Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Teens Take Over Pittsfield: New High School Photography Classes at Pittsfield Contemporary


Teens Take Over Pittsfield


What: Teens Take Over Pittsfield: Free! Photography, Graphic Design, Screen-printing, Arts therapy, and Youth Development Classes.

Where: Pittsfield Contemporary Art Gallery 305 North Street, Pittsfield, MA 01201

When: Monday nights (not on December 27th) 6-7:30 PM 8-week class January 3rd-February 21st, 2011.

Pittsfield Contemporary recently joined forces with the Pittsfield Youth Commission, Project Re-connect, and independent art therapist Marney Schorr to launch a new project where local artists, an art therapist, and a social service youth worker, and the youth commission are coming together to provide free after-school arts programming focused on photography, graphic design, website design, screen-printing, arts therapy, and youth development. 

During this holiday season, it is my hope that we can reach out specifically to our teenagers and encourage them to use artistic expression as a coping skill for many of life's challenges. As such, we are pleased to collaborate with Pittsfield Contemporary Art Gallery in presenting a new 'art as therapy' group for teens in the downtown Pittsfield area. We are in the process of growing the group, but have already begun to produce some mosaic pieces from the collages we made at our last session.  Please join us for our next meeting before the class starts on Monday night!  Teens can come and sign up or just come and socialize in a positive, creative environment aimed at valuing their role in our society.

This New Year make a resolution to create pottery - Jim Horsford will show you how!

What:

We are very excited to welcome back Jim Horsford to offer FREE Pottery classes to Pittsfield high school students and only $195 for adults, includes all materials. No experience is necessary.


When:

Classes begin on Wednesday January 12th and Thursday January 13th from 2:45pm-4:45pm for high school students, and 6:30-8:30PM for adults. Classes last 6 weeks, so will end Wednesday February 16th and Thursday February 17th, 2011.

Cost:

FREE for Pittsfield High School Students
$195 for adults, includes all materials

Where:

28 Renne Avenue, Pittsfield, MA 01201



Course Description:

The course is 12 hours of instruction on the potter’s wheel. No experience is needed. Beginners are welcome.


1. First class:
Students wedge two pieces of clay and step by step we throw two small pots: a mug and a bowl.


2. Second class:
We continue throwing and make three more pots.


3. Third class:
Now that we have five pots that have been kept moist in plastic and we trim the bottoms of the pieces.


4. Fourth Week:
Its back to throwing, and we make three larger pots.


5. Week five:
Work from week four is trimmed, handles are made for mugs and pitchers, clay can be added to the exterior of work or textures can be carved into the surface of work.


6. Week six:
Each student will have six to eight pots that they will glaze.
About a week after glazing, students from all classes will return for a pick-up celebration.



For more information check out his website.
To sign-up for classes call Jim at 413-243-3261 or email him at: shorsford@roadrunner.com

Check out some of his students' work below:


Friday, December 10, 2010

Bad Art Night with Kellie Meisl!

 Consider this your NEW YEAR resolution! No experience necessary!
Have you wanted to express your inner artist for years but have never had the courage to do it? Are you constantly saying, I am not creative, or, I can't do art? Well then this class is for you. Come and join Kellie Meisl of DreamArt and partake in this creativity provoking endeavor as we open ourselves up to our lighter side. A plethora of inspiring reclaimed, found and collected materials awaits you. We will paint, collage, build and whatever else suits your fancy. Just wear something comfy and bring a friend if you are so inclined.                                                                      
When:  Tuesdays, beginning January 18, 2011 through March 29, 2011
Where: The Lichtenstein Center for the Arts, 28 Renne Avenue, Pittsfield, MA
Call:     413-329-4021 to register
Time:   6:30-8
Cost:    Preregister for all 11 and pay $100 ($9 a class)
               Drop in each week and pay $11
               Come with a friend any time and you each pay $8 for the class
Feel free to bring fun, found objects you have at home to use or share.
                
Kellie Meisl is an artist with a BS in teaching, who uses her dreams as a springboard for her artwork. In 2009, she published a book Dream Stories: Recovering the Inner Mystic with Connie Caldes. She writes articles for Dream Network Magazine and the My Story Lives blogspot.  She is an annual contributor of art for two local charities, The Pittsfield Garden Tour and Think Pink Breast Cancer Awareness Art Exhibit. Both raise funds to contribute to art programs on the local level, including for those with cancer in the community. She has shown her work at the Lichtenstein Center for the Arts and the Pittsfield Colonial Theater.

