The Champlain Pathways art show, which benefits Champlain Area Trails (CATS), had a highly attended and successful opening at Keene Arts on Friday, June 30. The exhibit, featuring the work of four talented Adirondack artists, Kevin Raines, Rob Powell, Dan Keegan, and Steve Van Nort, and runs through Sunday, July 23, enables people of all ages to experience the beauty of the Adirondacks.
The “Champlain Pathways” exhibition features original works of art, including paintings and drawings inspired by the trails, waterways, mountains, and vibrant natural lands of the Adirondack Park’s Champlain Valley. While the four artists focus on Adirondack landscapes and nature, it’s fascinating to see the different and sometimes similar ways they illustrate the area’s beauty. A portion of all art sales will be donated directly to CATS to support its work to provide more hiking opportunities in the Champlain Valley.
It’s time to make plans to attend the 24th annual “An Evening with the Symphony,” the Concerts and the Cocktail Party. Some things will remain the same as past years, such as the events will take place on the last Friday in July. This year that date is July 28. Times are also the same: The free Family Concert will occur at 3 p.m., an interesting and educational 45-minute session with members of the RPO. The Cocktail Party will take place from 4 to 7 p.m. and at 7:30 p.m. the Symphony Concert featuring the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra will begin.
Camp to Empower Young Voices in the Tri-Lakes Area
North Country School will “Impactful Voices” 2023, a transformative weeklong theater camp for children in the Tri-Lakes area from August 7-12, 2023. This program offers young individuals an opportunity to explore their creativity, build confidence, and bring their voices to the forefront through the performing arts.
Thanks to generous support from the Essex County Arts Council’s Cultural Assistance Program Grant, “Impactful Voices” is open to students aged 13-15 from the Tri-Lakes area who have a passion for theater and storytelling. The camp aims to empower participants by providing a platform to create their own unique performance piece, from playwriting to set building.
“We are thrilled to offer Impactful Voices as a creative outlet for young individuals in our community,” said Courtney Allen, Theater Teacher at North Country School. “This camp is designed to inspire and amplify their voices, allowing them to express themselves through the art of theater.”
Before the camp officially begins, there will be two pre-camp meetings to brainstorm ideas and start developing characters and stories. All rehearsals and performances will be held at the state-of-the-art Walter Breeman Performing Arts Center (WallyPAC) at North Country School. The camp is free of charge, and lunch will be provided for all participants. Applications for the camp are due by July 15th and can be submitted through the online application form available at https://forms.gle/tqxeDGtsJiDy8iw5A.
“We encourage young theater enthusiasts in the Tri-Lakes to seize this incredible opportunity,” added Allen. “Impactful Voices will foster creativity, collaboration, and personal growth, leaving a lasting impact on the participants.”
The Adirondack region has long been known as a wonderful, wild vacation retreat and the inspiration for numerous artists, writers, and musicians. The plein air painters who come and take part in this event know that very well, which is what attracts them from all over the country. The Adirondacks is the largest protected area east of the Mississippi, yet it’s still within a day’s drive of most of the major cities of the Northeast. There are mountains, lakes, rivers, bogs, forests, farms, and small communities — a full variety of subject matter for artists.
Held annually the 3rd week in August, the 14th annual Adirondack Plein Air Festival will take place from August 14-19. A total of fifty juried artists have four-and-a-half days to paint outdoors in the scenic wonders of the Saranac Lake area. Spectators are encouraged to check out the creative process while enjoying the classic Adirondack surroundings.
KEENE VALLEY, NY– The Book & Blanket Players, sponsored by East Branch Friends of the Arts (EBFA), has been producing youth musicals-in-a-week summer theatre for 13 years in Keene Valley. This year the theatrical adventure continues with an original musical written by two high school students, Cooper Halloran, Olivia Marocco and Book & Blanket Players producer/director Kathleen Recchia.
The creative team has been meeting by Zoom once a week since October 2022 to develop this original musical. They began by going to the Robert Louis Stevenson source and reading the original novel. Then through lots of discussion and writing sessions between the two students in addition to the Zoom sessions all together their own plot and characters unfolded. When asked about the experience now that they have finished, Cooper, in keeping with the humor that he injected into the script answered “if you don’t like something that’s Olivia’s and Kathy’s, if you do like something, it’s mine.” While Olivia said, “It was a great experience. We learned a lot.” Recchia too learned along with the students and added, “We have our own plot twists, female protagonists and music! And are excited to share the full production with our friends, family and supporters.”
