Slate Valley Museum | Celebrate the History of Slate

UPCOMING PROGRAMS & EVENTS AT A GLANCE

**POSTPONED DUE TO WEATHER**

Trail Walk: Walking with History

Now Taking Place on Wednesday, June 11, 10am

Free

Join us for a walk-through history exploring the technological changes in heavy lifting and the equipment used in the slate industry, focusing on how it was used to move the slate from quarry to market.

The Delaware & Hudson Rail Trail travels the railbed of the former Delaware & Hudson Railroad, known locally as the Slate Picker, which stretched 26 miles through the Slate Valley.

This program will originate at the access point directly adjacent to the Slate Valley Museum. Park in the museum lot and meet right outside the museum's front entrance!

Paint on Slate: Barn & Rainbow

Friday, June 20, 7-9pm

$40 per person

Instructor: Darcie Parrott

Pre-registration & Pre-payment Required

Paint a bright barn scene with step-by-step guidance by an experienced art teacher. No painting experience necessary.

Pre-registration for the workshop is required. Price includes all materials, as well as snacks, and beverages.

To sign up, contact the museum at 518-642-1417 or email Ashley at ashley@slatevalleymuseum.org.

Photo Credit: Darcie Parrott

Sip & Paint on Slate (Kids ages 9+): Red Mushroom

Friday, July 11, 4-6pm

$25 per person

Instructor: Darcie Parrott

Pre-registration & Pre-payment Required

Paint a whimsical mushroom with step-by-step guidance by an experienced art teacher. No painting experience necessary.

Pre-registration for the workshop is required. Price includes all materials, as well as snacks, and beverages.

To sign up, contact the museum at 518-642-1417 or email Ashley at ashley@slatevalleymuseum.org.

Photo Credit: Darcie Parrott

Introductory Wire Wrapping Workshop (Ages 16+)

Friday, July 18, 7-9pm

$40 per person

Pre-registration Required

Join instructor Darcie Parrott to learn how to wrap wire around pieces of slate to create unique pieces of jewelry, charms, or decorations.

This workshop will provide you with the skills and understanding of how to encase a chunk of slate within a decorative and functional wire cage. You will have the opportunity to wrap two pieces of slate, one with thin wire and one with thick wire. At the end of the workshop, you will have created two slate pendants.

Call the museum at 518-642-1417 or email Ashley at ashley@slatevalleymuseum.org to register.

Sip & Paint on Slate: Pig & Flowers

Friday, July 25, 7-9pm

$40 per person

Instructor: Darcie Parrott

Pre-registration & Pre-payment Required

Paint a pink pig with wildflowers with step-by-step guidance by an experienced art teacher. No painting experience necessary.

Pre-registration for the workshop is required. Price includes all materials, as well as snacks, and both alcoholig and non-alcoholic beverages.

To sign up, contact the museum at 518-642-1417 or email Ashley at ashley@slatevalleymuseum.org.

Photo Credit: Darcie Parrott

Raising the Barn! A Festival Celebrating the Slate Valley Museum's Dutch Barn

Saturday, July 26, 10am-4pm

Part of the Slate Valley Museum's Free Community Day Series

Free for Everyone

Enjoy a day packed full of barn-related fun as the Slate Valley Museum welcomes partners from within the region and beyond to help us explore all things barn!

Current Partners & Activities (more to be added):

Dutch Barn Raising Demos with Mabee Farms
Raptor Display (with special guest, the Barn Owl) - with Silent Wings
Joinery Demos with Green Mountain Timber Frames
Joinery Hands-On Activity with Hanford Mills Museum
Barnyard Yoga with Carolyn Stellatella
Opening of the Slate Valley Museum Barn exhibition (title TBD)
And more!

Sip & Paint on Slate (Kids ages 9+): Northern Lights

Friday, August 1, 4-6pm

$25 per person

Instructor: Darcie Parrott

Pre-registration & Pre-payment Required

Paint the northern lights with step-by-step guidance by an experienced art teacher. No painting experience necessary.

Pre-registration for the workshop is required. Price includes all materials, as well as snacks, and beverages.

To sign up, contact the museum at 518-642-1417 or email Ashley at ashley@slatevalleymuseum.org.

Photo Credit: Darcie Parrott

Barn Talk - Reading the Rural Landscape: What Barns Tell Us About Farms

Featuring Dr. Cynthia Falk

Saturday, August 2, 1pm

$10 per person, members free

Did you know that the Slate Valley Museum is in a Dutch barn? What is Dutch about it? And before becoming a museum, how would it have been used? Barns and other agricultural buildings can tell us a lot about the who, when, where, and how of farming and farm communities. Join us to find out more about our barn and others from throughout New York State.

Dr. Falk is the Associate Dean of the School of Graduate Studies at SUNY Oneonta and Professor of Material Culture at the Cooperstown Graduate Program. She teaches material culture methodology, historic preservation, designing for accessibility, and thematic courses in America’s tangible heritage. She has also authored several works, includingthe book, Barns of New York: Rural Architecture of the Empire State (Cornell, 2012).

Barn Work! Tools, Trucks, Tractors, & More

Featuring All-Day Blacksmithing Demos by Jordan LaMothe

Saturday, August 9, 10am-4pm

Part of the Slate Valley Museum's Free Community Day Series

Free for Everyone

It's time to get to work! Having a farm has always required having the right tool for the job. Join us as Jordan LaMothe returns for morning and afternoon demonstrations - blacksmithing farm tools!

We will also have touch a truck and tractor, as well as hands-on tool activities for the young and the young at heart!

Paint on Slate: Fall Trees & Moon

Friday, October 17, 7-9pm

$40 per person

Instructor: Darcie Parrott

Pre-registration & Pre-payment Required

Paint a dark autumn scene with step-by-step guidance by an experienced art teacher. No painting experience necessary.

Pre-registration for the workshop is required. Price includes all materials, as well as snacks, and beverages.

To sign up, contact the museum at 518-642-1417 or email Ashley at ashley@slatevalleymuseum.org.

Photo Credit: Darcie Parrott

Paint on Slate: Snowy Barn in Winter

Friday, December,12 7-9pm

$40 per person

Instructor: Darcie Parrott

Pre-registration & Pre-payment Required

Paint a winter scene with step-by-step guidance by an experienced art teacher. No painting experience necessary.

Pre-registration for the workshop is required. Price includes all materials, as well as snacks, and beverages.

