‘Artists-on-the-Hudson'
is Sunday, May 11
Art will adorn romantic landscape
at Washington Irving's Sunnyside on Mother's Day
TARRYTOWN, NY (April 22,
2008) - Artists will converge on Washington Irving's Sunnyside on Mother's Day,
Sunday, May 11, to create works in the tradition of the Romantic painters inspired
by the Hudson River's vibrant landscape.
The
event, which begins at 10 a.m. and ends at 5 p.m., features more than a dozen artists scattered around the grounds
creating new works on site.
Artists-on-the-Hudson
provides visitors with an opportunity to view the process of art being created and
to interact with the artists. In addition, children and adults are invited to
borrow art materials provided by Sunnyside, which is owned and operated by Historic Hudson Valley, to create their own works.
"Irving shared a common fascination of the Hudson Valley and its flora and fauna with Romantic artists such as Thomas Cole
and George Harvey, many of whom found inspiration in Sunnyside's landscape and
architecture, as well as in Irving's
stories. This event taps right into that tradition," said Dina Rose Friedman,
site director of Sunnyside.
Visitors
are also welcome to dine among the lush, whimsical landscape designed and
planted by Irving, considered America's "founding father of literature." Geordanes of
Irvington will provide a mix-and-match menu and all the fixings for a picnic
lunch.
Musical
entertainment will be provided by the Singing Spring Sisters from 1-4 p.m.
Besides
watercolor supplies, visitors can create works using Sunnyside "then and now"
paper, which features a reproduction of an 1850's painting of Sunnyside on one
side, and a hand-drawn "frame" on the other side waiting to be filled with
current views of Sunnyside. Visitors who bring a camera can capture their loved
ones posing inside a life-size picture frame. The Tarrytown and Sleepy Hollow Arts Council are hosting a
crafts table that will allow children to make tokens of affection for the women
in their lives.
Artists
taking part include Jan Aiello of Croton, Barbara Barbieri of Garrison, Renee
Edelman of Ossining, Vern Ford of Bedford Corners, Elaine Friedman of New
Rochelle, Betsy Leitzes of Irvington, Margaret Leveson of Brooklyn, Ronnie
Levine of Tarrytown, Constanza Mallol of Hastings, Doreen Picker of Peekskill,
Shelley Robinson of Sleepy Hollow, and Ella Yang of Brooklyn.
Children
can take part in an interactive discovery hunt, learning what Washington Irving
loved about Sunnyside. In addition, clues will be given about the artists on site,
encouraging visitors to match the clues with the right artists.
At
4 p.m., the artists' work will be displayed in
Sunnyside's courtyard and all are invited to a lemonade and cookie reception.
The
event pays homage to Sunnyside's prominence in the 19th century as a
symbol of the American Romantic movement and American home life. That time period's
renowned landscape designer and tastemaker Andrew Jackson Downing touted
Sunnyside, originally a two-room farmhouse which Irving expanded into a
full-size home in 1835, as worthy of emulation by the middle class, and so it
was often featured in a variety of media, including print and paintings. The
cottage was coined "America's Home" and it appeared on
everything from cigar boxes to sheet music.
Admission
to Sunnyside is $12 for adults; $10 for seniors and students 18-25 with ID; $6
for children under age 5; and free for HHV members and children under 5. Artists-on-the-Hudson
is held rain or shine. Washington Irving's Sunnyside is at 89 West Sunnyside Lane in Tarrytown, one mile south of the Tappan Zee Bridge, off Route 9. For
information: www.hudsonvalley.org
Historic Hudson Valley is a network of
six historic sites in Sleepy Hollow Country and the Great Estates region;
Washington Irving's Sunnyside; Kykuit, the Rockefeller estate, a historic site
of the National Trust; Philipsburg Manor; the Union Church of Pocantico Hills;
Van Cortlandt Manor; and Montgomery Place Historic Estate.
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