A fountain of creativity and culture in AuSable Forks

AUSABLE FORKS | Rebecca Kelly, artistic director and co-founder, along with her husband Craig Brashear, of the Tahawus Cultural Center located on Route 9 in AuSable (part of the Town of Jay) knows of the many creative and artistic minds and talent living aside the rocky, fast-flowing Ausable River. This husband-and-wife team, who together ran a ballet company in New York City and are former dancers (Kelly was also a choreographer.) are determined to transpire and develop this local talent for everyone in the Ausable River Valley and beyond. Kelly says the center, which opened in 2011, seeks to be a "positive force or energy" to "optimize" and help the community thrive and grow culturally and economically. "It's a place to give ideas room to move." The center is a place for "artistic ideas, education, invention and community events. And to "display local acts and celebrate the skills of people around here." The center's name is derived from the building in which it is located, which formerly housed the Tahawus Masonic Lodge. And that is exactly what the future holds for the center, as there are numerous eclectic activities and exhibits in store for 2024. One eclectic exhibit titled UnCommon features the works of artists Harris Billeci, Dan Hausner and Gilles Lamarche. Hausner is based in Saranac Lake and is a photographer and woodworker. Lamarche is based in Au Sable and Montreal and creates artwork featuring acrylics; oils; watercolors; canvas; paper; wood; portraits and figures; barns and fields; landscapes, mountains and rivers; abstracts and fantasy. And Billeci is a multimedia visual artist and photographer. Another exhibit features the art of two Jay-based artists, Bill Evans and William Dilworth, from July 6-Aug. 24, with a reception on July 5. Evans often blends the abstract with representational and Dilworth often features symbolic storytelling with unfolding narratives represented with ink and paint. There will be an exhibition of art created by kids in the fall. The center also offers group and individual dance instruction for children and adults for novices and experts. And it offers assistance with choreography. Short-term space rental in the building is also offered for a manifold of reasons, including events, rehearsals, classes, exhibits, fundraisers, conferences, workshops and gatherings. Admission to the gallery is free and is open most Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from 1-3 p.m. and by appointment. Rebecca Kelly can be reached at 646-734-0703 or by writing her at TahawusCenter@gmail.com. For more information about its exhibits and activities, and to donate to the non-profit Tahawus Cultural Center, visit TahawusCulturalCenter.Org. It depends on the financial support of local foundations and individual contributions. For a philanthropic enterprise with a modest annual budget of only $60,000, it packs a mighty punch. Its constructive cultural and educational effects on the Ausable River Valley are treasured.

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A fountain of creativity and culture in AuSable Forks

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