Heath glass artist displaying work in Sandwich

SANDWICH — Heath glass artist Robert Dane will have his work featured at the Sandwich Glass Museum, 129 Main St., as part of the “Heartbeats & Harmony” exhibit, with an opening reception planned for Friday, June 21, from 5 to 7 p.m. The exhibit will also include work by multimedia artist Carl Lopes.

Based on the two artists’ mutual love of Afro-Caribbean music, the “Heartbeats & Harmony” exhibit features glass sculpture and imagery reflecting inspiration drawn from Afrocentric culture.

Dane’s latest sculptures, blown in glass, embrace the costuming and music found in rituals and ceremonies. Incorporating the fine techniques from the Venetian glass masters, Dane expresses patterns, designs and the dynamic use of color in these figures and animals.

Lopes is a multimedia artist, based in Cape Cod, whose great-grandparents immigrated in the 1890s from the islands of Cape Verde. Growing up, his family offered a culture full of tradition, dance and music. Through his artwork, he channels the customs of his heritage by embracing the designs, rituals and energies of African diaspora.

“Heartbeats & Harmony” opens June 21 and will be on display through Nov. 2. The opening reception will include a live performance by Drum Strategies for Healing, featuring Sam Holmstock.

For more information about the Sandwich Glass Museum, visit sandwichglassmuseum.org or 508-888-0251.

Author, illustrator holding book signing

SHELBURNE FALLS — Author and illustrator Astrid Sheckels, perhaps most known for her four-book “Hector Fox” series, will offer a book signing at the Salmon Falls Gallery, 1 Ashfield St., on Saturday, July 13, at 1 p.m.

Attendees can bring their own copies or buy copies of Sheckels’ books at the gallery. An opening reception for Sheckels’ “Watercolor Whimsy” exhibit, paired with Dana Schildkraut’s “Colorful Countenance” exhibit, will follow from 2 to 4 p.m. Snacks and live music will be available.

Pair of exhibits on display from July 3 to Aug. 29

SHELBURNE FALLS — The Salmon Falls Gallery at 1 Ashfield St. will hold opening receptions for two new exhibits on Saturday, July 13, from 2 to 4 p.m.

Astrid Sheckels, an award-winning children’s book author, illustrator and watercolorist from Greenfield, will present her exhibit “Watercolor Whimsy,” a collection of original paintings inspired by familiar New England landscapes and cozy European villages. These pieces were, in Sheckels’ own words, “created as the fancy took me and without a distinct narrative attached. However, each one does have a unique story to tell.” Each piece reveals the possibility of a narrative within itself, featuring smartly dressed animals in scenes reminiscent of classic paintings and theater productions.

Sculptor, painter and educator Dana Schildkraut will also present her exhibit, “Colorful Countenance,” a collection of masks and sculptures that use bold colors and dreamlike imagery to create unusual characters. Schildkraut’s artwork investigates the complex connections between humans and animals. Using a variety of materials such as clay, papier-mâché, Bristol board, collage and paint, she creates anthropomorphic masks and sculptures with a range of human expressions, encouraging viewers to create their own meanings and interpretations.

The two exhibits will be on display from July 3 to Aug. 29. The gallery is open seven days a week from 11 a.m. 5 p.m. For more information, visit salmonfallsgallery.com.

Red Gate Farm Education Center gets $5K donation

SHELBURNE FALLS — After three local residents started a Franklin County chapter of 100+ Women Who Care, a group they describe as a “giving circle,” the new organization decided on the first nonprofit to support: Red Gate Farm Education Center of Ashfield.

After an informative presentation, Red Gate Farm received the majority vote from the chapter’s membership and was awarded $5,150 to support tuition stipends for this summer’s campers.

Members also learned about two other nonprofits at the May meeting: the Bridge of Flowers and the Nolumbeka Project. The Bridge of Flowers received $50 and the Nolumbeka Project received $200.

The local chapter of 100+ Women Who Care was started by Shelburne Falls residents Clare Pearson and Kim Klein, along with Charlemont resident Karen Hogness.

Ahead of the chapter’s quarterly meetings at the Shelburne-Buckland Community Center, members nominate nonprofits with a location and impact in Franklin County. The women meet on the first Monday night of February, May, August and November, and drop their ideas into a hat. A member of the chapter’s Steering Committee then draws three organizations from the hat and the members behind the final three make the case for their picks. When they announce the winning nonprofit based on a vote, every member immediately pulls out their pens to write a minimum $50 check directly to that organization, or $25 if they are under 25 years old, before the Steering Committee compiles the checks into one gift.

The next meeting is on Monday, Aug. 5, at 6 p.m.

100+ Women Who Care continues to seek new members. For more information on membership, email clare@clarepearson.net.