JANUARY 2026 Complimentary JANUARY 2026 Complimentary
PUBLISHER / FOUNDER
Stephanie Sittnick
COPY EDITOR
Elisabeth Allen
WEBMASTER
Tony Graveheart
ADVERTISING SALES
Stephanie Sittnick - Director of Sales ( 860) 227-8199 advertising@518mag.com
They’re Crying in This Museum! Happy Tears Flow Daily at World Awareness Children’s Museum
pg. 6
Returning to the Craft that Spoke To Her Many Years Ago - Artist Michelle O’Hare pg. 16
CONTRIBUTORS
Carol St.Sauveur Ferris, Karen Richman, Rona Mann Chandler Stevens, Lawrence White, Susan Brink, Crystal Cobert Giddens, Chef Armand Vanderstigchel, Alan B. Richer, Kirsten Ferguson
COVER
Five-Tier Porcelain Candelabrum - Artist Masa Sasaki
Happy New Year everyone! January is the month of winding down after the holidays and making plans for the coming year. It is the time to get excited of the endless possibilities that pres ent themselves to you.
To Set goals to nourish and fulfill our lives. As we say goodbye to 2025 and welcome 2026, we continue to set our goal high: to enrich your life with wonderful and pos itive sto ries from New York and abroad. We hope you enjoy the January issue as much as we do.
As always, our goal at 518 PROFILES, is always to focus on the good, the beautiful and the positive by publishing stories with heart and soul. We strive each month to deliver authentic and unique content about cre ative people and interesting destinations. Enjoy!
Stephanie Sittnick Founder / Publisher
The Saratoga Springs Public Library 75 years of Engagement, Education, Empowerment, and Fun pg. 24
Masa Sasaki
Creating Joyful Ceramics with Hidden Meaning pg. 32
They’re Crying in This Museum! Happy Tears Flow Daily at World Awareness Children’s Museum
by Rona Mann
It starts with curiosity. It grows to celebration.
And frequently, there are tears. But they are happy tears indeed, the tears of little people having such a wonderful time that they don’t want to be told it’s time to leave. You know the feeling, don’t you? You’ve likely been there before yourself. Ah, but have you been here? To this place of curiosity turned into celebration and wonder? To this museum?
This is a museum? Yes! This is a museum, and a museum unlike any other you may have visited before, because this is the World Awareness Children’s Museum, conveniently located right in the heart of downtown Glens Falls, and now in its 30th year, amazing, surprising, and delighting both adults and young children alike.
“It is a children’s museum with a mission,” says Executive Director Bethanie Muska Lawrence. “It may just be the only one like it anywhere.”
Let’s explore that statement. Certainly, there are other children’s museums throughout the United States, and many of them are very good. So? To answer that question requires a bit of history, and that rich, vibrant history begins with Dr. Jacquiline Touba the one-woman force behind the creation of the World Awareness Children’s Museum.
Bethanie Muska Lawrence
“Jacky” Touba, as she’s best known around these parts, was born in the Capital Region, earned a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology from Syracuse University, her Master’s in the Netherlands, followed by a PhD in City Planning. Think she’s a bit of an over-achiever? Read on!
She married Riza Touba of Iran and taught sociology at Tehran University from 1968 to 1980 during the Revolution and the subsequent Hostage Crisis. After the American Embassy was taken in the melee because “they were against the American government, not the American peo ple,” Jacky and her husband nevertheless thought it best to return to the United States, where they set tled in Glens Falls, where her parents had already retired.
Jacky quickly discovered that people in Glens Falls had little knowledge of anything happening in the Middle East, nor, for that matter, much about other countries a world away from New York State. Dr. Touba is never one to accept the “what is;” she is a tireless worker for the “what can be,” so she immediately set about changing things.
bring it into children’s minds early on, before the mass media got to them. I’m not against the media, but it does color the way things are presented very often.”
In 1985, while teaching at Skidmore, Jacky decided, “We needed to start educating children earlier. We needed to introduce the world,
Jacky began by initiating an International Fes tival in Glens Falls and forming the Inter national Arts and Culture Association. Working with volunteers who quickly caught the contagiousness of her passion, the group reached out to families that were first or second generation “from here, there, and everywhere.” They then partnered with groups like the
NAACP, the local Rotary, and international organizations, as well as any individuals from diverse cultural backgrounds who wanted to share their tradi tions through dance, music, food, crafts, and ideas with the broader com munity. Three years later, the initiative grew once again with the creation of an International Youth Art Ex change shared with Jacky’s contacts worldwide and inspired by an exhibit of Russian children’s art at The Hyde.
Slowly, the community began to take notice of this wonderful and exciting new program hap pening in Glens Falls, and before long, even the New York State Council on the Arts
J Touba in 1989 at Int Festival of the Adirondacks organized by the International Arts and Culture Association
J Touba, 1999 at WACM’s First home on Glen St. Glens Falls
Jacquiline Touba
was recommending that it become a museum. In 1995, the World Awareness Children’s Museum was first chartered and opened in a small fifth-floor office in the Colvin Building, later moving to the third floor of the Godnick Building, where they stayed for 10 years. However, a museum requires a dedicated museum space, so in 2005, a Capital Campaign was launched. Was it difficult raising funds?
“Jacky Touba is tenacious for hunting money down,” Bethanie Lawrence laughs, recounting that it was the success of the Capital Campaign that fi nally gave the museum its permanent space on Warren Street in downtown Glens Falls. Here, there are exhibit spaces, event spaces, offices, a meeting room, and they’re nearly growing out of it! Bethanie adds, “Our mission is Jacky’s mission -to bring the message of a diverse world to children, and we do it with all hands-on exhibits, imaginative play, games, and lots of laughter and fun.”
The World Awareness Children’s Museum boasts an art collection of over 8,000 pieces, all created by children from around the world, in addition to an artifacts collection. The museum is geared to children 0-12 years old with spaces such as “Mountain Tots” where the very youngest are learning to crawl and walk, and the Kinder Rhythm Drumming Series held every Thursday, where pre-school tots and under have a wonderful time while also learning rhythm, coordination, and attention. There is no charge for this, as it’s included in the admission price of just $7. per person. Isn’t that amazing? Great family entertainment, a learning experience, and exposure to a diverse and ever-expanding world, all at an affordable price. The museum even has economical annual memberships for those who wish to come more often, and who doesn’t wish to come more often once they’ve experienced the world of art and artifact, culture and celebration, and all the diverse and unique and fun people you are exposed to at World Awareness Children’s Museum?
“There are also tons of workshops monthly,” Bethanie advises, “all part of that one $7. admission each time you come. Those with SNAP and WIC cards are welcome for only $1. per person.” In the summer, the museum goes Beyond the Exhibit with
ac tivities such as storytelling, an African dance group, and plenty of music, dance, cultural orientation, and fun.
Here’s something you won’t find too often at other museums. Once a month, on the second Sunday of the month, it’s Free Day at the World Awareness Museum. “It’s an opportunity to come for a free day and see if it fits,” Bethanie says.
