Introducing our first-ever Winter Series

Saturday, January 24

Germantown Library – Hover Room, Lower Level

2-3 p.m.

Free

 Today, the Hudson Valley and Catskill Mountains are home not only to once-harried Brooklynites adapting to small-town living or West Coasters living a Hollywood version of American country life but also to locals who grew up in the region and are committed to new ventures. Each demographic and generation—from Baby Boomers to Millennials and Gen Xers—brings its own perspective, redefining old ideas and creating exciting new spaces, lifestyles, and destinations.

• Cultural institutions, including The Iroquois Museum and the Shaker Settlement

• Art destinations such as Private Public Gallery in Hudson and the sprawling non-profit Art Omi center

• Designers and design landmarks, including the Deer Mountain Inn and architect Steven Holl’s Space for art, music, and performance

• Daily pleasures in food, flowers, and farms at places like Silver Brothers Distillery and the Troy Waterfront Farmers Market

While some of the region’s architecture dates to early American history, new designs range from restorations and renovations to modernizations and innovations. What links them all is an appreciation of the natural beauty and resources of the surroundings. Upstate Now interweaves short reports with full feature-length stories, all beautifully photographed by the author.

 Michel Arnaud is an internationally recognized photographer whose work has appeared in publications such as Vogue, House & Garden, Architectural Digest, and Harper’s Bazaar. He is the principal photographer of more than twenty design and lifestyle books, as well as the author of Detroit: The Dream Is Now and Cool Is Everywhere: New and Adaptive Design Across America. He and his family live in Upstate New York.

 Jane Creech is an agent, artist, editor, and writer living in upstate New York with her husband and son. Born and raised in Greenville, South Carolina, she attended the Rhode Island School of Design, then moved to New York City, where she lived for almost thirty years. In 1999, she began an over twenty-five-year career in publishing.

Saturday, February 28

Germantown Library – Maker Space, Lower Level

2-4 p.m.

Friends of Clermont Members: $40; Non-members: $50

Create miniature paintings on empty used tea bags, using watercolor and gouache. All supplies included!

Plus, enjoy light refreshments, including Harney & Sons teas. Bring your imagination and come impress yourself!

 Ruby Silvious is internationally recognized for her innovative approach to art, which uses everyday materials as her canvas. She gained recognition for her 363 Days of Tea project, where she transformed emptied-out tea bags into miniature works of art for 363 consecutive days.  Ruby has written two books: 363 Days of Tea: A Visual Journal on Used Teabags (Mascot Books, 2016), and Reclaimed Canvas: Reimagining the Familiar (Mascot Books, 2019), showcasing her artistic journey and exquisite use of common materials as art. She has explored commonplace items such as eggshells, leaves, wine corks, vintage envelopes, paper bags, and most recently paper receipts as canvases for her paintings and collages. Ruby wants viewers to keep an open mind and think beyond the boundaries of what they may consider traditional art.

 Her artwork, including her tea bag paintings inspired by her travels around the world, has been featured in numerous publications including CNN Travel, Vogue Italia, Cosmopolitan China, Disney Malaysia, The Guardian, Der Spiegel, North American Review, National Geographic Kids, Good Morning America/ABC News, and the internationally syndicated Ripley’s Believe it or Not. Silvious was educated in the U.S. and Asia; she currently lives in New York’s Hudson Valley. Her art is exhibited internationally and is featured in public and private collections.

Saturday, March 21

Germantown Library – Hover Room, Lower Level

2-3 p.m.

Free

Saturday, April 25

Germantown Library – Hover Room, Lower Level

2-3 p.m.

Free

 Kiersten currently lives in upstate New York. Growing up, the Battlefields of Saratoga were her backyard and tourist sites like Fort Ticonderoga were an easy day trip, and she couldn’t have cared less back then.  It wasn’t until she journeyed into adulthood that Kiersten grew to love books, and even then, not until she became a museum educator, that she discovered the fascinating world of history. Tasked with bringing the past alive, she realized that behind every boring fact in textbooks were real people who lived and loved and dreamed and suffered losses and disappointments and helped shape the path on which we all journey. That realization turned the dreaded task of research into a compelling hobby of investigation.

 At present, she serves as the chair of the Schenectady Celebrates 250! committee for the Schenectady County Historical Society. So, if you’re looking for Kiersten, you will find her with her nose in a book or exploring another historical site or writing her next novel.