12 THE ASHFIELD NEWS FEBRUARY 2021
In Tough Times, Artist Urges
a New Embrace of Creativity
BY LARRY PARNASS
Tara Farley-Kuzmeskus brought a bundle to
the Ashfield Post Office. Its contents went
onto the walls, though, not into the mail.
And now, the Conway artist’s exhibit is
delivering fresh sights to senders.
Through February, the eastern wall of the
post office holds a selection of Farley-Kuz-
meskus’ wide variety of subject matter —
from a painting of a defiant rooster to a still
life with watering can to a soft-focus brush
with blossoms.
Farley—Kuzmeskus, who has long worked
as an arts educator, admits the works depict
“an eclectic array of subject matter.”
“There is really no rhyme or reason to this
body of work as a whole,” she said in a
dOUBLe BdGe
T H E
EATR
Founder Interviewed
in Theater Journal
We are honored to be included in the Winter
2020 edition of the acclaimed journal The
Drama Review with a featured article,
“Double Edge Theatre in Its Ashfield Com-
munity: An Interview with Stacy Klein.” In
this interview with Richard Schechner, our
founding artistic director talks about the
process of moving from Boston to Ashfield
and becoming a part of this special
community. I
‘ Schechner, the editor of the journal, is an
emeritus professor at NYU’s Department of
Performance Studies. To purchase an elec-
tronic version of the interview, visit the MIT
Press website at mitpressjournals.org.
statement hanging with the show. “My hope is
that because of its colorful diversity, despite
differences and imperfections, there is
something here for everyone to take a
moment to enjoy.”
In an interview, she also said she.hopes to
inspire people to dust off the creativity they
once explored as children, but may have let
lapse.
“One does not need to identify as an artist
to tap into that,” she said. “All people are born
with creativity. Maybe this is a time when
more people can get back to the urge to
create.” '
Farley—Kuzmeskus said she plans to change
some of the works on View in February, to
keep the exhibit fresh.
Winter Intensive artists. We’re already looking
forward to the next encounter.
This spring, we will host our Residency
Immersion, a three-month, two—part immer-
sion experience happening March 15 through
June 15. In the first section of this program,
participants will focus on their creative path
of artistic inquiry and work creation, sup—
ported by members of the DE Ensemble and
utilizing our beautiful indoor and outdoor
training spaces. In the program’s second half,
participating artists will engage in a Double
Edge performance process focusing on their
particular area of interest — musical, image—
based, technical, flying. Spring is a special
time at the Farm, and we invite you to join us
for this season of renewal.
Artist residencies
In November 2020, Ebony Noelle Golden
returned for a residency at Double Edge. To
see a video of Ebony’s work on the beginning
of her performance In the Name Of, head to
our social media!
Double Edge Winter Intensive students share a meal with the company’s
Carlos Uriona and Travis Coe.
In October 2020, our performance
Leonora, la maga y la maestra, which pre—
miered in 2017 at Peak Perfbrmances at
Montclair State University, was captured for
broadcast on the Alexander Kasser Theater
stage for Peak HD in partnership with ALL
ARTS. The performance will be streamed
online and broadcast on PBS and the release
date is scheduled for March 14.
Training Programs
The year 2021 began in the best of ways, with
two small groups of professional and
emerging artists joining us and throwing
themselves into training here at the Farm.
During these times of COVID-19, the
experience and commitment to testing and
quarantining to create a safe environment,
and the lengths that we all went through to
make this program happen, was extremely
moving. The feeling of being together
' training was uplifting. Thank you to the 2021
Morgan Jenness, long-term collaborator
and creative consultant at DE since 2012’s
Spectacle The Odyssey, was in residence for a
week in January. She came to work with Klein
and the ensemble on the development of our
four coming performances. An Obie Award
winner, Jenness has worked as an educator,
activist, associate producer at the Public
Theater and the Los Angeles Theater Center
for new plays. Jenness is a member of the
People’s Puppets of Occupy Wall Street and
works with US. theatres as an agent and
creative consultant.