For all the cheerleading that Dr. Jacky Touba has done along with her board, staff, and exuberant members, Bethanie says, “We don’t exist in a vacuum, and we know it. We exist in large part because of the Glens Falls community. This is such a wonderful arts community: three museums, The Chapman Museum, The Hyde, and us; several theatres, including the LARAC (Lower Adirondack Regional Arts Council), and it’s growing all the time. We are proud to be an economic driver for this area, having
generated nearly $400,000 in tourism revenue. Just last year alone, we counted visitors from 22 states and Canada who came to the Lake George/Glens Falls area, some specifically as a pre-determined stop to visit the museum and some who found us while they were visiting.”
Although Dr. Touba officially retired from the museum in 2013, she is hardly gone! Her mind keeps ticking; the ideas keep forming. Her smile gets bigger and bigger as she sees the future of our country, learning about the past, present, and futures of so many faraway countries brought right here to learn and play.
Sometimes, however, it’s time to turn the lights out for the night, or time for the kids to go home for dinner or to go to bed, and that’s when the tears come, often followed by screaming.
So what are the dreams and wishes of those who built this remarkable place of learning and wonder? Bethanie Lawrence quickly adds, “To expand our space or find another building. We just keep growing!”
And the kids and families continue to come, learning all they can about the world on the other side of the oceans and mountains, where there are kids just like them, wanting to play, have fun, and grow.
Bethanie laughs, “I tell the parents, ‘That’s okay. It means we’re doing our job.’”
The museum is located at 89 Warren Street in downtown Glens Falls(518) 793-2773
For hours and further information: www.WorldChildrensMuseum.org
Returning to the Craft that Spoke T o Her Many Years Ago - Artist Michelle O’Hare
by Carol St.Sauveur Ferris
The debate over “nature vs. nurture” has been around for centuries. It refers to whether human beings are entirely influenced by their environment or are born with innate biological traits. The term was coined in the mid-1800s by Sir Francis Galton, an English polymath and the cousin of Darwin, with the original debate known to date back to 209 BC. Fast forward to today, and the debate is less an either-or and more a blend of the two. Modern science has concluded that our genes provide a framework, but our en vironment influences how they are ex pressed, and presumably go hand in hand. So, when you hear how Michelle O’Hare came to make her beautiful pottery, you will probably agree.
Born in Gloversville, NY, and raised in up state NY until age 12, she has lived in Saratoga Springs and Wilton ever since.
Michelle had a typical suburban childhood playing outdoors and doing all the things kids do, but what was unusual and unique about her background was the threads of the arts woven into her life from a family filled with many talented people. They played musical instruments, sang, composed, painted, illustrated, sketched, and did just about anything that could be called creative. Her mother was a nightclub singer in the early 60s, and her father designed and exe cuted beautiful home remodeling projects and landscapes for their family.
With all that artsy stuff in their DNA and a lot just swirling about, it’s no surprise that Michelle and her brother pursued the arts as well. On the music side, her brother, Scott Underwood, was the original drummer for Train, the award-winning pop rock band.
On the art side, Michelle is making a name for herself as well. She has taken a page from their family’s artistic handbook and is now shaping and sculpting clay into unique pieces of beautiful pottery.
Looking back, Michelle was quite the creative, musical, and busy lit tle kid. She played the viola and French horn and sang in the chorus in elementary school. She also played the guitar in her teen years, which she still strums today. Michelle also loved her art classes, especially those that included claywork, and took as many as she could throughout grade school and high school. Her parents always encouraged her to explore her creative side and enjoyed seeing what she could do; however, when it came time to decide on a career, they were quite pragmatic. Concerned that if Michelle pur sued art as a career, she would become the classic “starving artist”, so they strongly encouraged her to get a steady, good-paying job to support herself, and she did. Michelle worked for a small electrical distributor for many years, then decided to attend SUNY Adirondack for pre-engineering courses, as well as drafting and Computer-Aided Design (CAD). That led her to take Business Ad ministration classes, and eventually, she earned an AS degree in 1994. She also married her husband, Mike, and had one son, Ian. Turns out both Mike and Ian are musically talented as well.
In 2015, when Ian started college, she decided to take a pottery class at the Saratoga Clay Arts Center (SCAC). According to Michelle, as soon as she touched the clay, she knew this was where she was sup posed to be. The joy of working with clay and the meditative calm that comes with it returned to her. From that moment, despite not having a formal education in the arts, she has been working with clay in her basement home studio every free minute, and at SCAC, where she has also rented studio space. Clay making is her passion.
“I always say I consider the classes I've taken at the Saratoga Clay Arts Center my formal education. I’ve learned so much from those
who went to Skidmore, SUNY New Paltz, or Alfred for ceramics. Jill (Director of SCAC), is very talented and willingly shares her knowledge, and I also think it is inherently within me to work with clay.”
She has been pursuing her craft with a vengeance ever since, despite having a demanding full-time job. Claiming she hasn’t mastered the wheel, most of Michelle’s pieces are hand-built rather than thrown. They are organic, textured, and naturally multi-colored. No shiny one-color finishes can be found in her collections. Her inspiration comes from nature and the photographs she enjoys taking on trips and walks. One only needs to view her work to see that it is beautifully represented in her clay work.
“Nature is my biggest inspiration. My forms that I throw or hand build will usually have a nice flowing curve or shape to them. I enjoy making work that feels good to the touch – not sharp and pointy.”
She uses stoneware clay because of how it feels in her hands, which moves her to shape them into feel-good forms as well. They range in size but
rarely exceed 18” in height or 10” in width. She makes a variety of pieces, including serving bowls, vases, and vessels in many shapes, as well as her beautiful goddesses and birds.
Her favorite pieces to create are her birds, which she began to make after taking a spirit animal workshop with clay artist Dolores Thompson. Michelle sculpted an owl and some birds in class, which over time evolved into focusing on the birds she makes and sells today.
They are simple yet sculptural and fit comfortably in your hand. Lightweight too. Their lightness is achieved by sculpting the birds from a solid block of clay, then carefully hollowing them out, making them more delicate. They are so popular that she is now making smaller ones with little loops to hang on a Christmas tree. These little creatures have quickly become a trademark piece for her, with fairgoers on the lookout for the Bird Lady’s tent!
If you know anything about clay work, you also know that it is not quick work. There are several very important steps that follow after shaping the piece, and a lot of chemistry is involved as well. The basic steps are:
• Design and create the piece. Air dry until leather hard. Remove excess clay.
• If the artist wishes, now carve shapes and symbols into the piece.
• Air dry again until absolutely bone dry.
• Next is bisque firing. Fire piece at 1800 de grees or more to strengthen while still re taining porosity for glazing.
• After bisque firing, dip, pour, or brush a glaze comprised of clays, minerals, and water onto the piece.
• Final firing follows, melting and fusing the glaze to the piece. The desired result is a durable, non-porous finish that can be colorful as well.
• When cooled, the artist will sand the bottom of the piece for a smooth finish.
