Gallery Reception and Show: Matt Glushien Paintings
2022-10-21 16:00 - 18:00, 2022-10-20 16:00 - 18:00, 2022-10-19 16:00 - 18:00, 2022-10-18 16:00 - 18:00, 2022-10-17 16:00 - 18:00, 2022-10-16 16:00 - 18:00, 2022-10-15 16:00 - 18:00 (America/New_York)
Matt Glushien is a Sandisfield resident and studied painting at Massachusetts College of Art and Design. He has spent much of his career teaching art to children and is a seasoned mushroom forager who has offered two workshops this season for the Arts Center.
His work can be viewed here
The show runs through November 12 and can be viewed before other events or contact gallery@sandifieldartscenter.org to arrange a viewing.
Artist statement:
” I am a contemporary painter by context, but very traditional in the way I paint. I like to paint and draw everything and anything that is in front of me. That way the answer can always be found by looking at the subject. I am relieved when the subject is chosen, and am ready to start. I don’t have much interest in any part of the process that is not putting the brush to the canvas. For me, the real root is, and will always be the action of using the paint to record or recreate an image and feeling. When I paint outside or from a model, my observation time is limited by the sunset or the model leaving. I don’t mind the light changing or the model moving. This only leads to me depending on the true essence of the subject and how to attain that in other ways. In recent years I’ve painted extensively in Switzerland and Thailand, as well as France. Knowing that my time is limited puts a certain kind of pressure and acuteness on the experience, I seem to be able to tune in better. If it is a very short, as in Paris, I am able to take home with me a sense of the place and not have my own thoughts or emotions effect it. Over time, as I build a relationship to my surroundings, and the new gets old, my feeling begin to override the initial impression. Throughout the years I have practiced acquiring this information as well as the execution of the picture making process. This needs to happen naturally so that I don’t have to think while I paint and can enjoy the process. If the act of painting is not fun for me, then I won’t do it. I believe that a list of influences can do more for the viewers understanding than I can do in writing, so in no particular order: Alice Neel, Van Gogh, Picasso, Matisse, Klimt, Schiele, Bonnard, Monet, Manet, Degas, Braque, Diebenkorn, DeKooning, Hartley, Ingres, Mucha, Kandinsky, Ben Shawn, Jacob Lawrence, Pissaro, Vulliard, Japanese woodcuts, Fauves, Art Noveau, Impressionism, and Expressionism.”
Gallery receptions are always free.

Frederick Moyer on a Sunday Afternoon - Piano Recital
2022-10-16 16:00 - 18:00
We are thrilled to bring back Frederick Moyer after his wonderful recitals in 2018 and 2019 – and his Moonlight Sonata YouTube Premiere created in 2020 just for the Arts Center.
Moyer is equally at home with Bach, Rachmaninoff, and Schoenberg as well as Ellington and Peterson. His recitals are engaging and generally include time-honored favorites. His MoyerCam is a projection system that allows the audience to see his hands as he plays. Audience members at his 2018 Arts Center recital raved about how much this brought them into the music as he played it, and garnered some converts to classical music.

About Fred Moyer
Frederick Moyer has established a vital musical career that has taken him to forty-four countries and to such distant venues as Suntory Hall in Tokyo, Sydney Opera House, Windsor Castle, Carnegie Recital Hall, Tanglewood, and the Kennedy Center. He has appeared as piano soloist with world renowned orchestras including the Cleveland, Philadelphia and Minnesota Orchestras, the St. Louis, Dallas, Indianapolis, Milwaukee, Baltimore, Pittsburgh, Houston, Boston, Singapore, Netherlands Radio, Latvian, Iceland and London Symphony Orchestras, the Buffalo, Hong Kong and Japan Philharmonic Symphony Orchestras, the National Symphony Orchestra of Brazil, and the major orchestras of Australia. His many recordings on the Biddulph, GM and JRI labels reflect an affinity for a wide variety of styles. In recital, his delightful commentary from the stage brings the audience into the heart of the musical experience. Moyer’s wide-ranging interests have led him to undertake many unique and ground-breaking projects, often involving software that he writes himself.
Critical praise for Frederick Moyer, Pianist:
– “First-class … His playing is clean, unmannered and full of ideas and intelligence.” The New York Times
– “Moyer breezed through this splendidly varied and arduously demanding recital with technical and stylistic colors flying.” Los Angeles Times
– “His interpretations were as instinctively true as they were intelligent, and his technique was capable of all demands placed on it.” Washington Post
This program is supported in part by a grant from the Sandisfield Cultural Council, a local agency which is supported by the Mass Cultural Council, a state agency.

