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- Karen Allen Fiber Arts | Handmade Cashmere Clothing
Known better for her work as an actor in film and theatre, Karen Allen is also a lifelong handknitter and designer and a passionate student of ancient and modern textiles from around the world. Inspired by ancient geometric patterns and tribal textiles, she designs and works with hand manipulated Japanese knitting machines to fashion an extraordinary line of sweaters, scarves, shawls, neck gaitors, hats, blankets and gloves from the finest quality Scottish and Italian cashmere yarns available.
Karen began designing and hand knitting at the age of 5. She attended the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) in New York City when she was 17 and later returned in 2002 to study machine knitting technology. In 2003 she opened a design studio near her home in the Berkshires of Western Massachusetts.
In June of 2005, Karen opened her own store at 35 Railroad Street in Great Barrington, MA where her entire collection of Karen Allen Designs is available along with the work of other artists and designers she admires.
- Michael Costerisan | Custom Woodworking
Located in West Stockbridge, Massachusetts, Michael Costerisan has been a professional woodworker, cabinetmaker, and builder of fine furniture since 1970. An experienced and talented craftsman, Michael offers a wide variety of styles of furniture, casework, cabinetry and architectural detail, including Art Nouveau, Art Deco, Shaker, Contemporary and Restoration, as well as his own original designs.
He works in mostly native hardwoods, such as cherry, oak, maple, ash, butternut, and walnut, as well as a few exotic species of lumber (mahogany, teak, etc.). Examples of the types of pieces that he can make for you are beds and dressers, kitchen cabinets, wall units and entertainment centers, dining tables and chairs, bookcases, libraries, staircases, columns and architectural details as well as carved wood accents—basically, anything that could possibly be made from wood.
- Berkshire Co-op Market
The Berkshire Cooperative Association exists to cultivate a sustainable local economy and build community with a member-owned natural foods store as its primary vehicle. The Cooperative's goals are to be a transformative force in the community; to serve as a model of a sustainable business alternative; to nurture social and economic well-being in an environmentally sensitive manner.
You'll find the Berkshire Co-op Market in Great Barrington, a small town in western Massachusetts. The store, which offers healthy natural alternatives, serves both members and the public. They sell abundant local organic produce and groceries in a farmer's market atmosphere.
- BerkShares, Inc.
BerkShares are a local currency designed for use in the Southern Berkshire region of Massachusetts issued by BerkShares, Inc., a non-profit organization working in collaboration with the Southern Berkshire Chamber of Commerce, participating banks, local businesses, and local non-profit organizations.
Widely used in the early 1900s, local currencies are again gaining recognition as a tool for sustainable economic development. The currency distinguishes the local businesses that accept the currency from those that do not, building stronger relationships and a greater affinity between the business community and the citizens of a particular place.
- The Berkshires Official Travel Planner for Western Massachusetts
The Berkshires region is a cultural mecca of world class museums, historic sites, art, theatre, dance and music venues (30 in all, including Tanglewood, the summer home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra and the Tanglewood Music Center).
The region also offers outstanding hiking, backpacking, biking, fishing, whitewater rafting, canoeing and kayaking. Wintertime sports include alpine and cross country skiing, snowboarding and snowshoeing. Visitors also delight in the Berkshires' incredible range of retail establishments, from antiques dealers to outlets to myriad specialty shops.
Berkshire County is ideally located, just 2-1/2 hours from both Boston and New York City, and also features a host of fine dining and lodging facilities, including a variety of historic B&Bs and inns. The pastoral landscapes, the small villages, the famous Berkshire Mountains, stunning fall foliage—all make for some of the most scenic countryside in New England.
- Kripalu | Center for Yoga and Health in the Berkshires of Western Massachusetts
Kripalu is a center for the healing arts in the Berkshire Mountains of Massachusetts whose primary mission is teaching the art and science of yoga and techniques that integrate body, mind, and spirit, helping both individuals and groups flourish.
Kripalu's vision is to build a new kind of educational institution dedicated to the inquiry of what creates a fulfilled human life. Kripalu's belief is that human fulfillment is the critical challenge of our time and the answer to many of our societal problems. The only way we can really address the complexity of our personal lives and society as a whole is for more of us to explore, understand, and experience what it means to live an integrated life in which we feel fully alive, connected to others, and committed to the welfare of the whole.
Kripalu offers a curriculum of more than 750 educational programs and spiritual retreats and their faculty includes world-renowned experiential teachers along with prominent visionaries, authors, artists, and inspirational speakers. Some programs draw from the world's great wisdom traditions while others are based on the pioneering work of contemporary teachers.
- Berkshires Week
Berkshire Week is the Thursday arts &events section of the Berkshire Eagle and has the latest on what's happening in the area.
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