There are a variety of kilns for firing. Michelle usually brings her pieces to SCAC, where she can choose from four atmospheric kilns, in cluding raku, soda, salt, and gas. She loves the final result each produces. They are laborintensive and require the introduction of ma terials such as salt, soda ash, or wood into the firing process, which react with the clay and glazes on a piece. The amount of oxygen combined with these additives initiates chemical reactions that affect the texture and color of the glaze. As mentioned, the firing process is very physical and scientific.
For example:
• Raku - When a piece is red hot, it is quickly removed and placed in combustibles like newspaper and sawdust, creating smoke. The smoke interacts with the clay, creating a crackled surface pattern and metallic lusters.
• Soda - Requires the addition of soda ash or baking soda to the kiln at peak temperature.
The additives vaporize, creating glassy surfaces as they react with the silica in the clay, slips, and glazes.
• Salt – Sodium is introduced at high temperatures, then vaporizes, leaving a glassy coating because of silica in the clay. Beautiful colors and textures result.
• Gas – Damper systems and mul tiple burners allow adjustments to oxygen and fuel ratios, creating different atmospheres to achieve specific clay and glaze effects.
Michelle loves having access to these kilns and enjoys the teamwork it takes to run them through the night. On occasion, she will also fire her pieces outdoors in her backyard in a wood-fired kiln she builds her self. The results are unique and rewarding, as is the process.
She displays and sells her pottery at a few outdoor festivals, including Beekman Street Arts Festival and the Friday Art Markets in Saratoga Springs during the summer. Despite her day job requiring 50+ hours a week, Michelle somehow manages to create numerous pieces for each one. They are also on display in her home and SCAC studio.
Early on, Michelle mentioned that she not only comes from a very creative family but also a very hardworking one. That is abundantly clear in her work ethic, and many beautiful pieces are the result.
To view or purchase Michelle’s work online, visit www.michelleoharepottery.com and/or on Instagram @michelle.ohare.pottery.
Her work is also on exhibit at Studio 3B, Saratoga Clay Arts Center, in Schuylerville, NY; at Vessel by SCAC in Saratoga Springs, NY; and at LARAC Arts in Glens Falls, NY.
The Saratoga Springs Public Library 75 years of Engagement, Education, Empowerment, and Fun
by Lawrence White
“The very existence of libraries affords the best evidence that we may yet have hope for the future of man.”
...T.S. Eliot
Entering the Saratoga Springs Library is entering another world. The stunning brick façade and gracious entryway lead to an open interior with intuitive pathways through the gracious design to the various spaces within. The experience is intuitive, and the assets are easy to find and use. The various areas are accessible by foot, wheel, or by elevator.
The architecture's design creates even lighting throughout the reading area and the rooms, including the Friends Coffee Nook, which is comfortably cozy and inviting. Despite the silence every library enjoys, there is a buzz of high energy that fills the space from opening to closing.
The world’s oldest known library was founded sometime in the 7th century B.C. in modern-day Iraq. The library included 30,000 cuneiform tablets, archival documents, religious incantations, and scholarly texts, including the 4,000year-old “Epic of Gilgamesh.”
Following Alexander the Great’s death in 323 B.C., control of Egypt fell to his former general, who established a “center of learning” in the city of Alexandria. The Great Library of Perga mum, located in what is now Turkey, housed 200,000 scrolls. Its decline was a long process. Mark Anthony gave a tion of the books to Cleopatra, the rest of the library's collection dimin ished over time.
“The Villa of the Papyri” is the only cient library whose collection has vived to the present day. Its roughly 1,800 scrolls were located in the Roman city of Herculaneum in roughly 112 A.D. There were over two dozen major braries in the city of Rome during the ra. The city’s Imperial Library first ca me into existence in the fourth cen tury A.D. under Constantine the Great, and in the fifth century, the col lection grew to 120,000 scrolls and codices.
The American library system evolved from private, subscription-based collections to publicly funded, accessible stitutions. Key developments include Benjamin Franklin's Library Company of Philadelphia in 1731, the first taxported public library in Peterborough, New Hampshire, in 1833, and the Boston
Public Library in 1854, which was the first large one. The system grew significantly through philanthropic efforts, such as Andrew Carnegie's library donations, and later expanded nationally through federal support, such as the Library Services Act of 1956.
Of course, the current standard is the New York City Library system, which the three city systems collectively welcome nearly 40 million visitors annually and holds approximately 63 million items in its col lections. They are a vital part of NYC life, providing social pro gramming, educational tools, computer access, and free Wi-Fi.
The Saratoga Springs Public Library is 58,626 square feet and sits on 1.92 acres. It offers 80 parking spaces and is wheelchair accessible throughout. The groundbreaking took place on September 19, 1993, with the official opening on August 21, 1995, and the dedication on October 1, 1995. The total project cost was $7.9 million. The library is governed by a seven-member board elected by district residents. Funds to operate the library primarily come from school district
property taxes. District residents must vote on increases in local tax support.
The library website describes its services to in clude:
• Physical Items: Books, DVDs, music, periodicals, museum passes, Chromebooks, and more.
• Digital Resources: Access to e-books, audiobooks, movies, music, and online learning plat forms like Libby, Hoopla, Kanopy, and Mango Languages.
• Programs & Events: A diverse calendar of events for all ages, including story times, computer classes, fitness opportunities, and workshops.
• Meeting Rooms: Available for use by non-profit and community groups.
• Specialized Areas: Dedicated spaces like the Children's Room, Teen Room, and the
"Saratoga Room" for local history and genealogy research.
• Sustainability Initiatives: The library is a cer tified sustainable library and hosts a seed li brary, a community garden, and a "Repair Café" program.
The library offers a large menu of web resources as well:
• Business
• Dictionaries and Encyclopedias
• Education
• Employment
• Genealogy and Local History
• Grants
• Health
• Language Instruction
• Law and Government
• Magazines, Journals, Newspapers
• Technology
The library's highly regarded resource, The Saratoga Room, houses a collection of rare books, illustrations, photographs, maps, manuscripts, and a helpful, knowledgeable staff to guide you. It is fair to say that one visit to the Saratoga Room is never enough, as the area's rich history is revealed through its writings, documents, and artifacts. The li brary offers three meeting rooms for com munity groups to use when not in use by
the library. Availability is on a first-come, first- served basis with cater ing offered by the library café. The library pro vides services to anyone who is unable to access it due to age-related issues, disability, or illness. Available items include media for visually or hearingim paired persons, such as audiobooks on CD, music CDs, DVDs, and large-print books.
Events sponsored through the library are vibrant, constant, educational, and quite often just plain fun. Whether involving teens or seniors, or anyone else, the schedule is one of the most exciting in the area. A check of their social media on Facebook or Instagram will give you an idea of what they are up to and how you might fit in. They can post several opportunities a day, so it pays to check in often.
For instance, as I was finishing writing this piece, the library Facebook site posted the following: “Our Paws4Reading pal, Meggie, will be here TOMORROW, from 4:30 - 5:30 p.m. Meggie is a certified therapy dog who will sit and listen to any story your child wishes to read. Please call 518-584-7860, ext. 305, on the day of the program to reserve a 10-minute time slot.”