This introduction to Ravel’s “Ondine” with an introduction by Moyer captures his engaging approach to making the music accessible and alive.

From the Ashes: Lecture and film by Jaye Alison Moscariello
2022-10-08 14:00 - 16:00
Neighbor Jaye Alison Moscariello will show her 30 minute film and talk about how their small California town had an arts project after wildfires swept through their area.

October 9, 2017, Redwood Valley and Potter Valley, two towns in Mendocino County were awakened in pre-dawn hours by roaring fire and exploding propane tanks.

“From the Ashes” is a broad brushstroke of how this small community responded to this horrific event. The community rallied quickly to aid those affected, and with a great deal of community support, gave voice to their experiences of shock, loss and grief though the creative arts. There were several exhibits entitled “Out of the Ashes” commemorating the Redwood Complex Fire 2017, on the one year anniversary, October 2018.

Down with the King - award-winning film by Diego Ongaro with Bob Tarasuk
2022-10-01 19:30 - 21:30
Special Sandisfield screening of this award-winning film by Diego Ongaro featuring our own Bob Tarasuk!
Free!
A famous rapper, disillusioned with the music industry and the pressures of being a celebrity, leaves the city and his career behind to find himself in a small-town farming community – Sandisfield!
How often does Sandisfield get to star in a movie? Well, if the director is Diego Ongaro and the actor is Bob Tarasuk – at least twice!
Free tickets go on sale around August 15. When they do, be sure to reserve a ticket – space is limited.
When tickets go on sale, click on the + button to select number of tickets then the Get Tickets button will work.

Last minute cancellation! Cannabis (with or without the high) Explained, with Theory Wellness
2022-10-01 16:00 - 17:30
Friday 9/30 – we just got word that the presenters are ill. Sorry for the last minute cancellation.
If poossible we will reschedule,
*****
Bring your questions on how to use cannabis to alleviate chronic pain and other health issues.
A Theory Wellness representative will provide expert information.
From Theory Wellness:
“Our Massachusetts medical and recreational dispensaries are focused on small batches and unique genetics. We strive to develop a premium range of flower, concentrates, and infused products for consumers interested in finding a best-in-class Massachusetts dispensary. Throughout our work, we remain committed to expanding the science of cannabis and to work together to further improve your marijuana experience.” See theorywellness.org for more information on that organization.
Adults ages 21 to 100 (or more) only.

Free Intro to DSLR or Mirrorless Camera Photography Workshop with Thad Kubis
2022-09-24 11:00 - 13:00
Master photographer follows up his August Intro to Smartphone Photography with a free workshop on how to get the most from your DSLR (digital single lens reflex) camera.

Bring your DSLR, or your Mirrorless camera and your questions, Thad will demystify and discuss many of the key components of what contributes to you creating a better photograph! Explore ISO, Shutter Speed, Aperture, Depth of Field, Composition, Exposure pre-sets, Filters, White Balance, tricks of the trade and much more. Take your DSLR/Mirrorless camera system to a higher level, start to use the full capabilities of today’s powerful digital camera systems. Weather permitting, we will spend time outside the Arts Center to apply the skill set learned.

Thad has a broad base of photographic related experience – working within various fields including Travel and Leisure, Manufacturing, Banking, Financial Services, Marine, and Fine Art. Thad is also a very active photographic Instructor/Lecturer and Consultant. He teaches Smartphone/iCamera photography as well as DSLR (digital single lens reflex), Film, and Large format cameras. He presents to groups, to individuals, and to various schools both Face-to-Face and via Zoom.
More about Thad http://www.tbkphotos.com/about-me
Thad will be leading a week-long photography workshop in Tuscany. YES! as in Tuscany, Italy. Mark your calendar – October 9, 2023 to October 16, 2023.
The workshop is free but space is limited, please register to assure you have a space.
Click the + button to select the number of tickets you want, then click Get Tickdets.

Jaye Alison Moscariello Artist Talk in the Gallery - Free
2022-09-18 14:00 - 15:00
Join us on Sunday, September 18, 2pm at the Sandisfield Arts Center to hear celebrated artist Jaye Alison Moscariello discuss her decades long career making art. Get to know her process and learn more in depth what her work is about. This talk is in conjunction with her first solo show at the Arts Center Gallery, California Dreaming: A retrospective of Art from 1990-2020. This is one of the most ambitious shows to be produced at the gallery and Moscariello’s use of color and imagery is not to be missed!

The Artist Talk will be at 2pm and the gallery will be open 1-4pm.