To sign up, contact the museum at 518-642-1417 or email Ashley at ashley@slatevalleymuseum.org.

Photo Credit: Darcie Parrott

PAST PROGRAMS & EVENTS

Paint on Slate Workshop: Colorful Trees

Friday, May 30, 7-9pm

$40 per person

Instructor: Darcie Parrott

Pre-registration & Pre-payment Required

Paint a springtime scene with colorful, blossoming trees with step-by-step guidance by an experienced art teacher. No painting experience necessary.

Pre-registration for the workshop is required. In addition to adults, older children ages 12+ are welcome to sign up.

To sign up, contact the museum at 518-642-1417 or email Ashley at ashley@slatevalleymuseum.org.

Photo Credit: Darcie Parrott

Pysanky Egg Workshop with Christine Levy

Saturday, March 29, 12-3pm

$40 per person

Pre-registration Required

Join artist Christine Levy to learn about the history and how-tos of making Pysanky, or Ukranian Easter eggs. Levy is a second generation Ukranian American and has been writing Pysanky since she was 10 years old.

All ages welcome. Children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult.

Workshop fee includes all materials and supplies.

To register, please contact the museum at mail@slatevalleymuseum.org or at 518-642-1417. If you reach the museum's voicemail, please leave a message and someone will call you back as soon as possible.

Photo: Courtesy Christine Levy

Paint on Slate Workshop: Frozen Lake & Dock

December 13, 7-9pm

$40 per person

Instructor: Darcie Parrott

Pre-registration & Pre-payment Required

Our final workshop of the 2024 season!

nstructor Darcie Parrott returns for a paint on slate workshop where participants will paint the view of a frozen lake and dock. No painting experience is required.

Please note that this event will be alcohol-free. In addition to adults, older children ages 12+ are welcome to attend.

Pre-registration for the workshop is required. Tickets include all art materials, beverages (i.e. water, soda, etc.), and snacks.

Space is limited. Those interested in registering should contact the museum at 518-642-1417 or executivedirector@slatevalleymuseum.org.

Photo: Courtesy Darcie Parrott

Slate Valley Museum Holiday Festival Display

Now through December 15, 10am-4pm

Free Community Event

Visit and enjoy seasonal displays created by local community and museum members.

Create crafts and participate in our Loops of Friendship bracelet giving project.

Are you part of a group who'd like to visit? We'd love to welcome you! Please give us a heads up so that we can accomodate your group. While it's not required to schedule your visit ahead of time, we'd appreciate advanced notice where possible. Just call the museum at 518-642-1417 or email us at mail@slatevalleymuseum.org.

Loops of Friendship Community Giving Project

Bracelet Making & Community Art Activity

Now through December 14

All Ages Welcome

Help us blanket our communities with kindness by making and donating friendship bracelets for us to give to people who could benefit from receiving an extra token of humanity this season!

Use your favorite techniques and materials to make your own unique creations! We'll display them at the museum and then distribute them throughout our local communities right after the Holiday Festival ends.

I finished my bracelets! What do I do now?

Stop by the museum whenever it's convenient for you, even after hours! If the museum isn't open, simply leave them in the tall dropbox located outside the museum entrance. There's a sign on it indicated that you can leave your bracelets there!

Learn more about the project and how to participate here.

Download bracelet tags here.

Questions? Email us at mail@slatevalleymuseum.org.

Moving Mountains: The Mustard Seed Project

Season-Long Feature Art Installation Event

Featuring 2024 Artist-in-Residence Serena Kovalosky

On View During Regular Museum Hours

Click here for Dates the Artist will be Onsite

Included with Regular Admission

In a temporary studio at the Slate Valley Museum, artist Serena Kovalosky is inviting visitors to pull up a chair, have a chat, and immerse themselves in the creative process during her 2024 residency, which focuses on her sculptural project Moving Mountains: The Mustard Seed Project.

Now through October, Slate Valley Museum visitors will be welcomed to watch Kovalosky in her meticulous, six-month journey of placing tiny mustard seeds from around the world, one by one, on the branches of a foraged mustard "tree" as a contemplative exercise in how “impossible” goals are achieved – one tiny step (seed) at a time.

While visiting, guests will learn about the inspiration behind Kovalosky’s concept while embarking on their own seed journey by stringing dried vegetables and seeds. Their work will form a community-created art installation that explores perspectives of cultural identity through plants and food inspired by the museum’s ongoing exhibition, The Dream and the Reality.

Kovalosky will work in her studio on scheduled dates. To find out when she will be at the museum and to learn more about the project, please visit her calendar on her website.

Photo: Courtesy Serena Kovalosky

Opening Celebration:

Slate Valley Museum Holiday Festival - Peace on Earth

December 7, 3-7:30pm

Free Community Event

Join us for a special evening in celebration of our 2024 Slate Valley Museum Holiday Festival opening! Enjoy seasonal displays created by local community members, make holiday crafts, create friendship bracelets, visit with Santa and Mrs. Claus, enjoy cookies and cocoa, and more!

Please note that Santa and Mrs. Claus will be at the museum from 3-5pm, prior to the lighting in the Village park.

The evening will also feature the premiere of Serena Kovalosky’s finished work, Moving Mountains: The Mustard Seed Project, and community installation, Seed Journeys. These projects are part of Kovalosky's year-long artist residency at the Slate Valley Museum.

Paint on Slate: Autumn Tree with Swing

October 18, 7-9pm

$40 per person

Instructor: Darcie Parrott

Pre-registration & Pre-payment Required

Paint a whimsical autumn scene on slate with step-by-step guidance from instructor DarcieParrott. No painting experience is required.

Pre-registration for the workshop is required. Please note that this event will be alcohol-free. In addition to adults, older children ages 12+ are welcome to attend.

Space is limited. Those interested in registering should contact the museum at 518-642-1417 or executivedirector@slatevalleymuseum.org.

Photo: Courtesy Darcie Parrott.

Seed Journeys with Serena - The Final Session:

"American as Apple Pie? Origins of the Apple and the Mystery of the McIntosh"

October 5, 10:30am-4pm

Free with Admission

Featuring special guest Jon Hill from Greenstone Slate, who will offer slate demos from 1-4pm.

As this is the final Seed Journeys session of the season, Kovalosky will share stories of the surprising ancestor of the cultivated apple we know today and share the mysterious history of the McIntosh while offering instruction on stringing dried apples and small beads on beading wire for the installation.

