MARCH, 2026 - 518 PROFILES MAGAZINE

PUBLISHER / FOUNDER

Stephanie Sittnick

COPY EDITOR

Elisabeth Allen

WEBMASTER

Tony Graveheart

ADVERTISING SALES

Stephanie Sittnick - Director of Sales ( 860) 227-8199 advertising@518mag.com

CONTRIBUTORS

Carol St.Sauveur Ferris, Karen Richman, Rona Mann

Chandler Stevens, Lawrence White, Susan Brink, Crystal Cobert Giddens, Chef Armand Vanderstigchel, Alan B. Richer, Kirsten Ferguson

COVER

“Living Wall XIV” Artist Mallory Zondag

March arrives like a deep breath. The light lingers a little longer, studios warm up, and ideas that have been quietly germinating begin to stretch toward visibility. It’s a month of transition—between stillness and mo mentum—and that in-between space has always been fertile ground for artists. These pages open their doors to the artists who give this issue its pulse.

Th ese pages are a gathering of voices: artists who challenge, who question, who dream out loud. We celebrate the risk-takers, the quiet creatives, the unseen storytellers. We honor the art that makes you pause, makes you think, makes you feel. And we hope, as you turn each page, that you discover your own reflection in their work, and maybe even a piece of your own imagination you forgot existed.

As always, we’re grateful—to our contributors for their trust, to our readers for their curiosity, and to the broader creative community for your co ntinued embrace of 518 Profiles. We hope this issue keeps you company as the season shifts, and maybe nudges you to look again—at your work, your surroundings, or the possibilities just beginning to show.

Stephanie Sittnick Founder / Publisher

Time Did Not Lessen Her Passion to Paint Ruth Christie Crotty pg. 6

The Llama House ADK Adirondack Hospitality and Adventure with A Creative Touch pg. 14

“Once You Put It Out In the World, It Becomes Something Else”... Mallory Zondag pg. 24

Guild of Adirondack Artists A Special Place for Artists to Learn, Grow and Belong pg. 32

H a p p y L i t t l e B e e c h - N u t s Happy Little Beech-Nuts on exhibit march 7 – december 30

Arkell

Museum and Canajoharie Library

2 Erie Blvd., Canajoharie, NY 13317 • 518-673-2314 • Minutes from NYS Thruway (I-90) Exit 29 Cushman Parker, Girl Eating Peanut Butter, 1912 Exhibition made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.

The Laffer Gallery

Art consulting for residential, corporate, and hospitality spaces. Thoughtfully placed artwork, with care from concept to installation. Rooted & Rising March 7 - April 12

Time Did Not Lessen Her Passion to Paint

Ruth Christie Crotty

By Carol St.Sauveur Ferris

As shocking as this may sound to some, there was a time when TV viewing was considered a waste of one’s time or something to be enjoyed ONLY after chores and homework were done, and ONLY on weekends. It was a new distraction in 1950’s households, not always welcome. Instead, neighborhood kids were encouraged to play outside, ride bikes, go to the park, babysit, deliver newspapers, do arts and crafts, and set up lemonade stands.

Ruth Christie Crotty remembers it well. One of four girls born and raised in New City, New York, hers was a typical 50’s childhood; and yes, watching TV was often seen as a waste of time in her household, too. Getting homework done at the kitchen table and then heading outdoors to play was a priority, but Ruth’s parents also encouraged her to pursue her creative interests. As a result, art supplies were always available in their household, and she took full advantage of them.

By the age of 10, Ruth discovered she loved painting when her uncle gave her a set of oil paints. Interestingly, though her grade school teachers were quite complimentary of her artwork, it wasn’t until her last two years of high school that Ruth actually took art classes, and it was during that time that Ruth’s teachers recognized her talent and encouraged her to pursue art.

“My high school art teacher encouraged me to attend Syracuse University’s summer program for high school juniors. It made my decision to go to art school.” Ruth attended Tyler School of Art in Philadelphia, PA, where she majored in painting and graduated with a BFA in 1969. After graduation, she became an art teacher at Shendehowa Central Schools in Clifton Park and later worked in graphic design for two different local companies. Dur ing that time, Ruth married and had two children, and, like so many women of her generation, she gave up her budding career to stay home with them. Though her paintbrushes lay idle, she picked up a camera and began taking photographs of her children. Not only did she capture wonderful images of them for much of their childhood, but Ruth also captured beautiful images of the landscape and its inhabitants surrounding their farmhouse in Saratoga County, where the family had settled down. Those images would later become central to her beautiful paintings.

Over the years, Ruth also took many workshops and attended Skidmore’s Summer Six program to deepen her understanding of painting in watercolor, oil, and other media. Today, she is absolutely committed to making art, working seven days a week in her studio from 10AM to 4PM. And if not in the studio, she is on location, painting en plein air. She has also traveled extensively, painting en plein air in the Adirondacks, Northern California, on the coast of Maine, and in Seattle, Washington. Her landscapes and nature paintings leave little doubt that her inspiration comes from nature and the rural landscape, but more recently, she has also taken an interest in the urban landscape with its light play on buildings and streets.

Though her primary medium back in college was oil, she later painted exclusively in watercolor for 15 years, followed by 10 years painting in oils again en plein air. Later, she discovered gouache, instantly finding it to be the perfect medium for her, as it combined the opacity of oil and the fluidity of watercolor. It is still her favorite by far.

Ruth’s canvases vary in size because she does not want “to get stuck in a rut,” as she explains. Back in art school, when Abstract Expressionism was the primary focus, her canvases were quite large, often reaching up to 6’ x 4’ overall. Since then, she has done some larger pieces, but her gouache paintings typically measure 11” x 14” and 12” x 16”. She does do smalls as well.

When looking at her many beautiful paintings, it’s clear that Ruth enjoys emphasizing color and texture to capture your attention. This approach has been quite successful. For example, in her painting Rooster, she features a proud, colorful rooster strutting about in the yard. She first captured him in a photo many

years prior and tucked it away for a future painting. That future painting was eventually done in gouache on aqua board and measured 11” x 14”. It features the colorful rooster in all his finery. His cape or neck feathers are vivid yellow, while his tail feathers are jet black, and he proudly wears a bright red comb. The background is of a farmyard that perfectly complements her fine-feathered friend. The painting hung in the Agriculture Stewardship Association’s 24th Landscape for Landsakes Show and was sold.

Another beautiful example of Ruth’s use of color, texture, and light is Choreographed Hay Bales, her Van Gogh-esque painting that features numerous bales of hay gracing a field of green and wildflowers. The bales show the dramatic interplay of dark shadows and bright sunlight. They are scattered about, a row of trees and a blue sky as their backdrop. The piece measures 8” x 16” and is done in gouache on aqua board. It also hung in the Agriculture Stewardship Association’s 24th Landscape for Landsakes Show and was sold.

