Bennington Museum reopens with new exhibitions

BENNINGTON, Vt.
The Bennington Museum reopens to the public on April 1 with several new exhibitions.
The museum’s major 2022 exhibit, “Parks & Recreation,” will explore the history and artistic depictions of Vermont’s state parks and other formally designated natural areas. From state forests to the Green Mountain National Forest and the Appalachian Trail/Long Trail, these preserved and sometimes curated spaces provide year-round outdoor activities and are an integral aspect of the state’s identity in the public imagination.
“Parks & Recreation” will trace the history of Vermont’s wildscapes from the origins of nature tourism in the region in the mid-19th century through the formal development of a state park system and national forest designation beginning in the 1920s. This exhibition connects past to present through thematically relevant artworks including Sanford Gifford’s 1859 painting of hikers and campers atop Mount Mansfield, Milton Avery paintings of Jamaica State Park (1935-1943), and contemporary pieces by regional artists (the latter a collaboration with the Bryan Memorial Gallery).
Other new exhibits include:
• “Marion Huse: Picturing Pownal” from April 1 through June 22. Marion Huse (1896-1967) was an artist whose work spanned 40 years and a variety of styles and subject matter. A native of Massachusetts, she founded and operated the Springfield Art School from 1925-40. In 1933 Huse established a studio in Pownal and moved there permanently in 1940. This exhibition focuses on the work Huse created in southwestern Vermont during this period.
Huse was acknowledged as one of the pioneers of the serigraph, or silkscreen, as a fine art media.
• The Student Art Show, from April 1 though June 5. The museum welcomes student work back into its galleries after the pandemic closure. This year’s show will focus on the work of regional high school students. Visit benningtonmuseum.org for more information.

Art school announces summer youth classes

HILLSDALE, N.Y.
The Art School of Columbia County has announced its Art of Summer Youth Program for children ages 5-12.
Weekly sessions throughout July will run from Mondays through Fridays, from 9 a.m. to noon for ages 5-8 and from 1 to 4 p.m. for ages 9-12.
Classes will be guided by practicing visual artists who are also experienced teachers. Each week’s program is unique, with the opportunity for hands-on experiences in drawing, painting, sculpture, printmaking and clay.
Classes will be held outside in a large tent, surrounded by landscapes and scenic vistas, on the grounds of the nonprofit art school.
The cost of a five-day session is $265 for nonmembers or $239 with a family membership. The Art School of Columbia County is located at the crossroads of county Route 21C and Harlemville Road. Visit artschoolofcolumbiacounty.org for a complete description of the program and to enroll.