The show continues until October 8. Contact Jaye at 310-970-4517 if you’d like to see the show at another time.

Postponed to 2023: Evening of Song with Linda Mironti, Brian De Lorenzo, and Special Friends
2022-09-17 19:30 - 21:00
POSTPONED to 2023 due to illness! Check back for date. Ticket purchasers will receive a refund.
———————————-
Our popular fall fundraiser–specially priced this year at $45–features Linda Mironti with Brian De Lorenzo and special friends to be announced. Enjoy a fancy dessert, a glass of Prosecco, and world-class singing!
This program is supported in part by a grant from the Sandisfield Cultural Council, a local agency which is supported by the Mass Cultural Council, a state agency.

Ticket sales are closed; purchasers will receive a refund.

California Dreamin' - A Retrospective of Art from 1990 to 2020 - Jaye Alison Moscariello
2022-09-11 08:00 - 2022-10-08 17:00
This show continues after the opening on September 10.
Jaye Alison Moscariello is a name many of you may know as she runs Floodgate Farm with her husband, Bill, here in Sandisfield, and was instrumental in getting our town’s Farmers’ Market up and running. She is an extremely accomplished painter who studied at Paier College of Art and has had success showing her work in New York and LA.
Her exhibition is titled “”California Dreamin’ – A Retrospective of Art from 1990 to 2020″ a curated collection of works of and by Jaye Alison Moscariello.” It runs through October 8, and can be viewed before other events or contact gallery@sandifieldartscenter.org or Jaye directly at 310-970-4517 if you’d like to arrange a viewing.
News! Jaye is giving an artist talk on Sunday September 18 at 2 PM and the Gallery will be open 1-4 PM – more info here.
More of Jaye’s work can be viewed here

Gallery Reception and Opening: California Dreamin' - A Retrospective of Art from 1990 to 2020 - Jaye Alison Moscariello.
2022-09-10 16:00 - 18:00
Jaye Alison Moscariello is a name many of you may know as she runs Floodgate Farm with her husband, Bill, here in Sandisfield, and was instrumental in getting our town’s Farmers’ Market up and running. She is an extremely accomplished painter who studied at Paier College of Art and has had success showing her work in New York and LA.
Her exhibition is titled “”California Dreamin’ – A Retrospective of Art from 1990 to 2020″ a curated collection of works of and by Jaye Alison Moscariello.” It runs through October 8, can be viewed before other events or contact gallery@sandifieldartscenter.org to arrange a viewing.
More of Jaye’s work can be viewed here
Gallery receptions are always free!

Chris Brubeck and Triple Play!
2022-09-03 20:00 - 22:00
Back by popular demand, kicking off our fall season — Chris Brubeck and Triple Play on our main stage! Triple Play has something for everyone with their crossover music blending jazz with blues and folk music.

About Chris Brubeck’s Triple Play (from their website)
Triple Play is the name given to three outstanding and versatile musicians, Peter Madcat Ruth (on harmonica, guitar, jaw harp, percussion & vocals), Joel Brown, (folk and classical acoustic guitar and vocals) and Chris Brubeck (electric bass, bass trombone, piano & vocals). Collectively they bring a rare level of joy, virtuosity, and American spirit to the folk, blues, jazz and classical music they perform. Triple Play’s musical roots go way back (nearly 40 years!) in each member’s history. Chris and Madcat have toured and recorded together in different settings since 1969, first as young rock musicians in the group “New Heavenly Blue” (with albums on RCA and Atlantic Records), “Sky King”(on Columbia), and then as jazz musicians touring the world with Dave Brubeck.
Chris went on to form the group Crofut & Brubeck with the uniquely talented banjo player Bill Crofut and also featured Joel on guitar. A highly unusual and critically acclaimed CD, “Across Your Dreams” (Telarc) featuring famous mezzo-soprano Frederica von Stade singing songs written by Chris, Dave & Iola Brubeck. Their next project was the recording of the acclaimed “Bach to Brubeck” (Koch International Classics) at Abbey Road Studios with the London Symphony Orchestra.
Sadly, Bill Crofut passed away in 1999, and Madcat joined Chris and Joel to form the group Triple Play. Their live performance is documented on their first cd, “Triple Play Live”, recorded at one of their college concerts. In reviewing this disc, All Music Guide wrote: “This boundary stretching CD should be investigated by anyone who enjoys great American music.”
Their second CD, “Watching the World” was recorded in studios across the country and according to All Music Guide: “It’s great to hear a group that combines top-notch musicianship, potent originals, and a touch of humor, this CD is truly a Triple Play in any fan’s score book.”
With an ever-expanding repertoire, the Trio continues to play in concert halls, clubs and festivals all over the country, including performing many of Chris’ symphonic arrangements with orchestras across the U.S. Recently they played a set at the Monterey Jazz Festival and later that evening were featured in the premiere of Dave Brubeck’s Cannery Row Suite. Paul deBarros, writer for the Seattle Times and Downbeat, commented: “Triple Play is what jazz always was and always should be about: good-time rhythm, unbridled joy and the sweet release but bittersweet aftertaste of the blues. If there’s a better old-time blues and jazz harmonica player out there than Madcat Ruth, I’d sure love to know where he lives.”
At this time, masks optional but recommended. We’re doing social distancing, so we’re limiting attendance to 60% capacity.

