June 5 First Fridays Artswalk
The First Fridays Artswalk in downtown Pittsfield continues its 5-month season (May through September) on Friday, June 5 from 5 to 8 pm as part of the City of Pittsfield’s First Fridays at Five.
Participating venues on Friday, June 5 include Clock Tower Artists, Framework by Downtown Pittsfield, Inc., Hotel on North, Indie Readery and Records, Lichtenstein Center for the Arts, Pittsfield’s City Hall, Roots and Dreams and Mustard Seeds, Sanctum Gallery, Solarium Plant Shop, and the Soda Chef.
Download the Downtown Pittsfield App in the App Store or on Google Play to follow a virtual walking tour of art on your cell phone.
Indie Readery and Records, 314 North Street, will feature a collection of collage and painting on unconventional surfaces by Brent Ridge for the June Artswalk. Stop by during the June 5 First Fridays Artswalk from 5 to 8 pm to take a look!
Brent uses patterned recycled papers and fabrics in place of traditional canvas and paper. These works depict the post-industrial landscape through a tension of decay and renewal of image, material, and abstraction. Ridge is a Berkshires-based artist whose work delves into themes of industrial decay, natural beauty, and human resilience. A local artist, originally from Flint, MI, Brent has an artistic history in NYC, abroad, and in Boston before resettling in the Berkshires. He is currently the art teacher at Reid Middle School in Pittsfield, where he inspires young artists.
Sanctum Gallery, 148 North Street, will feature artists Richard Way and Ed Moran during the First Fridays Artswalk on Friday, June 5 from 5 to 8 pm.
Richard Way’s work has been described as ethereal, spiritual, and quietly evocative, at times revealing an undercurrent of tension or subtle humor. Rooted in an intuitive approach, the practice functions as a form of visual journaling, translating fleeting thoughts and emotional states into layered compositions. Drawing primarily from an inward source, the artist engages the external world through a distinct visual language of symbol and metaphor. The resulting works unfold with a dreamlike logic, inviting viewers into a contemplative space where interpretation remains open and deeply personal.
Ed Moran is a painter based in Berkshire County. His creative pursuits also include singing and songwriting, often in collaboration with fellow musicians. When not immersed in his artistic work, he serves as a nurse in the Berkshires.
Moran’s work is rooted in both imagination and lived experience, bridging creative expression with a deep sense of care for the community.
The Lichtenstein Center for the Arts at 28 Renne Avenue will present the 2026 OLLI Art Exhibition, a showcase of work by members of OLLI at Berkshire Community College, June 3-26.
The exhibition features work by 39 artists in a range of media. OLLI at BCC is a volunteer-driven, inclusive learning community of adults 50+ offering diverse educational programs, social interaction, and community engagement. There will be an opening reception on Friday, June 5, from 5 to 8 pm.
Roots and Dreams and Mustard Seeds, 119 Fenn Street, will feature artists from the Cosmic CoArt Cooperative including nature sketches by Matt Brinton, creations by Nicole Fecteau, art by Rochely DeJesus Melendez, and poetry by Ashley Sposato.
There will be a reception with the artists on Friday, June 5, 5 to 8 pm, including a poetry reading (6:30-7:30 pm), snacks, and a table for kids to make art.
Matt Brinton’s artwork is strongly influenced by nineteenth-century Russian literature. The Russian writers had an understanding of the human condition that spoke to Matt when he had to reevaluate the direction of his life. His drawings of landscape and still life are inspired by the sheer beauty of the subjects, and his portraiture mainly consists of historical figures who have impacted his life.
Nicole Fecteau’s art is an expression of the interconnectedness of life, the unending tapestries of stories we weave as communal beings deeply connected to each other and also profoundly integrated within our natural world. Utilizing fabric, colored pencils, and embroidery, Nicole strives to portray various allusions to life and faith as a journey that brings us deeper into our shared experience, inviting us into more heartfelt levels of compassion and mercy.
Ashley Sposato: “Through poetry, I offer my life up: in the immediate, the incarnational, the beautiful, the cataclysmic. It is here I offer my hand and my love.”
New for 2026, the Clock Tower Artists at 75 South Church Street are excited to introduce rotating 2 to 3-person pop-up exhibits in their West Studios Lobby — alongside their regularly scheduled open studios — bringing even more variety and creative energy to every visit!
Join the Clock Tower Artists on Friday, June 5, 5 to 8 pm, to explore fresh artwork, meet the makers, and celebrate the start of the summer season.
Spend the evening exploring the historic third floor where more than twenty professional artists have work shown, many welcoming visitors into their working studios. Discover painting, photography, mixed media, sculpture, and more while meeting the people behind the work. Whether you are an experienced collector, a casual art lover, or simply curious, there is always something that captures attention and starts a conversation.
Artists include Charles Baum, Karen Carmean, Deborah H Carter, Lucie Castaldo, Joan Palano Ciolfi, Randy Foulds, Marion Grant, Caroline Kelley, Mollie Kellogg, Eric Korenman, Bruce Laird, Lisa Loustaunau, Mark Mellinger, Linda Petrocine, Sally Tiska Rice, Ilene Richard, Audrey Shachnow, Stanley Singer, Ariel Smith, Sharon Walthew, Stefanie Weber, and Carmel Wilson.
Pittsfield’s City Hall, 70 Allen Street, will feature “How Shall We Live? – Berkshire Youth Artists Explore Their Relationship with the Earth in the Time of Climate Change,” now through June 5, 2026.
