BAC Announces Artists for Berkshire Artist Residency Program

STOCKBRIDGE, Mass. — Berkshire Art Center, formerly IS183 Art School, announced their five selected resident artists, Dai Ban, Grigori Fateyev, Stacy Scibelli, Kara Smith and Kyle Strack, for the Berkshire Artist Residency Program 2024. 

The Red Lion Inn, in their seventh year hosting a resident artist, will be welcoming Kara Smith. Chesterwood, a site of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, will be hosting three artists this year, Dai Ban, Grigori Fateyev and Kyle Strack. In their inaugural year hosting a resident artist, Ventfort Hall Gilded Age Mansion and Museum will be welcoming Stacy Scibelli.

Since 2012, Berkshire Art Center has coordinated Artist Residencies that pair local visual artists with cultural institutions and historic landmarks across the Berkshires. The heart of the Berkshire Artist Residency is to give local visual artists the opportunity to create new work inspired by their home county. The extended length and flexible hours of the program give artists, who might not have the luxury to attend residencies that pull them away from home for long periods of time, the ability to further their career and create work in a way that compliments their current practice.

The program gives visual artists exclusive access to world class cultural facilities and historic landmarks to develop new work that intertwines with the fabric of our county. The program is supported in part by grants from the Stockbridge Cultural Council and Lenox Cultural Council, local agencies which are supported by the Mass Cultural Council, a state agency.

The Summer 2024 program begins on Memorial Day, May 27, and runs through Labor Day, September 2. The selected artists will receive access to the buildings and grounds of their site and support for the development, creation, and exhibition of their work. During the summer, the artists are invited to teach classes through Berkshire Art Center and will deliver Artist Talks to share their experiences, inspiration, and process during their residency. Each residency closes with a reception and exhibition of the artist’s work. 

The Artists:

Dai Ban is a visual artist who grew up in Tokyo Japan. He holds a BFA in sculpture from Musashino Art University in Tokyo, and has had numerous group and individual shows both in New York City, Hudson, New York, and the Berkshires. Ban came to Brooklyn, NY in the 80's to work as a model-maker in the TV, magazine, and film industry. After a stay in the Berkshires of western Massachusetts for a film project, Ban fell in love with the rural life and setting and has never looked back. Ban started working with his hands at a young age. He chose molding clay over toys; making drawings over reading books. In the third grade he saw his grandfather construct a beautiful bird cage from a single piece of bamboo, using just a few simple hand tools. Witnessing this, Ban realized that anything is possible. Accordingly, Ban hesitates to limit what kind of art he does. His practice has included jewelry, scenic designs, ceramics, figurative sculptures, abstract sculptures, video images, and photography. Since the summer of 2023, Ban has taken a new direction with his sculpture.  Its previous straight lines and flat planes have given way to contoured forms that invite touch and personal engagement.  He is excited to turn his hand to porcelain, and rigid, high-density foam, in a project of rediscovering curve and contour. https://daibanstudio.com/home

Grigori Fateyev, RA, was born in St. Petersburg, Russia, where he studied Theater Set Design at The State Institute of Theater, Music, and Cinematography. He graduated from Cooper Union School of Architecture in 1998 and is the principal and owner of Art Forms Architecture (AFORMSA). During the past 25 years, he has designed multiple residential, commercial, and municipal projects in the Berkshires, Hudson Valley, and New York City. He also serves as a curator at Turn Park Art Space in West Stockbridge, MA, and has lectured and exhibited his designs at UMass Amherst. Fateyev’s work centers on developing contextual and contemporary architectural solutions for cultural institutions, museums, artist studios, private art collections, and performance art centers. As a part of his practice, Fateyev collaborates with artists on a variety of site-specific art installations, public sculptures, and exhibitions. https://www.aformsa.com/about

Stacy Scibelli is an artist and designer originally from New York. Currently Associate Professor of Fashion Design at MassArt, Stacy has served as faculty for several academic institutions, including Rutgers University, SUNY, and Parsons: The New School, and as a visiting artist at Olin College and RISD. She has worked extensively, advising students along their creative pathway, and has years of experience generating creativity and accessing the flow state. Stacy’s experience with curricular development and program coordination, as well as having the honor of participating as an Artist in Residence at Mass MOCA, Otis College of Art in Los Angeles, the Boston Center for the Arts, and Intercultural Odysseys in Costa Rica, has generated a vested interest in communal art making and residency programming. Additionally, as an original founding member of The Shirey in Brooklyn, Stacy has cultivated a passion for collective art spaces and the connections made through sharing the sacred space of intentional making and meaningful work. Stacy travels regularly with students internationally, facilitating service learning through institutions and companies such as Rustic Pathways, sharing her passion for exploration and learning through positive action and responsible education. http://stacyascibelli.com/

