Earthly Delights

Melissa Dvozenja-Thomas, Executive Director, Arts Mid-Hudson

There is something magical about encountering art outside the walls of a traditional gallery. A sculpture emerging from a field, a vibrant banner swaying in the breeze, or a larger-than-life installation nestled among trees can transform the way we experience both art and landscape. Rather than asking visitors to leave nature behind when they enter a museum, these works invite them to slow down, wander, and discover creativity woven directly into the surrounding environment.

That spirit of exploration is at the heart of Earthly Delights, the Sixth Annual Visual Arts Exhibition at Kaatsbaan Cultural Park in Tivoli, which opened on June 6 and continues through October 31. The free exhibition brings together the work of nine contemporary artists, most with ties to the Hudson Valley, whose creations draw inspiration from planets, plants, insects, and other biological forms. Together, their work creates an artistic landscape filled with structure, beauty, imagination, and wonder.

For many people, Kaatsbaan is best known as a destination for dance, music, theater, and artist residencies. Situated on 153 acres overlooking the Hudson Valley, the cultural park has built a reputation as a place where artists can experiment, collaborate, and create without the limitations often found in urban settings. The annual visual arts exhibition extends that mission beyond performance, encouraging visitors to experience art as part of the natural world.

For curator Hilary Greene, the setting is what makes the exhibition truly special. “Kaatsbaan has an incomparable aesthetic beauty and spirituality,” Greene said. “Its 150 acres provide a vast outdoor gallery for exhibiting sculpture and invite the visitor to walk the grounds to enjoy and absorb the art.”

Unlike a traditional gallery, where artwork is contained within four walls, the pieces at Kaatsbaan interact with the landscape itself. Rolling fields, historic buildings, and views of the Catskill Mountains become part of the experience. Greene notes that artists often respond deeply to the setting, creating a dialogue between the artwork and its surroundings that changes throughout the day and across the seasons.

This year’s exhibition offers plenty to discover. Visitors will encounter the return of artist Aurora Robson, whose tree-climbing installation, made from recycled plastic, brings new life to discarded objects. Ian McMahon’s geometric relief transforms the side of a barn into a striking visual statement, while Portia Munson’s mystical banner adds a sense of movement and

symbolism to the landscape. New additions include Laura Battle’s ceramic cloud forms, Kris Perry’s machine-like creatures, Nadia Yaron’s spiritual carving, and immersive video works by Virginia L. Montgomery housed within the historic Stanford White Barn. Inside the gallery, paintings by Thea Berman and Sharon Broit explore the relationship between abstraction, biology, and the human experience.

The exhibition’s title, Earthly Delights, emerged after Greene noticed a common thread among the selected works. Inspired by Hieronymus Bosch’s famous painting “The Garden of Earthly Delights”, the exhibition focuses on the wonder and variability of nature, from earthly organisms to celestial forms, and the delight people experience when encountering them.

Visitors who return throughout the season may find that the exhibition changes with them. Greene encourages repeat visits, noting that familiarity often reveals subtle details and deeper layers of meaning. Opportunities include Upstate Art Weekend in June and a Visual Arts Walk on September 6, where visitors can hear directly from the artists about their creative processes.

In a season when many of us are looking for opportunities to reconnect with nature, creativity, and one another, Earthly Delights offers all three. Whether you are a seasoned art enthusiast or simply looking for an inspiring afternoon in a beautiful setting, Kaatsbaan’s latest exhibition provides a reminder that art can be found not only on a wall, but all around us.

If you go:
Earthly Delights
June 6 - October 31, 2026
Monday - Friday
9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Location: 120 Broadway,Tivoli, NY 12583
(845) 757-5106
info@kaatsbaan.org
www.kaatsbaan.org