Saranac Lake is known for having a creative community and decidedly different appeal. You can find the arts incorporated just about everywhere: in the streets and the studios scattered all throughout town, in community projects, and in unique events. The energy, the vibe, and the people all exude a sense of creativity - and it shows. From building an annual ice palace and the wood-carved animals on the Adirondack Carousel to poems that only show up in the rain and the rich arts scene, Saranac Lake is a decidedly creative destination!

A creative community all their own

Within this creative community is a community of artists that make up the Adirondack Artists Guild Gallery. The Guild is a co-op gallery located on Main Street in Saranac Lake. They currently have 14 talented members who showcase their works year-round on the gallery walls, rotating and putting up new work each month. The gallery is also manned and maintained by the artists, which really sets this gallery apart from some of the others (Saranac Lake is full of galleries). When you visit, you can expect to be greeted by someone who is knowledgeable and passionate about the featured show - and in some cases, you may even be able to speak with the artist themselves! To see which artist is at the gallery, you can view their calendar, and plan accordingly. Due to Covid, opening receptions are temporarily halted, but they are hopeful that they will resume again soon. The opening night receptions are usually the first Friday of the month, from 5 - 7 p.m., and the featured artist is on-site to talk about their works. Other featured events include book signings and artist talks, which the Guild is eager to get back to hosting once it is safe to do so. 2022 marks the 25th anniversary of the Adirondack Artists Guild, which will be celebrated throughout the year, with the culmination of this celebration in December, when they plan to host a special event in honor of their anniversary. 

The Guild hours are 11 a.m. - 5 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday, and 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. on Sunday during the cooler months. In the summer, the hours will be extended to 11 a.m. - 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. Sunday. Appointments and private showings may be scheduled.

2022 Adirondack Artists Guild Gallery exhibit schedule

• January: Silent Auction to Benefit High Peaks Hospice
• February 4: Winter Carnival Theme Show - Totally 80's
• March 18 - April 20: Annual Juried Show*
• May 6: Suzanne Lebeda, watercolors, mixed media
• June 3: Eleanor Sweeney, photography
• July 1: Anastasia Osolin, mixed media assemblages
• August 5: Nancy Brossard, oil paintings
• September 2: Barry Lobdell, photography
• October 7: Jeanne Danforth, watercolors & acrylics
• November 4: Jacqueline Altman, watercolors
• December 2: Karen Morris, ceramics

The Artists Guild Annual Juried Show features the best artwork being created in the Adirondacks and North Country from member artists, as well as guest submissions from artists all across the region. It will be held in person this year at the Adirondack Artists Guild Gallery, where they've always taken pride in the quantity and quality of art produced in this region. Hosting a juried show is an opportunity to share all that wonderful work with the Guild's friends, patrons, and art collectors, and to help support the local creative economy.

A collaborative effort

The Adirondack Artists Guild, along with many other regional galleries, studios, theaters, and other creative spaces belong to the Saranac Lake ArtWorks. Saranac Lake ArtWorks operates as a not-for-profit collective of artists, galleries, cultural organizations, and arts-related businesses collaborating to market and promote this unique landscape we call home. ArtWorks helps to host collaborative arts events and promote the decidedly creative community of Saranac Lake and the surrounding regions. Together, with the help of galleries like Adirondack Artists Guild, they support events like the Plein Air Festival, 3rd Thursday ArtWalks, ArtMarkets, and Studio Tours. Members of ArtWorks include (but are not limited to) Adirondack Artists Guild, BluSeed Studios, Mark Kurtz Photography, NorthWind Fine Arts Gallery, Sandra Hildreth: Adirondack Art, Small Fortune Studio, and more. So as you can see, the arts are alive in Saranac Lake, with plenty of options to view, purchase, create, and immerse yourself in the creative community!

2022 ArtWorks & arts events

• May 8: Mother’s Day ArtMarket at the Paul Smith’s College VIC
• June 10: Susquehanna String Band at the Paul Smith’s College VIC
• June 16: The first 3rd Thursday ArtWalk of the season
• July 1: Kane/Gellert at the Paul Smith’s College VIC
• July 21: 3rd Thursday ArtWalk
• July 30-31: ArtMarket and Studio Tour
• August 1-28: Shared Perspective at BluSeed's downstairs gallery
• August 1-28: Side by Side by Side Annoel Krider, Cree Scudder and Judy Scammell at BluSeed Studios
• August 7: Gibson Brothers at the Paul Smith’s College VIC
• August 15-20: Adirondack Plein Air Festival
• August 18: 3rd Thursday ArtWalk
• August 19-20: Adirondack Center for Writing Writers Conference
• August 21: Words, Music, and Dance at BluSeed Studios
• September 2-30: BluSeed Studios 20th Anniversary Celebration
• September 4: Northern Current Music Festival
• September 15: The final 3rd Thursday ArtWalk of the season
• September 16: Dan Berggren, Dan Duggan & Peggy Lynn at the Paul Smith’s College VIC
• September 18: BluSeed Fashion Show
• September 24: Beat Authority Dance Party with SJ David Sommerstein at BluSeed Studio
• September 24-25: ArtMarket and Studio Tours, including a BluBooth at the ArtMarket and Concert to be held at BluSeed Studios
• September 30: BluSeed 20th Anniversary Closing Music - Outdoor Music Fest
• October 2-31: Patterns and Pictures: Assorted Approaches, Splendid Quilts at BluSeed Studios
• November 5-December 21: Badass Women's Show at BluSeed Studios
• November 26-December 23: Off the Wall, Holiday Art Bazaar at BluSeed Studios

*Additional events will be added, so stay updated with the Calendar of Events and ArtWorks website.

The creativity doesn’t stop there! 

With lots of other creative outlets like interactive classes at ADK ArtRise or BluSeed Studios, creative writing at Adirondack Center for Writing, or live music at Party on the Patio and Saturday Night at the Waterhole, or the outside summer series Music on the Green, or Northern Current Music Festival, you can immerse yourself in the arts in any way you’re feeling. Just walking around town you will see the creativity in the Bug Crawl, or the Riverwalk, in the colorful banners, light-posts, and murals. And I would be remiss in not mentioning the creative characters that make up this community, from the beloved lawn chair ladies at Winter Carnival to the cast of characters performing at Pendragon. Creativity is all around you! The energy flows freely in everything you do in Saranac Lake. So enjoy a visit at an art gallery, catch a live performance, or even create your own unique work of art! The choice is yours, but we guarantee the experience will be decidedly creative when you come to Saranac Lake.