Well-known for her lovely landscapes, Ruth does figuratives as well. Two beautiful examples of these are Gigi and Happy Hour. Gigi is a painting of a sweet, cherubic little girl with curly brown hair, full, soft cheeks, and big brown eyes. It’s hard to tell whether she is sad or pensive, but Ruth’s gentle use of color perfectly captures her innocence. Soft shades of rose and green complement her beautiful skin while the light touches her mass of curls. The piece is done in oil on linen canvas and

measures 12” x 9”. It hung in the 2025 Southern Vermont Arts Center Membership Show and is available for purchase.

In contrast, a variety of colors and light-and-shadow play create movement in her painting, Happy Hour. One can almost imagine this to be the ever-popular neighborhood restaurant, with the bartendress pouring a drink from a cocktail shaker. A variety of bottles and glasses are featured, suggesting a cacophony of happy-hour regulars waiting for their beverages, just out of view. Ruth’s use of light and texture conveys atmosphere, and the brighter colors bring attention to the bartendress. It is done in gouache on aqua board and measures 12” x 10”. The painting hung in the 2025 Southern Vermont Art Show and sold as well.

When asked what her “why” for painting again after so many years devoted to raising a family was, she thought for a moment, then offered something many of us have thought about at times –a bucket list. “When I turned 50, I thought, you know, this is your

‘someday moment,’ so if you don’t start painting now, you’re going to say I could have and should have. And I didn’t want to be turning 60 still saying that, so I started painting again.”

And so began her bucket list of “someday paintings,” giving all of us something to contemplate-that time waits for no one. Wasting no time, she began to paint, and four months later, to her utter surprise, Ruth was offered a show. With little inventory, she painted and painted, and painted some more, until there were enough pieces for the show. By doing so, she also developed the discipline she still subscribes to today: showing up and doing what you love every single day.

Since then, Ruth Christie Crotty has been happily doing what she loves with incredible success. Even after having surgery on her hand, she never gave up. Ruth simply adapted to a new way of holding her brush and has not slowed down one bit. Over the years, she has been in numerous juried shows and has won many awards since 1993. Today, Ruth’s

pieces hang in many galleries and private collections, and when asked where she sees herself in five years, she chuckles, then shares her view with a bit more seriousness.

“Five years is a long time for a woman of my age. I only hope to be as active as I am now and ready to take on new challenges.” Given the wisdom she has gained from years of experience, fueled by her determination to succeed and do what she loves, we are all rooting for Ruth and look forward to seeing many more of her paintings for years to come.

Be sure to visit www.ruthchristiecrotty.com to view and purchase her beautiful pieces. You can also view her work on Instagram @Ruth Christie Crotty, but should you have the opportunity, do view them in person at one of the many juried shows her work is featured in, and at the many galleries where her work is exhibited across New York and Vermont.

The Llama House ADK Adirondack Hospitality and Adventure with A Creative Touch

By Lawrence White

And into the forest I go to lose my mind and find my soul.

...John Muir

David Skibiniski was not fully enjoying life. It was the early 2000’s, and even though David was successful in the New York City corporate world, he knew something was lacking. He was unfulfilled. He yearned for more.

Then, in 2012, as he approached 30, David took a backpacking trip to Patagonia with 3 friends, and it turned out to be a voyage within himself instead.

Patagonia is a vast, wild landscape at the southern tip of South America. The region is shared by Argentina and Chile, and is remarkable for its dramatic landscapes, unique vegetation, wildlife, ethnic communities, and awe-inspiring glaciers. The magnificent Andes Mountains tower

over the countryside, and intense weather conditions can occur at any time. This deep immersion in another environment and culture was an awakening for David, and he refers to it with a sense of transcendent reverence.

Upon return, David began spending a lot more time out of the city in the north country, where he could “see all the stars in the night sky, and hear the wind in the trees.” He began working with as a trail guide under the name Live More Adventures and planned trips for people on camping and river-rafting excur sions through calm waters and rapids. In a short time, the idea of creating a complete experience for his clientele came to mind, and he began looking for a place to set up a home base to offer hospitality to travelers.

David is sitting in the main room of the Llama House (the name “Live More Adventures, LMA, became “Llama”) as I ask how he found the home and what it was like getting started. He tells me, “By 2016, I knew buying a house was necessary because I was renting on each trip, and that financial model was just not working out.”

In reference to his first impression of what became the Llama House, David responds intensely, “When I heard of this house, I visited thinking it would be a waste of time, but I left that day knowing that I had to buy it. I purchased it from the family that built it themselves, and you can feel all of their loving energy in the house. Those emotions were not what I normally respond to, but I am very happy I followed my instincts.”

I ask David if he, and more importantly, his plan, were accepted in the community, and David responds enthusiastically, “Yes, everyone has been very welcoming. I developed a relationship with Beaver Brook Outfitters (the legendary family-owned business in North Creek), and we have become close friends as well as business associates. I finally found my community. No doubt about it.”

The home's design is warm, rustic, and welcoming, with a wooden aesthetic. Stepping out of the car upon arrival, one can smell the aroma of pines in the clean, fresh air. Once inside, the light from the many windows bathes the warm earth tones and comfortable furnishings that fill the spaces.

thing special and unique. I pride myself on being able to say that all my rooms and the lodge itself are one-of-a-kind creations. The Llama House offers a stay that travelers will find interesting, comfortable, exciting, and memorable.”

That is very true. Each of the 4.5 bedrooms (3 bathrooms) has a different Adirondack inspired theme. One where the bed is suspended by a series of chains from the ceil ing, and another where the bed rests on tree trunk posts with some limbs intact. One room has stonework artwork embedded in the floor. All of the rooms are fun, functional, and comfortable, and the huge outdoor deck adds another dimension for events or gatherings.

David has taken the time and creative energy to use his artistic flair to make each space in the two-story structure special. He set a tone that reflects his impressions of the environment and the energy that fills the visitors during their stay.

Almost every room has been rebuilt to a significant degree. I consider the lodge to be a boutique hostel. Guests have the opportunity to meet and in teract with other travelers, and that's exactly what I'm going for. There are so few spaces these days to connect with new people, and I love that I can provide such an opportunity. It's my favorite part of doing this.”

“I figured that if I was going forward, it was not going to be the standard accommodations. I wanted to do some-

The location is ideal for several diverse activities. The Adirondack setting near Gore Mountain serves as a gateway to all types of outdoor adventures, including skiing, hiking, rafting, biking, and kayaking, with local spots to pick up gear and safety gear offered free at the house. The proximity to North Creek and Lake George offers dining and shopping, so visitors can enjoy the best of both worlds.

