BluSeed Studios to reopen as Cedar Street Studios

SARANAC LAKE | Jazen Reuss is preparing to reopen the former BluSeed Studios as Cedar Street Studios. "I want to keep all the things that worked with the non-profit and expand on them, while also introducing some new facets that will help with the financial stability of operating a for-profit community art studio," the local ceramics artist stated. "It's going to be great once it's all completed." The non-profit arts center dissolved last year amid a dire financial situation. Taking action, Reuss, who was once the ceramic studio manager of BluSeed Studios, decided to purchase the building and renovate it, with the intention of eventually reopening it as a for-profit business. "I've always considered Saranac Lake as a self-proclaimed arts town, and we can't have an arts town with no art center," said Reuss, referring to not only the closure of BluSeed Studios but also the closure of ADK ArtRise shortly afterwards. "It's really important to me to keep this a community art studio that everyone and anyone is able to access, so I'm going to really try to draw as much community activity as possible back into the space." For instance, once reopened, which Reuss hopes will be sometime this June, Cedar Street Studios will bring back some of BluSeed Studios' old offerings, from gallery shows and art classes to potentially reviving Sober Open Minded Mic Nights, which were formerly held on the third Friday of each month for musicians, poets, and others who just wished to express themselves. But there will be many new features, too, such as the incorporation of retail space. The former front office space will be converted into a new retail space, stocked with art supplies and handmade goods from local artists and artisans, while the former letter press studio will become a private retail space with its own entryway. So far, Reuss said, a couple of businesses have expressed interest in moving in. A few local artisans and artists have already settled into their own private studios within the building, while the empty ones will eventually be converted into an artist-in-residence studio for visitors looking to come and stay and perhaps host classes, workshops, and other arts-based programming. "I hope this addition will help draw people in from out of the area to come and teach workshops and introduce new skills to local folks," said Reuss, who is also excited about a new dedicated classroom that will replace the old printmaking studio. "It's nice to be able to take classes from people who you know in the community, but it's also really cool to be able to take classes from people whom you've never met before, as a lot of times they bring new perspectives." Reuss also plans to expand the existing ceramics studio and create a glaze studio. "Ceramics deal with a lot of materials, oils, and chemicals that are not great for our lungs and the rest of our body, so it's really important to have a ventilated area where you can make glazes and recycle clay," she said. "We currently use full-face respiratory masks, but it will be nice to have the added security of having those materials in a separate room with proper ventilation away from the rest of the community." While the goal is to open Cedar Street Studios by June, the facility will continue to offer a select few classes and plan for future programming. So far, a few art shows have already been booked for summer and fall. An official website is also being created.

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BluSeed Studios to reopen as Cedar Street Studios

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