Dear Friends of the HRM,

“In summer, the song sings itself,” declared American poet, writer, and physician William Carlos Williams (1883–1963). As the summer heat settles over our region, those words still ring true, and we invite you to beat the heat while enjoying the fantastic programming offered here at the Hudson River Museum. Picture yourself overlooking the Hudson River, feeling the cool breeze as you immerse yourself in our exciting upcoming events.

Ambience in the Amphitheater
We look forward to spending our summer evenings with you! With great weather on the horizon, I cannot resist telling you about this weekend’s programs. On Friday, embrace the wild side of life with Skyhunters in Flight and learn how these beautiful winged athletes play an important role in our environment at the top of the food chain. Saturday, July 20 brings a not-to-be-missed performance by contemporary dance company and HRM Teaching-Artists-in-Residence Mordance in our Amphitheater. Their dynamic program, inspired by water, promises to be refreshing and mesmerizing, with direct connections to our Rivers Flow / Artists Connect exhibition.

From Great Neighbors, Great Art
Our Community and Partnership Gallery continues to push the boundaries. On Saturday, July 27, attend a special curator and artist tour featuring HRM Mellon Fellow Karintha Lowe, along with featured artists Alvin Clayton and Francine Hsu Davis. Learn how their experiences in Paris and Taiwan have influenced their artistic visions, as showcased in Neighboring Visions, which features stunning works on loan from the Bronxville Historical Conservancy.

Like an Open Book
Speaking of “staying cool,” I strongly encourage everyone to take a proverbial page from the sketchbook of Red Grooms, a master of observational artistry. Discover the exhibition Red Grooms: Drawing “The Bookstore,” and celebrate 45 years of this iconic installation through never-before-seen preparatory drawings, a truly meaningful recent gift to our permanent collection by the artist and Lysiane Grooms. I have no doubt that you delight in experiencing how Grooms captured the vibrancy of New York and immortalized its denizen bookworms.

Best of Westchester!
I am truly pleased and proud to celebrate our recent accolades with you. Our HRM staff and partners have again raised the bar, winning two significant 2024 Best of Westchester Awards! We have won Editor’s Pick for Best Exhibition (South County) for Kengo Kito: Unity on the Hudson, and the Readers’ Pick for Best Art Gallery. Unity is indeed the operative word here as our members, sponsors, and Board of Trustees joined together to support the work of the incredible team here at the HRM, each of whom embodies the “Best of Westchester” all year long.

Mark Those Calendars
I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your enthusiastic response to our Free First Fridays initiative, supported by the Art Bridges Foundation. Over the past several months since our inauguration of this initiative, it has been amazing to greet newcomers and longtime friends to experience the HRM in new ways. Join us on Friday, August 2 for Free First Fridays: Yoga & Art from 5–7pm, featuring yoga in the courtyard with Karen Young. Plus, don’t miss La Carmencita: Tango Night at the Opera, where we’ll blend elegance and passion under the stars.

Sing a song of summer with us,

Masha Turchinsky
Director & CEO

Image: Alvin Clayton (American, b. Trinidad, 1960). The Garden Setting, 2024. Oil on canvas. Courtesy of the artist.