Lisa Green reports from Germantown. When you need a theme, it helps to look at your honorees’ backgrounds for inspiration. Carey Maloney (RI’s The Wandering Eye) and his husband and co-honoree, Hermes Mallea, principals in the M (Group), provided both the genesis and the decorations for the Friends of Clermont Summer Gala on Saturday, July 30 held on the grounds of the historic mansion overlooking the Hudson River. This year’s gala paid tribute to Mallea’s Cuban heritage and Maloney’s Texas roots, offering mojitos and barbecue and encouraging guests to don cowboy hats or guayaberas. Alas, the accessory de rigueur turned out to be an umbrella, which helped save the turnout for the annual fundraiser. The honorees were lauded for their leadership and support (who do it with “style and kindness”) in their efforts to help preserve the mansion, gardens, meadow and woodlands.

Even on a drizzly day, the view from inside the Clermont mansion is compelling; Liz Pierce with honorary chair Joan Davidson and Edwina Sandys.

Friends of Clermont Executive Director Ted Saad with Penelope Queen, a brand development specialist from Catskill, NY.

Trustee Mary Ellen Ross and honorary chairs Eliot Hawkins and Paula Hawkins; Margaret Davidson and Meredith Kane, both of whom are board members of The Olana Partnership.

Seth Johnson and Marcus Teo, a creative director.

Roberta Murell, formerly the wedding coordinator at Clermont, Joe Murell, the site’s groundkeeper, and Ted Saad; Alison Spear, director of Arquitectonica Interiors, Alex Reese of Obercreek Farm and Owen Davidson of AO Production.

The party scene beside the Livingston estate.

Hudson gallerist Joe Caldwell and Marcy Caldwell, Clermont supporters; NY State Assemblymember Didi Barrett reads proclamations for Carey Maloney and Hermes Mallea, the Hawkinses and Joan Davidson.

Penelope Queen, Wolfgang Brandl and Frank Rosa of Sutter Antiques; Barbara Bohl and writer Greg Cerio.

Manhattanite Louise Bozorth, Marianne Thorsen of Germantown, and Martha Holmes Currie, a trustee.

Dancers from the Dojo Dance Company mambo on the lawn between the raindrops; Christine Kulander and David Sprouls.

Ghent residents Fred Schroeder and Allison Whiting.

Rachel Louchen reports from Lakeville. North East Community Center’s (NECC) annual Chef & Farmer brunch is always a well-attended event and, this year, it sold out more quickly than ever. On Sunday, July 31, the Hotchkiss School’s bucolic Fairfield Farm (featuring jaw-dropping views of rolling fields, ponds and mountains) was the location for the fundraising event that had a lively spin this year — a food challenge. Ten local restaurants, farms and food vendors put out a breakfast spread, and a panel of local judges including Hammertown’s Joan Osofsky and Mike Harney of Harney & Sons had the enviable task of choosing the best brunch, while the 200 guests happily tasted it all. The fundraiser benefits a variety of programs at NECC, adds vegetables to its summer “Lunch Box” meal program, covers camp for local children, and buys milk and eggs for food pantry families. The brunch was so successful there weren’t even tickets available on standby, so advice for next year: buy your ticket early. [Event organizer Mimi Ramos Harney and NECC executive director Jenny Hansell.]

Mark Morgan and Jennifer Morgan came as guests of event sponsor Rob Cooper of Associated Lightning Rod Company.

NECC development assistant Amy Truax and Amy Jedlicka; Kendra LaCroix and Jessica Raymond, NECC client advocate.

Allie Kuhbach and her mother, NECC board chair Sherrell Andrews; John Tuke of Millerton, whose children have participated in many NECC programs over the years, with Jeff May and Mary O’Neill.

Ken Daniel, Domaine Guerrera and David Rosenberg.

Program director Betsey McCall with Erich McEnroe, who donated produce for the event, and Halina Hofmann; Paul Hands and writer Teri Agins.

Maggie Cheney of Rock Steady Farm & Flowers with advisory board member Dan Sternberg; Scott Morris, John Hahn, Elyse Harney Morris and Elyse Harney.

Jenny Hansell, Kristen Panzer, founder of NECC’s Spring For Sound music festival, and longtime supporter Anita Shapiro.

Former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger is interviewed by Christopher Buckley on “World Order” last year.

