PITTSFIELD, Mass. — On Thursday, Feb. 16, Berkshire County Historical Society 2022-23 Melville Fellows Ashton Bird and Josie Overbook, both students at Berkshire Community College, will present readings of original works created during their time at Arrowhead as part of Pittsfield's 10 x 10 Winter Upstreet Arts Festival.

 

The free readings take place at the Berkshire Athenaeum at 5:30 pm; reservations are not required. In addition, both fellows will present original artwork inspired by their time at Melville's home.

 

According to a press release:

 

Ashton Bird will be presenting a mixed-media piece that involves a digital rendering of Arrowhead's Piazza, and an abstract component completed with acrylic paint. He will read an introduction about the piece's inspiration and process, as well as a poem titled "The Dance Of Apollo" that reflects the experience of an artist, both in writing and painting. 

 

Bird is a Sophomore at BCC majoring in Psychology preparing to pursue a bachelor's degree.

 

Josie Overbeck is a visual artist based in Williamstown. Through her practice as a writer and painter, her primary interest is exploring the human condition and form. Her current project, "Bury Me Beneath the Apple Tree," is a collection of poems, drawings, and paintings exploring grief, existentialism, and the universal experiences that make us human. Outside of her artistic practice, Josie is an avid outdoor and travel enthusiast. At the 10 x 10 festival Josie will be presenting an original illustration that captures the spirit of Herman Melville alongside a series of original short texts written at Arrowhead as part of her experience as a Melville Fellow.

 

About the Fellowship Program

 

The fellowship program, which began in 2018, annually awards Berkshire County college students the opportunity to work at Herman Melville's Arrowhead to create one or more pieces of original writing inspired by Arrowhead's surroundings and the BCHS collection. The fellowship program does not restrict the type or subject of the works created, giving participants a breadth of creative freedom. Arrowhead's Writer-in-Residence Emeritus Jana Laiz spearheads the program and works in groups and individually with each Fellow. This program is sponsored by the Lee Bank Foundation.