographing and gathering footage for a documentary film on a salsa band. Retired film director Levin's current passion are dancers photographed backstage, of which he displays ten printed on platinum paper.

Museum Facsimiles | 31 South Street | 413-499-0020


 

Drew Finn's Photography at The Marketplace

Local photographer Drew Finn presents a collection of work entitled Stops Along the Path during an artist reception from 5pm-7pm. His exhibit will be displayed through March.

The Marketplace Café | 53 North Street | 413-358-4777


 

Walt & Anne Pasko: 2 Wild Hearts Dancing

Walt and Anne Pasko's art exhibit entitled 2 Wild Hearts Dancing fills the Downtown Pittsfield, Inc. offices through the month of March. Walt Pasko's impressionist oil paintings are of the Berkshire landscape, while Anne Pasko's work (at left) displays her intuitive, abstract, mixed media and collage work. Enjoy an opening reception during which Walt Pasko will be doing an oil painting demonstration.

Downtown Pittsfield, Inc. | 33 Dunham Mall | 413-443-6501


 

Historic Quilt at Unusual Wedding Rings

A quilt made by Betsy Caprio Hedberg entitled The Path to the Peaceable Kingdom depicts a variation of the traditional American Snails Trail from the rural south. It was a finalist in the 1998 University of Nebraska's competition commemorating the 50th Anniversary of The Declaration of Human Rights announced in 1948 by the world members of the United Nations.

Unusual Wedding Rings & More | 137 North Street | 413-236-9600


 

Deirdre McKenna at Brenda & Co.

Brenda & Company returns to Artswalk in March  with a gorgeous show of new work by Deirdre McKenna, who combines her interests in painting, printmaking and art quilting in a new series of monotypes on fabric.

Brenda & Company | 137 North Street | 413-997-4500


 

Marion Grant & Sam Ponder at Kinderhook Real Estate

Join us in welcoming Kinderhook Real Estate in bustling Crawford Square to Artswalk! As 12-year old guitar talent Nico Wohl performs, Marion Grant displays work at Kinderhook Real Estate in the Crawford Square, along with a 10-whale mobile (at left) and other works by Sam Ponder. Plus enjoy 12-year-old Nico Wohl on guitar at Crawford Square while visiting Kinderhook, Brenda & Co, Unusual Wedding Rings and more!

Kinderhook Real Estate | Crawford Square | 141 North Street


 

Opening Reception for Sally Tiska Rice at Maria's European Delights

Stop by and enjoy an opening reception for a solo show by NU Arts member Sally Tiska Rice entitled Blooms and Birds, marking the second month Maria's European Delights participates in Artswalk.

Maria's European Delights | 146 North Street | 413-442-5100


 

Don Orcutt at BCC's Intermodal Gallery

You are invited to an artist reception for a solo show of work by Berkshire Community College alumni and local artist Don Orcutt "balanced between Symbolism, Surrealism, Satire and the Metaphorical."

Berkshire Community College Intermodal Gallery | Columbus & North Streets


 

Live Screen Printing & More at Shire City Sanctuary

The first in a series of limited edition prints developed from John ffrench's original ceramic work and the new works of upcycled clothing and home goods will be available for purchase, while The Dolphin Studio offers live demonstrations of screen printing.

Shire City Sanctuary | 40 Melville Street | 323-493-8247


 

Jackie Kearns' Breathe at Gallery 25

An opening reception for the artwork of Jackie Kearns takes place from 5pm-8pm. Her exhibit, entitled Breathe, features a collection of oil paintings on a variety of surfaces such as canvases, reclaimed furniture, draperies and other usable objects. Inspired by the streets and architecture of her surroundings in Berkshire County, Kearns aims to capture the essence of this imagery in a loose, airy way, using thin layers of oil paint.

Gallery 25 | 25 Union Street


 

Ellen Joffe-Halpern at Le Petit Musee

Berkshire County teacher and art therapist Ellen Joffe-Halpern's exhibit celebrates the completion of a three year project to complete 365 Backyard Dreams. The paintings are all 5”x 7” format and primarily mixed media on paper combining acrylic paint, oil paint, water color, pencil, ink, pastel, digital drawing, coffee, stains and smudges. Her attempts to capture the immediacy and freshness of making marks on paper are meant to transform what she sees and experiences into color, shape, pattern and line.