Participants are also invited to string tiny glass seed beads in the colors of Slate Valley slate as an additional component to the installation. It is the last chance for people to participate and become part of a community-created art installation that will be part of the Slate Valley Museum's collection.

Offered in conjunction with our 2024 Artist-in-Residence Serena Kovalosky's project, Moving Mountains: The Mustard Seed Project.

Photo: Courtesy Serena Kovalosky

**Cancelled** Slate Coaster & Trivet Painting Workshop

**Cancelled

$40 per person

Instructor: Christine Levy

Pre-registration & Pre-payment Required

Create custom painted slate coasters or trivets! In this workshop, you’ll learn how to create two beautiful acrylic painted slate pieces that can be used as coasters, trivets, or hot plates. The materials and techniques used to make permanent, waterproof, fadeproof slate items will be taught. The coasters and trivets we make will be functional works of art that you will love to keep for yourself or give as a gift!

Photo: Courtesy Christine Levy.

*CANCELLED*

This program has been cancelled due to a lack of registrations. Please check back here throughout the year to learn more about future kids' programs and workshops.

Sip & Paint on Slate for Kids (ages 9+) - Moonlight on the Water

Friday, August 16, 4-6pm

$25 per person

Instructor: Darcie Parrott

Pre-payment and Pre-registration Require

For kids ages 9 an up! No art experience necessary.

All kids must be accompanied by an adult. Those adults wishing to paint may purchase their own ticket, or they may opt to explore the museum while their kids participate in the workshop.

Pre-registration for the workshop is required. Tickets include all art materials, one beverage ticket, and snacks.

Space is limited. Those interested in registering should contact the museum at 518-642-1417 or executivedirector@slatevalleymuseum.org.

Photo: Courtesy Darcie Parrott.

From Mohntaschen to Hamantaschen: A Poppy Seed Journey Exploring German Jewish Culture

August 10, 10:30am-4pm

Free with Admission

Stop by for coffee, a chat, and a drop-in creative experience as 2024 Artist-in-Residence Serena Kovalosky shares stories of the culinary and cultural roots of hamantaschen, a poppy-filled pastry, and its connection to German Jewish immigrants that settled in the Slate Valley region. During the discussion, Kovalosky will also offer instruction on stringing poppy seeds for a community art installation.

Visitors will also be invited to string tiny glass seed beads in the colors of Slate Valley slate as an additional component to the installation, to reflect the region's identity as the "colored slate capital of the world."

No artistic experience necessary to participate!

Offered in conjunction with our 2024 Artist-in-Residence Serena Kovalosky's ongoing project, Moving Mountains: The Mustard Seed Project.

Photo: Courtesy Serena Kovalosky.

Partner Program: An Exhibition on the Postal Service of Washington County, NY

Presented by Stephen Matte

July 27, 2pm

Free

Organized by the Washington County Historical Society

Stephen has been an avid collector of postal memorabilia for over 30 years and his extensive collection contains items from about 66 local post offices (approximately 90% of all post offices that ever existed in Washington County) with many items from offices that no longer exist.

With this talk being held in Granville, Stephen will bring 40 extra Granville postal system items and in celebration of the 250th Anniversary of the United States of America. He will also bring two items from the 1700s.

For more information about Washington County Historical Society, please visit their website.

Paint on Slate Workshop: Jar of Fireflies in Night Sky

July 26, 7-9pm

$40 per person

Instructor: Darcie Parrott

Pre-registration & Pre-payment Required

Instructor Darcie Parrott returns for a paint on slate workshop where participants will paint a jar of fireflies with step-by-step guidance from Parrott. No painting experience is required.

Pre-registration for the workshop is required. Tickets include all art materials, one non-alcohol beverage ticket, and snacks.

Space is limited. Those interested in registering should contact the museum at 518-642-1417 or executivedirector@slatevalleymuseum.org.

Photo credit: Courtesy Darcie Parrott.

Seed Journey & Partner Program: Exploring Corn in Art, Agriculture, and Immigrant Culture

Saturday, July 13, 10:30am-3:30pm

Free with Museum Admission

This two-part event will explore art and agriculture through the history of corn as a crop and its influence on Latin American cultures. The morning will feature a presentation by Brian Gilchrist, Executive Director of Washington County Cornell Cooperative Extension, followed by an afternoon studio tour and hands-on creative experience with Kovalosky.

10:30am: Gilchrist will present “A Kernel of Knowledge: The History and Science of Corn, Its Importance to Our Food Supply, and Its Relevance in Our Everyday Lives."

12:30 to 3:30pm: Kovalosky will provide a “Seed Journey” experience as she shares a brief history of the cultural significance of corn in Latin American indigenous cultures while offering instruction on stringing dried corn seeds and husks on beading wire.

Complimentary coffee and tea available throughout the day.

Photo: Courtesy Serena Kovalosky.

Sip & Paint on Slate for Kids (ages 9+) - Night Owl on Tree Branch

Friday, July 5, 4-6pm

$25 per person

Instructor: Darcie Parrott

Pre-payment and pre-registration Required

For kids ages 9 an up! No art experience necessary.

All kids must be accompanied by an adult. Those adults wishing to paint may purchase their own ticket, or they may opt to explore the museum while their kids participate in the workshop.

Pre-registration for the workshop is required. Tickets include all art materials, one beverage ticket, and snacks.

Space is limited. Those interested in registering should contact the museum at 518-642-1417 or executivedirector@slatevalleymuseum.org.

Photo: Courtesy Darcie Parrott.

"Seed Journey" Drop-In Creative Experience, Plus Special Partner Demos

June 8, 10:30am-4pm

Free with Museum Admission

Featuring 2024 Artist-in-Residence Serena Kovalosky

Other Demonstrations by Greenstone Slate & North Granville Pottery Company

Beading Session & Discussion - "Welsh Soldiers Wearing Leeks & The Irish Potato from Feast to Famine to Sustainability"

Stop by for coffee, a chat, and a drop-in creative experience as 2024 Artist-in-Residence Serena Kovalosky explores Ireland’s deep (and tragic) relationship with the potato and how the leek became the national symbol of Wales. During the discussion, Kovalosky will offer instruction on stringing dried leeks and potatoes on beading wire for the installation.

No artistic experience necessary to participate!

