Long before the Summer of ’69, Woodstock, New York, was home to America’s first year-round arts colony. Founded in 1902, the Woodstock Art Colony was a product of the burgeoning arts and crafts movement. A utopian community, it drew furniture craftsmen, painters, printmakers, photographers and other artisans.
The New York State Museum has announced the acquisition of a significant collection of artwork from the colony, including 1,500 paintings, works on paper, sculptures and archival materials representing more than 170 artists, including Birge Harrison, Robert Henri, George Bellows and Eugene Speicher. The donation comes from collector Arthur Anderson, who has focused on the colony and its artists for three decades, resulting in the largest collection of its type.
“Ever since I began spending quality time in the Hudson Valley, I have…