By Jamie Larson

Out in the beautiful and remote hills of Litchfield County, Conn., KentPresents is about to embark on its second annual “influential new ideas festival.” In our own back yard, on August 18-20, experts of the highest regard in science, policy, literature, business, education, the arts and perhaps most intriguingly, geopolitical statecraft, will meet to speak and mingle.

The exclusive three-day festival, created through the intellectual curiosity and civic generosity of Kent residents Benjamin and Donna Rosen, includes 84 speakers, 43 sessions, and just 300 attendees, at the prestigious Kent School. The Rosens are building on the success of last year’s inaugural festival which raised an impressive $100,000 for 26 local charities. Tickets are still available.

Nobel winning economist Paul Krugman (left) with Ford Foundation President Darren Walker (right), during “Income Inequality: Consequences and Solutions,” last year.

“Last year we didn’t know what to expect,” says Benjamin Rosen, who is, among many other things, a former venture capitalist, chairman emeritus of Compaq Computer, and chairman emeritus and current life trustee of the California Institute of Technology. “We were concerned about getting speakers and attendees, and whether it would be worthwhile. I believe we succeeded at all three.”

Rosen says Kent Presents is small by design, and the conversations that occur between all present is a huge part of the festival’s value and appeal. It was important that they have a diverse slate of speakers different from the previous year, with a few exceptions. Reappearing most notably this year is the usually elusive former Secretary of State and local resident Henry Kissinger who will be sitting down for two panels, one in discussion with former Chief of the British Secret Intelligence Service, Sir Richard Dearlove, and another on China with former U.S. Ambassador to China, J. Stapleton Roy.

“The intimacy is part of our appeal,” Rosen says. “People get to meet with presenters. We stress mingling. Last year there were a lot of first meetings of people who have continued meaningful relationships.”

Guests, including Connecticut Governor Dannel Malloy (center), mingle with speakers, Christopher Buckley (far left) and Jay Kriegel (left) at a cocktail reception.

Political presentation topics range from global affairs like “Understanding Putin’s Russia” and “Cuba: The Next Five Years,” to prescient national issues like “Where is the Supreme Court Headed” and “The Key Issues that Elect the President.”

The full list of speakers and their impressive titles includes elected officials, ambassadors, cabinet members from international governments, leaders of industry, technology and commerce, top journalists and educators, leading scientists in medicine and theoretical physics, and many more. And we haven’t even touched on the arts.

Donna Rosen (pictured at right with her husband) was a contemporary art gallery owner in New Orleans, and is now active in philanthropy and the visual arts. A board member of the Whitney Museum of American Art, New Orleans Museum of Art, and American Friends of the British Museum, her influence balances the festival with presentations focusing on “Are Old Masters Still Relevant” and “The ‘Hamilton’ Impact.”

Rosen is excited about the entire lineup and says that some discussions are not just presentations but a window into progress of public thought in action. Catching Rosen’s financially minded eye is a discussion on the idea of universal income. It’s not just the idea that’s interesting (that all citizens should receive a basic income from the government every year as a form of social protection) but also the perspectives of those discussing them. Both Charles Murray, a libertarian scholar, and Andrew Stern, former president of the SEIU, will be speaking in favor of the idea — from notably different angles.

“One thing that fascinates me,” Rosen says, “is the appeal on the left and the right. This is a panel where I don’t know if people like this have ever gotten together before.”

There will also be a discussion of the very recent discovery of gravitational waves, which emanated from the collision of two black holes 1.4 billion light years away. The event occurred back when we were little more than loose cells in a tide pool, but last year, scientists detected the invisible ripple in the fabric of space-time that the black holes ejected, as it washed over the earth at light speed. Einstein predicted it almost 100 years ago and, surprise, he was right.

Four Broadway stars close out KentPresents 2015 during “If I Loved You…The Anatomy of a Musical Scene,” a breakdown of the classic Bench Scene from “Carousel.”

For those of us not attending KentPresents, all of the talks from last year are available for free online and this year’s will be available shortly following the event. There is something to marvel and take pride in that such an influential and forward-looking meeting of the minds takes place here in the RI region. We only have so much time here, in this beautiful place, riding a speck through the universe, bombarded, as we are, by intergalactic waves. Kent Presents is the type of thing that makes you think that at least we seem to be trying to make the most of it.

KentPresents
August 18-20
Kent School
1 Macedonia Road, Kent, CT
Registration open now: $2,500 per person

A trade show display.