Offered in conjunction with our 2024 Artist-in-Residence Serena Kovalosky's ongoing project, Moving Mountains: The Mustard Seed Project.

Other Special Partner Demonstrations

Jon Hill from Greenstone Slate will be at the museum for slate splitting demonstrations throughout the day. Greenstone is located in nearby Slate Valley town of Poultney, VT. Their SlateTec roof installation method (see right) was featured on a 2011 episode of the popular DIY show, Rescue Renovation.

Victoria Whitney of North Granville Pottery Company will also offer pottery demos. Victoria has deep ties to our region and grew up around the slate industry. Her training as a ceramics artist includes workshops at the Royal Delft Factory in the Netherlands and Alfred University (New York). She sells her Dutch-inspired pieces at arts and craft fairs throughout our region.

Photo, Top: Leeks and Potatoes. Courtesy Serena Kovalosky.

Photo, Middle (slate roof): SlateTec roof installation featured on Rescue Renovation. Courtesy Greenstone Slate.

Photo, Bottom (bowl): Bowl created by Victoria Whitney for the Slate Valley Museum's 2018 Ethnic Bread and Soup event.

Paint on Slate - Slate Bridge Session

With Instructor Darcie Parrott

Friday, May 31, 7-9pm

$40 per person; pre-registration required

Instructor Darcie Parrott returns for a paint on slate workshop where participants will paint a scene of a slate bridge over a river with step-by-step guidance from Parrott, a local art teacher. No painting experience is required.

Please note that this event will be alcohol-free. “Our Sip & Paint on Slate workshop series has been successful and will absolutely continue throughout this year,” notes the museum's director, Sarah Kijowski. “We’re just expanding our options a bit to make sure that we provide opportunities for people who would prefer to attend alcohol-free events. We’re hoping that families with older kids (ages 12+) might also consider attending.”

Pre-registration for the workshop is required. Tickets include all art materials, beverages (i.e. water, soda, etc.), and snacks.

Space is limited. Those interested in registering should contact the museum at 518-642-1417 or executivedirector@slatevalleymuseum.org.

Photo credit: Courtesy Darcie Parrott.

Seed Journey with Serena Kovalosky: From Wild Tomatoes to Italian Cuisine

Saturday, May 18, 10:30am-4pm

Included with Regular Museum Admission

This first in the artist’s series of “Seed Journey” programs explores the origins of the tomato from its wild ancestor and how it made its way to Italy and forever changed its food and cooking.

Complimentary tea & coffee will be available at this drop-in creative experience. Stop in anytime during normal museum hours.

Learn more about Kovalosky's "Seed Journeys" and Moving Mountains: The Mustard Tree Project, which inspired them.

Photo: Courtesy Serena Kovalosky

Engraving Demonstration by Hawaiian Artist Scott Kekuhaupi'o Manley

Saturday, May 11, 1-3pm

Included with regular museum admission

The Slate Valley Museum will welcome Hawaiian artist Scott Kekuhaupi'o Manley for slate engraving demonstration.

Manley, who hails from Honolulu, creates hand engravings of historical, ancestral, and contemporary art onto slate. He makes his art with tiles that were transported from the Slate Valley in 1927 to roof Kawaiaha'o Church, an historic church in Honolulu. The tiles became available when the roof was replaced several years ago. Manley acquired hundreds of tiles at that time and has been engraving ever since.

Come and see Manley's demo from 1-3pm. Visitors will be welcomed to try engraving themselves. Some small slate pieces will be available at the museum, but people are welcome to bring their own slate pieces to create on as well.

Photo credit: Engraving on slate roofing tile. Courtesy Scott Kekuhaupi'o Manley.

Pysanky Egg Workshop with Christine Levy

Saturday, March 16, 12-3pm

$40 per person

Pre-registration Required

All ages welcome. Children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult.

Workshop fee includes all materials and supplies.

Photo: Courtesy Christine Levy

Hudson River Ceili - Live Musical Performance

Traditional Celtic Music

Friday, March 15, 7-9pm

$20 per person, $15 for members of the museum

Pre-registration recommended

March is Irish American Heritage Month! What better way to celebrate than by joining us for a festive evening of music with Hudson River Ceili?

Hudson River Ceili is known for performing traditional Irish and other Celtic style music and dance. The group especially enjoys high energy dance tunes from the Irish, Quebecois, and New England traditions.

Light refreshments will be available.

To register, email Sarah at mail@slatevalleymuseum.org or call the museum at 518-642-1417. If you reach the voicemail system, simply leave a message and someone will return your call as soon as possible!

Learn more about the group on their website, https://hudsonriverceili.com/

Photo: Courtesy Hudson River Ceili.

Sip & Paint on Slate, Holiday Session

Monday, December 11, 6:30-9pm

$40 per person

Pre-registration & Pre-payment Required

Join instructor Darcie Parrott as she leads the group step-by-step in how to create a festive winter scene with a red barn as the focal point.

Registration fee includes one beverage ticket and a selection of savory and sweet snacks. Additional beverages available for purchase.

The first half hour of the event will be time to explore the Festival of Trees. Art instruction will begin at 7pm.

To register, please email mail@slatevalleymuseum.org or call 518-642-1417.

You can also download the brochure for the entire 2023 season by clicking here.

Photo: Courtesy Darcie Parrott.

Sip & Paint on Slate, Fall Session

Friday, October 13, 7-9pm

$40 per person

Pre-registration & Pre-payment Required

Join instructor Darcie Parrott as she leads the group step-by-step in how to create a spooky fall night on slate sourced from the Slate Valley.

Registration fee includes one beverage ticket and a selection of savory and sweet snacks. Additional beverages available for purchase.

To register, please contact museum associate Wendy Bordwell at associate@slatevalleymuseum.org or 518-642-1417.

You can also download the brochure for the entire 2023 season by clicking here.

Photo: Courtesy Darcie Parrott.

Introductory Wire Wrapping Workshop

Friday, September 29, 7-9pm

$40 per person

Pre-registration Required

Join instructor Darcie Parrott to learn how to wrap wire around pieces of slate to create unique pieces of jewelry, charms, or decorations.

Call the museum at 518-642-1417 to register.

