Carouselebration Event held in Lanesborough

Berkshire Carousel held a Carouselebration at Laston Field in Lanesborough which was attended by over a hundred participants on a cold wet day on October 6th. The event had great food from Olde Forge Restaurant  and That’s a Wrap. Face painting, music, magic, pony rides and a bounce house were all offered to promote the carousel project in its future home of Lanesborough.

 OtherRecent Events

Berkshire Carousel hosted “Livestock II”  an Equestrian Gala on October 20, 2012

The Berkshire Carousel hosted an equestrian gala on October 20, 2012 called  “Livestock II. ” The perfect party for horse lovers offered a “tack trunk fashion show”, live music, and a fabulous silent auction, all in the setting of the beautiful Berkshire Equestrian Center in Richmond, MA. Over 150 guests got to enjoy delicious tapas and dance to the music of Billy Keane and the Outlaws, all in a beautiful setting of a historic horse farm.  Select designers displayed their wares in the “tack trunk” fashion show showcasing equestrian style in wardrobe and interior design.

Trick or Treat at the Berkshire Carousel Workshop

Over 2,000 Halloween Trick or Treaters visited the Berkshire Mall and the Carousel Workshop on October 28th.

Senior Programs

Berkshire Carousel has hosted four senior activity groups and did a special presentation at Melbourne Place  in September where residents got an opportunity to sand a carousel horse.  Jim Shulman addressed the group and had a reunion with   his Pittsfield High coach who is a resident.  They enjoyed sharing stories about Pittsfield as the coach sanded the horse.

 

Festival of Trees 2012

Under the sponsorship of the Berkshire Mall, Berkshire Carousel has designed and submitted a tree to the Berkshire Museum’s annual Festival of Trees display that runs from November 17, 2012 through January 2, 2013. The theme this year is Myth and Magic and true to form, Berkshire Carousel has an interesting tree with a carousel horse (head and neck) as a top ornament “rising from the tree.” 

                               Volunteers Dan Narcowicz and Teri Davis decorate the Berkshire Carousel Tree

Thank You to Walter Ruess

Master Carver Walter “Walt” Ruess has completed his role as the chief carving instructor for Berkshire Carousel which began in May 2008 with his participation at the kickoff Carouselebration event for the the project. In a cold May evening under a tent at Center St. in Pittsfield, Walt shared the techniques of carving with attendees, some of whom were skeptical that volunteers could learn to carve beautiful steeds. Four and a half years later, after three major moves and in five different locations, Walt accomplished the goal of training between 150 and 200 volunteers, many of whom remained with the project for its course.  During the

4 1/2 years thirty-three horses have been completed representing the works of all of the major carvers during the Golden Age of Carousels from 1880 - 1930. Walt who resides in Mansfield , Ohio served as an independent contractor to the project, spending between 2 1/2 and three weeks at a time in the Berkshires.  Prior to the Berkshire Carousel project, Walt had been both a foreman at Carousel Magic in Mansfield and contract carver to the former carousel manufacturer. He also maintained a private business carving fireplace mantels, reliefs, Native American artifacts and of course, figures. In over ten years, Walt had carved fifty carousel figures himself. As a Master Carver for the Berkshire Carousel, Walt did a fine job in imparting carving skills and left behind a core of 20 or more high level carvers who have been completing all of the figures and chariots. We thank Walt for his good work and his wife, Kay, for sharing Walt with the Berkshire Carousel Project. we wish the couple well in their next venture that may be a future move to sunny warm Arizona.

Walt with Maria and Berkshire Belle, one of the first horses completed. Walt working on final carving of an owl for Deer Runner.

Walt instructing Dan Hermanski and Sue Burns.

Walt and Kay Ruess

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In Memoriam: Esther Bakst Cutler

We are saddened by the passing of Berkshire carousel supporter and sponsor Esther Bakst Cutler whom we featured in our last newsletter.  Esther passed away at age 91 on September 25, 2012. She was one of the first carousel supporters in 2008 having sponsored the figures, Charley and Sam. Charlie was in memory of her daughter, Lynn whose kitty, Charley, is carved behind the saddle on the horse.  Sam was in memory of Esther’s husband, Sam Cutler, who was co-founder of Pittsfield’s BLAND Electric Company.  Esther had been pretty much homebound due to health problems during the course of the carousel project, but had promised founder, Jim Shulman, that she would come to see her horses some day. Jim arranged for a special visit in July and Esther came with her daughter, Anita Bakst,  to the workshop. She had a great visit talking to the carvers and teasing Jim, a classmate of Anita’s and long time family friend. Esther, we will miss you and thank you again for your special visit and belief in our project.

Esther Cutler and Jim Shulman at the workshop July 2012.

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