“It all happened over a weekend. I came up to the Berkshires for a three-day stay, fell in love, and have never looked back.” Like so many others, Cassandra Sohn, owner and founder of Sohn Fine Art Gallery in Lenox, was looking for a change in scenery. She found it here, in the Berkshires.
Growing up in Santa Fe, NM, Cassandra was surrounded by art. After college, Cassandra became a freelance photographer and writer in the New York City art scene. She worked on travel books, wrote fine art editorials, and after a few years, started sharing her passion through teaching (she still teaches classes through her company at places like IS183 and Berkshire Community College).
Cassandra always knew opening her own art gallery was in her future. After a while, Cassandra and her husband Alex decided to make a move. They wanted to be surrounded by rich culture, great food, the arts, and close to family. Following the advice of close friends, they came up to the Berkshires to visit and the rest is history.
Location: Sohn Fine Art Gallery, Photo Credit: John Clarke
Sohn Fine Art Gallery is Cassandra’s brainchild, a contemporary photography gallery hosting exhibits from around the world. Opened in 2011, it’s the only gallery of its type in the Berkshires, featuring twenty local artists alongside internationally renowned artists. About the mix, Sohn says, “we’re all in this together, to build the Berkshires as a strong place for art. We need each other to make this happen.”
Community outreach is an incremental aspect of the work at Sohn Fine Art Gallery. The Master Artist Series (MAS) features lectures and workshops taught by master photographers from around the world. Audiences of all backgrounds are welcome to enjoy these “unique and intimate” experiences with photographers of “the highest caliber.”
As with many other cultural institutions in the Berkshires, collaboration is key: Cassandra has partnered with the Chesterwood, Berkshire Botanical Gardens, Naumkeag, Schantz Galeries, and more to offer dual exhibitions. While part of the exhibition is shown in the traditional gallery setting, the rest is featured at another cultural institution: “There’s a willingness to work with everyone. It’s something that’s not found everywhere. It’s a living, organic testament to the creative community. It is less about competitiveness and more about blending together.”
Cassandra also serves as the Chair of ART LENOX. The organization is a budding teamwork of galleries in Lenox that works in conjunction the Lenox Chamber of Commerce. ART LENOX is working to show the world that Lenox is the leading place for visual arts: “We want the Berkshires to be a destination for visual arts.” says Sohn. “Cultural relationships are invaluable in achieving our vision for the county. The performing arts, our long history of artists and writers in the region, and our properties create a unique experience that complements the natural amenities. That’s the reason I moved here.”
On exhibition: Jeff Robb’s Liminal States: an English artist that developed and patented a stunning type of 3D photography. In mid-August, Cassandra will exhibit a solo exhibition of her own work entitled, WATER. This will be her first solo exhibition at Sohn Fine Art Gallery since 2012, based on the theme of water in an all new ethereal and abstract series. #creativityliveshere so come and see it up close and personal at Sohn Fine Art Gallery.