By Lisa Green

When Oatmeal Studios gathers its team for a creative brainstorming session, it’s no ordinary staff meeting. The greeting card company based in Lenox Dale, Mass., has been in the business of making people laugh for over 35 years, and the writers, illustrators and managers involved never seem to lose that sense of humor.

“You’re crying, you’re laughing so hard,” says Nancy Crane, the company’s creative product manager, describing the tenor of those gatherings.

“We’re writing funny cards,” adds Joe Gallagher, the general manager. “You can’t take it too seriously.”

But make no mistake: this is a well-established, $1.5 million business, with its products available at 2,100 locations in the U.S. and abroad, and 140 independent sales representatives. Still, a pet rabbit named Oatmeal was the inspiration for the first card created by an artist in Vermont back in 1978, and that’s kind of amusing, right? In 2011, Excelsior Printing Company in North Adams, Mass. bought Oatmeal Studios and brought the lighthearted, brightly colored card company to the Berkshires.

Joe Gallagher, Nancy Crane, David Crane

“In 2010, David Crane [he of the Dalton, Mass. Cranes, who established Crane & Co., Inc. in 1770] asked me to look at the greeting card market because there might be an opportunity to buy Oatmeal Studios,” says Gallagher, who worked in product and business management at Crane for ten years. Excelsior was already printing the cards, so it was a natural transition for the company. (Later Excelsior Printing was sold to Integrity Graphics, which now prints the cards.) A little over a year ago Oatmeal Studios moved to its current location, so its offices are now housed within the Excelsior Integrated warehouse — a 58,000-foot fulfillment facility with David Crane as the CEO — that not only fulfills Oatmeal Studios cards but assembles and ships products for about 80 other companies, as well.

But back to those hilarious staff meetings. Everyone gets a say in what cards are produced.

“We’re a team, and we all vote on the designs,” says Nancy Crane (no relation to the famous family, although she was a product manager at Crane prior to joining the card company). “Everyone gets a chance to ‘ugh’ or ‘I love it.’” The team consists of Gallagher and Crane, sales and advertising folks, and a few of the original people from Oatmeal in Vermont.

Two of the bestselling cards.

The creative process starts with the written word, and what the team is voting on — while laughing hysterically — are the concepts submitted by freelance writers. After they agree they’re going to buy a concept, they start thinking about the appropriate image for the copy. Nancy assigns the job to one in her stable of illustrators, some of whom have been working with Oatmeal Studios since Oatmeal-the-rabbit days. Sometimes an illustrator will submit the whole package — graphics and copy, which are tweaked into the final product.

The company averages about 70 new cards a year, and there are bestsellers that have been in the line for years. Crane does the designs for the newer line of photo cards herself.

“We stick to humor,” says Gallagher “We don’t do seasonal cards, and some are more risqué than others. Some of our retails don’t want anything to do with them.” But with 300 designs in the line, there’s plenty for every kind of retailer to choose from.

Unlike your standard Hallmark cards, Oatmeal Studios sells its products in less traditional settings — liquor and hardware stores, car washes and UPS outlets. Locally, you’ve probably seen them at Guido’s in Pittsfield, The Purple Plume in Lenox and Salisbury Pharmacy.

“What also makes our cards different is that the insides are illustrated, they’re still made in the U.S., and they’re printed with vegetable-based inks on recycled paper,” Crane says. And, creatives in the Rural Intelligence region will be gratified to know that the illustrator gets a prominent shout-out on the back of the card. This is a company that appreciates its staff — even if they’re freelancers.

As with any printed product these days, you have to wonder how long the market will be there. Nancy Crane acknowledges that younger people are more likely to send electronic cards. But selling in so many unconventional locations helps business — you’re buying a gift or a bottle of wine for someone, and you need a card to go with it, and there stands a carousel of delightful cards.

“It’s definitely a mature product, but because we’ve kept it fresh and have a unique look, we’re still doing pretty well in the market,” says Gallagher.

And having fun doing it.