Organized by Living the Change Berkshires, The Clark Art Institute, and Cooler Communities, this traveling show spotlights how local students experience climate change and share their resilience and love for the earth. 60+ Berkshire County High School Artists will be featured in the exhibit. There will be a reception on Friday, June 5, 5 to 8 pm, with opportunities for the public to learn about and take climate action.
Berkshire Art Center (BAC) is hosting their summer Faculty Artist Show at Framework by Downtown Pittsfield, Inc. located at 437 North Street.
Explore a vibrant range of mediums, including collage, printmaking, watercolor, photography, pastel, and more. Featuring faculty artists Thad Kubis, Jody King Camarra, Thomas Libetti, Kim Waterman, Jill McLean, and Laura Thompson, this show is a celebration of the breadth of art! Come experience Berkshire Art Center’s talented Faculty Artists’ work and be inspired to take the next step in your own creative journey, wherever you might be starting.
The show will be on view during the June 5 First Fridays Artswalk from 5 to 8 pm, as well as Monday through Thursday, 10 am to 2 pm, now through June 25, by visiting the Downtown Pittsfield, Inc. offices at 431 North Street, or by appointment.
Solarium Plant Shop, 46 West Street, will feature “What Lies Beneath” by Melissa Matsuki Lillie and Lucie Castaldo at a reception on Friday, June 5, 5 to 8 pm.
Melissa Matsuki Lillie is painter whose artwork references natural forms using a personal visual language of vibrant colors and complex layers to reflect on the macroscopic and microscopic world. Her paintings evoke a sense of space that has been flattened and layered, revealing strands and structures of line and color interacting fluidly with hidden landscapes. In addition to painting, she frequently works sculpturally, creating forms that celebrate both line and color. Born in Maryland, Melissa attended the Maryland Institute College of Art where she earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree. She currently lives and works in the Berkshire Hills of Massachusetts.
Lucie Castaldo is a visual artist based in the beautiful Berkshires. Her work is characterized by a blend of artistic techniques – combining printmaking, cut paper, collage, and photography. She holds a BA in Art History and Education from Mount Holyoke College, which informs her interdisciplinary approach to art.
Hotel on North, 297 North Street, will feature “Tree of Life Series,” acrylic paintings by Mary Davidson, now through June 30.
There will be a reception with the artist on Friday, June 5 from 5 to 8 pm during the First Fridays Artswalk.
Download the Downtown Pittsfield app in the App Store or on Google Play to follow a virtual walking tour of art on your cell phone. Direct link: https://downtownpittsfield.stqry.app/list/61485
First Fridays Artswalk and “Art in the Park” are supported in part by a grant from the Mass Cultural Council, and a grant from the Pittsfield Cultural Council, a local agency which is supported by the Mass Cultural Council, a state agency.
First Fridays Artswalk and “Art in the Park” are also supported in part by The Feigenbaum Foundation.
Check out all of the June 5 First Fridays at Five events at lovepittsfield.com/first-fridays.
Event Highlights (South to North):
Artists at the Clock Tower, 75 South Church Street, Third Floor
Charles Baum, Karen Carmean, Deborah H Carter, Lucie Castaldo, Joan Palano Ciolfi, Randy Foulds, Marion Grant, Caroline Kelley, Mollie Kellogg, Eric Korenman, Bruce Laird, Lisa Loustaunau, Mark Mellinger, Linda Petrocine, Sally Tiska Rice, Ilene Richard, Audrey Shachnow, Stanley Singer, Ariel Smith, Sharon Walthew, Stefanie Weber, and Carmel Wilson.
Open Studios: Friday, June 5, 5 to 8 pm
Solarium Plant Shop, 46 West Street
“What Lies Beneath”
Melissa Matsuki Lillie and Lucie Castaldo
Reception: Friday, June 5, 5 to 8 pm
Roots and Dreams and Mustard Seeds, 119 Fenn Street
Cosmic CoArt Cooperative
Rochely DeJesus Melendez, Ashley Sposato, Matt Brinton, Nicole Fecteau
Artist Reception: Friday, June 5, 5 to 8 pm
Pittsfield’s City Hall, 70 Allen Street
“How Shall We Live? – Berkshire Youth Artists Explore Their Relationship with the Earth in the Time of Climate Change”
Reception: Friday, June 5, 5 to 8 pm
Lichtenstein Center for the Arts, 28 Renne Avenue
2026 OLLI Art Exhibition
A showcase of work by 39 members of OLLI at BCC in a range of media
Reception: Friday, June 5, 5 to 8 pm
Palace Park, 122 North Street
“Art in the Park”
Friday, June 5, 5 to 8 pm
Sanctum Gallery, 148 North Street
Richard Way and Ed Moran
Opening Reception: Friday, June 5, 5 to 8 pm
Soda Chef, 161 North Street
Nicole March Art
Window Display
Hotel on North, 297 North Street
“Tree of Life Series”
Acrylic paintings by Mary Davidson
Reception: Friday, June 5, 5 to 8 pm
Indie Readery and Records, 314 North Street
Collage and painting on unconventional surfaces
Brent Ridge
On View: Friday, June 5, 5 to 8 pm
Framework by Downtown Pittsfield, Inc., 437 North Street
Berkshire Art Center (BAC) Summer Faculty Artist Show
Artists: Thad Kubis, Jody King Camarra, Thomas Libetti, Kim Waterman, Jill McLean, and Laura Thompson
On View: Friday, June 5, 5 to 8 pm
