Sculpture at The Mount
ShoutOut
This , that , and the other things
B y A n a s t a s i a S t a n m e y e r
LAURA KING
DYNAMIC DUO
Father-son duo Ron McDowell and Jason McDowell-Green are now at the helm of The Country Store at Jiminy Peak . Situated at the base of Jiminy Peak Mountain Resort , The Country Store serves as the unofficial general store , coffee house , and post office of Hancock . Jason held a variety of roles for the Williamstown Theatre Festival from 2007 to 2019 , including director of professional training program . Then he oversaw the art and adventure department at TOURISTS in North Adams . This spring at The Country Store , look out for the addition of espresso drinks and more baked and prepared foods . countrystorejiminy . com
A READING & MORE
Best-selling author Andre Dubus III will give a free reading , conversation , and book signing at the North Adams Public Library at 6 p . m . on March 21 . The author of Townie will reflect on a life of challenges , contradictions , and fulfillments . In his latest book , Ghost Dogs , which will be released March 5 , Dubus retells his successes , failures , triumphs , and pain . He writes about a violent youth and settled domesticity and fatherhood ; keeping a gun and giving it up ; the omnipresent expectations and contradictions of masculinity ; and the things writers remember and those they forget . “ To read this book is to touch the pulsing core of what it is to be human ,” writes Dani Shapiro , author of Signal Fires . This event is co-presented by MASS MoCA ’ s Research & Development Store . massmoca . org
Fresh & New at WAM
Artist-activist Genée Coreno is WAM Theatre ’ s new artistic director as the company enters its 15th year . Coreno comes from the leadership team at Every Mother Counts and formerly held artistic roles at The Public Theater and Big Dance Theater . She succeeds WAM cofounder Kristen van Ginhoven and co-leads with Managing Director Molly Merrihew . The WAM 2024 season begins with the Fresh Takes Play Reading of Be Here Now by Deborah Zoe Laufer on March 10 at The Foundry in West Stockbridge . wamtheatre . com
Finding Your “ Rootsilience ”
Our body shows us when we ’ ve been stretched beyond our limits and knocked out of balance . What can we do about it , and how can we recognize those first signs ? The just-released Beyond Resilience to Rootsilience helps to show us how . “ Rootsilience ” is a word the authors invented that rhymes with “ resilience .” The book integrates positive psychology with ancient wisdom to help women decode signs of being overwhelmed to restore well-being and purpose . Beyond Resilience to Rootsilience is co-authored by West Stockbridge-based Samantha Anderson , who also contributed to this issue . ( See page 84 .) Anderson is a board-certified health and wellness coach with decades of experience working with women leaders as a nonprofit and philanthropy consultant . Her co-author , Rimi Chakraborty , lives in the Azores . She is a keynote speaker , author , yoga teacher , and leadership consulting coach for groups , teams , and individuals dedicated to developing conscious leaders . On Tuesday , March 12 , they will hold a hybrid book talk presented by Berkshire OLLI on the campus of Berkshire Community College . rootsilience . com
Sculpture at The Mount
Twenty-five years ago , Ann Jon began the SculptureNow outdoor exhibition . And for the past nine years , it has been held at The Mount . With Jon ’ s retirement this year , the show has been brought in-house as a formal Mount program . It will continue to feature a diverse range of sculptures in many sizes and media by both emerging and established artists . “ There is great synergy between Wharton ’ s literary legacy and the compelling narratives expressed through contemporary sculpture ,” says The Mount Executive Director Susan Wissler . “ We are grateful to Ann Jon and her decades of hard work to provide artists and visitors alike with a space to explore the intersection of literature , sculpture , and nature . She blazed a trail for sculpture in our region .” Last year , the exhibition drew 55,000 visitors to the summer home of Edith Wharton . The 2024 show , which will feature 25 medium- to large-scale works , opens May 24 .
Workforce Leader
After serving two terms as mayor of Pittsfield , Linda Tyer has taken on a new role : Executive Director of Workforce Development and Community Education at Berkshire Community College ( BCC ). The job is a great fit for Tyer , who made workforce development , economic growth , and business development a priority as mayor . BCC has a history of training and retraining the regional workforce for jobs that are unique to the Berkshires , says Tyer . “ By expanding the network of partnerships to develop customized training and skills advancement in sectors such as nonprofit and government , career training and adult education , Berkshire Community College can be the premier destination for high-quality training programs .” Read an interview with Pittsfield ’ s new mayor , Pete Marchetti , on page 61 .
DAVID DASHIELL
›› Need a shout out ? Email editorial @ berkshiremag . com
6 // BERKSHIRE MAGAZINE Spring 2024