June 3, 2025
CLARK ART INSTITUTE HOSTS
SUMMER SOLSTICE FESTIVITIES
Williamstown, Massachusetts—The Clark Art Institute celebrates the 2025 Summer Solstice on Saturday, June 21 with a full series of free outdoor activities and ritual events!
Foraging Walk, 5:30–6:30 pm
Join herbalist, park ranger, and museum educator Misa Chappell for an interactive foraging walk through Ground/work 2025, the Clark’s outdoor sculpture exhibition. Along the way, explore plant species, conservation status, cultural and natural history, and folklore.
Advance registration required for the foraging walk; capacity is limited. Register at clarkart.edu/events. Meet on the Fernández Terrace by the Reflecting Pool.
Workshop: Flower Crowns, 5:30 pm
Get creative and make your very own flower crown with Full Well Farm (Adams, Massachusetts).
Tarot Readings, 5:30–7:30 pm
Step into the mystical world of tarot with Rebecca Guanzon. Whether you're seeking clarity or curious about what the universe has in store, Guanzon’s readings will add a dash of magic and insight to your journey.
Spirit Drawings, 5:30–7:30 pm
Sit for a spirit drawing session with artist Alison Pebworth, during which she creates unique, one-of-a-kind artworks inspired by brief interactions. Her drawings aim to capture the essence or "spirit" of each participant, drawing from a historical period in Shaker history when young girls created mysterious ink drawings as gifts.
Solstice Rituals, 7:30–8:30 pm
Featuring community singing, drumming, dancing, and merriment. Bring your own drum or noisemaker and join the fun!
Official Welcome: justin adkins
7:30–7:40 pm
Smoke and Bell Cleanse
7:40–7:50 pm
Calling of the Directions
7:50–7:55 pm
On Summer Solstice: justin adkins
7:55–8:25 pm
Bidding the Directions Farewell
8:25–8:30 pm
Free. All events except the foraging walk take place at Thomas Schütte’s Crystal atop Stone Hill. Picnic blankets encouraged. Cider from Berkshire Cider Project available for purchase. Inclement weather moves the event to Sunday, June 22. For accessibility questions, call 413 458 0524. For more information, visit clarkart.edu/events.
ABOUT THE FACILITATORS
Misa Chappell is a park ranger at Savoy Mountain State Forest and an herbalist trained at Blazing Star Herbal School in Conway, Massachusetts, rooted in the "wise woman" tradition. She brings over fifteen years of experience as a museum educator at MASS MoCA and the Walker Art Center. Chappell’s work is grounded in local ecology and the cultural history of the region.
justin adkins has called Western Massachusetts and Southern Vermont home since 2004. justin is a folk herbalist and an apprentice in the Scandinavian Trolldom tradition. Having spent thirty years doing cultural work, he is passionate about celebrating our cultural similarities and appreciating our differences. adkins is a co-founder of Wild Soul River.
Rebecca Guanzon is an herbalist and practitioner of trauma-informed care with over twenty years of experience. A graduate of the Chestnut School of Herbal Medicine, she specializes in medicine making, energy work, and individual herbal consultations. Guanzon is a co-founder of Wild Soul River.
Jane Hudson has built a multifaceted career spanning poetry, performance, video, rock and roll, and painting. She taught for many years at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts at Tufts University and has exhibited work at various venues. A long-time practitioner of Tarot as a spiritual and creative practice, Hudson has developed a richly researched, mystical approach to the cards. Her Major Arcana-inspired paintings have been transformed into a unique Tarot deck, which she uses in her intuitive readings.
Alison Pebworth is a MacDowell Fellow and award-winning artist known for her work in painting, installation, and social interaction. She explores culture, history, and personal connection in her projects, exhibited at over thirty venues across North America, including The Oakland Museum, Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, The DeYoung Museum, Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit, and The New Children’s Museum in San Diego. Currently in a year-long residency at MASS MoCA, Pebworth’s solo exhibition Cultural Apothecary is on view at the museum.
ABOUT THE CLARK
The Clark Art Institute, located in the Berkshires of western Massachusetts, is one of a small number of institutions globally that is both an art museum and a center for research, critical discussion, and higher education in the visual arts. Opened in 1955, the Clark houses exceptional European and American paintings and sculpture, extensive collections of master prints and drawings, English silver, and early photography. Acting as convener through its Research and Academic Program, the Clark gathers an international community of scholars to participate in a lively program of conferences, colloquia, and workshops on topics of vital importance to the visual arts. The Clark library, consisting of nearly 300,000 volumes, is one of the nation’s premier art history libraries. The Clark also houses and co-sponsors the Williams College Graduate Program in the History of Art.
The Clark, which has a three-star rating in the Michelin Green Guide, is located at 225 South Street in Williamstown, Massachusetts. Its 140-acre campus includes miles of hiking and walking trails through woodlands and meadows, providing an exceptional experience of art in nature. Galleries are open 10 am to 5 pm, Tuesday through Sunday from September through June and daily in July and August. Admission is free to all from January through March and is $20 from March through December; admission is free year-round for Clark members, all visitors age 21 and under, and students with a valid student ID. Free admission is also available through several programs, including First Sundays Free; a local library pass program; and EBT Card to Culture. For information on these programs and more, visit clarkart.edu or call 413 458 2303.
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