Saturday, May 16-Sunday, May 17, 11am-6pm: Open Studios by Upstate Art Weekend

There is a visceral magic that emanates from an artist’s workspace. The Raw smell of turpentine, the chaotic piles of raw materials, and the quiet weight of ideas still evolving on the easel , the plinth, the monitor often combine with workplace energy to cast a spell. Above: Jim Holl and Susan Wides will be opening the doors to their studio at 426 Mossy Hill Road, Catskill, NY  to welcome visitors over the weekend. Click for directions

This weekend, Upstate Art Weekend breaks down gallery walls early with its dedicated Open Studios weekend. Founded by curator Helen Toomer as a celebration of local, region-rooted creativity, this two-day event turns the Hudson Valley and Catskills into a giant, self-guided realm of discovery.

More than 240 artists across the region are throwing open the doors to their barns, garages, and lofts from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. It is a rare chance for curators, collectors, and art lovers to step directly into the creative ecosystem. You can talk process with the creators, view works in progress, and experience the cultural vibrancy that makes Upstate New York an artistic haven.

So pack your bags and print your maps. The main festival begins in June, but for some unfiltered magic, this is the ticket. 

Visit the website to access the map and directory here For direct contact/questions, please go here For real time updates on  IG, sign up here

Wednesday, May 13-Tudsday, May 19: New York Art Week 2026

If you feel a certain electric hum vibrating through the pavement this week, you aren't imagining things. This week the global art world descends upon Manhattan, turning our neighborhoods into a high-octane map of overlapping fairs, high-stakes auctions, and go-to gallery openings.

The primary anchor, Frieze New York, returns to its home at The Shed in Hudson Yards, bringing a roster of international contemporary talent. But the real energy of this week is how it spills outside the main locations. From the cutting-edge, indie spirit of the Independent fair on the Lower East Side to the essential, boundary-pushing discoveries at NADA New York across Chelsea, the visual density is enough to send any art lover into overdrive. And at Sotheby’s and Christie’s, the spring auction previews offer a rare, museum-quality look at 20th and 21st-century masterpieces before they vanish into private collections. Whether you are looking to acquire, find inspiration, or simply immerse yourself in the creative chaos, total immersion is up for grabs. 

Intrepid fair-goers can access the interactive map and listings here And Artsy has produced a concise, detailed guide to locations and events here

Saturday, May 16, from noon on: The 20th Annual NYC Dance Parade

If you’re looking for something a little more off the grid this weekend, head to the East Village for Dance Parade. Organized around a celebration of house music, the House is Home installment features the Legendary House Coalition float anchored by the sonic landscapes of DJs Mickey Perez, Rissa Garcia, and Happy Yu-Yu. Grand Marshal Jeff Selby will lead the festivities followed by more than 100 dance stylists. Keep an eye out for the "Xanadu and Vinyl Nights" float—a rolling tribute that merges roller skating culture with public choreography. Altogether, it’s a reminder of how performance can temporarily claim and redefine our shared spaces. Above: Photo by Dez Santana for Dance Parade 

For the full parade route, with detailed street maps showing the kick-off at 17th Street and Sixth Avenue, down through Astor Place, and ending at Tompkins Square Park, and the lineup for the four performance stages, free dance lessons, and social dance spaces in the park, please go here

Continuing: Bold Strokes | The Next Generation of Artists at Salamagundi

The 2026 Annual Salamagundi Club Jr. & Scholarship Exhibition celebrates fresh perspectives, fearless experimentation, and bold artistic voices poised to make their mark. Bridging tradition and innovation, the exhibition connects 

The show was juried by guest curator and gallery owner Ivy Huang of Imur Gallery, who will also lead portfolio reviews and professional development workshops for select artists before and after the exhibition. Above: Exotic Dragons (2025), by Kenichi Ikeda, who writes, “The painting focuses on the quiet presence of everyday objects. Through subtle shifts of color and light, I wanted to explore how stillness can hold energy and intensity. The work reflects my interest in observing simple forms with care and attention.”

Save the date, Thursday, May 28, 6-8pm: Reception for the artists, RSVP required

Salamagundi Club, 47 Fifth Avenue at 12^th Street, New York, NY Info

News from the Home Office

Last chance to get American Illustration 44 for just $35

A must for artists, art directors, designers, educators and students. Get the American Illustration 44 hardcover book celebrating the year's best editorial, advertising, book, promotional, personal and fine art illustration at the deep discount of just $35 before they're gone – or before the price goes up. An object of beauty with the power of the industry's best. To have and to hold. Order here.

Book design by Rachel Willey, Art Director at The New York Times Magazine.
Original cover art by Dadu Shin. With 345 jury-selected images by over 200 illustrators.

Friday, May 15, 11am-1L00 pm: Plein Air Painting at Mount Vernon Hotel

If you want to sharpen up your watercolor mixing skills for plein-air sketching, there are still a couple of spots open for my watercolor workshop at the historic Mount Vernon Hotel Museum and Garden on Manhattan’s Upper East Side. We'll be painting floral still life outside in the garden! More here

In addition to my workshop, there is a full menu of events, including wine tastings inside the Hotel and a photo tour of the Garden. You can see the current lineup of MVHMG events, and sign up for my workshop on Eventbrite

Mount Vernon Hotel Museum and Garden, 421 East 61^st Street, between First and York Avenues, New York, NY Info You can see photos of the Hotel and Garden on the MVHMG Instagram @mvhmuseum