Selections from The Well-Tempered Clavier & Other Keyboard Works by Bach
2022-08-20 19:00 - 21:00
We are thrilled to present the well-known Bach disciple, Andrew P. Sheranian, founding director of The Bach Project at Ashmont Hill Chamber Music, bringing Bach to our stage and Steinway!
Andrew P. Sheranian, a Boston-based pianist/organist and conductor, will perform keyboard works of Johann Sebastian Bach, including a selection of preludes and fugues from the WellTempered Clavier. The Well-Tempered Clavier (Das Wohltemperierte Klavier) is a collection of keyboard music that Bach wrote in the 1720’s, utilizing every possible major and minor key: 12 preludes and fugues for the major keys, and 12 preludes and fugues for the minor keys, for a total of 24. But, Bach being Bach, he did it twice, publishing two books with unique compositions in each key: an astonishing feat! Mr. Sheranian will perform some of the most outstanding examples from the WTC as well as some miscellaneous pieces to round out the program. See Program details below.
About Andrew Sheranian
Since 2010, Andrew Sheranian has been Organist and Master of Choristers at the Parish of All Saints, Ashmont in Boston, an Anglo-Catholic church known for its commitment to excellence in liturgy and music. His duties at Ashmont include recruiting, training, and conducting the Choir of Men and Boys, as well as playing the parish’s two pipe organs: C.B. Fisk Opus 103 of 1995 and Skinner Opus 708 of 1929, the latter installed in 2015 during Mr. Sheranian’s tenure.
Prior to taking up the post at Ashmont, Andrew Sheranian served as Organist and Choirmaster at Christ’s Church in Rye, New York for seven years. In 2003, Mr. Sheranian completed his Master of Music degree through the Institute of Sacred Music at Yale University, as a student of Martin Jean. His undergraduate training took place at New England Conservatory of Music, under the tutelage of William Porter, where he received his Bachelor of Music degree.
A lifelong disciple of Johann Sebastian Bach, Mr. Sheranian is the founding director of The Bach Project at Ashmont Hill Chamber Music, a baroque ensemble of instrumentalists and singers aiming to perform the full spectrum of Bach’s music in performances at All Saints’ Ashmont. Next season’s performances are October 2 at 4:00 with Reginald Mobley (countertenor), and March 5 at 4:00: The St. John Passion.
This program made possible in part by a donation from our neighbors, Jeffrey Gonyeau and Jack Dennerlein.
PROGRAM: Keyboard music by Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)
Mr. Sheranian will provide brief comments on each of the works.
Partita No. 5 in G major (BWV 829)
Praeambulum
Allemande
Courante
Sarabande
Tempo di Minuetto
Passepied
Gigue
from The Well-Tempered Clavier – Book II
F minor (BWV 881)
D major (BWV 874)
C minor (BWV 871)
E major (BWV 878)
F-sharp minor (BWV 883)
from The Well-Tempered Clavier – Book I
B major (BWV 868)
G-sharp minor (BWV 863)
F-sharp major (BWV 858)
B minor (BWV 869)
C major (BWV 846)
The Italian Concerto (BWV 971)
I: [no tempo indication]
II: Andante
III: Presto

Introduction to Smartphone Photography with Master Photographer Thad Kubis
2022-08-20 11:00 - 13:00
Spend time with local photographer and teacher Thad Kubis and learn the basics of smartphone photography (Android and iPhone) and then go way beyond the basics to fully use, control, and create with your smartphone or tablet camera. Thad will cover composition, HDR, Live mode, basic and more advanced editing functions, and a lot in between.
Masks required!