CANCELLED

Historic Architecture Tour of Saratoga: Elements of both Landscape Architecture and Built Architecture (rain or shine)

September 16, 10:15am, $15 for Members; all others $20

Pre-registration & Pre-payment Required by 4pm on Tuesday, 9/12

Saratoga Springs has thrived, in part, due to the underground and above ground landscape within the city. Join guest curator and research Bob Isherwood as he explores the historic district of the Congress Park area and the adjoining East Side Neighborhood. Exploration of these city areas will use Saratoga as an example of some of the themes around city planning and the use of slate in the post Civil War/Gilded Age period as developed in the exhibition, One Painting, Many Stories.

The walking tour will conclude with a picnic lunch (bring/buy our own) on the grounds of the Saratoga Spa State Park where attendees will be able to view the WPA era architecture of Dwight J. Baum and others.

Space is limited and RSVP is required. Please call 518-642-1417 by 4pm on Tuesday 9/12 to register and pay to participate in the tour. Details on where to convene will be provided upon registration.

The event is rain or shine, with the picnic dependent on the weather conditions. This is primarily a walking tour with variations of street and sidewalk conditions. Please dress appropriate for walking and weather.

Photo: Courtesy private collection.

Workshop: Painting on Slate—Folk Art Designs with Heather Bellanca

September 15, 7pm, $40 per person

Pre-registration & Pre-payment Required

Join artist Heather Bellanca and learn how to transfer folk art designs to slate and then create your own unique, colorful artworks using paint pens.

Space is limited. Pre-registration and prepayment are required. Those interested in attending should contact the museum at 518-642-1417 or mail@slatevalleymuseum.org.

Photo: Courtesy Heather Bellanca

Sip & Paint on Slate, Late Summer Session

Friday, August 18, 7-9pm

$40 per person

Pre-registration & Pre-payment Required

Join instructor Darcie Parrott as she leads the group step-by-step in how to create a colorful Zinnia flower on slate sourced from the Slate Valley.

Registration fee includes one beverage ticket and a selection of savory and sweet snacks. Additional beverages available for purchase.

To register, please contact museum associate Wendy Bordwell at associate@slatevalleymuseum.org or 518-642-1417.

You can also download the brochure for the entire 2023 season by clicking here.

Photo: Courtesy Darcie Parrott.

Exhibition Opening Day, Featuring Curator Krista Rupe

Saturday, July 8, 10am

Free with Museum Admission

Early trailblazers in the slate industry were more than successful business owners. They helped shape an important economy that came to define the Slate Valley region.

In the Slate Valley Museum's newest exhibition, researcher Krista Rupe and photographer Chuck Helfer explore the lives of these early "Slate Barons," their contributions to society both locally and beyond, and the legacy in objects and architecture that we can see from them today.

Image: Courtesy Slate Valley Museum permanent collection.

Slate Roof Birdhouse Workshop for Kids 10+

June 17, 1pm

$40 per person

Pre-registration & Pre-payment Required

Instructors Tom DeMatties and his son Sam will lead in constructing wooden birdhouses with slate tile roofs.

In addition to guiding participants through the construction process, DeMatties will also cover basic woodworking safety. All participants will need to have long hair tied back and no loose shirts or hoodies with strings will be permitted in the workshops for safety reasons. Safety glasses will be available to borrow from the museum, but attendees may bring their own if they desire to do so.

The fee to participate in the workshop is $40 per child, with a limit of one birdhouse per child. An adult must accompany each child and should expect to assist with the construction process. Any adult helper is welcome to build a birdhouse as well for an additional fee of $20.

Call the museum to register.

Slate Roof Birdhouse Workshop for Kids 13+

June 16, 6pm

$40 per person

Pre-registration & Pre-payment Required

Instructors Tom DeMatties and his son Sam will lead in constructing wooden birdhouses with slate tile roofs.

Call the museum to register.

SlaterDay: Slate in Historic Preservation

June 10, 10am - 4pm

Free with Museum Admission

See slate work first hand and listen to slaters share stories of their work! Our first SlaterDay of the 2023 season explores examples of slate in historic preservation efforts. Representatives from Camara Slate will join us for demos and discussion throughout the day.

The day will also highlight updates to the One Painting, Many Stories exhibitoin that features Martha Levy's Men Working in Slate Quarry WPA era mural, which hangs at the museum.

Photo: Camara Slate Quarry.

Sip & Paint on Slate, Early Summer Session

Friday, June 2, 7-9pm

$40 per person

Pre-registration & Pre-payment Required

Join instructor Darcie Parrott as she leads the group step-by-step in how to create a patriotic slate - an American flag painted in the night sky behind a shadowed woodline.

Registration fee includes one beverage ticket and a selection of savory and sweet snacks. Additional beverages available for purchase.

To register, please contact museum associate Wendy Bordwell at associate@slatevalleymuseum.org or 518-642-1417.

You can also download the brochure for the entire 2023 season by clicking here.

Photo: Courtesy Darcie Parrott.

Slate, Strikes, and Unions: Exploring the History of Labor in the Slate Industry

Virtual Program & Online Exhibition Launch

Featuring Guest Curator Kaidin Phelan

Friday, May 26, 6pm

Streamed for FREE via Zoom

Click here to access the program

Since at least 1840s, the slate industry has operated in the Slate Valley, where thousands of skilled laborers have extracted slate from the Earth. The relationship between workers and quarry owners has been contentious at times, leading to strikes and demands through labor unions when tensions flared.

Join guest curator and researcher Kaidin Phelan for a program exploring how he developed the new online exhibition. He will lead a "tour" of the virtual exhibition, which will be made public on the Slate Valley Museum website for the first time at this program.

Click here to access the program.

Photo: Courtesy Slate Valley Museum

Exhibition Grand Opening & Curator's Talk by Carwyn Rhys Jones

Saturday, May 20, 10am

$10 per person; Free for Museum Members

Photographer Carwyn Rhys Jones will join us at the Slate Valley Museum to open his original exhibition, Quarrymen. The event will feature a curator's talk and discussion, as well as an opportunity to meet the artist. Refreshments will be available.

Previously on view at the National Slate Museum and other venues in Wales, this special exhibition features Jones' creative use of double exposure photography and video documentary to share the stories of quarrymen who once worked in the quarries of Northern Wales.

Image: Courtesy Carwyn Rhys Jones.

Exhibition Preview Reception & Curator's Tour of Quarrymen, by Carwyn Rhys Jones

Friday, May 19, 7-9pm

$15 per person; Free for Museum Members

Photographer Carwyn Rhys Jones will join us at the Slate Valley Museum for a special preview of his original exhibition, Quarrymen. Jones will provide a tour of his exhibition. Refreshments will be available.