The Llama House is also ideal for artists of all skills and disciplines. The lodge is located near many inspiring locations that are easily accessible for photographers, painters, mu sicians, or those simply looking for a natural space to meditate, read, or write.

I ask David about his experiences with guests, and he is happy to share them. “The guests and groups have consistently been great people, no matter what part of the world

they are from. I have become close friends with many of them. They have offered great recommendations to others, and I have even gone to visit their homes in their countries.”

Dave continues with a laugh, “I like to say the Llama House has the most diverse kitchen in the North Country. I have had Lebanese, Spanish, Finnish, Italian, Mexican, and so many more types of cooking in the kitchen, and that reflects the type of people I have enjoyed as guests. I know they feel the same way.”

A recent guest described the experience he and his wife enjoyed, “If you are planning a trip to the Adirondacks, The Llama House is an extremely comfortable place to stay. It is rustic yet modern, isolated yet near restaurants, white-water rafting, hiking, ski ing, and whatever else there is to enjoy in the Adirondack Region. The Llama House, by far, stands out as one of the very best places where we have stayed.”

As we end our conversation, David makes it a point to tell me, “At an early stage of this, on the trail in Patagonia, the importance of community was impressed upon me. I am benefiting greatly from heeding that message. Each day presents another opportunity to live it and to provide it for others.”

Then, with a pause, David adds, “Someone recently said to me not many people re member the name of the place they stayed in, but everyone remembers the Llama House. I love that.”

https://www.llamahouseadk.com

“Once You Put It Out In the World, It Becomes Something Else”... Mallory Zondag

by Rona Mann

Truer words were never spoken.

Especially when speaking about the work of mixed-media artist Mallory Zondag, who knew from a very early age, growing up in the Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania, that she wanted to make art. “I wasn’t sure what exactly, but as a child I enjoyed playing in clay, painting, print making, jewelry making, everything. But then I went to middle school, and I discovered textiles.”

And that, as they say, was that! The young girl became totally hooked on a world of textile making, “not taking an existing pattern or fab ric and cutting it up to make something, but making my own from scratch.”

The curious young woman also wanted to learn how to sew, imploring her mother, grandmother, and her “Oma” to teach her the

craft so she could make it her own. “Oma” is a loving term for grandmother in Dutch, her father’s side of the family having immigrated from the Netherlands. So Mallory’s mother took her to the local retail store that sold sewing paraphernalia and bought a pattern. After she was taught the ins and outs of using a sewing machine and how to take a simple pattern and fashion it into a skirt, Mallory announced, “I want to make my own patterns.” At that pronouncement, her mother declared her independent of the task! “That’s all I know how to do, you’re on your own.”

That suited Mallory just fine, and off she went to the famed Pratt Institute in Brooklyn to major in fashion design; however, she realized early on that the fashion industry did not in terest her as much as making textiles from scratch.

Abandonscape.no.3-2025

Textile arts are not very familiar to the unini tiated public, although they have most likely come into contact with various forms of the art before and appreciated its unique de sign without knowing what to call it. By definition, textile arts are arts and crafts that

Whose afraid of pleasure 2024

use plant, animal, or synthetic fibers to construct practical or decorative objects. When Mallory points out that it is an ancient art, she is not wrong. The word textile originates from the Latin “texere,” which means to weave, braid, or construct, and Zondag is a master at creating art using all three methods.

The simplest form of textile art is felting, in which animal fibers are matted together using heat and moisture. While most people have heard of felting, they may not be familiar with “wet felting,” a process in which wool fibers are first layered in multiple directions to create a solid base. Then water and soap are applied followed by a period of agitation: rubbing, rolling, and pressing to encourage the fibers to bond.

Almost from the beginning, Mallory wanted to create three-dimensional textiles that, when completed, would hang from a wall or stand alone in the middle of a gallery space, so she took a deep dive not only into wet felting but also into weaving and crocheting, all of which require hours of repetitive action. That kind of constant repetition might easily bore some bud ding artists, but not Mallory Zondag. “I love being caught up in the repetition. I find it so calming, it just puts me in a good place.”

held at a business, school, or community center. She has also taught her craft at Senior Citizens Centers and at the Shaker Heritage Society Mu seum in Albany.

We Grow Together (LivingWall at Schlow Library in State College PA 2025

Today, in addition to creating in the large studio she built in her Schenectady home, Zondag teaches. Where? Just about anywhere they’ll have her. She of fers workshops for adults and teens that can be

Community art is a field that Mallory most en joys, and with the help of many budding textile artists, has created the “Fiber Living Wall.” A living wall fashioned with fiber arts is a collaboration, not merely a surface, but an ecology stitched from

thread, memory, and light. When complete, it appears like an expansive textile mural, dense with woven fibers, knotted yarns, embroidered paths, and felted planes.

Techniques passed down through generations are fused with contemporary fiber systems. Mallory teaches her students to each make a piece of this, then she returns to her studio and hand-stitches it into a three-dimensional mural that beco a permanent installation. “It’s like the ecosystem,” Zondag says. “I speak to the students about eco systems and the importance of understanding the different interconnected environments that make up our planet, from deserts to forests to coral reefs. As I am teaching th felting, binding wood to gether into a malleable fabric sculpture, we talked about the importance of connection within our own communities and how when we all work together on something like this project, we can create something even greater than ourselves. That’s the way ecosystems function. If we all do it together, we all have a part of the sum. I have such joy in teaching, but I never dumb it down, even when I’m

talking about making art with fiber to third-graders. They get it; even if they only get some part of it, that’s enough. Once you put it out in the world, it becomes something else, and that’s what is beautiful. It’s like life is formed through biology and chemistry. It’s continuous looping, agitation, and change. It’s how the world is made.”

Mallory Zondag appears to be a woman at peace, which is not often the case with artists. There is little restless spirit within her because, through her repetitive embroidering, wet felting, and teaching, she has found a beautiful balance in which she relishes the solo peace of her studio as well as the mingling of her art with her community.

Mallory also participates in a number of solo and group shows. Thanks to a referral from Jessica Ambler, from her days growing up in the Lehigh Valley, in July she will travel as a guest artist to Hollins University in Roanoke, Virginia for a solo show that will open in August and continue through the end of the year.

“Oh yeah,” Mallory added as an afterthought just as our interview with her was ending. “There’s one more thing. I forgot to mention that Amalia Mesa-Bains (a world-renowned artist and cultural critic whose Chicano and Latin Art holds a major place in the United States as well as in Latin America) commissioned me in 2022 to

cre ate a mixed-media installation for her retrospective at the Berkley Art Museum. Drawing on her previous installation, created with hundreds of pieces of preserved moss, I turned it into a real carpet. A large moss rug suitable for a traveling show.”

