Remembering Frank Stella, artist and farmer

Misty stillness on an October morning in Smithfield found Frank Stella observing a few of his horses. The image was captured by Stella’s visiting friend, Martin Francis.
Martin Francis
Misty stillness on an October morning in Smithfield found Frank Stella observing a few of his horses. The image was captured by Stella’s visiting friend, Martin Francis.
Aprofound commitment to the notion of rural life and farm ownership centered Frank Stella in the Smithfield Valley in Amenia, New York. His artistic talents, spanning 60 years, brought renown first as a pioneer minimalist and later as an abstract painter and sculptor, earning him numerous awards. His decades at his Amenia farm allowed him to pursue the breeding and racing of his horses.
In 2009 Stella was one of ten recipients of the National Medal of Arts from President Barack Obama, awarded in a White House ceremony.
Stella’s rural Smithfield Valley community and The Smithfield Church mourned news of his death that had occurred on Saturday, May 4, at his home in Manhattan. He was 87, just short of his 88th birthday. The following day, on Sunday, the little congregation gave thanks to God for all in Frank Stella that was good, kind, and faithful, imbuing him with an extraordinary imagination that poured into his art, his deep sense of color, and his unique gifts brought through paint to canvas.
When in residence at his Smithfield horse farm, Delahanty Stock Farm, neighbor to The Smithfield Church, Stella and his wife, Harriet, would happily attend concerts or suppers, enjoying conversations with the locals. The Smithfield Valley Association events were also likely to attract their attendance and relaxed participation.
Noticing that Stella was in the audience for a solo organ concert being performed by Kent Tritle, organist of the New York Philharmonic, Director of the New York Oratorio Society, and organist at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine, the Rev. Douglas Grandgeorge, pastor of the church, seized the opportunity to introduce the two to each other. As the pastor reached for superlatives in praise of both giants in the arts, Stella interrupted with his own self-introduction. “Here, I am a farmer,” Stella said simply.
Stella’s local friendships were long and significant. During an interview on Wednesday, May 15, Nan Cassidy spoke of her own decades of association with Stella, firm admiration, and Stella’s enduring friendship with her mother, Ethel Doshna, until her death at 104.
“He was always kind, always made Ethel feel special, always bringing a present to remember her birthdays, Cassidy recalled.
“He was just the sweetest person,” Cassidy said. “He always made people feel special.”
They met in the 1970s, nearly 50 years back, when Cassidy and her husband, Jim Cassidy, were managing the farm that at that time was owned by a partnership. Frank Stella went on to buy out the other partners, and the farm became Delahanty Stock Farm.
“He was a wonderful person, so kind. He just loved coming to the farm,” Cassidy said.
A favorite story that has endured describes the Cassidys’ first encounter with Stella. In the early years, Nan and Jim Cassidy were living at the farm and Nan was busy inside making dinner while Jim and Ethel’s husband, Mike, were outside waiting for someone who was coming to see about painting the barn. A young man arrived, clothing and shoes splattered with paint.
“The painter is here,” Mike called in to the kitchen, but it wasn’t the barn painter, it was Frank Stella, owner of the farm and a different kind of painter.
“On one occasion, we met at one of the Amenia restaurants and Frank gave Ethel a gift of a tiny titanium sculpture that he had fashioned, Nan Cassidy recalled. It wasn’t clear to Ethel how the little piece should stand. “Think of it as a puzzle; you can put it together any way you want,” he told Ethel.
“What you see is what you see.” Frank Stella said in 1966 of his art. The directness of the saying has lasted.
In remembrance of two of his paintings that had hung in corporate offices at the World Trade Center, but been lost on 9/11, Stella installed a stainless steel sculpture at 7 World Trade Center Plaza in 2021, a piece titled “Jasper’s Split Star.” The sculpture was inspired by his own 1962 painting titled “Jasper’s Dilemma,” a tribute to Sharon, Conn. artist Jasper Johns.
He nurtured the passion for thoroughbred racing and breeding of horses, a passion pursued at his Smithfield farm. He enjoyed the excitement of turf racing and had earned stature in the racing world as a breeder of winning New York-thoroughbred horses.
Stella’s horses raced at notable tracks including Belmont, Arlington, and Saratoga. Stella’s preference was turf racing and he always put the welfare of the horse first, according to the New York Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association.
SALISBURY — Andrea Flip Williams, 83, passed away peacefully on Monday, Aug. 25, 2025, at her home.
Mrs. Williams was born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, on Dec. 28, 1941, daughter of the late Floyd Arthur and Berniece Inez (Blasingame) Williams.
She was married to Joe Williams for over 50 years.
She is survived by three sons; Josh Williams of Treasure Beach, Jamaica, Charlie Williams of North Liberty, Iowa, and Ben Williams of New York City; and a nephew, Sean Deome of Austin, Texas.
A full happy life, a great love, good family, wonderful friends, and endless adventures.
Time for her to rest.
Services will be private. Ryan Funeral Home at 255 Main St., Lakeville,Connecticut, is in care of arrangements.
Memorial contributions can be made by simply being nice to each other.
To offer an online condolence, please visit ryanfhct.com
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.