Sandisfield Arts Center Announces 30th Anniversary Opening Weekend

07:00AM / Wednesday, May 28, 2025Print Story | Email Story

SANDISFIELD, Mass.— The Sandisfield Arts Center will commemorate its 30th anniversary in 2025 with Opening Weekend events on May 30 and 31. The weekend's theme is "The Landscape We Live," and it will also celebrate the installation of climate-friendly air conditioning and a renovated gallery space.

The season will begin with an art exhibition dedicated to Sandisfield, featuring its landscape, natural elements, and the works of local artists including Bill Carlson, Erika Crofut, Jaye Moscariello, Josie Miner, June Wink, Linda Moronti, Peter Biamonte, Sam Mercier, Susie Crofut, Teresa Bills, and Virginia Overton.

The exhibition will open with a reception on Friday, May 30, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. in the Garfield Family Gallery, named in recognition of a donation from the Estate of Leslie and Johanna Garfield, who were long-time residents and supporters of the Arts Center. Following the opening, gallery hours will be 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on weekends until its closure on July 6.

Saturday, May 31, will feature a Book Talk/Slide Show by Ron Bernard titled "From Church to Synagogue to Arts Center," followed by "Sandisfield in Poetry and Prose: Readings by Local Poets Hannah Fries and Hilde Weisert." The afternoon will conclude at 4 p.m. with "Singing Sandisfield’s Unsung Heroes," a recognition of local residents who contribute to the town.

The complete schedule for the 2025 season, which includes art exhibits, music, talks, workshops, performances, and films, is available at sandisfieldartscenter.org.

Renovations to the Arts Center's historic building, including climate-friendly HVAC, an upgraded electrical system, gallery improvements, and the groundwork for a kitchen and storage shed, were funded by grants from the Homestead Foundation, the Wyomissing Foundation, the Feigenbaum Foundation, the 1772 Foundation, the Estate of Leslie and Johanna Garfield, and individual donors. The project was guided by pro bono work from local architects and a project manager.

The Sandisfield Arts Center, located at 5 Hammertown Rd. in Sandisfield, MA, is a non-profit organization with the aim of preserving its historic building and providing cultural and educational programs for the community. The center is managed by a volunteer board and supported by volunteers and donors. Programs are partially funded by grants from the Sandisfield Cultural Council and the Massachusetts Cultural Council.

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Berkshire Art Center Announces Fall 2026 Classes & Workshops

07:51AM / Saturday, August 29, 2026

STOCKBRIDGE, Mass. — Berkshire Art Center (BAC) invites artists of all ages and experience levels to participate in lineup of Fall 2026 classes and workshops.

With programs offered at Citizens' Hall in Stockbridge as well as partner locations including Berkshire Music School, WANDER Berkshires, and the Mass Audubon's Canoe Meadows Wildlife Sanctuary, BAC's fall season celebrates creativity through ceramics, painting, drawing, printmaking, mixed media, photography, and more.

Ceramics students will find opportunities to develop their skills this fall. Faculty Artist Paula Shalan returns with Tableware: Creating with Soft Slabs, where students create functional pottery such as mugs, tumblers, and bowls, as well as Cut, Add, and Stretch: Creating with Soft Slabs, which explores more contemporary approaches to handbuilding. Jess Cropper-Alt teaches Timeless & Tactile: Handbuilding Traditions, while Donna Bernstein leads Wheel Throwing for All, an all-levels course featuring demonstrations, individualized instruction, and ample studio time.

For those looking to try clay for the first time, Lorimer Burns offers Try Your Hand at the Pottery Wheel, a welcoming two-hour introduction to wheel throwing. BAC also offers fun, social workshops including Wall Pocket Party, perfect for beginners, friends, couples, and families with children ages 10 and up, and Pottery Night: Beer Stein Social, an evening of creativity and community where participants craft their own handmade ceramic beer stein.

Mixed media and printmaking enthusiasts will find an inspiring variety of offerings throughout the season. Jody King Camarra teaches Color Theory Through Collage, Print Lab: Collagraph, Drypoint & Relief, Working in a Series: Creating Cohesive Collages, Monoprint Magic, and concludes the season with the festive workshop Handmade Holidays: Winter Layers in Gel Plate Printmaking.

Additional printmaking opportunities include Eco-Printing: Basics and Beyond with Mallorey Caron, where students create beautiful botanical prints using real flowers and leaves, Gelatin Plate Printmaking with Johanna Merfeld, an introduction to playful experimentation with layering, texture, stencils, and image transfers, and Image Transfers & Mixed Media, where Diane Firtell shares versatile techniques that can stand alone or enhance existing artwork.

Photographers can celebrate autumn alongside Thad Kubis, whose seasonal workshops include Photography of Daniel Chester French's Studio at Chesterwood in Stockbridge and Photographing Fall Colors in the Berkshires at Canoe Meadows Wildlife Sanctuary in Pittsfield.

Painters and drawing enthusiasts will discover classes ranging from foundational techniques to expressive exploration. Jill McLean returns with Watercolor Foundations and Watercolor Landscapes at Berkshire Music School, along with shorter, 1-day workshops including Berkshire Polaroids in Watercolor and Handmade Holidays: Watercolor Bookmarks.

Wednesday Nelena Sorokin offers Creative Writing & Abstraction, where students use stream-of-consciousness writing to inspire expressive abstract paintings, along with Painting Basics, Two-Dimensional Composition Workshop, and the popular Abstract Painting: Color, Design and Spirit. Artists looking for a relaxed, supportive studio environment can also enjoy the return of Friday Painting Studio, featuring a new and more accessible tuition rate and experienced facilitators who provide encouragement, feedback, and creative community while participants work on independent projects.

BAC's monthly workshop series at WANDER Berkshires in Pittsfield also continues this fall. Held on the second Saturday of each month, these welcoming two-hour sessions invite participants to sketch, paint, journal, and experiment in a relaxed community setting—no long-term commitment required. The series begins September 12 with Commonplace Visual Journaling led by Kaily Ritz, followed by Mini Nature Assemblage Boxes with Johanna Merfeld on October 10, Indoor Urban Sketching with Jill McLean on November 14, and concludes December 12 with Watercolor Reset for the New Year, led by BAC Executive Director Laura Thompson.

For a complete schedule of classes and workshops or to register, visit www.berkshireartcenter.org/classes.

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