State Senate to Commission Bust of Elizabeth Freeman

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A bronze sculpture of Elizabeth Freeman in Sheffield.
BOSTON — A bust of Berkshires' freedom fighter Elizabeth Freeman, the first enslaved woman to successfully sue for her freedom in the United States, will be commissioned and placed in the state Senate Chamber. 
 
The Senate will also commission a bust of women's rights leader and presidential adviser Abigail Adams.
 
They will be the first permanent busts depicting women in the State House, and the first in the Senate Chamber's collection of sculptures.
 
"The story and spirit of the Berkshires' own Elizabeth Freeman serves as a testament to the promise of equality and freedom that our commonwealth was founded upon," said state Sen. Paul Mark in a statement. "I am so grateful to my Senate colleagues who voted to memorialize this amazing woman with a bust in the Senate Chamber, bringing further equality, inspiration, and representation to our historic State House building."
 
State Sen. Julian Cyr, chair of the Senate Art Commission, said the selection of the two women "marks an important step in our ongoing work to recognize the women and individuals who have shaped Massachusetts but have too often been
overlooked in our history books."
 
Freeman, also known as Mum Bett, was born into slavery around 1744. Attorney Theodore Sedgwick of Sheffield represented Freeman in her fight for freedom in 1781 in one of the most important legal cases in Massachusetts history: It helped establish that slavery was incompatible with the state's founding principles.
 
Freeman and a man named Brom sued for their freedom under the new state Constitution from the man who enslaved them, John Ashley, who was also ordered to pay them damages. 
 
A full-size bronze of Freeman was installed in 2022 in front of the Old Parish Church at 125 Main St. in Sheffield.
 
After gaining her freedom, Freeman became a respected healer and midwife, later securing her place in history as a trailblazer for civil rights. She died in 1829 and is buried in the Sedgwick family plot in Stockbridge. 
 
Abigail Adams, known for urging the Founding Fathers to "remember the ladies," was an early advocate for women's rights and education. As a trusted adviser to her husband, President John Adams, she managed their household and finances while influencing political discourse through her letters.
 
Adams and Freeman were the top two choices of the Senate, where members selected them from four finalists chosen by the Senate Art Committee out of a pool of more than 300 nominations submitted by Massachusetts residents. Committee members selected the finalists following a series of public meetings.
 
The Art Committee will now select an artist to create the sculptures. Freeman's will be only the third piece of art in the Senate honoring a woman leader, joining portraits of Abigail Adams and former Senate President Therese Murray, and the 22nd permanent piece of art honoring a woman in the State House.
 
The contributions of women have "too long" been absent in State House art, said Senate President Karen Spilka. "Their presence will help us send a clear message to every woman who walks our halls: you belong here. I am deeply grateful to Senator Cyr for his leadership, and to the Senate Art Committee members for lending their expertise to a Senate that strives for better representation."
 
 
 
 
 

Tags: elizabeth freeman,   historical figure,   sculpture,   State House,   

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Pryor & Peacock's Whimsical Furniture Environmentally Friendly

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff
 

The company uses digital printing to create the upholstery fabric, saving water and saving vintage furniture from ending up in landfills.

STOCKBRIDGE, Mass. — A unique furniture store has popped up on Elm Street this month.

Mom-and-daughter store Pryor & Peacock is hosting the pop-up storefront from Aug. 13 to Aug. 25 at 6 Elm. The New Marlborough business is co-founded by Rosalina Wright and Luca Shapiro, who is also the creative director. 

Their online shop was created in 2024 but they wanted people to see the pieces in person, so they're renting the space for a limited time before a long-term tenant moves in.

The store sources prints to create unique fabrics and reimagines vintage and antique furniture acquired at auctions, local shops, and online.

"We source prints from all over the world that date from the late 1600s up through mid-20th century, and Luca turns those prints into fabric by manipulating them, scanning them, oftentimes has to add or subtract things, and then we manufacture the fabric using only digital printing, which is very environmentally friendly, unlike traditional textile printing," Wright said.

Upholstering the furniture can take weeks of work. Shapiro looks for the perfect design for each piece and, if need be, uses Adobe Photoshop to extend the art work to fit or enhance the print.

"One of the most difficult parts comes in marrying the fabric to a piece of furniture because we only use antique and vintage frames also to be earth friendly, and they're also more beautiful and durable than new furniture," Wright said. "So the image has to go with the furniture, so that takes a lot of work."

One of Pryor & Peacock's missions is to be environmentally friendly. Digital printing doesn't use the same amount of water as traditional textile productions do nor does it contaminate water with ink according to their website.

Not only are they saving water, but they are saving furniture from going into the landfill while also using more durable furniture that doesn't break as easily as current pieces. They started their business to create something unique and to help the environment together.

"It's creating something nobody else is doing. People can't continue to buy throwaway furniture. Six percent of American landfills is furniture, and digital printing not only opens up the possibility of being able to put unique images on a piece of furniture, but it also is, as I said, environmentally friendly. So, for us, the excitement is to take an old East Lake settee that somebody's going to store in their barn and forget about, and make it something completely new and surprising," Wright said.

They hope their furniture helps bring a pop of fun to someone's home.

"We think our furniture is very whimsical and surprising, and most furniture today is oatmeal colored couches and gray neutral chairs, and it's boring," she said.

The two named their business after their mothers' maiden names to honor them and believe the name reflects their pieces.

Shapiro works in interior design outside of the business and the two liked working together and thought it would be great to start a business together. Shapiro says they can work well together and that her and her mother, Wright, has flipped houses before and have the same eye for design.

"So it's very easy for us to work together. When we see something, generally we agree on whether it works or doesn't work on a piece. We agree on the color schemes and that sort of thing. So it's very fun and fulfilling to work together," Shapiro said. 

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