Zondag created the rug with hand-felted wood patches and latch-hooked wool yarns, a number of which had been dyed. The rug, which is 10.5’ by 13’, was entirely hand-latch-hooked over a two-month period and was ultimately purchased by the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York, where it resides in its permanent collection. It is called “Cihuateotl with Mirror in Private Landscapes and Public Territories” and is also showcased on her website under the Portfolio tab.

So, our question remains: how do you forget to mention that? Your work is in the permanent collection of one of the most prestigious museums of modern American art! Not too many artists can claim that.

Oma would, no doubt, be proud. “Heel, heel trots.” (That’s very, very proud in Dutch).

See this and an exquisite representation of the mixed media art of Mallory Zondag at: www.malloryzondag.com For more information, email the artist directly at: mkzondag@gmail.com

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Guild of Adirondack Artists A Special Place for Artists to Learn, Grow and Belong

By Carol St.Sauveur Ferris

Guilds existed centuries ago, as early as 2200 BC, but much more is known about those from the Mid dle Ages. Rooted in centuries past, merchants and craftsmen of the Middle Ages formed guilds for those who shared com mon skills and goals. Both, individually and collectively, primarily sought to protect their interests and set standards.

With membership came privilege, allowing guild members and only guild members to practice their art and acquire their goods to sell within the guild’s city. Many other controls and privileges were also enforced, including business hours, minimum and maximum pricing, and even the number of apprentices allowed in each trade or craft.

Merchant guilds grew to be a powerful voice within governments, while art guilds fulfilled the more esoteric demands of high society. Together, they were a force, establishing economic hierarchies within villages, towns, and even countries. Over time, they also became in creasingly indicative of social status until recently. Today’s guilds no longer subscribe to those early guild doctrines. They are far more informal and collegial and exist to support and advance the skills of their membership.

The Guild of Adirondack Artists (GAA) is an excellent example of a 21stcentury guild. It was founded in 1973 by a group of art enthusiasts, in cluding Pat Moha, Mary-lou Strode, Marcella Dodge, Ruth Lynch, Tad Januszkiewicz, and Bob Varreyer. From the very beginning, membership in GAA required extensive review. And while advancing

the needs of individual artists, membership also indicated a bit of social status and prestige.

Today, membership in the GAA is far more collegial and supportive of the artists and their journeys, though membership is still not auto matic. It is more of a process now, which begins with a recommendation from an existing member or from an artist inquiry when a vacancy occurs. The potential member must be a serious artist who has exhibited before. An invitation is sent to them, followed by GAA members reviewing the potential artist’s medium, their work, and compatibility. The potential member must also be willing to participate in at least two activities, including meetings and shows with the membership at different venues. And when all is said and done, the artist must be a good fit with the current membership, which is limited to 30 members.

As mentioned, there is much to be had for a GAA member. When speaking with President Fred Holman and Treasurer Joan Reid, they explained what a member can expect. The GAA officially meets four times a year to discuss what the upcoming months will feature. They hold in-house exhibits, plan exhibits for other locations such as li braries and established galleries; create and give workshops to ex pand members' knowledge base and techniques; critique each other’s work; take field trips to museums, and go on location for en plein air painting. But first and foremost, GAA provides a collegial environment for all to thrive. And thrive they do.

Their current membership is an impressive roster of diverse and tal ented artists ranging from painters to sculptors to textile artists. They include:

Sue Beadle (Queensbury, NY) - An acrylic painter inspired by color rather than subject matter, Sue’s paintings are also inspired by en plein air. They are loose, imaginative, and done in unexpected hues.

Ronnie Benware (Queensbury, NY) - An accomplished pastel artist, Ronnie is enchanted by the reflections of smooth, shiny, and translucent objects as seen in many of her still life compositions.

Robin Brewer (Queensbury, NY) - art is inspired from observation. The relationship between what is seen by the eye, processed by the brain, filtered by experience, and then captured by the hand, is the essence of her art.

Ruth Crotty (Saratoga Springs, NY) - A former high school art teacher, Ruth works in multiple mediums, including watercolor and gouache, but is known for colorful, en plein air oil paintings.

Lisa David (Ballston Lake, NY) - A high school art teacher by day but an artist by night, Lisa paints colorful, vintage scenes and objects that bring back memories of another time.

Connie Dodge (Edinburg, NY) - A former high school art teacher and a fine art, college adjunct professor, Connie is known for her colorful paintings in pastel and oil.

Stu Eichel (Saratoga Springs, NY) - A Pratt Insti tute graduate who went on to a career as an art director, Stu is well known for his plein-air oil paintings.

Lise Fuller (Queensbury, NY) - Lise is the past president of the Adirondack Pastel Society.

Susan Hoffer (Lake Placid, NY) - A figurative oil painter, Susan is known for capturing the mundane but precious moments of everyday life with generous applications of color and texture.

Fred Holman (Brant Lake, NY) - A former landscape architect, Fred’s passion for nature and light is evident in his en plein air oil and gouache paintings. He is also known for his semi-abstract figurative work as well.

Jenny Hutchinson (Glens Falls, NY) - A former arts administrator and consultant, Jenny creates richly colored, mixed-media, 3-dimensional layered compositions of nature.

Sandra Jabaut (Lake George, NY) - A former art teacher, Sandra strives for realism in all of her oil paintings and is known for her colorful Sassy Hats series.

JoAnn Johnson (Gansevoort, NY) - Once a greenhouse attendant at Spa State Park and now a mixed-media artist, JoAnn paints, sketches, and creates scenic collages depicting her hikes and skiing.

Adelaide Walsh Leibold (Glens Falls, NY) - A self-taught abstract artist, Adelaide works with different materials, layering them on her acrylic paintings.

Ronn Mattia (Glens Falls, NY) - With a family history working with metals and glass and a background in landscaping, Ronn shapes discarded metal and glass pieces into unique, organic sculptures.

Kris Gregson Moss (Granville, NY) - An accomplished seamstress and textile artist, Kris creates and exhibits her handmade quilts, fiber art, and 3-dimensional fiber sculptures worldwide.

Marina Petro (Saratoga Springs, NY) - An in tuitive counselor, artist, and teacher, Marina paints visionary artwork while providing spir itual counseling, intuitive guidance, and psychic readings.

Janet Pieniasek (Ballston Spa, NY) - Janet is a long-time member and oil painter; however, she is currently inactive.