Long-time Saratoga Springs resident and founder of the youth social action organization, “Youth2- Youth Helping Youth,” Beverly Lazar Davis has experienced many facets of the library through the years. When I ask her strongest rec ollection, she recounts, “As a parent, bringing my young children to book readings, interacting with them in the Treehouse Room, and most recently, working directly with the Outreach Librarian, Jen Ogrodowski, sewing recyclable bags to reduce use of plastic. She is skilled in teaching teens how to sew, how to thread the machine, and how to construct the fabric bag.”
Beverly continues, “She takes the library van to many locations in the county and brings programming to outlying areas. Outreach programs partner with schools, day cares, camps,
and other community organizations, bringing mobile library services, bringing them resources, and engaging underserved youth with oppor tunities to suggest new programming. Literacy tool kits and other digital and outreach-based materials are often provided throughout the county.”
Recently, as I was leaving the library after a visit, a couple and their very young child were entering. I stepped aside to allow them to pass and noted the mother as she knelt to one knee to be on the same level as her big-eyed child. With wonderment, she told the child, “This magic place is where you will find stories from all over the world.”Then, after a pause, she whispered, “and learn how to make stories of your own.” https://www.sspl.org/contacts/ 518-584-7860
People don’t realize that the dream of becoming a self-supporting artist is a goal many cannot attain. Besides talent, the cost of materials, equipment, and studio space, plus the time to create, there’s marketing, exhibiting, and hopefully selling too. Add in art classes and workshops - it’s a lot. In this case, add an artist from another country working to accomplish all of it in the United States by himself... well, that is quite the challenge. A challenge that a determined and hard-working Masa Sasaki took on and has happily succeeded in.
Masa was born and raised in Fukuoka, Japan, and came to the United States at 17 as an exchange student. He lived with a family in Buhl, Idaho, and attended the local high school. Terribly homesick at first and very shy, he found himself wanting to return home, but his extraordinary talents soon bridged the gap with his peers and paved the way to acceptance and in clusion. He could draw anime with ease, which the students loved, and he was recruited to play keyboard for a heavy metal band even though he was a classically trained pianist. It’s no surprise that his senior year went by very quickly.
He graduated from Idaho’s Buhl High School and then returned to Japan. It was a short stay. Masa was now homesick for the United States and wanted to return to continue his education and live permanently. His host family was supportive and instrumental in his return, and his family in Japan was supportive as well. He attended the College of Southern Idaho and then Western Kentucky University, where he took many art classes and earned a BFA in Graphic Design in 1996.
Masa Sasaki Creating Joyful Ceramics with Hidden Meaning
By Carol St.Sauveur Ferris
But years before coming to the United States, Masa grew up with two siblings and two very creative parents. His Japanese father became a country music singer/songwriter, and his mother was a restaurant owner. He got his love for music from his father, for sure, but not for country music. Instead, Masa took a very different path and became a classically trained pianist. He also composed his own music. Since that time, his lifelong passion has always been, and continues to be, composing and playing classical music on his grand piano.
As a child, Masa also had many creative interests outside of music, including drawing, painting, and all forms of traditional art. He learned to draw from his mother and says he spent a lot of time doing just that, as well as cooking, doing origami, and, of course, playing the piano.
“I invented my own way of folding an origami bird and enjoyed making up songs on the piano. I was a creative child – always drawing and painting, and loved doing things my own way. I was interested in cooking too. Instead of following the recipe, I would imagine the ingre dients based on the taste.”
It comes as no surprise that Masa had a very eclectic work back ground as well. He was an interpreter, a tour guide, a residential construction general contractor, a vintage clothing wholesaler, and a waiter at a Japanese restaurant. Though he will still work occasionally in wholesale vintage clothing, finding unique pieces stateside to send to a business associate in Japan, today he is a devoted, full-time ceramic artist working out of his home studio.
Masa works with both porcelain and stoneware clay and loves the process of wedging the clay. Wedging is extremely important and is similar to kneading dough. It softens the clay and removes air pockets so a finished piece will not explode in a kiln. Once wedging is done to his satisfaction, he weighs out the amount of clay needed for the intended piece, throws it on the wheel, and shapes it. Next, he lets it dry to the leather-hard stage, trims off the excess, and attaches handles if the piece
requires them. Masa then carves or paints his imaginative and beautiful designs onto the sur face, which he views as a 3-dimensional canvas. He follows that with bisque firing in his studio kiln to prepare it for glazing. After the glaze is applied, the piece is fired again at a very high temperature to harden, then cooled, and eventually finds its way into the hands of an appreciative collector.
His inspiration comes from a variety of places, including social media, books, and music. It may also come from his previous work. Just like the child who wanted to explore different ways of cooking or folding origami birds so many years ago, Masa likes to take a previous piece or design and expand upon it. It could be using new clay techniques he hasn’t tried be fore, or perhaps expanding on existing shapes by introducing new elements like fun legs and tops that will make you smile.
No matter the project, Masa is very tentional about what he creates. It es without saying that his pieces are fascinating and beautiful, but they are always equally practical and functional. In fact, he loves that his very popular coffee mugs feel comfortable in a person’s hand and hopes that they become an integral part of their daily routine. He also likes that his mugs provide visual enjoyment while sipping coffee, thanks to their interesting detailing and motifs.
The stories and symbolism behind Masa’s detailing are quite fascinating and recur
across many of his pieces. For instance, if you examine the outside of one of his mugs, you will find the colorful eye of an alien staring right back at you. You will also find a series of individual numbers that are connected and wander across each mug. Masa smiles broadly as he explains his tongue-in-cheek alien-eye motif and numbers. The alien eye implies that we are not alone in this world and also repre sents his alien status in the United States, while the series of numbers is the sequence on his green card.
Another delightful theme is evident in his Princess Series of mugs. The color palette is softer and feminine, as the series name implies. Nature inspired the series, according to Masa, and features an “explosion’’ of dainty designs scattered about. As you sip your coffee, you will enjoy his delicate butterflies, fish, birds, and flowers, and if you drink your coffee down to the last drop, a sweet bird or fish will be waiting for you on the mug’s bottom.
“The interior of the cup is often finished with a happy bird or fish that is only revealed after the last sip of your coffee or afternoon tea, to salute the beginning of a day full of promise or to congratulate work well done. In this world rife with styrofoam and the transient, these unique cups offer lasting inspiration and intrinsic value.”
His work is not limited to mugs. He creates teapots, tea cups and saucers, garlic keepers, lidded jars and bowls, spice jars and sugar jars, delicate tea lights and towers, and so much more. It’s incredible. Historically, each piece he creates has been functional and purposeful, but recently he has begun to venture into more sculptural pieces meant simply to be enjoyed for their beauty and shape. More of those pieces are forthcoming, according to Masa.
