David Jon Greenwood

MILLBROOK — David Jon Greenwood passed away Dec. 23, 2024 at home in Millbrook New York. He was born July 9, 1944 in Putnam County, New York, and grew up in Carmel, the youngest of three boys. On his father’s side, he was a descendant of Thomas Greenwood, who emigrated from England in 1665. He and his fiancée Nan returned to the ancestral home of the Greenwoods in Heptonstall, Yorkshire in 1974 to be married there, and returned several times, most recently this past summer with family to celebrate their 50th anniversary.
On his mother’s side, his ancestry was Native American, indigenous to the Mid-Hudson Valley. His grandmother’s mother was Wappinger, and he grew up hearing family recollections of the Wixon and Smalley families in Putnam County, including reminiscences of Native American traditions, hunting and trapping, long houses, relatives fighting in the Civil War, and the Blizzard of ‘88.
Mr. Greenwood pursued a lifelong interest in the visual and performing arts. His major field was art history with a specialization in American architecture and decorative arts. He earned his bachelor’s degree in art education at the State University of New York (SUNY) at Buffalo, which included a semester abroad studying art history in Siena, Italy. His master’s degree and supervisory accreditation were earned at SUNY New Paltz, which in 1982 named him an outstanding alumnus.
Mr. Greenwood combined his love of history and his love of art by becoming a teacher of art and advanced placement art history, joining the Carmel Central School District in Putnam County in 1967. In 1974 he was named district supervisor of art with responsibility for the entire arts program K-12, a position he held until retiring from Carmel in 2004. He then taught Art History and Aesthetics part time for another seven years at the Millbrook School. He specialized in pen and ink renderings and his work is included in several collections and books.
He was an officer of the Putnam County Arts Council and assisted in the selection, mounting and judging of numerous shows and exhibits. In addition to work with the Putnam and Dutchess County Arts Councils, he served on an arts review panel for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s Art in Public Places project.
Mr. Greenwood gave presentations throughout the region on a variety of topics, and was well known for his extensive work with local history, including re-enactments of important historic figures associated with the Abolitionist movement in the Hudson Valley.
David served on the boards of both Putnam and Dutchess counties’ landmarks preservation societies and for many years as an overseer of Old Sturbridge Village, a Massachusetts living history museum. He was the historian for the Village of Millbrook and Town of Washington and parish historian for St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in Lithgow, and served on the Dutchess County Historical Society. He was also an ex officio member of the Millbrook Historical Society and until recently chaired the Town of Washington’s Conservation Advisory Commission. Among his proudest achievements were contributing to the Museum in the Streets public history project in Millbrook, and coordinating an annual historic calendar project for 28 years, celebrating the people, places and events throughout the community’s history. It was in recognition of the calendar project that in 2022 the Association for Public Historians of New York State and the New York State Museum awarded him the Edmund J. Winslow Local Government Historian Award of Excellence.
David was also an active member of Millbrook Rotary and he and Nan served for 15 years as Inbound co-chairs on the Youth Exchange Committee for the 8-county Rotary District 7210 where they were responsible for selecting, placing and overseeing the experiences of international students who spent an academic year attending local high schools and living with local families.
Attending Rotary conventions took them around the world to Europe, Asia, Australia and South America, as well as the US, Canada and Mexico.
In Millbrook the Greenwoods lived in one of the oldest houses in the village, built originally by Philip Hart circa 1800. There David was surrounded by the antiques, art, books, and historic maps and memorabilia that meant so much to him.
In May 2024 at the Millbrook Historical Society’s monthly meeting, he was honored by the society and by the Village of Millbrook and Town of Washington for his decades of service as local historian, and was presented with a plaque and a proclamation that May 16, 2024 was designated David Greenwood Day in the Town of Washington.
David was predeceased by his parents and brothers. He is survived by his wife Nan and sons Calder and Wixon (Sibyl) and grandson Augustus, nephews Shawn and Harold and niece Lisle.