Image: Courtesy Carwyn Rhys Jones.

Granville: Raised in Stone

Film Viewing and Q&A with Filmmaker Marielle Scott

Saturday, May 6, 1pm

Streamed for FREE via Zoom

Click here to access the webinar - https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84688954640

Marielle’s film follows Paul Labas, who is a third-generation slate maker born and raised in Granville, NY. This small town rests on the border of Vermont and New York and is known as the colored slate capital of the world. The town’s development has historically relied on the success of the slate industry. But, as time moves on, both the town and the industry face many challenges - and Paul finds himself at the center of them.

Program includes a viewing of the film and time for Q&A with the filmmaker.

Please click on the following link to access the webinar - https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84688954640.

Image Courtesy Marielle Scott

Pysanky Egg Workshop for Kids with Christine Levy

Saturday, March 25, 1-4pm

$40 per child; must be ages 6-12 to participate

Pre-registration & Pre-payment Required

Artist Christine Levy will welcome children ages 6-12 to learn about the history and how-tos of making Pysanky, or Ukranian Easter eggs. Levy is a second generation Ukranian American and has been writing Pysanky since she was 10 years old.

Children should be accompanied by an adult who can assist them, as the workshop involves the use of hot wax to create the egg designs.

To register, please contact museum associate Wendy Bordwell at associate@slatevalleymuseum.org or 518-642-1417.

Workshop fee includes all materials and supplies.

Photo: Courtesy Christine Levy

Pysanky Egg Workshop for Adults with Christine Levy

Friday, March 24, 6-9pm

$40 per person

Pre-registration & Pre-payment Required

Workshop fee includes all materials and supplies.

To register, please contact museum associate Wendy Bordwell at associate@slatevalleymuseum.org or 518-642-1417.

Photo: Courtesy Christine Levy

Gypsy Reel Annual St. Patrick's Performance

Saturday, March 18, 7pm

$20 per person, $15 for members of the museum

Pre-registration & Pre-payment Encouraged

Gypsy Reel returns for their annual St Patrick’s concert! Joining them this year will be two of their favorite guitar/ upright bass players - Jon Scaife (over from the UK) and Silas Hamilton. These fantastic rhythm and tune players will keep the heat on the beat for the dance tunes and are fabulous accompanists for the Celtic songs.

Get your tickets early, this will be a memorable concert at a fantastic venue. Feel free to wear green and bring your dancing shoes!

Enjoy stirring songs as well as a selection of breads, spreads, and beverages donated by local stores and bakeries.

Beer will also be available for purchase.

Pre-registration and pre-payment are strongly suggested due to the popularity of this event. There may be a limited number of seats available the night of the concert, but there is no guarantee. Please contact museum associate Wendy Bordwell at associate@slatevalleymuseum.org or 518-642-1417.

Special Thanks to Our Business Partners on this Event

Donors of Breads & Spreads: Argyle Cheese Farmer, The Bread Basket, B & G Foods, Consider Bardwell Farm, Grottoli's Maple, Larson Farms & Creamery, Nuns of New Skete, Rupert Rising, and Vermont Creamery

Beverage Partner: Slate Town Brewery

Ethnic Bread & Soup Night

Friday, March 3, 6-8pm

$10 per person; $15 extra for commemorative soup bowl (limited number available)

Taste a variety of 20 warm soups with culinary roots connected to the immigrant groups that worked in and around our region's slate industry.

Soups, stews, and chowders include traditional recipes from Wales, Ireland, and Eastern Europe, as well as other immigrant groups represented in our region, including ethnic groups from Europe and the Americas.

A selection of crusty and delicious breads donated by Rock Hill Bakery will be also available to pair with soup tastings.

Special Thanks to the Following Business Partners on this Event

Soup Donors: Dorset Inn, Granville Family Diner, Mach's Market, Olive Garden - Queensbury, O'Toole's Pub & Restaurant, Red Lobster - Queensbury.

Bread Donor: Rock Hill Bakehouse

And North Granville Pottery Co. for creating and donating a limited number of bowls for the event.

Sip & Paint on Slate - Cabin Fever Session

Friday, February 24, 7-9pm (rescheduled to snow date)

$40 per person

Pre-registration required

Join us for our first Sip & Paint of 2023! Meet our new instructor, Darcie Parrott, as she leads participants in creating a wintery scene with birds and birches.

Registration includes one drink ticket plus delicious locally or regionally-sourced snacks and bites.

Call 518-642-1417 or email associate@slatevalleymuseum.org to register or with questions.

Sip & Paint on Slate, Holiday Session

Wednesday, December 14, 7-9PM

$40 per person; discount for multi-session registration

Pre-registration Required

Download our brochure and registration form here!

This Sip & Paint session features a serene winter landscape with snow-covered evergreens. Leave yours natural, or add holiday decorations! A painting instructor from the Traveling Paints will return to help guide us in the process of making our own painting (image, left) on a roofing tile that was quarried and crafted right here in the Slate Valley.

Pre-registration is required. Registration forms are available by clicking here. Complete the forms and return them to the museum or contact Museum Associate Wendy Bordwell at 518-642-1417 or associate@slatevalleymuseum.org.

Slate Valley Festival of Trees: Let's Gather Together Again

Public Opening Event, Friday, December 2

Free Community Event

Whether we're gathering around the table or around the Christmas tree, we hope that this year marks a return to togetherness and community.

Help us celebrate this year's Festival's theme - "Let's Gather Together Again" - by joining us at the museum for our grand opening event, which features live music, refreshments, a kids' craft activity, and Santa Claus.

Or visit during the week! Bring friends, family, coworkers, etc. to experience the Festival!

Do you work at a senior facility, school, or other community organization? Call and schedule a group at 518-642-1417 or email associate@slatevalleymuseum.org

**NEW DATE**

Excavating Stories: How A Small Museum Uncovers Misplaced, Forgotten, and Even Unknown Histories

Wednesday, November 16, 7pm

Virtual-Only, Zoom Program

Free

Click here to stream online!

How do museums uncover hard-to-find histories? Listen in on a virtual roundtable discussion among current and former Slate Valley Museum staff and collaborators as they discuss how they worked with other museums, libraries, archives, galleries, and historical societies to chase the echoes of illusive histories.

Click here to join the program via Zoom.

Photo: Learn more about the mural here.

