Amy Krzanik reports from Pittsfield. What’s green, smells wonderful, helps make your house more festive, and provides food to the community? No, it’s not The Grinch after his heart grows three sizes (spoiler alert), it’s the Holiday Wreath Art Auction. The second annual event took place on Friday, Dec. 2 at the Lichtenstein Center for the Arts during the city’s monthly First Fridays Artswalk. Local artists had previously adopted plain evergreen wreaths to decorate however they chose, and the 2016 class of Berkshire Community College’s “40 Under Forty” had created kissing balls. The balls, as well as a selection of “grab and go” wreaths were priced at $25. Ten of the more elaborate art wreaths were chosen for a live auction, where they went for $35 up to $305. The well-attended event, catered by Mission Bar + Tapas, raised over $3,000 for the city’s food pantries.
Jen Glockner, Pittsfield’s Director of Cultural Development, and Shiobbean Lemme; Melissa Bissell, John Bissell and Jen Gokey.
Ali Herrmann, Michael Vincent Bushy and Carrie Jean Converse, all local artists who created wreaths for the show; Colleen Meaney and Karen Choquette.
Tony Dunne and Julia Dixon with Lydia Shulman and Tony D’Angelo of The Beacon Cinema.
Jenn Smith and Bill Laviolette greeted guests, collected proceeds and passed out swag bags; Vincent and Heather McDermott with 1Berkshire’s Laura Brennan.
Participating artist Ann Dobrowolski with Dave and Sheli Turocy; wreath artists Karen Labanaro and Becky Armstrong.
One of the kissing balls, decorated with paper stars; Carrie Jean Converse’s wreath featured colorful birds.