Part of what makes Papa’s Best Batch, a smoked meat sandwich trailer, so special is its location: Behind Greig Farm’s big red barn, with a view of the hazy blue Catskills over yellow fields, and shaded under the lazy green branches of two massive weeping willows, sits a cluster of picnic tables and the shiny chrome 1972 Airstream Land Yacht. But the offerings match the compelling scenery. Chef Jody Apap smokes his meats (and more) outside in a quaint, handmade smoker. The bestselling brisket sandwich comes with Asian slaw, Swiss cheese and homemade Russian dressing ($11), but you won’t go wrong with the smoked chicken with peso, roasted peans and sweet red peppers ($9); smoked salmon with cream cheese, capers and red onion (10); and an open face smoked hummus sandwich ($7) made by smoking, then re-rehydrating the chickpeas. And don’t forget the deviled eggs. Only the whites are smoked (lightly) and have a slightly chewy, texture reminiscent of a good smoked cheese. The filling includes homemade mustard, and the combined woodsy flavor is well balanced and refined ($4 for 4). Read the full review at here.

Greig Farm, 223 Pitcher Lane, Red Hook, NY
(914) 388-5202
Open Wednesday—Sunday, Noon to 5 p.m.

In Milan, a 118-acre property includes a rambling farmhouse with a restored brick barn that has been turned into a guest house, which has an open-floor kitchen, living room and dining room on the first floor and two large bedrooms upstairs. There is a fireplace in the kitchen/living room, exposed brick in the bedrooms and a walk-out patio. The farmhouse has modern appointments, an open-plan sitting room, library, renovated kitchen, game room, master suite and two additional bedrooms. The grounds include pasture land, wooded groves and a four-acre pond, plus a salt water pool and several small barns. Listed for $1.5 million by H.H.Hill Realty Services.

This historic compound in Washington has an 18th-century main home and a guest cottage that still maintains its period character with antique floors and original hardware. The three-bedroom main house has six fireplaces, exposed beams, eat-in kitchen, formal dining room, living room and stone patios with scenic vistas beyond. The two-bedroom guesthouse isn’t the only outbuilding for guests on the property; there is a large barn currently used for gatherings and parties. Listed for $3.95 million by Klemm Real Estate.

This Sheffield property has enough room for a very large family to visit comfortably. There is a guest house, six-bedroom main home, post-and-beam barn, kids’ playhouse and lots of outdoor space. The 1,500-square-foot guest home has a full kitchen and two sun porches that look out to the saltwater infinity pool. The updated 1830 Colonial has a climate-controlled wine cellar, cathedral ceilings, wet bar, game room, high-speed wiring, central air and generator. The 12.5-acre property also offers a pool deck, croquet court, tennis court and screened deck. Listed for $2.69 million by Barnbrook Realty.

Crow Hill Manor’s grounds in Spencertown include several year-round houses: a six-bedroom main house, a two-bedroom guest house, a pond house and a caretaker’s apartment above the three-car garage. On 42 acres, the estate has a 1929 main house which was crafted from local stone and wood and has an open plan living space. An original carriage barn has been converted into the guest residence with a kitchen, living room, two bathrooms and private deck and patio. The buildings are separated from each other but close to the spring-fed pond and swimming pool. Listed for $3.75 million by Halstead Property.

Keep your guests close, but not too close at this gracious manor in Housatonic with a two-bedroom open-concept guest cottage. The 1892 main house offers more than 10,000 square feet and 18 rooms, and has been restored with the original woodwork, plaster details, lighting, fireplace tiles, and stained glass. Seven bedrooms, nine working fireplaces, a billiard room, a built-in organ, two dining rooms, a grand entrance and three exterior porches are just a few of the highlights of the home. The property was built by a mill owner and is located in the of the village of Housatonic, a short walk to the library, post office, restaurants, bakery and art galleries. Listed for $1.495 million by Stone House Properties.

You won’t find a better location for a guest house than this one in Stuyvesant, situated by the bluestone pool with country views on 13 acres and no neighbors in sight. The three-bedroom guest house beside a huge barn complex looks out to river views. The main house has a huge great room, kitchen, dining and living area with fireplace, formal dining room, den with built-ins, three bedrooms and two bathrooms. The state-of-the-art pool uses reverse osmosis and UV systems for clarity, so you will never be swimming in chemicals. Listed for $1.795 million by Old Ghent Realty.