Sip & Paint on Slate, Late Fall Session

Friday, November 4, 7-9PM

$40 per person; discount for multi-session registration

Pre-registration Required

Download our brochure and registration form here!

This Sip & Paint session features a late autumn scene after the foliage has fallen and much of nature is falling into its winter sleep . A painting instructor from the Traveling Paints will return to help guide us in the process of making our own painting (image, left) on a roofing tile that was quarried and crafted right here in the Slate Valley.

Sip & Paint on Slate, Early Fall Session

Friday, September 30, 7-9PM

$40 per person; discount for multi-session registration

Pre-registration Required

Download our brochure and registration form here!

This Sip & Paint session features colorful fall birch trees. A painting instructor from the Traveling Paints will return to help guide us in the process of making our own painting (image, left) on a roofing tile that was quarried and crafted right here in the Slate Valley.

Exhibition Opening Reception - Castleton Made: Paintings and Pencils

Curated by Estelle Kearns

Friday, September 23, 7pm

$10 per person; free for Museum Members

The newest exhibition at the Slate Valley Museum will explore the use of slate in Castleton, Vermont through both historic and modern contexts. By examining the legacy of the old pencil mill and modern paintings on roofing slate, we can see slate's continuing influence on the individual and the town.

The paintings of Tom Kearns of Castleton take inspiration from the early morning scenes of nature on Lake Bomoseen and the surrounding area, where the environment has reclaimed the old pencil mill and other closed quarries.

Mask-Only Curator's Tour of One Painting, Many Stories

Led by Curator Bob Isherwood

Friday, September 9, 10am

$10 per person; free for Museum Members

RSVP Required by 9/8

Curator Bob Isherwood will lead a special tour of the museum’s latest exhibition, which explores the historical trends and societal movements and shifts that led to the public art movement, and most notably the creation of murals by artists employed during the Great Depression New Deal Programs.

The tour will be offered in conjunction with the museum’s regularly scheduled mask-only hours, a specially designated block of time when masks are required for all visitors to create access for those who are most comfortable around others who are masking in public due to COVID.

Sip & Paint on Slate, Late Summer Session

Friday, August 19, 7-9PM

$40 per person; discount for multi-session registration

Pre-registration Required

Download our brochure and registration form here!

This Sip & Paint session features a rich evening scene on the water. A painting instructor from the Traveling Paints will return to help guide us in the process of making our own painting (image, left) on a roofing tile that was quarried and crafted right here in the Slate Valley.

SlaterDay: Slate Working Demos and Hands-on Activities

Saturday, August 13

Regular Admission Applies: $5 for people 12+, $3 seniors, free for kids under 12, slate workers, and military

Come to the museum for a day of slate!

Join us at 10am for a special reception highlighting our Silver Anniversary wall, clad entirely with Slate Valley red floor tiles designed and engraved by the specialists at Sheldon Slate Products in Middle Granville.

Slate working demos at 11:45am, 12:45pm, and 1:45pm. We are welcoming modern-day Slate Valley slate worker and company owner Jon Hill of Greenstone Slate to demonstrate slate working skills of his choice.

Local painter Dr. Mike Dashnaw will also exhibit his methods for painting on slate. Also known to many in the community for his years in the medical profession, Dr. Mike now directs his passions toward creating painted slates to benefit the Make-a-Wish Foundation.

The museum will also offer a "Create with Slate!" activity where visitors can drop in throughout the day to craft their own piece from slate.

Jewelry making demos, chalk art on the lawn, and museum tours also offered.

Bring a picnic lunch and enjoy family time by the Mettawee River!

SlaterDay: Slate Working Demos and Hands-on Activities

Featuring Dave Lundy from Hilltop Slate in Granville

Saturday, July 9

Regular Admission Applies: $5 for people 12+, $3 seniors, free for kids under 12, slate workers, and military

Come to the museum for a day of slate!

Slate working demos from 11am-Noon. We are welcoming modern-day Slate Valley slate worker Dave Lundy from Hilltop Slate to demonstrate slate working skills of his choice.

Local painter Dr. Mike Dashnaw will demonstrate his methods for painting on slate. Also known to many in the community for his years in the medical profession, Dr. Mike now directs his passions toward creating painted slates to benefit the Make-a-Wish Foundation.

The museum will also offer a "Create with Slate!" activity where visitors can drop in throughout the day to craft their own piece from slate.

Bring a picnic lunch and enjoy family time by the Mettawee River!

Evening at the Museum: Curator's Tour of One Painting, Many Stories Special Exhibition

Bob Isherwood, Guest Curator and Content Researcher

Friday, June 24, 7pm

Free for Museum Members; $10 all others

Join us for a special evening with the curator of our new One Painting, Many Stories exhibition. Bob Isherwood will guide us through the gallery, sharing the content within it, the process behind its creation, and the stories that we are still chasing today.

Refreshments including wine, beer, non-alchologic beverages, and hors d'oeuvres will be available.

Sip & Paint on Slate, Early Summer Session

Friday, June 17, 7-9PM

$40 per person; discount for multi-session registration

Pre-registration Required

Download our brochure and registration form here!

This Sip & Paint session features an image of soft blooming branches, perfect for ushering in the summer season! A painting instructor from the Traveling Paints will return to help guide us in the process of making our own painting (image, left) on a roofing tile that was quarried and crafted right here in the Slate Valley.

Plated on Slate: Spring Soirée at Dancing Ewe Farm

Museum Fundraising Event located at Dancing Ewe in Granville, NY

Saturday, June 4, 6PM

$85 per person; RSVP required by 5/20

Reserve your spot for this brand new spring fundraising event!

Dancing Ewe is a curated farm-to-table dining experience. All event guests will be greeted with a flute of Prosecco wine as they enter into the Farm’s unique atmosphere. Dinner will be comprised of a three-course, handcrafted meal inspired by fresh seasonal farm harvests and accompanied by live music by Celtic harpist Darhon Rees-Rohrbacher.

Attendees will also browse and bid in both silent and live auctions. Items will include seasonal and regional experiences that showcase the unique characters of the Slate Valley, Washington County, and the neighboring Adirondacks and Green Mountains.

All funds raised will benefit the museum's programs, workshops, exhibitions, and other offers.