David was a staunch believer in supporting the local community; accordingly, gifts in his memory would be appreciated at the Millbrook Historical Society, Millbrook Community Partnership, Dutchess Land Conservancy, Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies, Millbrook Rotary Foundation, ShelterBox or a charity of your choosing.
A memorial service will be scheduled at a future date.
While playing outside in the early post-pandemic days, Berkshire Busk! founder Eugene Carr had an epiphany: why not expand the idea of performing on the street (aka busking)into a full-fledged festival in Great Barrington?
As an entrepreneur and cellist, Carr envisioned a well-organized jamboree featuring regional talent, including musicians, acrobats, storytellers, fire-eaters, and more. He formed a team, connected with local businesses and the town of Great Barrington, and launched Berkshire Busk! in 2021. Since then, Berkshire Busk! has grown into a summer staple for Great Barrington.
In the summer of 2024, over 25,000 people experienced Berkshire Busk!. The festival is free to the public, provides a big boost to local businesses, and spectators can tip performers.
Busking takes place all over the world, either organized by individual performers or via busking festivals. Artists like The Roots, Tracy Chapman, Phoebe Bridgers, and Old Crow Medicine Show have all cut their teeth performing on the street.
General Manager Carli Scolforo is a Berkshire native with a love of music and writing. She can often be seen roaming the streets of Great Barrington, making sure everything’s in order, and serves as the festival’s face on social media.
“This year is the fifth anniversary of Berkshire Busk!, and it’s been an amazing summer,” said Scolforo. “We were able to welcome back a lot of our favorite performers, and bring in some new experiences as well. After getting rained out last year, we were able to host our first outdoor movie night in partnership with The Triplex Cinema and the Boondocks Film Society.”
Scolforo added, “This summer, we also introduced our first Open Mic Night, hosted by local recording artist and music producer Jackson Whalan. We were really pleased with the turnout of talent. The sheer amount of talent that’s hidden within an hour or so drive of Great Barrington always astounds us.”
Local businesses sponsor various busking spots, like the Berkshire Money Management Stage in the parking lot between the Triplex Cinema and Mama Lo’s BBQ. Typically, buskers bring their own amplification, while there are few spots — such as Berkshire Mountain Distillery in Sheffield — provide power.
Berkshire Busk! will end its season with a fireworks display on its last night on Saturday, Aug. 30.
Berkshire Busk! is endorsed by the Select Board of the Town of Great Barrington and is entirely supported by sponsorship fees from companies and organizations, as well as philanthropic donations from granting organizations, individuals and the Town of Great Barrington.
It operates under a fiscal sponsorship agreement with the Nonprofit Center of the Berkshires and participates in Mass Cultural Council’s Card to Culture program — in collaboration with the Department of Transitional Assistance, the Department of Public Health’s WIC Nutrition Program, the Massachusetts Health Connector, and hundreds of organizations — by making cultural programming accessible to those for whom cost is a participation barrier.
For more information, visit: berkshirebusk.com
What if the dog onstage was played by a person? That’s the delightful twist in A.R. Gurney’s “Sylvia,” opening at the Sharon Playhouse on Aug. 29. In this clever and heartfelt comedy, the title character — a stray pup who disrupts the lives of a married couple — is portrayed not in costume but by an actor who brings insight, charm, and chaos to the role.
Stepping into Sylvia’s paws is Jen Cody, who is returning to the Sharon Playhouse in a starring role for her third year in a row, ready to bring this spirited dog to life. She’s joined by Jonathan Walker as Greg, the middle-aged man smitten with his new four-legged friend, and Jennifer Van Dyck as Kate, his wife, whose patience and identity are tested by Sylvia’s sudden presence in their home.
Directed by Colin Hanlon, this production balances elements of comedy and emotional depth. Gurney’s script may be filled with laughs but at its core, “Sylvia” explores loyalty, companionship, and how love sometimes arrives in unexpected forms. The play premiered Off-Broadway in 1995 and has since become an audience favorite for its wit, warmth, and originality.