Rachel Louchen reports from Roxbury. Farm-to-table dinners are fairly regular occurrences in our region, but Litchfield County’s Sustainable Healthy Communities (SHC) annual Farmer’s Table dinner served an important cause: the farmer. On Saturday, August 6, Toplands Farm was host to the annual dinner, which benefits the farmers directly, explained committee member Cynthia Oneglia [at left with fellow committee member Eileen Liwin].“The dinner benefits the farmer by supporting programming over the winter and helps the initiative throughout the year.” Said initiative of SHC is to promote sustainable agriculture, local food, and active healthy lifestyles in the communities of Northwest Connecticut. Other SHC programs include the Litchfield Hills Farm-Fresh Market, implementing student-maintained gardens at local schools and the current development of the food hub. The annual dinner has taken place at other farms throughout the county previously and this year’s location, a 650-acre farm that produces meat and eggs, is also notable for its huge collection of antique tractors, some over 100 years old.

Steven Lander and writer Constance Leisure; Kimbra Lien, Ed Dina and Nikki Hine, who works at Toplands Farm.

Bill and Lesley King, farmers/owners of Back 40 Farm in Washington, with Julie Bailey of the event committee.

Joan Burgess and Anna Gill; Tim Armbruster, who helps restore the collection of antique tractors, and his wife, Kelly Armbruster, who grew up on the farm, where her father was the former farm manager.

Peggy Capozzi and Donald Capozzi with their cousin, Nonie Diebold, owner of Toplands Farm and host of the dinner with her husband, Dudley Diebold.

Restaurateur Philippe Bernard, owner of Saju Bistro, Osteria al Doge and Osteria Laguna, with Mike McGill and committee member Pucci McGill; committee member Tim Walch and Nick Sedelnik.

Sally Taylor and Michael Maddalena; Ed Cady, Jr., Julie Cady and farmer Rick Distel of Hedgelawn Farm in Washington.

Ben and Stephanie Paletsky of South Farms in Morris with Connecticut Governor Dannel Malloy.

Jamie Larson reports from Kinderhook. Crime and culture, art and mayhem describe the focus and backdrop of the posh gathering Saturday, Aug. 6 at Jack Shainman Gallery: The School. The event, celebrating the release of SoHo Sins, the first novel by Richard Vine, managing editor of Art in America,  included, along with a lecture and signing, a lovely reception among The School’s exhibits in the front hall. The novel explores the dark and illicit underbelly of the New York art scene. Of course, we assume Manhattan’s best known dealers, curators, collectors and artist, some of whom were in attendance Saturday, don’t take part in such unseemly affairs — in the city or in the Rural Intelligence region. The evening was brought together by local unconventional arts publicist Katharine T. Carter and Jack Shainman, above.

Managing Editor of Art in America and author of SoHo Sins, Richard Vine poses with his freshman novel; Richard Roth, jeweler Jan Michaels and Hudson Gallery owner Carrie Haddad.

New York City gallery owner Elga Wimmer and Claire Feldman; Columbia County Historical Society Executive Director Lori Yarotsky, Randall Schmit and Maret Halinen.

Alice Axfeld-Storm, Siena College professor of creative arts Dr. Mahmood Karimi Hakak and the worldly J. Thalia Cunningham, a doctor and author (among other things).

An enthusiast of crime novels and the arts, Nancy Vailakis, with Nick Vailakis from San Fransisco; artist Katarina Spitzer, Denola Perreten and Eddie Spitzer.

The packed house inside The School’s front hall gallery; Cathy Farrell and Rick Cunningham in rapt conversation.

Marinka Gerkman and Ginny Westervelt; Shainman’s The School which was, not so long ago, an elementary school.

Amy Krzanik reports from Hudson. Things were really cookin’ at the Raise The Roof Sock Hop, a benefit for the new Hudson Area Library, on Saturday evening, August 6. Around 150 supporters “made the scene” in their best ‘50s duds at the home of artists Ken Kraus and Anna d’Onofrio. The second-annual gala saw DJ T-Bone spinning platters for the crowd as they sipped cocktails from Fairview Wines & Spirits and Chatham Brewing, enjoyed tastings from Berkshire Mountain Distillers, and sampled cheeses, olives and other snacks from a decadent spread courtesy of Olde Hudson. During dinner — catered by Memorable Cuisine and featuring delectable desserts by Café Le Perche — the evening’s volunteer auctioneer, Bob Rasner, employed appropriate literary quotes and a personal story of a childhood crush on his town’s children’s room librarian, to encourage guests to raise their paddles. The “Call for the Cause” live auction collected funds not to raise to the roof — that milestone was recently and happily achieved — but to furnish the new venue, which has never been more popular, with a self-checkout scanner ($5,000), an HD projector ($6,000) and screen ($1,000), and 45 more chairs for patrons. [Pictured above, Ken Kraus, Susan Fingar, Mark Fingar, Anna D’Onofrio and Carsten Otto.]