Gallery Show: Winners of the Daniel Manacher Young Artists Prize
2022-08-14 - 2022-09-07
Show runs through September 7th. Gallery is open during regularly scheduled events or by appointment. To arrange an appointment please contact Adam Manacher @ 617-645-6525.
Winners:
Julia Rose Miner:

Formed A New
2020
Acrylic Paint, Faux Fur, and Joint Compound on Board
36”x24”

Statement:
Hi, my name is Julia Rose Miner. I am a painter who lives and works in the small, artistic town of Stockbridge, MA. In my most recent collection, my textural paintings of abstracted landscapes explore the ideas of innocence and decay. I use a pallet that consists of candy, stuffed animal materials, and vibrant pastel colors. These works play with the corrosion of nostalgia while holding onto a childlike optimism. At the age of seven I was diagnosed with a visual impairment, called Stargardt Disease, leaving my world altered with a constant vibrating visual texture. I use the sense of touch as a source of sight to navigate through life and art. This is how I experience the world and I feel compelled to use these tools when making my work. In my practice I translate bits and pieces of visual information to fabricate a new reality that lies in the comfort of unease. I welcome and encourage both delight and putrefaction to coexist. Building layers I construct and paint distorted and discolored imagery inspired by my everyday surroundings. My work embraces the ideas of joy and deterioration while abstracting the world.

Natasha Wein:

Spaces: Suburbs
2022
Acrylic paint, gouache, and water-soluble ink pencils on paper
24×18 inches

Statement:
“Spaces” explores the interface between external and internal experience, specifically how we hold the spaces and relationships we inhabit in our minds as memory. The mental landscapes we foster and the narratives we tell ourselves about those landscapes inform our sense of belonging and resilience. In this series, I used my longing for contentment amidst a particularly distressing and uprooted period in my life to influence my use of color and shape; by painting with intention, I created an external space with movement and possibility from where I could work with my internal distress and, in turn, repaint my psychic wallpaper. When we strip back the cognitive clutter, a more honest rendering of our experiences and desires can be exposed, and one that is often more sincere and playful. This way of working can decongest complicated and backlogged feelings so they can be integrated into our present experience. I used tape as a tool to create territories of paint and water-soluble ink pencils to make lines connecting territories of color. We often think of boundaries as points of separation, but they are more meeting points that allow for a relationship to occur. This was a process of experiential learning through process—a practice in clearing spaces and rendering passages to navigate memories, circumstance, and dreams.

Alorah Welti:

Eve Adam Lilith (Red White Blue)
2022
Paint and decoupage on plastic skeletons
approximately 20×20 inches

Statement:
My work, primarily in mixed media, paper, and fiber, asks and seeks to answer the question of what is sacred. As someone with synesthesia, a sensory neurodivergence that connects senses like sound and color, I am eternally searching for the visceral and dreamlike. Texture, saturation, and reclamation are fundamental to my practice, as are myth and feminist spirituality. I am endlessly inspired by fertility, ancestry, and the constant presence of history in all things.

Awards Presentation, Gallery Opening and Reception: Winners of the Daniel Manacher Young Artists Prize
2022-08-13 14:00 - 16:00
We are proud to announce the talented winners of the 2022 Daniel Manacher Young Artists Award, an award in honor of the late Daniel Manacher and funded through generous donations in his name. Join us for the opening reeption and awards presentation Saturday August 13 2 -4 PM. The show runs through September 7 by appointment (gallery@sandisfieldartscenter.org) or when the Arts Center is open for an event. This is the first year of the award competition.
Featured image is Daniel Manacher, Shwoopy Loops, 2013, and Daniel’s Camaro in the Petersen Automative Museum in Los Angeles.
Daniel Manacher’s parents, Carol Birnbaum and Adam Manacher, have described the intent of the prize:
“With this prize, we hope to carry forward values that were important to Daniel. We are happy that the judges have found young artists who tenaciously pursue their vision, seek to make ordinary objects extraordinary, and bring community into conversation.”
Judges this year were Jess Cofrin, artist and Gallery chair at the Sandisfield Arts Center, Susie Crofut, artist, and Arts Center Board member, and Jessie Young, a teacher of Daniel’s who has a specialty in digital art and works a lot with young artists.
From the judges: “The selection committee was very pleased with the caliber of artists who applied for the prize. The three winners were chosen because they all have a clear artistic voice that comes through their chosen media. The work they applied with was consistent, cohesive, and showed a deep understanding of the materials.”
About the prize
Winners:
Julia Rose Miner:

Formed A New
2020
Acrylic Paint, Faux Fur, and Joint Compound on Board
36”x24”

