Arts & Life
Resonating through generations: Lady Pills releases new concept album, ‘Renowned in the Roaring Twenties’
By CAROLYN BROWN
A recording artist is connecting her family’s western Massachusetts roots to her new album.
Let’s Talk Relationships: Uncovering the roots of negative self-talk: What you say to yourself echoes in your relationships
By AMY NEWSHORE
Our thoughts and beliefs about ourselves greatly impact how we feel and act in our close relationships. Humans are the only species that engage in “self-talk.” Many of us find ourselves having both positive thoughts about ourselves (for example, “I feel proud for what I just accomplished”) and other times negative and self-defeating thoughts (such as, “I am not attractive enough”). In my work with couples, it is often the derogatory self-talk that each individual engages in that contributes to the difficult and painful dynamics between partners.
Here to help the community’s artists: Human Scale Art Space aims to advance visual arts in the Pioneer Valley
By CAROLYN BROWN
It’s not uncommon for a small nonprofit not to have a physical space. It is, however, ironic when that nonprofit itself is called Human Scale Art Space.
‘Art in the Age of Human Impact’: New exhibition at UMass explores complex relationship between humans and nature
By CAROLYN BROWN
The total impact that humans have had on the environment may be hard to measure, but a new exhibition at the University of Massachusetts Amherst’s University Museum of Contemporary Art, running through Friday, May 9, aims to show some of that impact and create conversations about how artists respond to it with their work.
‘A woman who should be remembered’: New play about the life of Frances Perkins, the brains behind FDR’s New Deal, April 5 and 11
By MADISON SCHOFIELD
Who was Frances Perkins? A one-woman play penned by a UMass academic exploring the life of the first female Secretary of Labor is set to take the Ashfield Congregational Church stage in April.
Prompts to help light writers’ ways: Author and coach Jena Schwartz’s ‘Fierce Encouragement’ an insightful guide
By CAROLYN BROWN
Author Margaret Atwood supposedly once said, “If I waited for perfection, I would never write a word.” With a new book, “Fierce Encouragement: 201 Writing Prompts for Staying Grounded in Fragile Times,” author and writing coach Jena Schwartz wants to inspire writers to build their own creative practices, no matter if the result isn’t entirely perfect.
Arts Briefs: Opportunities for local creatives, All Hamptons Read, Jewish Film Fest, and more
Last month, Gov. Maura Healey wrote an executive order to create an official poet laureate of Massachusetts — and now, applications are open.
Soft sculptures rise: High school students bring designs of kindergartners alive through ‘stuffie’ arts collaboration
By SCOTT MERZBACH
AMHERST — Entirely knit with black yarn surrounding a foam interior, an enderman, the tall, thin blob seen in the Minecraft video game, is being turned into a three-dimensional form inside a classroom at Amherst Regional High School.
‘Let’s be vulnerable together’: K and E Theater Group finds light in the darkness with ‘Spring Awakening’ performances in Northampton
By CAROLYN BROWN
K and E Theater Group’s coming production of the Tony Award-winning rock musical “Spring Awakening” will be at 33 Hawley in Northampton the weekends of March 28-30 and April 3-5.
Destination Hampshire County: Experts discuss ways to boost, advocate for tourist economy
By SCOTT MERZBACH
AMHERST — Visitors from Lexington and Marblehead were among those who came to see “Generic Male,” the off-Broadway physical theater performed at Northampton’s Academy of Music in early March.
Only Human with Joan Axelrod-Contrada: Songwriting in the shower: I’d call my imaginary song ‘Words Like Pixie Dust’
By JOAN AXELROD-CONTRADA
I was taking a shower, basking in the scent of my green tea shampoo when — poof! — a phrase popped into my mind like a gift from the muses. “Words, like pixie dust, falling down.”
Macbeth, up close and personal: Second annual Montague Shakespeare Festival puts a new spin on the ‘psychological dark power drama’
By CAROLYN BROWN
By the pricking of my thumbs, “Macbeth” to Franklin County comes!
They ‘don’t come to play around’: Ten local students will compete in Third Annual Academy Regional Youth Poetry Slam next month
By CAROLYN BROWN
Ten local high school students will take the stage at the Academy of Music on Saturday, April 5, at 7 p.m. to compete in the third annual Academy Regional Youth Poetry Slam. The event, a competition for young spoken word poets, is the only one of its kind in the Pioneer Valley.
Amherst Oyster Bar pushes off opening day
By SCOTT MERZBACH
April Fool’s Day will also be the opening day for the Amherst Oyster Bar, the long-planned restaurant in Amherst center that will replace Judie’s Restaurant.
Shelburne Falls veteran pleads guilty to stealing benefits, lying about service
By DOMENIC POLI
SPRINGFIELD — A U.S. Marine veteran pleaded guilty on March 11 to stealing benefit payments from the Department of Veterans Affairs and submitting a false Purple Heart application to the Marine Corps through his congressional representative.
Around Amherst: Regional schools weigh higher fees for sports, parking
By SCOTT MERZBACH
AMHERST — A series of fee increases for school-related activities, which cover participation in athletics and parking at the high school, are being considered by the Amherst Regional School Committee.
Area briefs: Tapestry Health’s 2025 gala; Ghost hunter to speak at Granby Library; S. Hadley to host Candidates Night; Amherst League of Women Voters luncheon; Institute holding pollinator workshop
HOLYOKE — Tapestry Health will hold its 2025 gala, “An Evening Under the Stars,” on Friday, April 4, from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. at The Log Cabin in Holyoke.
Amherst councilor eyes funding cut for public art projects
By SCOTT MERZBACH
AMHERST — Five years ago, Amherst became one of the first communities in Massachusetts to adopt a Percent for Art bylaw, ensuring that school and town building projects priced at $1 million or more would incorporate permanent art installations
State’s new ‘Farm-Pass’ program hopes to ease farm succession planning
By CHINANU OKOLI
Applications are rolling in for the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources’ new Farm Transfer Planning Assistance initiative that connects aging farmers and their successors with experienced planners to set retirement goals and figure out how management and assets will be transferred.
From the field to your screens: Two seniors take Frontier Community Access Television’s sports broadcasting to new heights
By CHRIS LARABEE
If you take a look at the spreadsheets on Mason Smith and Tyler Wolkowicz’s computer screens, you might think they’re undertaking an extensive math project.
