Berkshire Art Center Artful Pause Workshops

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STOCKBRIDGE, Mass. — Berkshire Art Center (BAC) invites the community to the Artful Pause—a new series of short, creative workshops launching this spring and continuing through summer 2026.
 
These accessible programs offer creative experiences in just a few hours. Participants can paint, collage, explore photography, or get their hands in clay. The workshops are open to individuals and families. Dogs are able to attend some workshops.
 
The series begins this spring at BAC at Wander in Pittsfield, a welcoming café and community space. Held on the second Saturday of each month, these two-hour sessions invite participants to sketch, experiment with watercolor, and explore visual journaling—no long-term commitment required. 
 
The May 9 workshop will be Botanical Watercolor Resist, led by Faculty Artist Johanna Merfeld and the June 13 workshop will be Visual Journaling, led by Faculty Artist Kaily Ritz.
 
Outdoor enthusiasts can join Faculty Artist Thad Kubis for photography workshops at scenic Berkshire locations, including Spring Photo Refresh at Benedict Pond, The Art of the Dog Walk at Kennedy Park (dogs welcome), and Into the Woods: A Mindful Photo Journey at Pleasant Valley Wildlife Sanctuary.
 
Additional June workshops at Citizens' Hall include Joyful Collaborative Collage with Kim Waterman; Improvisational Painting Laboratory with Regan Halas; and Intro to Gel Plate Printmaking with Jody King Camarra.
 
The series continues at Chesterwood in Stockbridge, where participants can engage with the landscape through Discovering the Landscape through Pastel with Jim Schantz and Watercolor Plein Air with Jill McLean.
 
Families can also take part in multigenerational offerings, including Creative Calm: Family Breathing Board Workshop with Kaily Ritz and a Botanical Weaving (Multigenerational) Workshop at Chesterwood, where participants create nature-based weavings using foraged materials.
 
In July, BAC will host a special Member Appreciation Night: Family + Dog Art Play at The Drifting Studio, led by Executive Director and Faculty Artist Laura Thompson.
 
For more information and to register, visit berkshireartcenter.org/artful-pause
If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.

Letter: Southern Berkshire Ambulance Expresses Gratitude for Support

Letter to the Editor

To the Editor:

Over the next nine months, the Southern Berkshire Ambulance Squad (SBAS) will take delivery of two new ambulances, at a cost of roughly $1 million, to replace two vehicles that are very much on their last wheels. Lacking that $1 million, SBAS had to put out an emergency call of its own. I write to share the wonderful news that Berkshire Preservation Inc. (BPI) more than answered our call.

BPI's board, which includes Carole Owens, Louis Schroeter, Wende and David Carver, Nelson Furlano, and Todd Ehrlich worked tirelessly to organize a benefit concert at the Colonial Theatre that netted $98,877 for SBAS. We saw firsthand how hard they worked to bring it off, and we could not be more grateful to be the beneficiaries of their efforts and generosity.

SBAS answers your emergency calls 24/7/365. It means a great deal to us that when we were the ones in need, BPI answered ours. If you would like to learn more about BPI, and you should, please go to preservationinc.org.

With deep gratitude,

Ken Schumacher
Great Barrington, Mass. 

Ken Schumacher is president of the board of directors
of the Southern Ambulance Squad

 

 

 

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