Create Community Studios

💚May has been such a busy month! Here are just a few highlights of what we've been up to!💚

🫟Here's what we've been CREATE-ing!🫟
1)Charlotte: I re-connected with the 4th graders in Zadoorian’s class at Paige Elementary to work on a collaborative project. They worked so well together and created this beautiful flower!
2)Laura W: Studying insects with my PreK friends was a highlight this month. Creative play with loose parts is one of my favorite things!
3)Kristi: An impromptu collaborative sculpture with ASH students after mouse droppings ruined their individual pieces that morning & Mrs. O’Rourke gave me a heads up! We resolved their art debacle with reading “Seven Blind Mice,” positive dialogue and accepting the new outcome!
4)Heather: We had some amazing volunteers from Community Bank, N.A. for . Thanks to everyone for braving the heat and getting the Rotterdam Junction Tunnel ready for the upcoming mural project in collaboration
Thanks to for organizing this annual day of service!
5)Laura C.: We had a great day creating art in community at Art in the Park! People of all ages stopped by to add to our community string art.
6) Laura W: Charlotte and I made spring flowers for the Schenectady Studio windows. Check them out next time you are in or if you drive by!
7)Kristi: This mom and son team have become regulars in the ceramic studio and she is teaching him to throw on the wheel

📅Check our calendar to see what class you can get creative with next month!
https://www.createcommunitystudios.org/calendar

💫What will you CREATE this week!?! 💫
June 1sy -7th

The Troy studio is hosting the opening reception of "The Little Years" , a Solo Exhibition by Grace Lang, this Friday! Stop by to see the collection of her works that revisits and reinterprets visual ideas from her childhood.

📅Check our calendar for full description and to sign up for classes.

CREATE's programs made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.

💚🦋 It seems only appropriate to close out May Mental Health Awareness month with a watercolor class at
While the theme was “local wildlife” we encouraged participants to interpret the theme however they felt comfortable… including some fun imaginative birds!

✨Thanks to all who embraced the spirit of play, community and self expression! This is how we “Make Art & CREATE Community!

Cycle Schenectady and CREATE Community Studios are excited to announce the sibling team of Jade Warrick, Quill Harrison, Zoe Harrison and Shalom Harrison have been selected to complete a mural along the Empire State Trail in Rotterdam Junction, transforming a graffitied tunnel into a bright and welcoming space.

Warrick-Harrison Team:
Jade Warrick,
Zoë Harrison, .with.a.waddle
Shalom Harrison, .comb_ink
Quill Harrison,

Thank you to the four other finalists for submitting their incredible designs.
Casey Beal,
Ramiro Davaro-Comas,
Margalo Guo,
Amanda Newman,

The mural is funded by a 2026 NYS Canal System Tourism Infrastructure and Event Grant from NYS Canal Corporation and the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor, with additional funding from the Schenectady County Metroplex Development Authority and a Arts & Culture grant.

Thank you to all the community members who voted online and in person and helped us make our decision!
Stay tuned for progress updates!

This project is made possible thanks to support from our partners:

⭐ Don't forget to pick up your finished clay pieces! ⭐

The ceramics studio is filling up with all your amazing work! Be sure to come by to pick up your finished pieces, so we have space to keep creating.

🔹 Pieces can be picked up during any ceramics class. For more information on pick up times, please contact Kristi at [email protected]

⭐ New Art Exhibit in Troy! ⭐

Artist Grace Lang exhibit "The Little Years" is coming to our Troy studio! In this work, Lang revisits and reinterprets visual ideas from her childhood, weaving them into a world with newer characters and motifs related to new identity as a mother.

🔹Opening Reception, Friday 6/5, 5-7pm, Troy Studio

🚨 FINAL WEEK 🚨
There’s still time to CREATE Your Own Way for mental health 💛

This month, our community has shown up through art, movement, creativity, storytelling, fundraising, and connection — and we’re not done yet.

Help us finish strong by:
✨ Donating
✨ Sharing a fundraiser
✨ Starting your own final-week challenge
✨ Inviting a friend to support mental health
Every dollar supports accessible expressive arts and community mental health programming through CREATE.

Together, we are creating spaces for healing, connection, and hope.

🎉New Gelli Printing series in Schenectady! 🎉

Join local artist Laurel-Le Lipski to learn the fundamentals of monoprinting using Gelli plates. In this class, you will experiment with layering colors, textures, and shapes as you discover how to create beautiful prints on paper. This hands-on workshop is for artists of all skill levels, from complete beginners to seasoned creators.

🔹Gelli Printing, 2 week series, 6/7 & 6/14, 2-4pm, Teen & Adult

We are so proud to be supporting the work of ONE Schenectady!
Thank you to Ashley for a beautiful afternoon and to Rotterdam Community Center for hosting us all!

💫What will you CREATE this week!?! 💫
May 25th- 31st
Songwriter's Circle is this week in Schenectady! Drop in the studio, share compositions with one another, get feedback, and talk about the writing process.
📅Check our calendar for full description and to sign up for classes.
CREATE's programs made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.
New York State Council on the Arts

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