Regardless of what he is working on, he will focus on and make many of the same pieces at once - like a oneman assembly line. In this way, he is able to maintain a ready supply of his popular mug series, keeping galleries, craft fair goers, and client shops very happy. Masa does not in tend to have his pieces made by others and commercialize them to
that extent. As far as he can see, he will always hand-make each one himself, which is in keeping with his philosophy.
“The house I live in is big enough already, and acquiring more things doesn’t really excite me. I think if you get philosophical, it’s all about what you aspire to. Do you aspire to a certain status in life to impress others? Or do you aspire to doing things that are meaningful to you that may or may not include something that impresses another, but it’s irrelevant. It’s something that you have to be honest about and accept what comes with it.”
Masa’s ceramics are but one means of self-expression. There is so much more to this incredibly talented yet modest man, including his painting, music, and philosophy on life. Owning one of his beautiful pieces and learning how they came about, it is difficult to imagine how anyone could not treasure them, not only for their beauty and purpose, but for the story of how they came to be.
To view or purchase Masa’s work online, visit www.masasasakiceramics.com or in person at many crafts shows, museum shops, and galleries countrywide, including Vessel by SCAC in Saratoga Springs, New York.
There’s Just Something About Ice
by Karen Richman
There’s just something about ice.
Since I was little, I’ve had a love-hate relationship with it. It was not alto gether unlike a marriage.
As a little girl, I sometimes loved the way it felt underfoot, all crunchy and crackly. Other times, I slipped and fell down and got a boo-boo smack in the middle of my knee, but that was always good for Mom giving me a lot of attention, a couple of bandages, more than a couple of kisses, and some ice cream. So it really wasn’t so bad.
Then there were the quiet times when I looked out the frosty window panes and became totally steeped in the sheer romance of seeing icicles form a coating around the bare tree branches in January. Alas! There were other occasions, too, when I cursed the power outages that resulted from those “beautiful” icicles forming on our electrical wires.
In my teens, my best friend, Jane, and I would spend many Sunday afternoons at the ice skating rink in our area. It wasn’t that we were superior athletes, because we were far from it. It’s just that it was perfect for us because it was indoor, had great hot chocolate in the snack bar with tiny marshmallows floating on top, a sturdy railing around the entire skating arena so we could grab onto it (frequently) to steady ourselves if needed (frequently), and not fall down in front of all those beautiful people. All those other people seemed so graceful. The pretty girls wore skating skirts with matching tops, while I had an old pair of baggy, woolen pants. The pretty girls had cute little berets cocked at an angle with their bangs falling just so. I had ear muffs that were too tight and left giant red indentations
behind my ears. Truth be told, Jane and I were not one bit adept at the sport; we were terrible skaters. Jane longed to be able to spin and twirl and perform the balletic moves we envied from watching Olympic skaters on TV or seeing the stars when the Ice Ca pades came to town. My goal wasn’t as lofty; I just wanted to make it once around the rink without smashing into the railing and unceremoniously melting into an ungraceful heap.
I began liking ice more after I turned 18 (the legal drinking age at the time) and went away to Syracuse University. There, my Drama Department friends and I spent many a night after a rehearsal or performance at The Regent Bar, the local hangout conveniently located right next door to the theatre. It wasn’t much to look at, matter of fact, to call it a “dive” would have been a compliment; but it was safe since the owners kept a watchful eye on the students, never allowing us to get into trouble, making sure we had something to eat even if we didn’t have enough money, keeping the prices low and the drinks watered down enough so we didn’t get into trouble. Having had no experience with drinking prior to my freshman year at Syracuse, I watched what others did, and thus began a friendship with rye and ginger on ice. I wasn’t terribly fond of the taste of rye, but I liked swirling the ice cubes around in the glass, listening to them clink, and thinking myself a very sophisticated woman of the world.
Fast forward to graduation, to marriage, and then a few years thereafter to the purchase of a first home. How proud I was until winter began to take hold. Having lived only in dorms and apartments be forehand, someone else did the shoveling, bought the ice melt, and did the chopping. Now that all fell to me...and a number of times I fell to it...flat on my face. How I hated ice!
About 20 years ago, I started serious daily walking. I would always walk at least 3 miles in nearly every kind of weather. In winter, I would equip myself with thermal underwear and little heat packets you put inside your gloves, and on days when the roads were not fully salted, I resorted to YakTrax Traction Cleats to clip onto the back of my shoes. But sometimes, even the Yak Trax couldn’t handle the ferocity of winter, and down I’d go. Like that day in the 70s when I didn’t look where I was going and went down. Hard. The ER diagnosed a slight knee fracture, bandaged me up, and sent me home with directions to keep my leg elevated and take some Tylenol for pain.
But even after a few days, Tylenol was just not enough. My neighbor, old Mr. Ramsey, who came over regularly to check on me, said, “I know just what you need!” He left for a few minutes and returned with a shot glass filled with rye whiskey. He poured it carefully into a larger glass and added a couple of ice cubes. “Drink it all, but slowly!” he ordered.
I frowned down at the ice cubes, then swirled them around for a bit and listened to them clink and crackle against the glass. Suddenly, I forgot about the pain in my knee and thought back to those wonderful days at The Regent Bar. I took a sip and smiled.
There’s just something about ice.
10 Simple Shifts That Make Life Feel Lighter
By Crystal Cobert Giddens, LE
January feels like a clean slate ~ and a quiet dare. We promise ourselves new habits, better routines, a fresh start. But most of what really changes us isn’t grand or new. It’s the small, steady things we do when no one’s watching.
After a long, loud year, I found myself craving something gentler. Not a resolution, but a reset. Maybe it’s an age thing, or maybe it’s just that so many of us are tired of trying to keep up. After years of listening to stories from women in my studio, I’ve learned that most of us aren’t chasing youth, money, or perfection. We’re chasing peace and a little bit of breathing room.
These ten small shifts have helped me find more of it. None of them are complicated, but they all change the way life feels when you start living with a slightly different intention.
1. Be where your feet are. Presence is a muscle; it strengthens with use. When you notice where you are instead of where you’re headed, the whole world softens around you. There’s nothing glamorous about mindfulness, it’s just the art of noticing the details you’ve been too busy to see.
2. Move your body every day. Not for punishment or progress pic tures, but because your body was made to move. A short walk, a stretch, dancing in your kitchen (yes, we shuffle in our tiny kitchen… or maybe it’s swaying) they all count. On the days you least want to move, that’s when you need it most. Movement wakes up parts of you that stress has put to sleep.
3. Say the words. Tell people you love them. Text the friend who crossed your mind. Hug longer. The right time rarely arrives, so say it now. Words don’t cost anything, yet they have the power to change someone’s entire day.
4. Empty your head before bed. Write down what’s cluttering your mind. You’ll sleep deeper, dream better, and wake up lighter because your thoughts finally have somewhere to go. I think of it as clearing the sink before bed. No one wants to wake up to dishes. It’s a small act of care that makes tomorrow feel easier before it even begins.
5. Let yourself be seen. Strength isn’t silence. Real strength is softness and the courage to say, “I’m scared” or “I need help.” Vulnerability doesn’t make you weak; it makes you real. And real is magnetic.