Lynda Ackerman and the Library’s new program director, Brenda Shufelt; Bob Rasner with son-in-law Mike Clulow and daughter Amy Rasner Clulow.

Elizabeth Wirick, gala co-chair Christine Boeke, Caroline Jenks and Greg Urra; board member Gwen Gould and Library board president David Murphy.

Major donors Alan and Ellen Goldner coordinated their outfits with their grandsons, Itai and Asaf, who were visiting from Israel.

Olde Hudson’s Dena Moran with Sue Makkoo and Rainer Facklam; Alex Contreras and Andy Goldsborough.

NY State Assemblymember Didi Barrett and district director Erica Kane; author Hudson Talbott, board member Miranda Barry, Paula Forman, founder of Perfect Ten After School and Nora Peck.

Sam Chapin and Laura Miller, director of Perfect Ten After School, strike a pose.

Linda Gui and Clare Zierhut, AnimalKind board members, with Gene Parseghian; Michael Colberg and Elizabth Moore.

Views from inside the tent and inside the barn.

Whose shoes? Can you guess which duo above sported these fantastic kicks?; Delicious fresh fruit tarts from Hudson’s Cafe Le Perche.

MUSCLE BOY, Harlem, NY 1963 © Leonard Freed/Magnum

By Shawn Hartley Hancock

Ralph Brill, owner of the Brill Gallery in the Eclipse Mill Building in North Adams, Mass., calls it “probably the most important photography exhibit in 2016.” Leonard Freed’s Civil Rights Photographs of the 1960s, he says, are still more than relevant today, and all the more impressive since they were taken at the dawn of photojournalism. They’re part of an exhibit from the 1960s that Cornell Capa, now president of Magnum, pulled together and called “The Concerned Photographer” as a way of honoring his older brother, the much-heralded war photographer Robert Capa, who was killed by a land mine in Indochina in 1954. 

The original exhibit, which includes work by Gordon Parks, Bruce Davidson and Leonard Freed, documents a host of world events, especially the turmoil of the American civil rights movement. Considering the current events of our day, it seems quite timely to bring back the collection. Brill has located and assembled as many of the original artworks from that show as possible, reprising, as it were, the original exhibit and book for a new generation. On view through August 21, the exhibit will heavily feature the work of documentary photojournalist Leonard Freed, whose widow, Birgitte, and daughter, Susannah Elka, will help put Freed’s work in historical context at their talk and reception on Saturday, August 13, from 6 to 8 p.m., at the Brill Gallery. 

BROOKLYN WEDDING DANCE, 1954 © Leonard Freed/Magnum

Photojournalism wasn’t really a “thing” until World War II, when cameras became smaller and lighter, and film became more light sensitive. These technological improvements allowed photographers to capture important dramatic moments as they happened – and like never before.  This brand of photojournalism, which sought to educate and change the world as much as document world events, grew more powerful and impactful in the post-war years in the hands of masters like Robert Capa, Henri Cartier-Bresson, George Rodger and David “Chim” Seymour, who founded Magnum, the photographic cooperative, in 1947. These giants of photography, who blended reporting and art, set the standard for all modern photojournalism. 

“Ultimately photography is about who you are. It’s the seeking of truth in relation to yourself. And seeking truth becomes a habit,” Freed said about his photography. Over a long career as a photojournalist (Freed died in 2006), he captured important and pivotal moments in social history, including black men packed into a prison cell in New Orleans, black youths playing on a hot summer day in Harlem, and Martin Luther King leaning out the back of his limousine to shake hands with admirers at the March on Washington. Upward of 30 works by Freed are in the current exhibit.

Ralph Brill. ©  Roman Iwasiwka.

The timing couldn’t be better, considering the current state of race relations in the US and its parallel to the turmoil documented by Freed and his contemporaries fifty years ago. “For most photojournalists, the details of their work and its context die when they do,” Brill says. “We’re so fortunate to have Birgitte and Susannah coming to speak about Leonard and provide that context. Birgitte was truly Leonard’s partner – she printed many of his photos and knows the ‘back story.’ She and Susannah are doing a great job of keeping Leonard’s legacy alive.”   
 