Kara Smith is an artist and art educator based in Western Massachusetts. Her paintings, prints and mixed-media work are driven by an interest in memory, visual storytelling and modes of communication, with a graphic sensibility and a love of found materials and relics. She received a MA in Art Education from Brooklyn College, and a BFA from the Art Institute of Boston at Lesley University. She has been awarded residencies at MASS MoCA, Kasini House/Kolaj Institute, The Vermont Studio Center, Brooklyn Art Space, and Drop, Forge and Tool. Kara is a Teaching Artist and Program Director at Community Access to the Arts (CATA) in Great Barrington, MA, which nurtures and celebrates the creativity of people with disabilities through the arts. https://www.kara-smith.com/

Kyle Strack is a ceramic artist and designer based out of Berkshire County, MA. Nature has always had an importance in both his life and his art. Growth and erosion, colors, forms, and patterns that are all found in the natural world are great influences in the work he makes. Working with his hands to directly inform, sculpt, build, and create his work gives him a physical connection to the natural material of clay and this world that it comes from. Through his work, he seeks to create an environment that welcomes viewers to immerse themselves in the beauty and peacefulness he feels when in nature. https://www.kylestrack.com/

Rain Slows Growth of Butternut Fire

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
05:35PM / Thursday, November 21, 2024

GREAT BARRINGTON, Mass.— Rain has slowed the Butternut Fire's growth but it's estimated at about 1,200 acres at this point. 

It's the largest wildfire in the Berkshires since nearly a 1,000 acres burned in Clarksburg State Forest back in 2021. 

"We want to start with some good news. Ground patrols are finding minimal new fire activity since this morning's rains began," the Great Barrington Fire Department posted on its Facebook page at 12:45 p.m..

"We want to reiterate that the rain will not extinguish the fire but it is helping to stop the spread. The weather has also delayed some of the drone operations — as a result we do not have an official size. What we do know — the growth has been minimal."

Fire Lt. Brian Mead earlier Thursday morning said the fire had seen some growth overnight but not to extent of Wednesday's surge. Fire was reported within a quarter mile of homes and was "stopped in its tracks." There are now more than 100 personnel on the ground and there has been one injury related to the fire, which he did not elaborate on.

 

"The rain will help to some extent but it will not extinguish the fire," said Mead. "We will remain on scene for the days and weeks to come but we still need your help. Please, please follow the local and state bans on outdoor fire. The last thing we need is another preventable fire."

At 4 p.m., the department reported that it will continue to operate under unified command with support from local, state, and federal agencies. Friday's operations will be scaled back with smaller crews and focused on monitoring and reporting.

At the last live update of the day, Mead said the fire would continue to be monitored and fire crews dispatched as needed. 

 

"There is a lot of misinformation on out social media and we ask that you please, please rely on local official sites," he said. "Please avoid the areas and allow us to do our work."

 

The rain and smoke has made drone monitoring difficult so the exact size of the fire is not known; he estimated it grew about 100 acres over the past 24 hours. 

Two rumors he dispelled were that the fire did not start at Camp Eisner. Mead said the initial location of the burn has not been identified but it did not start at the camp, which is occupied. Ski Butternut is also not in danger and that fire crews have kept the blaze to a safe distance. 

A section of the Appalachian Trail has been affected and that area shut down. 

Thursday's rain slowed growth and allowed crews to establish strong fire boundaries meaning that swaths have been cut and cleared to create fire breaks — which are holding.

At this time, no homes or structures are in immediate danger.

The fire near Brush Hill Road off East Mountain was first reported Monday evening. On Tuesday, it spread over 100 acres, and on Wednesday, it covered over 1,100 acres, expanding into Sheffield.

The town remains in a state of emergency, as declared by the Select Board on Tuesday, but first responders assure that Great Barrington is not in danger.

Firefighters were dispatched to three locations for concerns of fire extension into homes and in one instance, the fire was allowed to continue in a controlled state to a driveway and self-extinguished.  They are aware of one injury from the fire and urge community members to avoid the area and leave firefighting to the professionals.

"More than 120 personnel are on the ground today fighting this fire," Mead reported on Thursday morning.

He said the day’s rain will help to some extent but will not extinguish the fire, explaining "We will remain on scene for the days and weeks to come."  

At this time, the primary focus remains the protection of life and property, as patrols and alert residents identified some encroaching fire and stopped it in its tracks.

"We have strategically placed structural task forces, prepared to protect homes and property. Although they are staged and at the ready — there is NO immediate threat to residents," the department wrote in the 12:45 update.

"At the same time, crews have been working through the rain cutting fire breaks in the forest to further stop any expansion. Those control lines are holding."

Area residents can expect smoke to linger for the next several days. The Southern Berkshire Public Health Collaborative released guidance for the poor air quality, as it can worsen allergies and cause respiratory infections, especially for those with heart disease asthma, or other lung diseases.

Residents are urged to monitor air quality and symptoms, move outdoor activities inside, wear a KN-95 mask when outdoors, close windows and vents in homes, and use HEPA filters.

Even with recent rains — there is a burn ban in Great Barrington until further notice. Additionally, state officials are evaluating week by week for statewide bans.

"With an immense amount of appreciation, we are not accepting donations at this time. In true New England fashion — neighbors have truly helped neighbors," the department wrote. "We are grateful to the community for once again showing your support."

Mead urged the community to "please please follow the local and state bans on fire, the last thing we need is another preventable fire."