Get ready to be captivated as the Lake Placid Sinfonietta launches its highly 2023 season, “Magic in the Mountains” with the first of its’ enchanting Park Series Concerts on Thursday, July 6, at 7 PM. Brace yourself for music at its finest, with an unparalleled view of Mirror Lake while you listen. Seating is limited, so make sure to bring your own cozy blankets or camp chairs to lounge on as you immerse yourself in the music. These are concerts for the whole family and children of all ages are welcome to join in the musical wonderland!
This six-concert series will continue on the next five following Wednesday evenings. Each concert will begin at 7 and last approximately one hour, leaving you with an evening full of possibilities. Many concertgoers relish the opportunity to relish a picnic during the performance, and as the final note fade away, you’ll find an array of exquisite restaurants within walking distance, awaiting your arrival. All of these concerts are free of charge to attend, but donations are always appreciated. A nightly raffle of goods donated by area merchants will also be held in support of the orchestra.
Remember? Yesterday it rained. That made the purpling berries swell. Today I pick, my skin gets stained – magenta and violet splotches tell that I have visited those friends whose boughs that bear these berries bend inviting me to stretch and eat this sticky, drippy, bursting treat.
Senior citizens gathered at the CVW Long Lake Public Library for the Arbor Day Poetry Contest Gala on June 28. The Hamilton County Soil and Water Conservation District hosted the 15th annual Arbor Day Poetry Contest for senior citizens this past spring.
THE CONTEST “The Arbor Day Poetry Contest turned fifteen this year, and record numbers of poets submitted entries from as far away as West Virginia,” said District Manager Caitlin Stewart. “I always look forward to re-working the theme and poetic form each year to keep the contest fresh for our seniors. It is important to me to offer something fun just for them.”
Twenty-five poets submitted lantern poem based on the theme “Hope Grows Through Trees.” Special guest judge Kathy Stewart ranked blind copies.
“This year’s Arbor Day Poetry Contest featured a very different format,” said judge Kathy Stewart. “The lanturne, or lantern poem is structured to resemble a Japanese lantern. While the format is rigid, the sentiments expressed by this year’s submissions were all different and truly uplifting. Spring, and a tree’s rebirth, are joyful to see. Watching the forest transform from the gray of winter to the bright green of spring seems to bring a renewal of hope, as do these amazing poems.”
Blue Mountain Lake, NY – Adirondack Experience (ADKX) will hold a grand opening celebration for “Artists & Inspiration in the Wild” 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.
Join us for a summer’s day full of art, friends, music, food, and fire. Come with family and friends to explore the grounds, hang out by the campfire, picnic on the lawn, get your hands into some art-making, and be a part of the first firing of our new wood kiln. This is your new Craigardan!
Experience Craigardan’s new site, view current and future plans, + learn about summer programs and events.
This day celebrates our opening with the first firing of Craigardan’s new kiln, the hearth and heart of our new home. We’ll be firing the kiln all day, and inviting you to participate in a community-wide project. Stamp your name into a clay tile to be installed on the new campus and become a permanent part of something truly special.
Westport NY Join us on Saturday, July 1st 2023 from 4pm -8pm at Ledge Hill Studio Downtown (6480 Main Street, Westport, NY 12993) for The Art Explosion! We will be revealing the latest mix of eclectic artwork from local artists such as… Ginger Lambert, Debra Kahler, Dennon Waluntrus and Robert Powell, Alison Weld and of course by LHSD owner, Carolyn ‘Polly’ Vanderhoof.
Live music will be featured by local band, Marie Marie and refreshments will be served.
Several Adirondack-area towns have announced an array of family-friendly festivities to celebrate the Fourth of July, ranging from craft fairs to concerts, kids’ games, guided history hikes, and much more. Please see a roundup of a few of these events below.
Karen Savoca and Pete Heitzman, the internationally touring pair, will perform during Inlet’s “Sunsets by the Lake” Summer Concert Series on Saturday, July 1 from 7 to 9 p.m. at Arrowhead Lakefront. Bring a chair or a blanket and enjoy a spectacular sunset. (Rain location Fern Park Pavilion.) Karen Savoca pours her heart into a song the way a great actor throws herself into a role. Her songs draw you into a world of humor and compassion, shared with grace and ease, as though you’ve been invited to her table for supper.
Encounter with an Agile Marmot
It’s woodchuck season again.
In fields and woodlands
they abound.
I drive slowly,
knowing they’re around.
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