When I stopped pretending to have it all figured out, my relationships changed. Clients, friends, even my own family started opening up more, too. Turns out, honesty is contagious.
6. Practice patience like it’s a skill. Patience isn’t passive; it’s power. It’s the pause between reaction and response, the deep breath before words that can’t be unsaid. The world will keep rushing, but you don’t have to. Life softens when you slow your tempo.
7. Find purpose outside your paycheck. Purpose can be as small as tending a plant, mentoring a student, or caring for a neighbor. Con tribution doesn’t need applause; it just needs to matter to you. We forget that meaning is made in the margins…in all the things no one sees but you.
8. Listen like it matters. Most people don’t need advice; they need to be heard. Listen not to fix but to understand. When someone feels seen in your presence, you’ve given them something no algorithm ever could.
9. Ditch perfect and keep the joy. This. Is. So. Hard. For. Me.
“Strict Perfection” drains the beauty out of everything. Let your home look lived in. I’m done staying behind because my only time to clean house is on Saturday morning.
Laugh when your perfect dinner burns and make grilled cheese! My husband and I still laugh about the black smoke pouring out of our kitchen for our second Thanksgiving. He cranked up the heat to “seal” the turkey and promptly went into the garage and got sidetracked. Black ened, raw turkey became the best turkey chili for another day and we had grilled cheese sandwiches instead.
10. Learn something, then pass it on. Knowledge isn’t meant to be hoarded; it’s meant to ripple. Be curious. When you learn something new…about skin, about people, about yourself ~ share it. Teach the next generation how to care deeply, not just work harder.
The older I get, the more I realize that wisdom isn’t about knowing everything; it’s about being willing to learn, grow, and accept change.
Happiness, it turns out, isn’t a destination. It’s a daily practice. A steady rhythm of small, human choices that bring you back home to yourself. And joy…joy lives in the cracks of the unplanned, the ordi nary, the unfiltered. It’s what rushes in when you finally stop performing and start being.
Crystal Cobert Giddens is a licensed esthetician, educator, and founder of FACES of Saratoga™ and The Skin Alchemist™. Her work blends science and ritual to help others reconnect to what’s real. You can find her at FACES in the Historic Arts District on Beekman Street, or at Turn a New Leaf on Maple Avenue, where she offers select ritual sessions that blend clinical care with soulful restoration.
CULINARY DESTINATIONS: The Mohonk Mountain House Experience
By Chef Armand Vanderstigchel
In my past editorials, I have emphasized our at tainable leisure prosperity, living in the 518 re gions with beautiful travel and culinary treasures available to us in a drivable distance. One of the notable riches within a 2-hour distance is the majestic Mohonk mountain house- a year-round resort encompassing every outdoor, lodging, and culinary paragon known to mankind.
Before cruise-ships, affordable air-travel and ex otic vacation packages in its mid-century hey day, the family-run resorts such as ‘Grossinger’s”- known as “the Waldorf in the Catskills” hosted up to 150,000 guests a year, —
drawing guests from the tri-state region including Eleanor Roosevelt, Jackie Robinson, and Robert Kennedy. This iconic Borscht Belt hotel that in spired the film “Dirty Dancing,” will be the subject of a new scripted TV series “The Mountains,” un derscoring the regeneration of local resort travel and associated nostalgias.
Even though many resorts have closed in since 1986, this tradition continues till this day at the Mohonk Mountain House in New Paltz, run by the Smiley organization who have craftily tapped into the desires of each generation es tablishing a dri vable family and outdoor-afi cionados playground eliminating stressful air-travel.
The Mohonk Mountain House located in the Shawangunk Mountains, was elected by” The Nature Conservancy” as one of Earth’s “last great places.” When Albert Smiley purchased the Mountain House, the grounds were largely uncultivated wilderness. Superhuman exertions were essential to create the structure of carriage
roads and trails that are still in use today supporting carriage rides, horseback riding, and mountain biking featuring stunning vistas such as those seen from Copes Lookout and Sky Top with its views of six surrounding states. Albert Smiley was an ardent gardener, trucking in tons of soil to establish the “English Style’ Mohonk gardens and is now the largest visitor supported nature preserve in New York State with miles of hiking trails.
The Mohonk Mountain House has hosted many famous visitors over the years, such as John D. Rockefeller, Andrew Carnegie, and President Theodore Roosevelt. Under con tinuous ownership and management of Smiley family members for 144 years, the Mo honk Mountain House has 267 guestrooms, three spacious dining rooms, 138 working fire places, 238 balconies, a spa and fitness center and a beautiful indoor heated swimming pool. The resort also features golf, tennis, flow ering gardens, 125 rustic gazebos, a mu seum, the Sky Top Tower observation point, an outdoor ice-skating rink-winter activities
in clude snowshoeing, cross-country skiing. While sitting on the porch of the Hotel, one overlooks Lake Mohonk, featuring swimming at the beach, ca noeing, boating, and paddle boats. The yearround resort accommodates vacationers and conferences wherein overnight rates include breakfast, lunch, dinner, afternoon tea and cookies and an outdoor lunch buffet perched on a cliff overlooking Lake Mohonk.
For those not lodging overnight, the resort of fers various day-passes giving you access to the property. Such passes available are; HikingStable-Rock Climbing-Golf- Dining and a Day Spa-pass. On our last visits we elected the Spa and Dining pass which are enjoyed with free parking and access to the hiking trails, of fering a full-day of grandeur around your appointments.
We have always enjoyed visiting the Mohonk Spa, as a relaxing recharge from the long hours associated with the hospitality industry. The Spa is vast and couples enjoy separated or shared areas to relax in blanketed chairs overlooking the scenic mountains. A cozy fire place lounge and heated-mineral hot-bath with re vivifying forest air truly celestial. The massage therapists here have been employed for years with the Spa-an observable eminence. Locker rooms have a private steam-room and sauna. An artisanal selfserve tea station soothes the after - massage experience with high-quality Chamomile tea.
Jim Palmeri implementing a farm to table chronicle of American cooking. The dining room with high ceilings is grandeur and warm by feel irrespective of its immense size. The service is classic and professional with cheerful managers and servers attending to your dining needs. Sous Chef Tamara Allen and manager Jason Gutz even came out to say hello to our table. On a special note, the staff is international thanks to the special student work visas program and on-site housing. The nearby Culinary Insti tute of America is also a source of internship and chefs. The restaurant has a daily rotat ing menu. For appetizers we enjoyed the Red Snapper Crudo, the organic Beet Salad au Radicchio and the braised Lamb Neck Rago w/ Buckwheat Spätzle-excellent starters. Entréewise we indulged in the Mero Seabass w Fennel, Squid Ink Tagliatelle Pasta w Gulf Shrimp (sen sational) and the vegetarian-friendly Saf fron Chestnut Risotto. The pasty chef cre ations of the Mohonk Crunch Cake (Toffee, Ganache, Pecans, Salted Caramel) and Vanilla Panna Cotta w/ Rhubarb were exquisite. A recommended night cap followed-the Mohonk Bonfire featuring Grandad Bourbon, Brulee Marshmallow and Chocolate Mole Bitterssoul warming!
