Saturday, November 1, 2025 | 2 to 4:30 pm
$95 Members; $65 Youth Under Age 16; $105 General Admission
Join artist Nickola Pottinger for a lively, hands-on workshop that offers participants both a hands-on introduction to paper pulp sculpting and a deeper engagement with narrative-making using personal and/or familial materials. Drawing from the techniques and approaches she uses in her own practice, and highlighted in her current exhibition fos born at The Aldrich, Nickola will guide participants in crafting their own one-of-a-kind three-dimensional paper pulp objects and sculptures. Whether you come with family, friends, or on your own, you will create a work that’s uniquely yours.
The workshop will begin with an introduction to Nickola’s practice, in which she merges traditional papermaking with found objects, weaving personal and cultural narratives into layered, tactile forms. Her work often transforms everyday and salvaged materials into objects rich with memory and meaning—inviting us to reconsider what we keep, discard, and reimagine.
Participants will then have the opportunity to create their own original paper pulp sculpture (approximately 10 x 10 x 10 inches or smaller) using all materials provided. To make the work personal, attendees are encouraged to bring a small item from home to serve as a structural support or adornment for their piece. This could be anything from a figurine, photo frame, drawing, or piece of cardboard, to an organic material, document, or other found object—provided it fits within the finished sculpture’s scale.
Because the paper works require drying time, participants will return to the Museum later in the week to pick up their completed sculpture.
Additional Details:
All materials and aprons will be provided; please dress for a wet and hands-on art-making process.
Participants are invited to join an optional guided tour of fos born led by a Museum Educator from 1:30 to 2 pm before the workshop begins.
Open to all ages; families with children are invited to register.
Tuesdays, November 4, 11, and 18 | 5:30 to 6:30pm
Individual Class: $49 Member; $55 | Full Three Class Series: $108 Member; $120 | Limited seats available
“Getting” Contemporary Art is an interactive class series designed to connect today’s exhibitions with the deeper currents of art history. Each session explores the art historical and cultural contexts of artists currently on view at The Aldrich, blending storytelling, close looking, and discussion to help participants uncover new ways of seeing contemporary art. No prior experience with art history is required, only curiosity and a willingness to dive in.
“Getting” Contemporary Art is led by Kristen Erickson, art history teacher and Director of the Luchsinger Gallery at Greenwich Academy.
Attend all three classes or a single class!
Classes
Tuesday, November 4 – Nickola Pottinger: Jamaica, Memory, and Folklore
This class delves into the history and folklore of Jamaica to better understand Nickola Pottinger’s shape-shifting sculptures. Through a gallery walk, participants will examine the mix of spiritual and personal symbols in her works, which include casts of her own body and family heirlooms. Group discussion will encourage participants to uncover the layers of meaning carried by these spectral figures, which merge ancestral traditions with contemporary stories.
Tuesday, November 11 – Zak Prekop: Music in Abstraction
Have you heard of Song Exploder, the podcast where musicians take apart their songs piece by piece? In this class, participants will “explode” the vibrant abstract paintings of Zak Prekop. The session will focus on how he creates a sense of movement and stillness through color relationships, while also considering art historical precedents such as the “action painting” of the 1950s. Participants will further explore Prekop’s musical influences and how rhythm and harmony appear in his painting practice.
Tuesday, November 18 – Uman: Textiles, Calligraphy, and Transformation
Uman’s kaleidoscopic paintings reflect the story of her extraordinary life. She grew up in Somalia and Kenya, spent her teen years in Denmark, and traveled to Vienna and Paris before moving to New York where her artistic vision blossomed. This class will introduce participants to the art histories that shaped her, including East African textiles, Arabic calligraphy, and the work of Gustav Klimt and Sam Gilliam. During a gallery walk, participants will consider how Uman captures her memories, dreams, and personal transformation in visionary paintings that celebrate survival and creativity.
Instructor Bio
Kristen Erickson has been teaching art history and curating exhibitions for the past three decades. She spent eight years working in the curatorial field at the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford, the Smith College Museum of Art, and the Museum of Modern Art before turning to teaching. Kristen currently teaches art history at Greenwich Academy, where she also runs the campus art gallery. She holds degrees in French and art history from Vassar College and Oxford University. A resident of Ridgefield, Kristen loves making contemporary art come alive for new audiences.
Saturday, December 6, 2025 | 7 pm
$10 Members and Students; $15 General Admission
Join us for an intimate duo performance by composer and percussionist Sarah Hennies and bassist Tristan Kasten-Krause, presented in connection with Zak Prekop: Durations. Hennies and Kasten-Krause will present a 40-60 minute set of experimental music within the Museum’s galleries, offering a meditative, resonant experience that blurs the boundaries between sound, space, and visual art.
Sarah Hennies is known for her immersive and durational performances that explore psychoacoustic phenomena, queerness, and the act of listening. Her duo with Kasten-Krause combines sensitivity and restraint, crafting quiet, expansive works that unfold gradually over time.
This event is presented in conjunction with Zak Prekop: Durations (on view through January 11, 2026), an exhibition exploring visual rhythm, repetition, and the temporality of painting. It also marks the launch of Zak Prekop’s first museum publication. This fully illustrated, 32-page softcover catalogue features bold new abstract paintings by the artist, along with an interview between Prekop and curator Eduardo Andres Alfonso. The catalogue will be available for purchase at the event.
