'Friendly Universe' Exhibit Showcases Work by CATA Artists

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LEE, Mass. —Community Access to the Arts (CATA) and Good Purpose Gallery are presenting "Friendly Universe," an exhibit featuring paintings by artists with disabilities. 
 
The exhibit is open through Jan. 13, 2025, at Good Purpose Gallery, located at 40 Main Street in Lee. Gallery hours are 8:00 AM–3:00 PM daily, except Tuesdays.
 
The exhibit includes artworks created in CATA's adaptive painting workshops, which utilize techniques to make visual arts accessible for individuals with a range of disabilities. Techniques include Artistic Realization Technologies (A.R.T.), where artists use tools like color wheels, specialized guidance, and laser pointers to direct their creative process.
 
Additional pieces were developed in CATA's Supported Studio pilot program, where artists work independently on self-directed projects with support from CATA Faculty Mentors, allowing them to explore personal goals and refine their artistic styles.
 
The featured works range from bold abstract paintings to introspective pieces reflecting the artists' experiences and perceptions of the world. All artworks are professionally matted, framed, and available for purchase, with proceeds supporting commissions for the artists. Prices range from $180–$260.
 
The exhibit is sponsored by Frames on Wheels, the Massachusetts Cultural Council, and other supporters, and is part of CATA's Art on Tour program, which brings works by CATA artists to venues across Berkshire and Columbia counties.
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County's 'Super Six' Head to Final Four

By Stephen DravisiBerkshires.com Sports
Out of 10 No. 1 seeds in the MIAA basketball tournaments this winter – five boys, five girls – nine are still playing.
 
Those nine did not have to play the Lee High girls basketball team.
 
The ninth-seeded Wildcats pulled off arguably the season’s biggest upset on Saturday when they upended No. 1 Hopedale to reach this week’s state semi-final round.
 
On Sunday afternoon, the Lee girls got together to celebrate their Final Four berth in style, cutting down one of the nets in their gymnasium and boarding a flatbed for a parade down Main Street.
 
Senior captain Mia Puleri said that Lee, which trailed by as many as 15 in the fourth quarter on Saturday, was just the kind of team that could overcome that deficit on the road in a hostile environment against a heavy favorite.
 
“I think that our team is very level-headed,” Puleri said. “It’s something that we really pride ourselves on – not getting too excited, in the sense that that can go too fast and you can be almost too emotional sometimes.
 
“So we try to stay very even keeled, which means not getting too down or getting too high before the game is over. I think in the second half yesterday, when the pressure was building on Hopedale, we were still very even, because we had nothing to lose. We were the nine seed. They were the one seed.”
 
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