After the Spa we headed over to the Main Dining Room with scenic mountain views. It can seat 450 guests, and is led by Chef
As we departed from the dining room and sauntered through the antique décor areas and luminary pictures adorning hallway to wards our exit, we felt gratified having par taken in an inspiring part of historic Catskill resort antiquity.
“I have advertised with 518 Profiles since its inception. I am extremely happy with the lush colorful layouts and positioning of ads. The magazine has my best interest in mind; offering advice to make visual improvements when necessary. Customer service is exquisite. I highly recommend advertising with this magazine.”
Tom Myott, Artist - www.tmyottart.com
“Doing business with 518 profiles has been an absolute pleasure. Stephanie is extremely professional in designing and ex ecuting our print ads exactly as we envi sioned. She makes the process smooth and easy leaving my time free to focus on our employees and guests”
Michael J. Fortin, Owner/Executive Chef MJF Restaurant Group LLC, Cohoes
“Working with Stephanie at 518 PROFILES magazine is truly a pleasure. The magazine is so well written and designed. I feel I have gotten great coverage with my ads and featured article. The digital version reaches a wide read ership as well. Stephanie is a true journalistic professional. I highly recommend this magazine to highlight and advertise your business.”
Ann Larsen, Larsen Studio
I am a longtime fan of 518 Profiles and con tinue to be impressed by content and presentation. I also appreciate that the magazine gives the small art entrepreneur exposure to a wide audience and provides a beautiful venue to showcase the galleries and shops of the Saratoga Springs Art Dis trict.I am proud to be among the artists and businesses included an d sincerely appreciate Stephanie Sittnick's support of the art community.
Susan Rivers, Greentree Fiber Arts
“Saratoga’s finest magazine! A magazine you pick up and keep for its quality, feel and content. I have done many ads in newspapers and magazines in my carrier, and we literally have people walking in with 518 Profiles in their hands looking for us. Advertising with the magazine works well because the readers pay attention to the high quality and editorial.”
Saratoga Saddlery & International Boutique, Saratoga Springs
“ Great Magazine! Stephanie and staff do a great job in pre senting the artist they feature each month. Great photos and in depth interviews.”
Gary Zack, Zack Gallery, Saratoga Springs
“The cover, alone, of 518 Profiles draws me in, every time. I always wait for a block of time be fore opening it, so I can settle in and enjoy. The articles are in-depth portraits of a business or of a person and the photos are brilliant. Even the advertisements are quite spec tacular. I had looked forward to placing my own business ad, and finally have done so. Stephanie is easy to work with and I just love the ad that was created.”
Kathy Agneta
M&P Gifts LLC / Merriman and Pfister’s Marketplace,
“Working with Stephanie and 518 Profiles has been a consistently exceptionally profes sional and positive experience. They are very easy to work with and have an un usual attention to detail that is ap pre ciated! The award-winning publication i s beautiful... and my customers look forward to picking up the new issue each month. We are proud to be among their advertisers!”
Amanda Magnetta Bear and Bird Boutique + Gallery, Schenectady
'What a beautiful Magazine!! It’s a pleasure to dis play it in my shop... my customers love it! Stephanie is a delight to work with in all of the facets! I am very proud to be part of this publication which has not only brought me sales but has connected me with very loyal and devoted customers from all over our region!'
Corina
Palma and I have been in the fashion and entertainment business for over 40 years. We have dealt with premier corporations and magazines and what Stephanie pub lishes monthly is their equal in quality, content, and style. She is a consummate professional and a joy to deal with.
Palma Kolansky & Joe Troiano, Lakeside General Store, Cossayuna
“We enjoy and take great pride in advertising with 518 Profiles magazine. It is a pleasure as a local business to be associated with a magazine that focuses on local talent, arti sanals, craftsmen and unique businesses who paint a beautiful broad brush enhancing the uniqueness of our region, giving visitors and local alike,a reason to be excited and proud to live and shop here in the 518 area. As an artisanal restaurant serving unique European cuisine, beers and wine, we feel that 518 Magazine targets the correct audience for those with a refined palate and the placement and distribution of the magazines are carefully curated by targeting the correct audience. We have had great feedback and really like the beautiful ads the designers create for us!
Chef Armand Vanderstigchel Brasserie Benelux, Saratoga Springs
“The Magic Moon is a small business that has grown with the community over the last 26 years, and as such, we ap preciate the efforts of 518 Profiles, a publication that consistently turns its spotlight on the lesser-known niche businesses in and around Saratoga Springs. From an ad vertiser's point of view, we're more than pleased with the personal attention we've received from the publisher, as well as the eye-catching presentation of the printed product each month.”
The Magic Moon, Saratoga Springs
Cornina Oberai
Contemporary Jewelry, Ballston Spa
January 3 Albany
Salutations of the Season.
Month of January Clifton Park
The Blooming Artist Gallery & Ins truction is pleased to present ou r annual holiday show, Holiday Sa lon. This exhibit runs through Ja nuary, 2026. All are welcome to ex perience this diverse collection and celebrate this exhibition and o ur artists whose work comprises it on Friday, December 05th from 6-8pm. The Blooming Artist, 675 Grooms Rd Suite 101, Clifton Park, NY 12065 Phone: (518) 280-4928
On Saturday, January 3, 2026, Sch uyler Mansion State Historic Site will welcome visitors for its annual Twelfth Night Celebration, “Salutations of the Season!” From 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., the site will host an Open House filled with 18th ce ntury holiday fare, live music, bonfires (weather permitting), period reenactors, and wassail toa sts. To commemorate the 250th anniversary of Henry Knox’s “Noble Train of Artillery” mission from Fort Ticonderoga through Albany, Knox and other spe cial guests will hold court in the mansion. Schuyler Mansion ad mission: $7.00 Adults / $6.00 Seniors & Students / $1.00 Children (12 and under). No advanced registration is available. Tickets must be purchased at the Visitors Center the evening of the event. Schuyler Mansion is located at 32 Catherine Street in Albany’s his toric South End.
