Artists & Inspiration in the Wild to Open at Adirondack Experience on July 1

Artistas e inspiración en la naturaleza to Open at Adirondack Experience on July 1

Sala de prensa

Grand Opening celebration includes array of art-related activities

Blue Mountain Lake, N.Y. – Adirondack Experience (ADKX) will hold a grand opening celebration for “Artistas e inspiración en la naturaleza” on Sat., July 1. This permanent exhibit, which showcases an inclusive and wide-reaching interpretation of Adirondack art, is the most comprehensive showing of the museum’s art and design collections in its history. In celebration of the exhibition unveiling, the day will be filled with art-related activities and programming, including artist demonstrations, live music, live muralling and screen-printing.

ADKX is inviting visitors to the opening with a fun-filled day devoted to art and art-making. At 12 p.m., there will be an official ribbon cutting ceremony featuring Nancy Reardon Sayer, chair of the ADKX Board of Trustees, David Kahn, executive director of ADKX and artists Takeyce Walter and Benjamin “Ben” Benedict. Afterwards, visitors will be invited to explore the exhibit or participate in the wide array of activities that will be available across the campus.

“Five years in the making and we’re finally able to share Artistas e inspiración en la naturaleza with the public,” said Chief Curator, Laura Rice. “We couldn’t be more thrilled to welcome visitors into the space and give them the opportunity to connect with the Adirondack landscape through multiple generations’ worth of art.”

“For ADKX to now house the largest exhibition devoted to Adirondack art in the world is an incredible achievement,” said Kahn. “The collection speaks to the history, culture, and natural beauty of the region, and our grand opening celebration marks the beginning of telling that story from the perspective of our talented artists.”

The day-long event promises to be an interactive and dynamic experience. Throughout the day, ADKX will be abuzz with plein air painters, live muralling, screen-printing, games, and a chance to enjoy ADKX’s premiere new experience. Guests of all ages will get to enjoy live music performed by Jamcrackers and Warden & Co. and engage in activities provided by artists, including:

Print the Park! Botanical Sun Prints with ADK ArtRise (10:00 AM – 4:00 PM)

ADK ArtRise will be making a piece of art about summer, sun, and the beauty of nature in the Adirondack Park. The piece will be made by exposing “cyanotype” paper that turns a beautiful blue once developed. ADK ArtRise will supply materials and various botanicals for visitors to create a unique print to take home as well as one to contribute to the overall piece – a one-of-a-kind artwork made of multiple prints, which will have a permanent home at ADKX.

Soul & Ink (10:00 AM – 5:00 PM)

Soul & Ink, a live screen-printing team, will be on site all day creating a custom-designed commemorative print, available only on July 1^st. The first 500 visitors will receive a free print to bring home.

Write About Art With the Adirondack Center for Writing

At the Adirondack Center for Writing (ACW) table, visiting writer Erin Dorney will be on hand with guided, family-friendly prompts for visitors to reflect on the art they experienced in the new Artistas e inspiración en la naturaleza exhibit. Visitors can also add their writing to the ACW Poetry Machine to be shared with readers across the Adirondacks!

Some of the exhibition’s featured artists will also be on campus throughout the day, including:

Barney Bellinger – A self-taught painter and sculptor whose work has been exhibited at the National Museum of Wildlife Art and appears in the permanent collections of the Orvis Company and the Smithsonian Institution.
Carrie Hill – A Mohawk basketmaker, Hill is Haudenosaunee from Akwesasne Mohawk Territory and owner of Chill Baskets. In 2014 she began pursuing her family tradition of weaving black ash splints and sweetgrass basket making. Her work has been sent all over the world including an entire collection representing the Haudenosaunee People for the U.S. Embassy in Swaziland, Africa.

Takeyce Walter – A Jamaican native, award-winning contemporary American painter and art instructor, Walter creates paintings that present the landscape in all its glory—flowing rivers, majestic skies, and picturesque lakes. Her work has found homes in many private collections across the country and internationally, including local museum and hospital collections.

This exhibition was made possible in part by Empire State Development Corporation, the New York State Council on the Arts, the Institute of Museum and Library Service and the National Endowment for the Humanities. The Adirondack Experience is extremely grateful to the generous donors, foundations, and corporations who supported Artistas e inspiración en la naturaleza.

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Acerca de Adirondack Experience, el museo del lago Blue Mountain

Adirondack Experience, The Museum on Blue Mountain Lake (ADKX), accredited by the American Alliance of Museums, shares the history and culture of the Adirondack region through interactive exhibits, hands-on activities, and culturally rich collections in more than 24 historic and contemporary buildings on a 121-acre campus in the heart of the Adirondacks. The ADKX offers a broad range of programs and activities including special and permanent exhibitions, the 19,000-square-foot La vida en los Adirondacks interactive exhibition, and an outdoor hiking and boating experience on Minnow Pond. ADKX offers daily activities with artisans-in-residence, workshops, lectures, nature walks, family and educational programs, and signature events like the Rustic Furniture Fair, FallFest, and the Adirondack Artisan Festival. The museum is supported in part with donations from the general public, with some general operating support made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Kathy Hochul and the New York State Legislature. For additional information, call 518-352-7311 or visit www.theADKX.org.