Nancy Powhida (Queensbury, NY) - Once a vo cational rehab counselor, Nancy is known for her multimedia works, including painting, sculpture, and printmaking, that reflect human behavior.

Joann Quinlivan (Hudson Falls, NY) - A selftaught pastel artist, Joann’s passion is to paint

landscapes, florals, and more in pastels. Her work is held in private collections worldwide.

Joan Reid (Queensbury, NY) - A lifelong art teacher in public schools and colleges, Joan is a healer, known for her work in both the visual and healing arts, guided by spiritual connectedness.

Bev Saunders (Glens Falls, NY) - Owner/artist of the successful Saunders Gallery of Fine Art and Framing, Bev is known for her pastel paintings of still life, landscapes, and portraits. She is currently President of the Adirondack Pastel Society.

Jon Segan (Fort Edward, NY) - Though a graduate of Pratt Institute, Jon did not pursue his art until years later. He is now known for assemblage, which is the art of integrating sculpture and painting with found objects.

Lee Shippey (Glens Falls, NY) - A retired adjunct professor of art at Ripon College, Lee is a multi-media artist who has created and donated delicate pieces using watercolor and colored pencil for auction.

Diane Swanson (Queensbury, NY) - A fine arts graduate from Syracuse Uni versity, followed by a corporate career in the arts, Diane’s watercolor and gouache paintings celebrate the landscape.

Terry Teitelbaum (Cambridge, NY) - A graduate of FIT and Pratt, Terry worked with line, color, and texture throughout her fashion career, a background that informs her colorful and textured canvases of today.

Maureen Temple (Fort Ann, NY) - A former art teacher, she is known for her realistic watercolors and drawings.

Janine Thomas (Hartford, NY) - An art teacher for many years before fo cusing on her own art, Janine founded Crowfield Studio & Gallery and has been painting the bucolic life of the Adirondack foothills ever since.

Delores Thomson (Hudson Falls, NY) - With a degree in graphics design, Delores discovered clay and has be en creating wheel-thrown vessels that are inspired by nature, and Japanese and Native American aesthetics.

Robert Whiting (Argyle, NY)After studying graphic arts, Robert’s drafting skills laid the foundation for his paintings, which focus on realism and tromp l’oeil, with a touch of humor as well.

Susan Bayard Whiting (Argyle, NY) - Susan attended SUNY Adirondack and is co-owner of Whiting Art Studio. She paints in an impressionistic style both en plein air and in the studio.

The list of esteemed artists is impressive and i n dicative of the GAA’s commitment to maintain ing high standards with its membership. It is a serious group that inspires and

learns from each other, shows together in gal leries, and celebrates one another. And though creating art can be a solitary journey, membership in GAA provides a supportive family of artists and the warmth of a creative home away from home.

To learn more about the Guild of Adirondack Artists (GAA), its member artists and future exhibits, visit www.guildofadirondackartists.com You can also visit their Facebook site, the Guild of Adirondack Artists.

March was All About Rearranging

by Karen Richman

By the time March rolled around, we had had it!

As a kid growing up in the 50s and 60s, you quickly learned to make your own fun. None of us had families with a lot of money to buy a lot of “stuff” to help us occupy our free time and play time. We had to do it ourselves. But that was okay because it made us use our imaginations, an ability kids today seem to have lost...and really, that’s a shame because having an imagination is a lost art. It opens treasure troves and adventures, lets you be a movie star on the silver screen or a hero on the high seas, a winner, not a whiner. But March always proved a challenge to treasure, adventure, and boredom.

While we loved summer with its hot days, nights that didn’t darken till after eight, ice cream trucks, playing ball in the streets, swimming at the lake, and never having to think of school, we also welcomed autumn with the changing colors of the leaves, the cool snap in the air, and the promise of Halloween fun, Thanksgiving food, and Christmas presents not far off. Even after the holidays came and went, and there were new sleds and skates to break in, a new year ahead, a clean slate at school, and then a great week-long February vacation. But suddenly it’s March, and that was always such a “between” month, a time all about rearranging.

You were never quite sure how to dress because you could leave home in the morning and be shivering waiting for the school bus in heavy coats, boots, scarves, and gloves. By recess, you could be sweating, unzipping the parka, throwing the mittens and hats on the sidelines of the playground. But then on the way home, as it was getting dark, the cold and dampness reared their ugly heads once again, invading your bones. March never bursts in; it tiptoes, leading a slow parade to early spring with dripping icicles and an occasional birdsong. Then one day, crocuses push through the gray soil even though small piles of snow are lingering... and then there’s all that mud and puddles from the melt ing snow, and you have to be careful where you walk and run. March was the month we exchanged our fur-lined winter boots for those ugly, bright red rubber boots because big puddles begged to be jumped in and streets became rivers.

But March also brought with it a memory of both impatiently waiting and then rearranging those things you were waiting for. Waiting for

spring break, waiting for green grass and flowers, waiting to be able to safely redo your closets and know it was “safe” to put away the winter clothes and break out the shorts, tee shirts, and sneakers. March was a month of “almosts.” Almost warm. Almost bright. Almost spring. For us kids, March still kept its secrets hidden, telling them slowly, letting us know with every day, who it was that was in charge.

But we always challenged March by bringing out our bikes from the garage or the cellar, wiping away the dust, putting air in the tires, and seeing if the horn was still loud and obnoxious enough to make the kids

from across town move over. Pretty soon, there came the day when someone grabbed a jump rope, someone else brought out the sidewalk chalk and drew a hopscotch configuration in their driveway or on the playground, and out came the baseball gloves, stiff and smelly, aching for their annual treatment of neatsfoot oil.

The unreliable month of March, with the unexpected, was not about anything big like the 4th of July, Halloween, or Christmas. It was about the small, sly things that come upon the scene slowly, barely noticeable. The first robin on the telephone wire, the evening you

re alize the sky stayed bluer a little longer, the day you could put the really heavy sweaters way in the back of the closet. And yet, March fools us to the point that one day we’re clicking on the air conditioner, and the next there’s a blizzard, and you’ve been fooled yet again by the need for some serious shoveling and ice melt.

March was still in charge. It always will be.

Accept it.

When the Body Wakes Up

By Crystal Cobert Giddens

There is a moment every March when the body wakes up. Not suddenly, and not all at once. One morning you notice the sun lin gering a little longer through the windows, or the way dusk no longer feels like an early ending. The days stretch. The evenings soften. Even before we consciously register it, something in us begins to respond.

This return of light matters more than we often realize. Human bodies are deeply influenced by light. It affects sleep, mood, appetite, motivation, and energy. As daylight increases, our internal clocks begin to recalibrate. Circadian rhythms adjust. Hormones shift. Systems that rested quietly through winter start to come back online.