Also in January, artist Deidra Montgomery
took part in our annual Winter Intensive and
did a residency to develop her music. It was a
joyous way to start the new year and to
c0ntinue deepening our relationship.
We look forward to welcoming back to the
Farm resident artists Ron Ragin and Consor—
tium partner from Open Flame Theatre Katie
Burgess. ‘
ROBERT CARLTON
The artist studied fine arts, art history and
education at the University of Massachusetts,
Amherst. After graduating in 2000, she
taught art in schools and summer programs
for nearly two decades. She says that work in
schools helped her see the importance of, as
she puts it, “creative expression, art therapy,
multiculturalism, and social activism.”
One of the pieces in her show, done with
charcoal and Conte crayon, was inspired by a
book that described the removal of native
children from their families. It shows a
winged child with a rope around its waist
being hoisted out of a nest, as another
winged figure reaches out in evident despair.
Farley—Kuzmeskus said the invitation to
show in Ashfield sent her searching through
portfolios for work. And the exhibit itself,
after years when her creative energy flowed
into the classroom, has reawakened her
interest.
“I do have a studio room in my house.
with a lot of materials. I’m trying to disci-
pline myself to spend more time with art,”
she said. “I find art is such a healing escape
from the intensity of the news.”
Ohketeau V
Takes Root, in
‘Place to, Grow’
In late January, we here at the Ohketeau
Cultural Center in Ashfield held a rega—
lia—making workshop for our tribal commu-
nity led by Andre StrongBearHeart Gaines, Jr.
Due to COVID—19 restrictions and safety,
attendees were limited. However, it was a
wonderful weekend of practicing our tradi-
tional crafts and passing on that knowledge to
our future generations.
Participants were also treated to a tradi-
tional feast prepared by Rhonda Anderson
consisting of Three Sisters stew, venison,
wojapi arid corn cake. Wild turkey and bison
chili were also part of the weekend delicacies.
The Nipmuc Homeland originally con-
sisted of over 2,000 square miles. Since
colonization it had dwindled down to acres,
with the remaining lands, “Never owned by
the White Man” at the Hassanamesit Reserva-
tion in Grafton.
The Ohketeau Cultural Center isone of
the most significant and vital resources for the
social, cultural and- spiritual growth that the
Nipmuc people have had in hundreds of ,
years.
Ohketeau in the Nipmuc language means
“a place to grow.” With your kind support we
hope to continue to grow and support the
First Peoples of Western and Central
Massachusetts.
Submitted by Larry Spotted Crow Mann and
Rhonda Anderson, co-directors of the Ohketeau
Cultural Center in Ashfield.
Local Writing Group Back with More
Some of the As You Write It writers, front row, Ellen Brucker Marshall, and
our mascot, Ezra, second row,
Sally Fairfield, Estelle Cade, and Alice Thomas.
A new volume, As You Write It Lucky 7, I
featuring the works of members of the As You
Write It group, is to be released in February
and will be available at World Eye Books,
Boswell Books and elsewhere.
The group’s local writers include Estelle
Cade, Joan Hopkins Coughlin, Sally Fairfield,
Lillian Fiske, Penny Jordan, Ellen Brucker
Marshall, Ann Marie Meltzer, Noreen
O’Brien, Laura Rodley, Alice Thomas and
Barbara Waters.
The As You Write Itgroup met for thirteen
years at the Gill—Montague Senior Center,
until the pandemic hit.
Carol Bolduc
413-834-1576
Marcia Brooks
413-658—8150
Tim Parker
413-923-2900
Wa nda M ooney
413-768-9848
Phll Pless
413834-5179
Mike P ra tt
207-415—3460
For three years, the group wrote after
“guided color meditations.” The resUlting
book, the authors say, is a trip around the
world in color.
The volume contains photos taken by
Rodley of worksand subjects at the American
Visionary Art Museum in Baltimore; the
Wild Animal Safari in Pine Mountain, GA.;
the San Xavier Mission and Reid Park Zoo in
Tucson, AZ; the Saint Louis Cathedral in New
Orleans and the Circus World Museum of
Baraboo, WI.
Committed to you.
Dedicated to home.
COLDWE LL
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