Statement:
Hi, my name is Julia Rose Miner. I am a painter who lives and works in the small, artistic town of Stockbridge, MA. In my most recent collection, my textural paintings of abstracted landscapes explore the ideas of innocence and decay. I use a pallet that consists of candy, stuffed animal materials, and vibrant pastel colors. These works play with the corrosion of nostalgia while holding onto a childlike optimism. At the age of seven I was diagnosed with a visual impairment, called Stargardt Disease, leaving my world altered with a constant vibrating visual texture. I use the sense of touch as a source of sight to navigate through life and art. This is how I experience the world and I feel compelled to use these tools when making my work. In my practice I translate bits and pieces of visual information to fabricate a new reality that lies in the comfort of unease. I welcome and encourage both delight and putrefaction to coexist. Building layers I construct and paint distorted and discolored imagery inspired by my everyday surroundings. My work embraces the ideas of joy and deterioration while abstracting the world.

Natasha Wein:

Spaces: Suburbs
2022
Acrylic paint, gouache, and water-soluble ink pencils on paper
24×18 inches

Statement:
“Spaces” explores the interface between external and internal experience, specifically how we hold the spaces and relationships we inhabit in our minds as memory. The mental landscapes we foster and the narratives we tell ourselves about those landscapes inform our sense of belonging and resilience. In this series, I used my longing for contentment amidst a particularly distressing and uprooted period in my life to influence my use of color and shape; by painting with intention, I created an external space with movement and possibility from where I could work with my internal distress and, in turn, repaint my psychic wallpaper. When we strip back the cognitive clutter, a more honest rendering of our experiences and desires can be exposed, and one that is often more sincere and playful. This way of working can decongest complicated and backlogged feelings so they can be integrated into our present experience. I used tape as a tool to create territories of paint and water-soluble ink pencils to make lines connecting territories of color. We often think of boundaries as points of separation, but they are more meeting points that allow for a relationship to occur. This was a process of experiential learning through process—a practice in clearing spaces and rendering passages to navigate memories, circumstance, and dreams.

Alorah Welti:

Eve Adam Lilith (Red White Blue)
2022
Paint and decoupage on plastic skeletons
approximately 20×20 inches

Statement:
My work, primarily in mixed media, paper, and fiber, asks and seeks to answer the question of what is sacred. As someone with synesthesia, a sensory neurodivergence that connects senses like sound and color, I am eternally searching for the visceral and dreamlike. Texture, saturation, and reclamation are fundamental to my practice, as are myth and feminist spirituality. I am endlessly inspired by fertility, ancestry, and the constant presence of history in all things.

Enoch Arden: Epic Poem by Alfred Lord Tennyson, Set to Music by Richard Strauss
2022-07-31 16:00 - 18:00
Enoch Arden is an epic poem by Alfred Lord Tennyson set to music for piano and speaker by the great late Romantic German composer Rickard Strauss.
Performed by Ben Luxon and at the piano, Josh Luxon.
This is a rare opportunity to see and hear this moving and unique work combining poetry and music performed by the world-renowned Ben Luxon and his grandson, Josh Luxon.
From Wikipedia:
Richard Strauss wrote Enoch Arden for the actor Ernst von Possart, who in 1896 had assisted him in obtaining the post of Chief Conductor at the Bavarian State Opera. He wrote it while engaged in composing Don Quixote and finished it in February 1897. Strauss and Possart toured together widely with the melodrama, in a German translation by Adolf Strodtmann.
The painting above is by George Goodwin Kilburne and is in the public domain.

Mushroom Foraging: Workshop and Walk with Matt Glushien
2022-07-30 10:00 - 13:00
Meet at the Arts Center and learn mushroom identification essentials from expert Matt Glushien.
Please bring knives for cutting mushrooms, and baskets to put the mushrooms in.
Then off to the foraging site which Matt has picked out especially for its fungi possibilities!

Canceled! Free: Family Film Night Double Feature with Bogart and Riley Muller
2022-07-22 19:00 - 21:00
Sorry, at this time we’re not able to present this family film event.