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Stop, Shop, & Stroll - Downtown Pittsfield

Downtown Pittsfield has something for everyone this holiday season. Join us Saturday, December 11th from 12-5pm for Stop, Shop, & Stroll. You will find great holiday deals, refreshments, and some special appearances from Santa, Mrs. Claus, & the Taconic High Chorus all while showing your support to Pittsfield's local retailers & restaurants.
Here is a full list of activities and deals from North to South on December11th
(Be sure to check back often as we will continue to update this list)
Visit the event on Facebook
Carr Hardware – 537 North St - Carrs makes gift giving easy with great gift ideas. See the full sales flyer at http://www.carrhardware.com/flyer4.htm

Dottie’s Coffee Shop - 444 North St - Offering 10% off all gift certificate purchases- one day only.


West Side Clock Shop 449 North St - The West Side Clock Shop will have fantastic savings on in stock grandfather clocks and musical wall clocks!

Museum Facsimiles - 431 North St - Fresh homemade baked cookies, hot mulled cider and 10% off of anything from our well stocked clearance room. Everything in there is way below our already wholesale prices.

Emporium - 441 North St. – Shop on Dec. 11 and get a 10% off coupon for your next visit. Bring a receipt from another North St. Shop and get 20% off your purchase that day.

Fern Leslie Studio -249 North Street - Everything in the studio - gift items as well as framed art will be 10% off

Taconic High School Chorus Carols 1:00 - 1:30pm in the lobby of 141 North St.

Berkshire Carousel - 170 North St. - Open house 11 AM - 4 PM. Demonstrations of carving and painting of the carousel figures. Bring your children/grandchildren and cameras between 1:30PM - 3:30PM for photos with Santa and some of the beautiful ponies.

Pateez Boutique – 141 North St. – Come get a sneak peak before the grand opening - Light refreshments & 10% Coupons for those that stop by.

Bisque, Beads, & Beyond – 141 North St. – Refreshments & special deals. Stop by between 3-6 for a Li’l Elves workshop with Mrs. Claus.

Taconic High School Chorus Carols 12:30 - 1pm in the lobby of Crawford Square - 137 North St.

Pittsfield Bra & Girl - 137 North St. - 15% off pajamas, robes, & massage candles

Baba Louie's – 34 Depot St.- Open all day on December 11th. Serving Hot chocolate and donuts for a dollar in the newly renovated alley between Baba Louise's and the Central Block Building. Folks stopping by will get a 25% off coupon for lunch between 12 and 5.

Chapters Book Store – 78 North St - Storytime @ 10:30am geared for ages 3-5 but all ages welcomed (must be accompanied by an adult). Before the story is the famed silly song and after, a fun craft! All who attend story time will be given 10% off of their purchase (excludes gift cards, magazines, and art) + $5 table with tons of fun goodies, great for stocking stuffers or grab bag gifts + All Melissa and Doug children's toys we are marking 10% off! Special discount coupons will be given out with your purchase for a discount off your next shopping trip in!

Taconic High School Chorus Carols 12:00 - 12:30pm in the Central Block lobby of 75 North St.

Connections and Aim & Shoot Photography – 75 North St. Central Block – 20% off purchases that day + Make a purchase at Connections on December 11th and get Karma Cash worth 10% off to be used in January also, Offering 20% off purchases


The Pittsfield Colonials Office - 2 South St -Open 10-3. Purchase a Box Seat at the Holiday Price of $375 (Reg $399) and receive a hat, a pair of tickets to the Baseball Hall of Fame, and a Sweatshirt. Hall of Fame tickets are first come first serves but the rest is available until Christmas. We have plenty of merchandise and gift certificates also available at our store on

The Berkshire Museum - 39 South St. - Holiday Family Day at Berkshire Museum, with free admission for members, 50% off admission for everyone else, and a full day of performances and special events. Including the ever-popular gingerbread cookie decorating!


Sponsored by Downtown Inc & The Office of Cultural Development