Often one of the first places we notice this shift is in the skin. Color returns. Tone changes. The skin becomes more responsive, sometimes more reactive, sometimes more luminous. But the skin is not ini tiating the change. It is reflecting it. It mirrors what is happening internally as circulation improves, metabolism adjusts, and the body senses it is safe to move outward again.

The mind feels it too.

As light increases, mental fog often lifts in subtle ways. Focus sharpens. Motivation flickers back on. Creativity peeks through. At the same time, sleep can feel temporarily unsettled as the body adjusts to longer days and, eventually, the change in time itself. This is normal. The body does not wake up instantly. It reorients gradually, like eyes adjusting to morning light.

And this is where many of us misinterpret the moment. March has a way of creating urgency. Detoxes. Overhauls. Spring challenges. The cultural message is clear: winter is over, now get moving. But bodies do not respond well to being rushed out of rest. Energy returns unevenly for a reason.

Some days you may feel alert and capable. Other days you may still crave slowness. This is not a setback. It is physiology. Different systems wake up on different timelines. The nervous system recalibrates before stamina stabilizes. Digestion adjusts before motivation fully returns. Skin responds before energy levels even out.

When the body wakes up, it is not asking for acceleration. It is asking for cooperation. Spring energy is often mistaken for a demand to do more. In reality, it is an invitation to begin engaging again, thoughtfully. Waking up does not mean sprinting. It means testing capacity, noticing response, and allowing momentum to build naturally instead of forcing it into existence.

Supporting this phase means easing in rather than pushing forward. It means choosing movement that feels enlivening rather than depleting. Time outside instead of rigid plans. Regularity instead of intensity. These choices allow the body to integrate its returning en ergy instead of burning through it.

Breath becomes an ally here.

Longer days invite deeper breathing almost automatically. Opening windows. Stepping outside. Letting the chest expand after months of shallow, cold-weather breaths. Breath supports circulation, oxygenation, and nervous system balance, all of which respond quickly to returning light.

Circulation follows.

As temperatures rise, blood flow improves and tissues warm. The body becomes more receptive. This is why touch often feels different in spring. Massage, gentle movement, and even skincare rituals may suddenly feel more effective, not because techniques have changed, but because the body is ready to receive them.

Rhythm is what steadies this awakening. Winter asks us to conserve. Spring invites engagement. But engagement does not mean

exhaustion. Establishing new rhythms, waking with the light, moving earlier in the day, winding down intentionally at night, helps the body orient itself without shock.

The body does not want to be managed. It wants to be listened to.

This time of year rewards attention. Noticing when energy rises and when it dips. Honoring the days when momentum feels natural and the days when rest is still needed. Trusting that waking up does not require urgency to be real.

As daylight saving time approaches and we prepare to spring forward, it is worth remembering that the body does not operate on clocks alone. Losing an hour of sleep may seem minor on paper, but it is significant bi ologically. Allowing for gentler mornings, earlier evenings, and realistic expectations helps the body integrate the shift without strain.

March is not asking us to reinvent ourselves. It is asking us to come back into our bodies with awareness.

To notice how we respond to light. To respect the uneven return of energy. To allow systems to come back online in their own time.

When the body wakes up, it does not shout. It stretches. It tests the air. It moves toward what feels nourishing, one signal at a time.

If we let it.

Crystal Cobert Giddens is a licensed esthetician, educator, and founder of FACES of Saratoga, and now the evolved FACES NEW YORK. Through her LIFEspa column, she explores seasonal wellness, rhythm, and the quiet practices that support the body's nat ural intelligence.

CULINARY DESTINATIONS: Boston Part 2

By Chef Armand Vanderstigchel

In one of our previous issues, we shared our first experience in Boston, enjoying the stay and restaurants at the Encore Hotel resort, including a trip to the North-End to enjoy all the Italian culinary destinations near the Freedom Trail with a quick cross- over via Hanover Street to the oldest restaurant in America “the Union Oyster House.”

It was time to explore the Boston Harbor area-a historic, 50- square-mile estuary of Massachusetts featuring a 43-mile Harborwalk and traces of the American Revolution- a premier destination for maritime history, dining, cruises, the New England Aquarium, whale watching cruises, the historic USS Constitution, and the site of the 1773 Boston Tea Party in protest of British taxation. (visit the museum off Congress Street). After a comfortable stay at the Hamptons Inn Seaport District, we headed by foot to our first destination- the famous Harpoon Brewery.

Founded in 1986, Harpoon Brewery was the first craft brewery to open in Boston. Harpoon’s line of craft Beer features its award-winning IPA and seasonal Beers, along with special limited releases. It is a proudly employee owned. In the ample sized tasting room, we enjoyed a pint of their flagship IPA and a Maine Blueberry Wheat Beer. In reverence of lunchtime we simply enjoyed a classic Cheese Pizza which was crispy and on-point. The menu here is basic brewery staples such as Pretzels, Burgers, Chili, and Sandwiches.

We proceeded our walking tour to check all the offerings on Seaport Blvd, densely lined with multiple restaurants from nationals Legal Seafoods, Mor ton’s, Smith & Wollensky to local favorites such as the Yankee Lobster, known for its great Lobster Rolls.

We decided for dinner at Ocean Prime, located in the 100 Pier 4 building in Boston’s bustling Seaport District. Ocean Prime is a nationally acclaimed Seafood and Steakhouse restaurant. The beautiful interior and diversified Seafood menu sealed the deal to dine here. We started with classic New England fare- a velvety Clam Chowder and Lobster Bisque-which featured a table side presentation by the server pouring the rich Lobster Bisque into a bowl brimming with fresh Lobster meat! As second course we shared a Jumbo Crab Cake brimming with lump Crabmeat laced with Sweet and Sour Slaw and zesty Horseradish Mustard Aioli.

In continuation of the Seafood passion, we or dered the Blackened Snapper with Corn Spoon Bread, Swiss Chard, and Corn Emulsion- a brilliant play on Southern Seafood style preparation and Chilean Seabass au Truffle-spectacular! In the dessert category of top Crème Brulés their version wins the up permost price. A delicious velvety concoction of creamy Custard, flambeed with a crackling crust in a large generous bowl with a heap of fresh Berries-fantastic!

The following morning, we headed to Lakon Paris Patisserie off Seaport Blvd -a celebration of handcrafted buttery pastries and rich Italian Espresso drinks. Hands-down one of the greatest visited yet- a little slice of Paris in Boston created by a pastry chef trained in France. An array of flaky pastries, rich flavors, and just the right amount of sweetness. The Croissants are perfectly buttery- desserts are elegant and beautiful. We felt extremely overwhelmed not to purchase every pastry on-hand but settled on Pistachio Mascarpone Croissant, Pain au Chocolate, Opera Cake, and a Chocolate Éclair. Not consuming them before arriving home was amusingly diffi cult. Visit also the Boston Ice-cream Museum right around the corner!

