NOW THROUGH SAT, NOV. 30: The Great Jack O’Lantern Blaze

The Great Jack O’ Lantern Blaze returns for another series of fall evenings at Van Cortlandt Manor. Audiences will walk through an 18th-century landscape and discover a display of more than 7,000 illuminated jack o’lanterns—all designed and hand-carved. Presented by Historic Hudson Valley, the event features synchronized lighting and an original soundtrack. Times vary.

NOW THROUGH SEPT. 2020: Public Art at Katonah Museum of Art

Katonah Museum of Art is displaying the diverse sculptures of renowned artists Michele Oka Doner and Ronald Bladen (1918-1988) for the upcoming year. Oka Donder, who is inspired by her lifelong study and appreciation of the natural world, creates sculptures that resemble organic forms, such as bark, tree roots and the human body. Bladen’s large-scale, geometric forms explore the force of gravity, the vitality of planar surfaces and the impact of scale. Times vary. Read more about this program here.

SAT, OCT. 12: Amy Helm at Emelin Theatre

This Saturday, Emelin Theatre presents a live concert by singer-songwriter Amy Helm and her band. Helm will perform a mix of Americana, country, blues and gospel music. Helm’s music is influenced by her parents – The Band’s legendary drummer and singer Levon Helm and singer-songwriter Libby Titus. The soulful artist is also a founding member of the alt-country collective Ollabelle. Begins at 8pm.

SAT, OCT. 12: Veronica Swift at Caramoor

Jazz singer Veronica Swift returns to Caramoor Center for Music and the Arts after her lively performance at Caramoor’s 2018 Jazz Festival. At only 25 years old, she has performed all over the world with the top names in jazz, and has won prestigious awards such as second place at the Thelonious Monk Jazz Competition in 2015. Begins at 8pm.

THUR, OCT. 17 THROUGH THURS, OCT. 31: Jay Ghoul’s House of Curiosities

Lyndhurst invites guests to experience its Gothic mansion at night, with eerie lighting and Halloween decorations, during its Jay Ghoul’s House of Curiosities events. Inspired by classic murder mysteries, this theatrical performance features a cast of spooky characters that lead guests through the basement and first floor of the Lyndhurst mansion, revealing clues to the unsolved mystery. Performances take place on select days through October 31. Begins at 6pm.

How Does a Chair Become a Work of Art?

Sitting here in my office on my ergonomic Aeron chair, I couldn’t help but wonder: How does a chair become a work of art?  Or does it ever? One criteria might be that it has a name like the Eames chair, named after its designers Charles and Ray Eames and produced by the Herman Miller company. I remember lusting after one of those soft leather beauties, with its own ottoman, for my first home. Later in life, I was dazzled by the Diamond chair, named by the designer Harry Bertoia for the Knoll company.