Local Author Series: Sharing The Heart of Salem: From Its Origins to 2009 with Author William "Al" Cormier

Saturday, May 21, 1PM

$10 per person; Free for Museum Members

Stream online for Free (streaming details to be shared at a later date)

Pre-register for the online event here

Longtime historian and local author William A. Cormier will discuss his latest book, The Heart of Salem, which chronicles Salem, NY from its origins to 2009.

The Slate Valley extends as far south as Salem on the New York side, and we are excited to explore the history of another town with a history connected to the slate industry.

This program will also be live streamed online for free. Those interested can pre-register to attend the evet here.

Spring Reopening Celebration

Saturday, May 14, 10AM-4PM

Regular Museum Admission (click for details)

Join us for a day of celebration as we reopen for the 2022 season! It's a great day to visit the museum and explore our new exhibition, One Painting, Many Stories: Exploring the Legacy and Context of a WPA Mural.

The day also marks the return of our Create on Slate! arts and crafts activity series. Start your own flower plant and paint mini garden stones on slate chips and chunks. Fun for all ages! All materials provided by the museum.

Light refreshments will also be provided.

Preview Reception for One Painting, Many Stories: Exploring the Legacy and Context of a Slate Valley WPA Mural

With Special Guest, Exhibition Curator & Researcher Bob Isherwood

Friday, May 13, 7-9PM

Free for Slate Valley Museum Members; $10 per person, all others

This special preview reception celebrates our new exhibition, which explores the social, economic, and artistic roots of the Works Progress Administration (WPA) mural that was commissioned by Granville High School and completed by artist Martha Levy in 1939. Exhibition curator Bob Isherwood will be on hand to answer questions. Light drinks and refreshments will be served.

Sip & Paint on Slate, Spring Session

Friday, April 29, 7-9PM

$40 per person; discount for multi-session registration

Pre-registration Required

Download our brochure and registration form here!

Join us for the first 2022 session of our popular paint on slate art workshop! A painting instructor from the Traveling Paints will return to help guide us in creating bright spring creation (image, right) on a roofing tile that was quarried and crafted right here in the Slate Valley.

Ethnic Bread & Soup Night

Friday, March 25, 6-8PM

$8 admission; additional $12 for limited-edition bowl

RSVP Required

Join us as this popular community event returns! Taste a variety of warm soups and breads with culinary roots that can be traced across the Atlantic.

Featuring recipes made by local museum friends with ties to many of the immigrant groups that helped drive the region’s slate industry. Rockhill Bakehouse will also provide a selection of their naturally leavened hearth breads including Pane Bello, Whole Wheat, Rustic Farm, and Sourdough.

RSVP is required. Call 518-642-1417 or email Wendy at associate@slatevalleymuseum.org to reserve your spot.

Many thanks to our event partners, North Granville Pottery Company, Rock Hill Bakehouse & Cafe, and Rupert Rising Breads.

Exploring Slate Around the World:

Slate Carving with Belizean Artist Jorge Castellanos, Demo & Discussion Live-Streamed Event

Monday, March 21, 6:30PM

Click here to attend virtually via Zoom for Free

Join us for an online only event featuring Belizean slate carver Jorge Castellanos! During this interactive Zoom live-stream event, attendees will enjoy a carving demonstration by the artist along with time to ask questions.

Castellanos, who has been carving natural stone like slate since he was eight years old, draws inspiration from the Mayan culture that surrounds him at his home in Belize.

On this evening, the Equinox, the Xunantunich Mayan Temple, visible from the artist’s workshop, is in a specific position that aligns the top of the structure with the setting sun. This spectacular display of archeoastronomy – the study of astronomical knowledge within ancient cultures – can only be observed on the Spring or Fall Equinox. Participants will have a unique opportunity to witness this extraordinary moment.

The event will be live-streamed via Zoom for free. Visit the following link to pre-register and receive instructions on how to attend the virtual program.

Gypsy Reel Musical Performance

RESCHEDULED for Sunday, March 13, 7-9PM

$12 per person, $8 for museum members for in person attendance (SOLD OUT)

View the recording here on Facebook Live

The popular Celtic band Gypsy Reel returned to the Slate Valley Museum for a live performance in celebration of St. Patrick's Day! This popular event has sold out every year.

Special thanks to our event partners:

Consider Bardwell Farms, the Nuns of New Skete, Saratoga Bread Basket, and Slate Town Brewery.

The performance was streamed for free on Facebook Live at this link (click here - no Facebook account required to access).

One Painting, Many Stories: Exploring the Legacy and Context of a Slate Valley WPA Mural

Bob Isherwood, Curator & Content Researcher, Slate Valley Museum

November 13, 1PM

$10 per person; free for Museum members

Also available to stream online for free

Pre-register for the virtual Zoom program by clicking here.

Taking the audience back to the Slate Valley of the late 1930's, this talk will explore the importance placed upon Martha Levy's efforts to paint a scene reflecting the industry that provided so much history and employment to families of Granville and throughout the Slate Valley. We will fast-forward to the 1970's and the efforts taken to reclaim the mural from years of neglect and how the nation as a whole was exposed to the importance of mural art; both efforts artistically lead by W. Dean Fausett.

Click here to pre-register for the Zoom program and follow the instructions emailed to you to allow you to attend online.

Photo: Learn more about the mural here.

Exhibition Opening: One Painting, Many Stories: Exploring the Legacy and Context of a Slate Valley WPA Mural

Now on View

With help from guest curator and content researcher Bob Isherwood, the Museum delves into the contexts that influenced the creation of this WPA mural. The journey of discovering a single painting illuminated many fascinating stories that resonate locally, regionally, and nationally. Join us to explore all that the mural's history contains and communicates.

View the mural and learn more about its history here on our website.

Quarrying the Composition: A Formal Analysis of Martha Levy's Men Working in Slate Quarry

Phil Whitman, Associate Professor & Chair, Art Department, Castleton University, VT

Saturday, October 16, 1PM

$10 per person; free for Museum members

Also available to stream online for free. Click here to register!

This talk will be an interactive conversation about how we "read" the formal composition of Martha Levy's mural, Men Working in Slate Quarry. Instead of focusing on the subject matter of the painting, we'll explore the aesthetic choices the artist made in organizing the visual elements like shape, color and space. We'll consider how this WPA mural adapts European Modernist approaches such as Expressionism and Cubism into a distinctly American composition.

Click here to pre-register for the program. You'll receive instructions via email on how to attend the program on Zoom.

View the mural and learn more about its history here on our website.