Update! Poetry and Music with Molly Peacock, Doug Anderson presented with Voices of Poetry
2022-07-17 14:00 - 16:30
July 15 update: Cornelius Eady and his trio won’t be able to present due to a serious family emergency in Cornelius’ family. We send our love to Cornelius and hope to have him and his trio, Lisa Liu and Charlie Rauh, present in the future.
Happily, poet and Cave Canem Fellow Kate Rushin will read a few of Cornelius’s poems as well as her own, and talk a bit about Cornelius and Cave Canem, the press he and Toi Derricotte founded.
MASKS REQUIRED.
On Sunday, July 17 at 2 PM, we join with Voices of Poetry for an extraordinary afternoon of poetry and conversation. To bring in the widest possible audience, from high school student writers to senior citizens, we’re pleased to present this event free (donations welcome).
Benjamin Luxon will set the stage with a few words about the long tradition of poetry, and poetry and music, at the Sandisfield Arts Center.
The afternoon features award winning poets Doug Anderson and Molly Peacock.
Molly Peacock
Molly Peacock is an acclaimed poet, biographer, essayist, and writer of tales whose multi-genre literary life has taken her from New York City to Toronto, from poetry to prose, from words to words-and-pictures, and from lyric self-examination to curiosity about the lives of others. “Peacock has many talents, not the least of which is her voice, characterized by engaging honesty and self-deprecating humor. She comes across as that fellow passenger on an airplane to whom you have suddenly and quite naturally confessed your story (and learned hers)” (Lorna Blake in The Hudson Review). Molly’s biography of painter Mary Hiester Reid, Flower Diary, was a Quill and Quire Best Book of 2021. More about Molly.

Doug Anderson has taught at various colleges and universities, and two MFA programs. He has published several books – of poetry & memoir – including The Moon Reflected Fire (Alice James Books, 1994), which won the Kate Tufts Discovery Award; Blues for Unemployed Secret Police (Curbstone Books, 2000), which received a grant from the Eric Mathieu King Fund of the Academy of American Poets; Keep Your Head Down: Vietnam, the Sixties, and a Journey of Self-
Discovery (W. W. Norton & Co., 2009); and Horse Medicine (Barrow Street Press, 2015). His most recent poetry collection – Undress, She Said – is forthcoming from Four Way Books in September 2022. His work has appeared in many literary journals, including Asheville Poetry Review, Field, Nine Mile, Ploughshares, Poetry, Southern Review, Massachusetts Review, and Virginia Quarterly Review.
The first half of the program will include poets Hilde Weisert, Neil Silberblatt, and Kate Rushin.

Hilde WeisertAward-winning poets Hilde Weisert, president of the Sandisfield Arts Center, and Neil Silberblatt, founder of Voices of Poetry, will introduce the afternoon with short readings from their own work.
Of Weisert’s 2015 collection The Scheme of Things, Ursula Le Guin wrote “Hilde Weisert’s quiet, versatile poetic voice, fully at ease in narrative and lyric, is distinguished by vivid accuracy of thought and speech, modest but absolute courage in choice of subject, a dry, sweet humor, and a generosity of spirit that brings me back to her book again and again.”
Neil Silberblatt
Neil Silberblatt has published two poetry collections: So Far, So Good (2012), and Present Tense (2013), and has been nominated for a Pushcart Prize. His most recent poetry book, Past Imperfect (Nixes Mate Books, 2018), was nominated for the Mass. Book Award in Poetry. Neil is the founding director of Voices of Poetry which has organized and presented a series of (more than 400) poetry events, featuring acclaimed poets at various venues in NY, NJ, CT and MA, including The Mount / Edith Wharton’s home in Lenox, MA, and The Rubin Museum of Art in NYC. We’re delighted to have him add the Sandisfield Arts Center to that list.
Kate Rushin is the author of The Black Back-Ups and “The Bridge Poem.” Her work is widely anthologized and is included in Poetry Magazine with the Witness Stones Old Lyme poetry project and in the anthology, African American Poetry: 250 Years of Struggle and Song, edited by Kevin Young. She has received fellowships from The Massachusetts Artists Foundation, The Fine Arts Work Center in Provincetown and the Cave Canem Foundation. Kate is currently Professor of English and Poet in Residence at Connecticut College in New London, CT.
The afternoon will be capped off with conversation with the poets about poetry and the writing life and a book signing reception.
The event is free, but space will be limited. If you’re sure you plan to attend, reserve a ticket below. (It nay look like you are “buying” but the price is $0 – free.)
Donations gratefully accepted at the event or at our Donate page.
At this time given current Covid-19 uptick we anticipate asking attendees for proof of vaccination and to wear a mask.
This program is supported in part by a grant from the Sandisfield Cultural Council, a local agency which is supported by the Mass Cultural Council, a state agency.

To reserve tickets, click the + sign for the number you want, then click the Get Tickets button.

