Second Saturday Art Gallery hop in Beacon

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For years, Beacon has had hoppin' Second Saturdays with gallery openings and art happenings. But art refuses to be confined to a hashtagged event schedule. That's why we've expanded this Guide to showcase as many art openings as we can within Beacon's city limits. Artistic endeavors are going up on walls (and sidewalks, and lawns) all the time around town, so keep your eyes glued to this space and refresh often to stay in the loop. We try to update the bulk of this Guide on the Monday before Second Saturday, or as venues list their happenings. But we're constantly updating the Guide as we hear about new events and openings.

Are you planning for the fourth Thursday of the month? Or maybe you're already a seasoned #2Sat pro? Skip the Second Saturday 101 below if you'd like, and head straight for the listings, starting with Dia: Beacon.

Our Second Saturday Art Gallery Guide is sponsored by No. 3 Reading Room and Photo Book Works, at 469 Main Street, down toward the east end of Main Street near the Story Screen Beacon Theater. At the reading room, you’ll find not just rotating exhibits, but cool collections of handmade books that the public is encouraged to peruse.

Do you have an art opening coming up? Tell us about it: Drop a line to editorial@alittlebeaconblog.com with the who/what/when/where, and include a representative photo, to be considered for inclusion in this Guide. 

Second Saturday 101

Second Saturday is a lively day into night in Beacon, and is a celebration of Beacon's galleries, restaurants and other businesses on the second Saturday of every month. Dan Rigney, former president of BeaconArts (the organization who encouraged this movement to happen over a decade ago, and who still heavily promotes the events) says: "Back then, Beacon was one of the last places people outside of town thought to go on a Saturday night. Now Second Saturday has become a part of the fabric of Beacon. It's such a part of it, many galleries have their opening events on other Saturdays, so that they get two big crowds each month." Second Saturday provides a great reason to walk Main Street and beyond, and explore the events going on around town. It's always a pleasure to dine your way through Beacon, so turn to our Restaurant Guide to help you puzzle out where to eat and drink as you explore special exhibits and happenings.

What to Know About This Guide:

• This Guide includes gallery and art showings that may be hosted in the gallery or in a shop or restaurant.

• Many of these shows run through the current month, so check back often if you are on an art hunt.

• Closing times posted here are for Second Saturdays only, and may not reflect regular Saturdays. Always call an establishment directly for current hours, offerings, or any other questions.

• Parking can be found on side streets, on Main Street, and in municipal lots. Click here for A Little Beacon Blog's Free Public Parking Guide, with pictures and cross streets!

• Share your way through Second Saturday by using #2SAT, the hashtag created by BeaconArts, and tack on #beaconny or #SecondSaturday if you have room in your tweets or Instagram postings.

• If you are a gallery and have something special to add, please email editorial@alittlebeaconblog.com.

Late-Night (After 9pm) Spots to Eat and Drink: 

After you walk the galleries, you'll be hungry and need (another) drink! See our full list of restaurants who are open prior to 9 pm in our Restaurant Guide. 

• Bank Square 129 Main St.

• Chill Wine Bar 173 Main St.

• Meyer's Olde Dutch 184 Main St.

• Max's On Main 246 Main St.

• Baja 328 328 Main St.

• Quinn's 330 Main St.

• The Towne Crier (bar only) 379 Main St.

• Oak Vino Wine Bar 389 Main St. (call first to see if cheese plates and dessert are still being served!)

• Draught Industries 394 Main St.

• The Beacon Hotel Restaurant 424 Main St.

• The Vault 446 Main St.

• Joe's Irish Pub 455 Main St.

• Roundhouse 2 East Main St.

• Dogwood 47 East Main St.

• Melzingah Tap House 554 Main St.

Leave all of our Guides open on your phone, because they include addresses and phone numbers. Tap on a phone number to call anyone!