Rounding out the cast is Sienna Brann, taking on a trio of roles that highlight the play’s comic versatility. The design team includes Christopher and Justin Swader (scenic), Kathleen DeAngelis (costumes), Bobbie Zlotnik (wigs), Wheeler Moon (lighting), and Graham Stone (sound), ensuring the story is grounded in a fully realized world, albeit one occasionally seen from a dog’s point of view.
Performances run through Sept. 7 at the Sharon Playhouse. For tickets and more information, visit sharonplayhouse.org.
Paul Chaleff’s exhibit at Mad Rose Gallery in Millerton.
The unofficial end of summer is here, and while some of us may mourn the shortening days and cooler nights, the culturally-inclined denizens of the Litchfield Hills, Berkshires and Taconics have plenty to look forward to.
During Labor Day weekend, visit one of the offerings below, and maybe even take home a watercolor, rug, or locally-crafted wooden bowl to ready your home for the indoor season ahead.
Kick off the weekend with libations and bites from legendary New York City importer Rosenthal Wine Merchant at Mad Rose Gallery (5916 North Elm Ave., Millerton). The evening will mark the end of Paul Chaleff’s ceramics exhibition, which closes at the end of the weekend. Ashley Gilbertson and Franco Pagetti’s photography exhibition “Fragments in Time,” which has been extended through Sept. 21, will also be on display.RSVP by emailing info@madrosegallery.com.
Head to the Cornwall Library (30 Pine St., Cornwall) for its seventh annual weekend-long Art Sale, and peruse an endless supply of prints, posters, watercolors, photos, paintings and more, with price tags ranging from a very reasonable $20 to much greater sums.
The Library has announced that this year’s selection will “run the gamut from the antique to the contemporary, from the jazzy and colorful to the classic black and white, from realistic to abstract.” Thanks to generous donors, the sale will feature works from notable artists such as Amedeo Modigliani, Enrique Chagoya, Marc Simont, Leonard Baskin, Ruth Gannett, Robert Andrew Parker, Nicole Eisenman, R. H. Quaytman, and others, as well as a special exhibition of vintage photos, paintings and posters from late artist Duncan Hannah.
For more information and hours, visit cornwalllibrary.org/labor-day-art-sale/.
Visit the Barn at the Pine Plains location of beloved antiques and décor purveyor Hammertown (3201 NY-199, Pine Plains) and find the coffee table of your vintage dreams this weekend. Up to 75% off home goods and furniture of all kinds will be available.
This year’s iteration of the biannual tent sale features a “Makers Market” with local artisans, craftspeople and food vendors.
Visit https://shop.hammertown.com/blogs/journal/hammertown-labor-day-tent-sale for additional details and hours.
The Berkshire Woodworkers Guild, a coalition of local woodworkers that supports the local industry and its craftspeople, is hosting its 25th Fine Woodwork Show at the Berkshire Botanical Garden (5 West Stockbridge Rd., Stockbridge) this weekend. Attendees will have the chance to watch 32 masters from around the Tri-Corner region demonstrate their trades, from woodturning and Chinese joinery to boat building and French polishing.
The event will also announce the allocation of $32,000 from its scholarship fund to support 9 aspiring woodworkers, and host a silent auction of guild member-crafted pieces to support next year’s fund. Works from the artisans will also be available for viewing and sale.
Pittsfield, Massachusetts’ Hot Plate Brewing will provide frothy, local ales for swilling, while SoCo Creamery of Great Barrington will be pedaling its handcrafted ice cream for sweeter options for the whole family. Great Cape Baking Co., from Dover Plains will offer a full breakfast and lunch menu, including donuts, while Pleasant & Main from Housatonic will be providing the caffeine and crepes.Further details can be found at berkshirewoodworkers.org.
Artists across Cornwall will fling open their studio and gallery doors to welcome Labor Day culture ramblers on Saturday afternoon. An eclectic lineup of ten participating artists will show their work, ranging from pottery to sculpture paths, allowing participants a chance to enjoy the fresh late-summer weather as they meander through Cornwall’s green valleys from studio to studio.For a list of the artists, a map, and directions to each studio, visit ornwallct.org/event/cornwall-open-studio-2025/.