Wild Sage | 333 North Street | 413-447-7000


 

Arts Show Opening & Live Figure Drawing Demo with Bushey

Michael Vincent Bushey gives a live, model-figure drawing demo during the opening reception for a solo exhibition of his figure drawings entitled TIME, exploring how time informs aesthetics. And afterwards, DJ BFG spins tunes for your listening (or dancing) pleasure!

yBar | 391 North Street


 

Opening Reception for Steve Hamlin at BMC

Steve Hamlin travels New England and the east coast in search of adventure and new material to paint. This Friday, he exhibits watercolors of wildlife, pets, landscapes and seascapes, with an opening reception for his display from 3pm-5pm.

Berkshire Medical Center Lobby | 725 North Street | 413-447-2000


 
 

More New Work Upstreet!

Other brand-new exhibits include artwork by pen-and-ink artist and children's book illustrator Dee Randolph at West Side Clock Shop and 10 framed comic book covers and printed books for sale at TREEHOUSE Children's Boutique from the personal collection of Artswalk co-founder Mary McGinnis.


 

Great Returning Shows Too!

Ongoing shows on display during Friday's Artswalk include multimedia works by Karen Carmean, Susan Merrill (at left), Mitch Greenwald and Stanley Turnbell at Bagels, Too; large format photography by David Ricci at Spice Dragon; and the TEN Spot invitational show of Berkshire County artists at the Lichtenstein Center for the Arts, featuring Michael Boroniec, C. Ryder Cooley, Joel Curran, Joshua Field, Paul Grabbard, Susan Hartung, Eric Korenman, Maggie Mailer, Jarvis Rockwell and Tina Sotis.


 

Sister City Jazz Ambassadors, 8 Foot River at Mission

Make an evening of Artswalk with dinner out and live music at Mission Bar + Tapas, where the Sister City Jazz Ambassadors will play from 5:30pm-8pm followed by 8 Foot River from 8:30pm-11pm, with no cover charge. Other upstreet restaurants and hotspots will be hopping too!

Mission Bar + Tapas | 438 North Street


 

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Dalton Man Accused of Kidnapping, Shooting Pittsfield Man

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — A Dalton man was arrested on Thursday evening after allegedly kidnapping and shooting another man.

Nicholas Lighten, 35, was arraigned in Central Berkshire District Court on Friday on multiple charges including kidnapping with a firearm and armed assault with intent to murder. He was booked in Dalton around 11:45 p.m. the previous night.

There was heavy police presence Thursday night in the area of Lighten's East Housatonic Street home before his arrest.

Shortly before 7 p.m., Dalton dispatch received a call from the Pittsfield Police Department requesting that an officer respond to Berkshire Medical Center. Adrian Mclaughlin of Pittsfield claimed that he was shot in the leg by Lighten after an altercation at the defendants home. Mclaughlin drove himself to the hospital and was treated and released with non-life-threatening injuries. 

"We were told that Lighten told Adrian to go down to his basement, where he told Adrian to get down on his knees and pulled out a chain," the police report reads.

"We were told that throughout the struggle with Lighten, Adrian recalls three gunshots."

Dalton PD was advised that Pittsfield had swabbed Mclaughlin for DNA because he reported biting Lighten. A bite mark was later found on Lighten's shoulder. 

Later that night, the victim reportedly was "certain, very certain" that Lighten was his assailant when shown a photo array at the hospital.

According to Dalton Police, an officer was stationed near Lighten's house in an unmarked vehicle and instructed to call over the radio if he left the residence. The Berkshire County Special Response Team was also contacted.

Lighten was under surveillance at his home from about 7:50 p.m. to about 8:40 p.m. when he left the property in a vehicle with Massachusetts plates. Another officer initiated a high-risk motor vehicle stop with the sergeant and response team just past Mill Street on West Housatonic Street, police said, and traffic was stopped on both sides of the road.

Lighten and a passenger were removed from the vehicle and detained. Police reported finding items including a brass knuckle knife, three shell casings wrapped in a rubber glove, and a pair of rubber gloves on him.

The response team entered Lighten's home at 43 East Housatonic before 9:30 p.m. for a protective sweep and cleared the residence before 9:50 p.m., police said. The residence was secured for crime scene investigators.

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