Thursday, December 11, 2025 | 6 to 7 pm
Free: Members; $10 General Admission; $5 Seniors/Students
Join Diana Bowes Chief Curator Amy Smith-Stewart for an exclusive after-hours tour of Uman: After all the things…. The exhibition includes new and recent paintings, a mural, and sculpture. New York Magazine recently hailed the artist’s work as “a reminder of what painting can still do.”
Members, please join us at 5:30 pm for refreshments with Amy Smith-Stewart prior to the tour. To become a member, email hhart@thealdrich.org or join online here.
Join us at Grace Farms for The Way of an Athlete with three-time Olympic Gold Medalist and five-time Olympian Kerri Walsh Jennings.
This powerful three-part experience is designed for student athletes in every sport, ages 12+ who want to take their game, resilience, and mindset to the next level.
You will experience:
– An inspiring keynote from Kerri Walsh Jennings, sharing how sports shaped her mindset, character, and success—both on and off the court
– A Champion’s Mindset Workshop focused on leadership, resilience, and peak performance
– An interactive session on harnessing mindfulness, self-expression, and inner strength to fuel personal growth
Bring your teammates, coaches, and family. Whether you compete in soccer, basketball, lacrosse, volleyball, swimming, football—or any sport—you’ll leave inspired with tools to think, train, and lead like a champion.
We invite teams and groups to share in this experience together! For details and group reservations, contact groupsales@gracefarms.org.
Athletes ages 12+ are welcome; minors must be accompanied by an adult.
Grace Farms is developing the Rest House Project with Slade Architecture, and invites the public to a series of Workshops to share the ideas behind the Rest House structure. Each Workshop which will explore concepts of designing spaces for rest, gathering, and wellness, is open to all abilities. These starting points will serve as way to engage in the practice of design for social good, and offers an opportunity to think through concepts that are part of the Design for Freedom movement. Experience the exploration and satisfaction of facing a design challenge first-hand.
A welcoming, drop-in teen art studio—where you can explore new materials, make friends, and grow as an artist.
Creative exploration and community go hand in hand at Teen Art Studio (TAS) for ages 13 to 18. Guided by a teaching artist, you can try new materials, develop your own ideas, and connect with others in a relaxed environment. It’s a space to grow as an artist and have fun doing it.
Come as you are. No pressure, just possibilities.
Every Second Saturday of the month, the studio becomes a creative zone where you can try something new, meet people who get you, and see your ideas come to life—with guidance from a teaching artist and no pressure to be perfect.
Come once or as often as you like.
Teen Art Studio is a drop-in program, so you can come once or as often as you like. Many teens return month after month to build skills, portfolios, and friendships. Teaching artist Shana Bazelmans brings experience, guidance, and creative prompts to help your ideas take shape. It’s not just about making art—it’s about feeling seen and inspired.
Reserve your spot—it helps us prep materials, and you can still drop in if you decide last-minute.
What to Know
When: Every Second Saturday, 10:30am–1:30pm
Where: American Mural Project, 90 Whiting Street, Winsted, CT
Cost: $5 materials fee per session, or free with an AMP Student Membership ($25/year)
What’s included: All materials, mural exhibit admission, and access to Family Day activities
How to join: Reserve your spot—it helps us prep materials. Walk-ins are also welcome.
The Teen Art Studio 2025–26 Season
Every Second Saturday, 10:30am–1:30pm
September 13
October 11
November 8
December 13
January 10
February 14
March 14
April 11
May 9
June 13
AMP’s Teen Art Studio is one of the few drop-in teen art programs in Northwest Connecticut where young artists can explore painting, sculpture, and mixed media in a welcoming studio environment. Whether you’re looking for teen art classes in CT or creative things to do for teens in Winsted, TAS offers a hands-on, community-based experience every Second Saturday—no prior experience needed.
Reserve your spot: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/teen-art-studio-amp-tickets-1513856307969?aff=oddtdtcreator
Experience the opening of ParaPosition, a remarkable sculpture by Alicja Kwade, made of slim interlocking steel frames supporting four boulders and a blue chair made of bronze, in celebration of Grace Farms’ 10 Year.
At 3 pm, Kwade will join Grace Farms’ Chief Strategic Officer and Founding Creative Director, Chelsea Thatcher, for a conversation about her inspiration and the sculpture’s dialogue with our site and mission.
About ParaPosition:
ParaPosition’s array of steel and stone draws viewers into the frame of this massive, yet fragile, universe. The substantial stones, with their immense weight, appear to defy gravity in an almost weightless balancing act. The chair beckons viewers to reflect on our relationship with the world and contemplate the fundamental nature of our existence.
Image courtesy of the artist and 303 Gallery New York, Photograph by Antoine van Kaam.
Notice nature as seasons change with a guided fall walk among the trees at Grace Farms.
Through guided walks, connect with the purpose of the ecosystems we inhabit, the vibrant life that’s a part of it, and our role in maintaining and adding to it.
Inspired by the slow flower movement, this hands-on workshop promotes seasonal and sustainable cut flowers and emphasizes the importance of knowing the origin of your flowers.
Nature Workshops by Kimberly Kelly invite adults of all experience to learn about the various cultural practices that rely on nature, including flower bouquets, the impact of seeds, permaculture, and holiday décor. Nature Workshops are led by Grace Farms Director of Horticulture, Kimberly Kelly.