In terms of culinary destinations, we always try to seek a hotel or resort that harbors multiple amenities in one-a perfect storm of lodging, service, a first-rate restaurant and perchance a Spa on premise.

Enter the Battery Wharf Hotel, Boston Waterfront located in Boston’s North-End. This luxurious boutique hotel located on the pedestrian-friendly Harbor Walk fea tures the Battery Wharf Grille, a waterfront restaurant with outdoor dining, a gourmet coffee shop and Exhale Spa and Fitness which we visited prior to dinner, enjoying a professional massage, steam room, sauna, and access to a fully equipped gym. The hotel enjoys a very good restaurant “Battery Wharf Grill” which eliminates leaving the premise seeking an excellent dining experience.

The cuisine here is continental, with a great wine selec tion-the bar offers Waterfront Cocktails and seasonal creations such as the Winter Coconut and Old Fashion we enjoyed.

For appetizers we methodically ordered the Crab Cake, Tuna Tartare and Roasted Cauliflower with Harissa Yo gurt- the latter a delightful choice being an aficionado of Vegetarian options. A note-worthy Salad was the Arugula Salad with roasted Grapes & Almonds laced with a Champagne Vinaigrette. Entrée-wise a preference was set on the Duck Breast with a Cherry Port reduction & Parsnip puree-fabulous and unique. The cliché of a Chicken Marsala was quickly abridged due to the unique approach here implementing Oyster Mushrooms.

Desserts do not disappoint here, be it the Cinnamon spiced Bread Pudding and the Caramelized Banana Tart- both worth adding on to your finale dining options. Gen eral manager Daniel Pickett and Dining Man ager Michael Wharton circulated the room with great professionalism, kindness and care.

After dinner we engaged in a stroll on the Harbor Walk overlooking the city sky-line feeling blessed to have returned to this historic city-Boston.

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Michael J. Fortin, Owner/Executive Chef MJF Restaurant Group LLC, Cohoes

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Ann Larsen, Larsen Studio

I am a longtime fan of 518 Profiles and con tinue to be impressed by content and presentation. I also appreciate that the magazine gives the small art entrepreneur exposure to a wide audience and provides a beautiful venue to showcase the galleries and shops of the Saratoga Springs Art Dis trict.I am proud to be among the artists and businesses included an d sincerely appreciate Stephanie Sittnick's support of the art community.

Susan Rivers, Greentree Fiber Arts

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Saratoga Saddlery & International Boutique, Saratoga Springs

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Gary Zack, Zack Gallery, Saratoga Springs

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M&P Gifts LLC / Merriman and Pfister’s Marketplace,

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Corina

Palma and I have been in the fashion and entertainment business for over 40 years. We have dealt with premier corporations and magazines and what Stephanie pub lishes monthly is their equal in quality, content, and style. She is a consummate professional and a joy to deal with.

Palma Kolansky & Joe Troiano, Lakeside General Store, Cossayuna

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The Magic Moon, Saratoga Springs

Month of March Glens Falls

• North Country Arts Gallery: “New Beginnings” - artwork in all media by regional artists continues through March 31. #120, The Shirt Factory, 71 Lawrence St., Glens Falls (Gallery open Thurs.-Sat. 12-5)

• NCA's 2nd Fl. Gallery: “The Adirondacks in Focus” photography by Phil Merlino, continues through March 27 at City Hall, 42 Ridge St, Glens Falls (Gallery Hours Mon.-Fri. 8:30-4:30)

• NCA Mezzanine Gallery: “Winter Show” Members art exhibition through March 27th at THE QUEENSBURY HOTEL, 88 Ridge St. Glens Falls (Open Daily)

For more Info about events visit: northcountryarts.org

March 1 Saratoga Springs Artisan's Showcase. The Saratoga Springs Rotary Artisans Showcase is an art exhibition held at the Saratoga Springs City Center in conjunction with the Rotary Home & Lifestyle Show. The showcase features a curated selection of talented artists presenting original works ideal for enhancing a home or office, for art collectors or for discovering a unique and meaningful gift. The Artisans Showcase also features amazing works of art from the Saratoga Springs High School Advanced Art Stu dents. These talented students are juried by Saratoga Arts and the best in show wins a free one-year membership. At the Saratoga Springs City Center, Saturday February 28th, 10am-5pm, Sunday March 1st, 10am-4pm www.saratogaspringsrotary.org/sitepage/home-and-lifestyle/artists

March 1-August 13 Schenectady

ALL IN is an inclusive salon style exhibition showcasing the artwork of 78 Capital Region Artists of all kinds. A dynamic and vibrant exhibition celebrating the rich diversity of local talent, bringing together artists from all backgrounds, disci plines, and experience levels. Featuring a wide array of mediums —from painting and sculpture to photography, mixed media, and digital art— the ALL IN show provides a platform for both emerging and established artists to share their unique perspectives. Through March 22nd. Bear and Bird Boutique + Gallery, 160 Jay Street M • Schenectady, New York 12305 Call or Text: 518-227-1145

March 1-July 26 Glens Falls

Richard Deon: Lincoln’s Campaign to Defeat The Hudson River School. These six monumental woodcuts by Richard Deon, styled like nineteenth-century pe riodical illustrations, are witty, surreal, and convincingly “historical”even though they are anything but. An additional large-scale painting, al most 40 feet wide, by Deon will be on view in The Hyde’s Rotunda Gallery. Feb 14, 2026 - Jul 26, 2026. The Hyde Collection, 161 Warren Street, Glens Falls, NY 12801

MARCH EVENTS

March 1-August 13 Ballston Spa “How Now Brown Cow?” Dairy Bottles from Saratoga County and Beyond. Our latest exhibit traces the history of dairy farming in Saratoga County through bottles and “go-withs” created to carry products to the local populace. We’ll trace the evolution of regional milk bottles, the types of milk supplying cows found locally, follow the de velopment of Stewart’s Shops through the farms, bottles and glasses related to its creation, and remember the days when the milkman brought products directly from the farm to you. January 24 - August 13. The National Bottle Mu seum, 76 Milton Avenue, Ballston Spa, NY 12020. 518-885-7589

March 1 - March 5 Saratoga County

Saratoga County Restaurant Week 2026: Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce. The Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce will host the 2026 Restaurant Week from Wednesday, February 25th to Thursday, March 5th. Choose from a variety of participating restaurants throughout Saratoga County, each offering unique menus for breakfast, lunch, and/or dinner! Wednesday, Feb 25, 2026 until Thursday, Mar 5, For menus, visit:www.saratoga.org/live/2026-restaurant-week-winter-sweepstakes