Photography became Freed’s means of exploring societal violence and racial discrimination. “While most photojournalists were taking pictures of bombed-out buildings after the war, Freed never did that,” Brill says. “He took photos of people.” Freed did his share of documenting post-war Europe, however, especially Amsterdam and The Netherlands in the 1950s. “He followed and photographed a few surviving Jewish families in Amsterdam,” Brill says. The Jewish community there had suffered the greatest losses during World War II – upwards of 85-percent – more than any other European city.

In addition to re-assembling as many of the photos as possible from the original Concerned Photographers exhibit (the original book will also be re-published), Brill is organizing a book of Freed’s photos documenting the March on Washington, in the context of the 50th anniversary of the civil rights movement in America. Many of these seminal photos are already in the collections of the National Archives.

“The Concerned Photographer”
Works by documentary photographer Leonard Freed
July 30 - August 21
Reception with Brigitte Freed: Saturday, Aug. 13, 6-8 p.m.
Brill Gallery at Eclipse Mill
243 Union Street, North Adams, MA
(413) 664-4353

Customers often ask me what I like to bake at home, and the answer, truthfully, is nothing; I love to bake, but I certainly get my fill at the bakery (and it’s so much more enjoyable when there’s someone else to do your dishes!). I do, however, love to cook, and cook dinner for my husband and myself nearly every night.

This is more of an appetizer than an entree, but served with a salad or another side it makes a great dinner, and it’s perfect for these dog days of summer. It’s bright tasting and cool, and there’s no need to turn on your oven. Scallops can be subbed out for shrimp or ahi tuna if you prefer. —Audrey Leary, Blackberry River Baking Co.

Spicy Scallop Ceviche

3/4 lb fresh bay scallops
1 peach
1 jalepeño
1 red onion
1 cup cherry tomatoes
1 avocado
1 lime
Salt to taste
Tortilla or plantain chips, for serving

Dice all fruit and veggies into small cubes; reserve the lime. (Scrape the cherry tomatoes of their seeds and juice, as much as possible.)

Place them in a bowl and cut the lime in half and squeeze all its juice over the diced veggies.

Cut the scallops into small cubes and add to the mixture; mix well, ensuring that the scallops are covered with lime juice. Add salt and cover; refrigerate for at least two hours. The scallops will go from being a kind of translucent beige to a very opaque white when ready. Serve with chips.

By CB Wismar

Tim McClelland is laughing. Which is okay, because he’s laughing at himself.

“I just thought it would be fun to reach out to 15 extraordinarily talented people who had been part of an intense, creative environment 35 years ago and see what they’re doing now.”

The “what” is stacked in heavy cardboard boxes delivered courtesy of UPS and FedEx. These invited guests surround Tim on the main floor of the jewelry atelier, McTeigue & McClelland in Great Barrington, Mass. It is in this noble gray stone building on Main Street that Modern Treasure Chests, a month-long exhibition of jewelry boxes made by contemporary American Masters, will welcome and intrigue visitors. 

The “makers,” as they call themselves, are all graduates and former faculty of Boston University’s Program in Artistry (PIA) or Rhode Island School of Design (RISD), and these “boxes” are fanciful works of art.

“So understand,” Tim [left] says, “I really didn’t know how many artists would respond. When it was 15, I couldn’t believe it.” 

Believe it, Tim. Time to unpack.

The PIA lived for the 10 years from 1975-1985 on the Boston University campus, graduating artisans in ceramics and fiber art, metalsmithing and jewelry making, or woodworking and furniture making. 

Certificates of Mastery in hand, they scattered to the winds. Some remained in New England, others migrated west to teach and work in Rochester, New York, Madison, San Diego. The marks of their time together, however, were indelible.

Flash forward 35 years. The challenge sent out to that eclectic community was to create a new interpretation of the jewelry box. After all, McTeigue & McClelland is a luxury jeweler, with Tim (himself a graduate of PIA in metalsmithing and jewelry making) creating unique designs, and his partner, Walter McTeigue, searching the world for the finest stones. Jewelry boxes made perfect sense.

“When the invitation came, how could I say no?” Tommy Simpson, a self-professed “imagineer” from New Preston, Conn., was quick to respond, with designs that are… how does one say this… unique.