Second Saturday, November 9: We’re updating as events come in, so keep checking this space! Looking for more ways to keep busy this Second Saturday? Check out our Event Guide to fill you in on the rest of the happenings - if you're out and about in Beacon and see something that you think we shouldn't miss, tag us on Twitter or in your photos on Instagram (we're @alittlebeacon on both). Now, let's get to November’s art openings and events. 

NEAR THE TRAIN, BEFORE MAIN STREET

Dia:Beacon
3 Beekman St.
Beacon, NY
(845) 440-0100
One of the preeminent modern art museums in the world, Dia:Beacon opened in 2003 in a former Nabisco box-printing factory on the shore of the Hudson River. Take a closer look at Dia:Beacon's giant shapes, piles of glass, grayscale geometry, neon tubes and so. much. more. Dia:Beacon offers complimentary admission with identification to all residents of Columbia, Dutchess, Greene, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Sullivan, Ulster, and Westchester counties on the last Sunday of every month. Dia:Beacon is free for residents of Beacon, Fishkill, Chelsea, and Glenham every Saturday and Sunday, year-round. (Thanks, Pete Seeger.)
Special for Second Saturday: A trio of pretty-new and brand-new openings at Dia: Marian Zazeela opened in October, and exhibitions from Mel Bochner and Barry Le Va open today. Better known for her work with sculpture and light, Zazeela instead brings to Dia her works on paper, which ”showcase the range of materials and motifs that stem from the artist’s deep interest in calligraphy and ornamental forms,” according to Dia’s press release. It’ll be interesting to see how those more ornate pieces leap out from the less-decorative works that Dia’s known for. Bochner’s new site-specific, large-scale work, commissioned by Dia, recalls his Measurement series from the late 1960s, delineating and drawing attention to the space that surround us. La Va’s work, likewise, showcases spaces we might not normally pay attention to: floor-based installations that he focused on in the 1960s.
Also: Saturday Studio! At 10:30 am, visitors can join practicing artists for a free workshop of family-friendly art-making and play. It begins at 10:30 am; sign-up begins in Dia’s admissions area at 10 am. Advance reservations are usually snatched up, but Dia keeps a few first-come, first-serve spots open! All families participating in Saturday Studio receive free admission to Dia:Beacon for the day. Once the Learning Lab wraps up, check out a guided tour of the museum at 12:30 or 2 pm. Reservations for the tour aren't necessary, but may be made at the admissions desk.
Hours: Thursday to Monday, 11 am to 4 pm (November-December hours)

Mother Gallery
1154 North Ave. (downstairs)
Beacon, NY
(845) 236-6039
Mother Gallery is a co-creative, artist-run, exhibition space located in Beacon, NY. Conceived and stewarded by Kirsten Deirup and Paola Oxoa to foster collaboration, community, and open dialogue amongst all people in the Hudson Valley and beyond.
Special for Second Saturday: Shigeko Kubota: Restored in Beacon brings to a new audience Kubota’s pioneering “video sculpture.” David Ross, a Beacon resident and former director of the Whitney museum who worked with the late Kubota as early as the 1970s, partnered with Kubota’s husband to restore the videos to their optimum quality. Through Sunday, December 15.
Hours: Saturday and Sunday, noon to 6; Second Saturday opening reception 5 to 8 pm

Parts & Labor Beacon
1154 North Ave. (upstairs)
Beacon, NY
(917) 664-8861
This recent arrival to the Beacon gallery scene, opening last May, uniquely pairs works by one younger or emerging artist and one more-established artist. Writer Alison Rooney and the gallery’s co-founders, Nicelle Beauchene and Franklin Parrasch, explain the concept really nicely in this recent Highlands Current piece.
Special for Second Saturday: Ray Johnson and Mark Gonzales are paired in the latest iteration of Parts & Labor’s exhibitions. Johnson, close with Andy Warhol, expressed his sardonic take on Pop Art through democratizing work like collages and his mail art, as pieces went through the USPS from collaborator to recipient, and each was encouraged to contribute to the piece before sending it along to yet another recipient. Decades later, Mark Gonzales took a similar DIY ethos and ran (rather, skated) with it, creating poetry and illustration-filled zines. Through Sunday, January 26, 2019.
Hours: Saturday and Sunday, noon to 6 pm, or by appointment; Second Saturday opening reception, 5 to 7 pm