March 5 Saratoga Springs Exhibition Workshop-Collage Felting with Jess Stapf. This workshop is part of our exhibition programming. Capital Region fiber artist Jess Stapf will lead a wet felting workshop coinciding with her solo exhibition Fontanelle in our Atrium Gallery. Participants will have the opportunity to learn the basic principles of wet felting for flat objects and wall-hangings. Techniques covered will include pre-felting for creating cutaway designs and hand cut shapes to arrange like collage elements, we will also use roving and yarn as additional embellishments. This workshop is great for beginners who haven’t worked with wet-felting before as well as for those who are more experienced. In this two hour workshop, par ticipants will create two 8” x 10” wall-hangings. Participants will be provided materials but are welcome to bring any of their own wool rov ing or wool yarn scraps to include. Thursday, March 5th, 2026 6:008:00 PM. All supplies for this class will be provided. $25 member/$30 non-member plus $44 material fee. Saratoga Arts, 320 Broadway, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866 p. 518.584.4132

MARCH EVENTS

March 7, 21 and 28  Charlton Beginner Watercolor Series. This series of three watercolor classes are a perfect introduction to transparent watercolors with painter and art educator, Rebecca Peters.  Students will learn wet-on-wet and wet-on-dry techniques using a limited palette. Rebecca will demonstrate techniques and subjects at the beginning of each session, and then help students develop finished paintings during each two hour session. Projects include still life, birds and landscapes. Students are welcome to bring their own brushes if they wish, but not necessary. Paint, paper and brushes will all be supplied. No experience necessary and young artists are welcome! Saturdays, March 7, 21 and 28 Time: 10am – 12pm. Main Street Studio, 786 Charlton Road, Charlton 12027 www.mainstreetcharlton.com or email info@mainstreetcharlton.com.

March 7 Hudson Falls

Experience Queen with Jesse Agan. Jesse Agan and his band honors the unique one-of-a-kind voice of Freddie Mercury, along with the artistry and complex musicality that Queen brought to life with every show. They encompass Queen's high energy Rock 'N' Roll with killer guitar solos, tight harmonies and catchy melodies, keeping audiences of all ages engaged and entertained from start to end. Saturday, March 7, 2026, 8:00 PM  10:00 PM. Strand Theatre, 210 Main Street, Hudson Falls, NY

March 7 – April 12

Schuylerville

Rooted & Rising, a new exhibition of paintings and ceramics inspired by nature, seasons, and transformation, on view at The Laffer Gallery from March 7 – April 12. Featuring work by Monica Miller Link, Teri Malo, and Tim Jones, the show brings together luminous landscapes and expressive ceramic forms that feel both grounded and quietly powerful. Join us for the opening reception on Saturday, March 7 from 5:00–8:00 pm and meet the artists in person. Free and open to the public at The Laffer Gallery, 96 Broad Street, Schuylerville, NY 12817.

March 14 Glens Falls

An Evening with Medium James Joseph Jr. James O. Joseph Jr., The Unintentional Psychic, is the founder and caretaker of the Phoenix Rising Synergy Center, a unique metaphysical community center offering holistic resources, metaphysical modalities, and practitioner services. He is also a psychic medium, intuitive business coach, inspirational speaker, and Reiki practitioner. Saturday, March 14, 2026. 3:30 PM. March 14, 2026. Doors: 2:30 PM - Show: 3:30 PM The Park Theater, 14 Park Street, Glens Falls, NY 12801. 518-792-1150

March 20 Saratoga Springs Momentum Series: Joy Clark with Opener Buggy Jive. Caffè Lena is thrilled to welcome Louisiana-born singer-songwriter and guitarist Joy Clark, a rising force in Americana and folk whose debut album Tell it to the Wind marks her arrival as a bold new voice. Raised just outside New Orleans in a tight-knit, deeply religious family, Joy first learned guitar and harmony in her parents’ church. As she came into her identity as a queer Black woman, songwriting became her path toward freedom and self-definition. Friday, March 20. Time 8:00 pm – 10:00 pm, Doors Open: 7:30 am. Caffè Lena, 47 Phila Street Saratoga Springs, NY

March 22 Hudson Falls HEARD - World Jazz. Heard is a collective of musicians that bring their skills and passion for world music, jazz and improvising together to create irresistible grooves set in a unique sonic tapestry. Together for over 16 years,  their vibrant sound incorporates influences from West Africa, Brazil, the Caribbean and beyond.    Our core ensemble  includes  Laura Andrea Léguia (woodwinds), Jonathan Greene (woodwinds), Bobby Kendall (bass), Brian Melick (drums), Zorkie Nelson (percussion/vocals),  Felix Nelson (dance/vocals/percussion) and Elizabeth Woodbury Kasius (keyboard/vocals). We also often feature amazing additional players,  including: Steve Horowitz (trumpet/flueglehorn) Augustina Nelson (dance/percussion/vocals), Fofo Neequaye (dance/percussion/vocals),  Matt Steckler (woodwinds), Jason Emmond (bass). Sunday, March 22, 2026. 3:00 PM  5:00 PM. Strand Theatre, 210 Main Street, Hudson Falls, NY

March 23 Fort Ann

Memorial Day Bash at Springbrook Hollow Farm Distillery. Kick off summer with us at our Annual Memorial Day Bash, a full day of live music, local makers, family fun, and laid-back Adirondack celebration energy. Whether you come for the music, the handcrafted cocktails, the mountain views, or the community vibes, this is one of our favorite days of the year — and we’re excited to make 2026 the biggest one yet. Monday, Mar 23, 2026 12:00 PM8:00 PM. Springbrook Hollow Farm Distillery, 10047 Route 149 Fort Ann, NY 12827

March 29 Lake George Bands & Beans 2026. Over twenty local restaurants will be throwing down their best chili concoctions and all vying for the coveted People’s Choice Award. The heat doesn’t stop there though! We’ve got nine of your favorite bands, on two stages, playing all day long. This event isn’t just a ton of fun, the proceeds from Bands ‘n Beans benefit the Lake George Arts Project’s free and open to all music and art programs like our year-round Courthouse Gallery exhibitions, our Summer Concert Series and our popular Jazz at the Lake, three-day, Jazz Festival. March 29 @ 2:00 pm - 7:00 pm. EarlyBird Tickets: $30 / Tickets at the Door $35. Your ticket unlocks five hours of live music from 9 bands and chili from 25 local restaurants. It’s the best deal in town! Fort William Henry Conference Center