Tommy, who brought a great sense of humor to his stint as a visiting instructor at PIA, will be exhibiting his creations alongside the intricate work of Peter Superti, whose studio is in Red Hook, New York. “There was no time like it,” recalls Peter. “PIA was 24/7 with some of the most imaginative people I’ve ever met.”

Rosanne Sommerson, now the President of RISD and a skilled furniture maker in her own right, remembers the time as being one of incredible cooperation. “We’re trying to instill that in our students at RISD. It was like being in an extended family,” she says.

The award for “Furthest Distance Traveled” will go to Wendy Maruyama’s piece, hailing from San Diego, which she gently calls her “bento box.” Lined in silk, it has a quiet presence that seems more art than craft.

James Schriber, whose elegant casework adorns the McTeigue & McClelland showroom, was both reflective and brutally honest about being part of the exhibit. “I couldn’t not be there. These people were family. The idea of a reunion after all these years was just too good to pass up. If it had been a major furniture show, maybe it would have been different… but a jewelry box? That you can ship.” 

These Modern Treasure Chests are fashioned out of rare and exotic woods that have names evoking foreign travel and the courts of kings and maharajahs. Cuban mahogany. Celanese satinwood. Maracaibo boxwood. Clara walnut. Figured Swiss pearwood.

Each of the artists represented in Modern Treasure Chests has had a singular influence on the American Studio Furniture Movement. They carry on the traditions of Sam Maloof and Charles Eames in their own terms and with their own flair. To see their work is to be awash in talent, to move from one piece to another is quietly overwhelming.

Tim McClelland is smiling, and shaking his head as the boxes are opened and the wrapping scattered to the corners of the showroom. “Amazing,” he says. “That’s the only word for it.”

Modern Treasure Chests
Opening Reception: Saturday, Aug. 20 from 5-7 p.m.
McTeigue and McClelland
454 Main Street, Great Barrington, MA
The exhibit will be in place during normal business hours until Saturday, Sept. 24.

By Amy Krzanik

RIOULT Dance NY

This August might be your last opportunity to see a Chatham Dance Festival performance in the tent at PS21. No, not because it’s closing up shop, but a key feature of it is changing forever. According to founder and board president Judy Grunberg, the organization hopes to retire its famous saddlespan tent next year in favor of a brand-new black-box theater being built a few hundred yards away.

So now is the time to experience one (or more — an all-dance pass is the best deal) of the hand-picked performances to get the full PS21 experience that audiences have been enjoying for the past decade.

Weekend one kicks off this Friday and Saturday with RIOULT Dance NY, Pascal Rioult’s modern dance company known for its sensual, articulate and musical works.

The second weekend, August 19 and 20, welcomes The Chase Brock Experience, a Brooklyn-based contemporary dance company led by Brock, who’s choreographed everything from Broadway shows (Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark) to the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. The program will include a pieced titled The Song That I Sing; Or, Meow So Pretty, which the company describes as “equal parts Blue Ridge and Brooklyn” and a “restless, sexy, strummy work [that] employs a mash-up of tap, finger-tutting, clogging, hip-hop, square dance, step dance, jumpstyle and jazz.”

The Chase Brock Experience

On August 26 and 27, Dance Heginbotham (whose founder, choreographer John Heginbotham, received the 2014 Jacob’s Pillow Dance Award), will perform some of its favorite works. The group is celebrated for, among other things, its “athleticism, theatricality, disarming wit and strangeness.”

PS21 favorite Parsons Dance will return to close out the season on Sept. 2 and 3. Warning: tickets to their annual performances sell out fast.

Each year the Festival tries more and more to incorporate the “behind the scenes” of dance, says Grunberg, so the audience can learn more about the companies. Dancers go into the schools, give lectures, and hold workshops for children and adults. This year, the Chatham Public Library will host a talk with Chase Brock; members of Dance Heginbotham will lead an inter-generational dance class for all ages and abilities; and Parsons Dance will hold three sessions geared toward teens.

“We want to bring the very best companies in so as to develop a knowledgeable dance audience in this area,” Grunberg says. The goal is to curate a varied lineup, with each troupe having its own unique flavor and style. “Everyone has a body and everyone moves,” she says. “Even people who think they aren’t interested in dance can find something they like here.”

Chatham Dance Festival at PS21
Friday, August 12—Saturday, September 3
2980 State Route 66, Chatham, NY
(518) 392-6121