January 3
Saratoga Springs
Go odnight Moonshine is a guitar and vocal duet, and a musical mar riage in all senses
The Duo combines the evocative voice and songwriting of Molly Venter of Red Mo lly fame, with Eben Pa riser’s adventurous and awe-inspiring guitar playing. The result is folk music with a depth of improvisation and tonal subtlety usually reserved for jazz. Molly’s enviable voice, which can be called both “biker-chick smoky” (New Haven Register), and “like silk” (American Songwriter Magazine), has taken her career to highlights including Tønder Festival in Denmark, Kate Wolf Fest in CA, and multiple placements on television and film. “Pariser’s harmonic sensibilities are wide, imaginative” (NPR), and he describes his own playing as "Cooder-grass" in honor of Ry Cooder- part Django part Frisell with a touch of Jerry's ethos. A nat ural producer, Eben now has 9 studio records under his belt for himself and other artists. January 3, 2026 Time 8:00 pm – 10:00 pm, Do ors Open: 7:30 pm.Caffè Lena, 47 Phila Street, Saratoga Springs, NY
JANUARY EVENTS
January 4 Glens Falls Open Studio: Mixed Media. Bring your projects in progress and work among other artists! This open studio time provides a community space where anyone can put in some creative hours to hone skills, practice and finish artworks. While an instructor will be available for suggestions, no formal instruction will be provided. Permitted materials include most mediums, except for oil paints or other materials that require proper ventilation. Suggested unfinished projects include painting (acrylic, watercolor, tempera), drawing (graphite, colored pencil, charcoal), fiber art, printmaking (no press available), and books arts. Sunday, Jan 4, 2026. 2:00 PM - 4:30 PM. The Hyde Collection, 161 Warren Street, 161 WARREN ST Glens Falls, NY 12801 (518) 792-1761
January 5 – 26 Charlton Sashiko Embroidery Class Series with Renee Johnson at Main Street Studio. Learn how to stitch a beautiful sashiko pattern design while creating something very practical for you or your favorite person who likes to sew, a handy sewing case for needles and notions with a decorative snap closure. Register online at www.mainstreetcharlton.com or email info@mainstreetcharlton.com.
January 10 Glens Falls
Mono Means One w/ Progeny. Mono Means One is a psychedelic prog trio and the brainchild of bassist and composer John Ferrara, best known as the bass player and co-founder of the acclaimed world fusion band “Consider the Source.” Mono Means One’s sound con tains melancholic melodies, rich sonic tex tures with Drum 'N’ Bass grooves and Mathrock sensibilities. Half composed and half improvised, the music is often dark, with moments of calm serenity and other times heavy, oscillating between chill grooves to al m ost unbearable intensity. All three members produce a sound that is powerful and unique all to their own. Sat Jan 10, 18 and over, Show time:7:30 PM, Doors open: 7:00 PM. The Park Theater, 14 Park Street, Glens Falls, NY 12801. 518-792-1150
January 10 Charlton
Embroidered Patch Sewing Circle with Mallory Zondag. Here's to a creative new year! Making, mending, defining your own style! Join us for an afternoon learning embroidery techniques, sharing sewing tips and getting some fun design inspirations with Mallory Zondag at Main Street Studio in Charlton. Register online at www.mainstreetcharlton.com or email info@mainstreetcharlton.com.
JANUARY EVENTS
January 20 Saratoga Springs Hands-On Paella Cooking Class. Experience Boca Bistro’s all-new Hands-On Paella Cooking Class, where you’ll cook alongside Executive Chef Ian Sinda! Dive into the art of crafting authentic Paella de Catalana, mastering essential techniques from knife skills to perfecting the art of cooking with a paella pan. What to Expect: Small Bites – Start the evening with a tasting of Chef se lected Tapas. Knife Skills & Prep – Sharpen your skills as you chop fresh ingredients for your paella. Hands-On Cooking – Work side by side with Chef Ian, learning time-honored techniques to create the perfect paella. Feast on Your Creation – Enjoy your creation. Sweet Finish – End the night with warm, house-made churros. Boca Bistro, Tuesday, January 20th, Time: 6:00 PM Price: $100 per person, plus tax & gratuity = ($127.00)
January 21 Charlton
Looking for some creative inspiration as you start the new year? Come by Main Street Studio in Charlton (just 10 mins west of Ballston Spa) for their January Open House and Studio Tour! See if the studio could be a good fit for your practice in wood, fiber, clay (or all of the above!) in this collaborative, artist-run studio space. Wednesday, January 21 from 10am – 8pm. 786 Charlton Rd, Charlton (an old volunteer fire sta tion!). Membership info & class schedule available online at www.mainstreetcharlton.com or email info@mainstreetcharlton.com.
January 22 Glens Falls
Watercolor Workshop with Diane Swanson. Two-hour painting workshop covering watercolor techniques and tricks to help participants feel more at ease working in the medium. Participants will practice technique demonstrated by instructor to learn some of the magic of the medium, while working on a specific landscape scene. The instructor will work with each participant through the process, with tips on han dling composition, color and brushwork. All materials supplied; for all artistic abilities. Thursday, Jan 22, 2026. 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM. $35 LARAC Member/$45 Non Member. LARAC Lapham Gallery, 7 Lapham Place Glens Falls, NY 12801
January 24 Ballston
Exhibit Opening: “A Little off the Top”: The History and Artistry of Barber Bot tles. Barber Bottles are among the most beautiful types of bottles. Designed and blown for barbers to use in their practice, they were filled with colognes, perfumes and other fragrances; hair ton ics; shampoos; anti-dandruff tonics and other remedies. Barbers typically filled their own bottles, using the shapes, colors and sizes to differentiate which bottles held which products. The heyday of barber bottle manufacture was from the 1870s up until almost the 1920s, by which point new laws and new commercially available products led to the bottles falling out of favor. Still, they were manufactured for dec orative purposes well into the 21st century. This exhibit highlights bottles from the 1860s through the 1940s, and includes artifacts of glass, porcelain and silver. As “working bottles,” many show patterns of wear, although the artistry of each shines through. The National Bottle Mu seum, 76 Milton Avenue, Ballston Spa, NY 12020. 518-885-7589
January 25 Saratoga Springs
Dust Bowl Faeries perform a faerietale of dark cabaret and macabre polka music, infused with a dose of witchcraft and a dusting of woodland magic. Hailing from the haunted villages of the NY Hudson Valley, the Faeries perform original songs peppered with nuances of tango, flamenco, Klezmer, Balkan and Romani swing music. Singing saw, piano accordion, lap-steel, bass, acoustic guitar and percussion combine to create the Dust Bowl Faeries otherworldly sound. January 25, 2026, Time 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm Doors Open: 6:30 pm. Caffè Lena, 47 Phila Street, Saratoga Springs,
January 30 Glens Falls
David Drake. On the Final Friday of each month, The Park Presents: Comedy After Dark - showcasing a Headliner along with a feature act, a host, and a guest comedian to make up nearly 2 hours of entertainment. David Drake is a comedian. He is a very funny comedian. He has been featured on Comedy Central, HBO, Sirius XM, Cracked, Don’t Tell, and Fox. Fri Jan 30, 18 and over Show time:8:00 PM. Doors open:7:00 P M. The Park Theater, 14 Park Street, Glens Falls, NY 12801. 518-792-1150
January 31 Glens Falls
Listening To Your Inner Voice. Through meditation and art connect with a part of you that needs attention. Learn more about yourself through your own symbol system. Then get a reading about you. (You don’t have to be an artist to benefit from this workshop) Come Journey with us, Learn and pay attention to YOU! Saturday January 31, 2026. Joan Reid Art & Healing Arts, The Shirt Factory, studio 311, 71 Lawrence Street, Glens Falls, NY 12801 https://joanreidhealingarts.com/