Gallery Show: Stacey Silkey
2022-07-10 14:00 - 2022-08-03 16:00
Opening reception 4 – 6 PM July 10. The show continues to August 3 and is on view before performances and other events, or by appointment. Contact gallery@sandisfieldartscenter.org if you’d like to arrange a visit.
Stacey Silkey is an artist who lives in Otis. She received her MFA from Lesley University and was the 2016 winner of the Berkshire Art Association Fellowship Award. Her work can be viewed here

Mini-Ukulele Festival! Workshop and Performance
2022-07-09 14:00 - 18:00
Mini-Ukulele Festival at the Sandisfield Arts Center!
Come and experience the 1st annual Mini-Ukulele Festival at SArC. Join renowned singer-songwriter Bernice Lewis for an informative workshop at 2 pm and stay for an uplifting and inspiring concert at 4. (Snack break in between)
2:00 pm Workshop with Bernice Lewis (Purchase a ticket below to reserve your space. You’ll be automatically registered for the performance) Bernice has been a featured performer on NPR’s Mountain Stage program and the Kennedy Center. She is an educator and singer-songwriter extraordinaire with a national fan base who has studied vocal improvisation with Bobby McFerrin, guitar technique with Alex DeGrassi and Guy van Duser, and songwriting with Rosanne Cash and Cris Williamson.
4:00 pm Performance featuring Bernice Lewis and the “Berkshire Ukulele Band” (BUB) directed by Jeffrey Howard – If you’re just coming for the performance, you can reserve a free ticket below.
An afternoon you won’t want to miss!

The Green Box – Book and Film Preview with Jim Kurtz
2022-06-25 20:00 - 22:00
Jim Kurtz will read from his book The Green Box, with an accompanying slide show. The Green Box is the gripping story of an ordinary man called to war — a story rediscovered by a son through a handful of telegrams, letters, and other clues. Jim Kurtz’s persistent efforts to search the archives, the memories of other airmen in WWII, and the European sites where his father fought and was imprisoned are captivating. He shows us how his father answered the call to duty, carried out bombing missions in service to his country, and suffered the inhumane conditions of a German POW camp and the lasting effects we today call PTSD.
Audience members will also get a preview of the documentary film in development and a talk and Q&A with the producer. There will be a book signing afterward.

Postponed to July 22– Family Film Night - The Original Star Wars!
2022-06-17 19:00 - 21:00
Postponed to next month, double feature
It’s Friday night at the movies at the Arts Center. Riley and Bogart Muller are showing the original Star Wars, and providing juice boxes and popcorn for family fun!
First entry Lucas’s Star Wars trilogy proved to be one of the biggest box-office hits of all time. A young hero, a captured princess, a hot-shot pilot, cute robots, a vile villain, and a heroic and mysterious Jedi knight blend together with marvelous special effects in a fantasy tale about rebel forces engaged in a life or death struggle with the tyrant leaders of the Galactic Empire. Set a new cinematic standard for realistic special effects, making many pre-Star Wars effects seem almost laughable in retrospect. Followed by The Empire Strikes Back (1980) and Return of the Jedi (1983).

Roger Street Friedman Concert, Folk Duo Ari and Mia Opening
2022-06-11 19:30 - 21:30
Please note: Masks required!
Roger Street Friedman is an award-winning singer-songwriter based in Sea Cliff, NY. His critically acclaimed 2017 album Shoot The Moon reached #2 on the Roots Music Report Americana Country Album Chart.
Recalling the pop-rock singer-songwriter tradition of Jackson Browne, Marc Cohn, Randy Newman, Colin Hay, Bruce Hornsby, and Mark Knopfler, Friedman released “Sun Never Sets” in 2019 – a song and video dedicated to immigrants and immigration reform. Collaborating on the project were Peter Yarrow, Tom Chapin, Joel Rafael and Guy Davis. His third-full length album, RISE, produced by Larry Campbell was released in 2020 followed by his most recent EP, COME WHAT MAY in July 2021.
Roger performed for us last year at a great outdoor community event and we’re thrilled to bring him back, along with the chamber-folk duo of Ari and Mia opening, for a concert at the Arts Center.
More about Roger:
Roger Street Friedman was bitten by the music bug early, learning to write songs(at the age of 12) and developing his studio engineering skills. His life took a left turn in his early 20’s and he left music for a career in his family’s retail display business for about 25 years. But a combination of events during the mid-’00s — the passing of his father and mother, marriage and, later, the births of his two children — steered Friedman back to music, leading to the acclaimed 2014 debut THE WAITING SKY and 2017’s SHOOT THE MOON. “Those life events really kind of opened the floodgates for me to start writing again,” he notes.
Roger has performed at the Clearwater Folk Festival, Huntington Folk Festival and The Falcon Ridge Folk Festival (Grassy Hill Emerging Artist) as well as touring up and down the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic and South. Friedman performed at the 2019 NERFA conference in a coveted “formal” showcase.