Global Art Museum
12 Monell Place
Beacon, NY
(845) 309-9247
If “12 Monell Place” doesn’t immediately ring a bell, well, you’re not alone. But based on the caliber of the artists shown there, even though it takes a little extra work to get to, Beacon’s newest gallery will be worth your persistence. Come for the art, stay for the stunning High Victorian Gothic 1860s design that is a part of Beacon history.
Special for Second Saturday: A closing reception for Eustatia, the opening exhibition at (and fundraiser for) the nonprofit Global Art Museum that includes works from Emil Alzamora, Joseph Ayers, Liao Yibai, Matt Kinney, and Michael Zelehoski. Pieces include sculpture, mixed media, video, and performance, as each artist blends technology and tradition to hone their craft as they draw inspiration (and often materials) from the Hudson Valley. Eustatia, the exhibition’s title, means “a good place to stay” in Greek, but it’s also the name given to the estate by John DeWindt after the Caribbean isle his father was from. Yep, as in DeWindt like the street. (Seriously, there are so many historical characters tied up in this estate.) Through Tuesday, November 19.
Hours: Second Saturday closing reception, 4 to 6 pm

THE WEST END
(Close to the train station)

Catalyst Gallery
137 Main St.
Beacon, NY
(845) 204-3844
The intention of this artist-run space is to create an opportunity for individual artists or groups to show and sell work in a vibrant community that supports the arts.
Special for Second Saturday: Works by Glen Datres, Taylor Black, and Stefan Datres. Through Wednesday, November 13.
Coming up in the second half of November: Discordinary: Chris Janks, Cotter Luppi, Neal Hollinger, and Kieran Kinsella. Thursday, November 14, to Sunday, December 1.
On the horizon: The seventh annual Catalyst Small Works Show! Deadline to submit is Sunday, November 10. See link for artist guidelines. Opening reception Saturday, December 7, 6 to 9 pm. Through Sunday, January 12, 2020.
Hours: Open Friday to Sunday, 11 am to 7 pm; Monday to Thursday, noon to 7 pm (or contact an artist to schedule an appointment); Second Saturday, open until 9 pm

Bannerman Island Gallery
150 Main St.
Beacon, NY
(845) 416-8342
This gallery is devoted to showcasing the beauty of Bannerman Island Castle, as well as the Hudson Highlands that surround the former arsenal. Works in the gallery are available for purchase, benefiting the Bannerman Castle Trust's preservation efforts.
Special for Second Saturday: Bannerman Island Gallery hosts its annual Winter Holiday Exhibition. Over 25 Hudson Valley artists are featured in the exhibition. Primarily a small works show - subject matter and media for this show is open! The Holiday Exhibition features smaller paintings, photography, drawings, printmaking and mixed media works, as well as 3-D objects of glass, ceramics and sculpture. There will be representational works of landscape and still-life as well as abstract and other contemporary works. As always, there will also be works featuring Hudson Valley local points of interest and Bannerman’s Island and Castle. Through Sunday, January 12.
Hours: Saturdays and Sundays, noon to 5 pm, and weekdays by chance or appointment; Second Saturday opening reception, 4 to 7 pm

Beacon Fine Art Gallery at The Inn & Spa at Beacon
151 Main St.
Beacon, NY
(845) 205-2900
Continuing for Second Saturday: The lobby of The Inn & Spa at Beacon has been rededicated as the Beacon Fine Art Gallery! Stop by to see the representational landscape and still-life paintings of Keith Gunderson. Glass works from Barbara Galazzo also will be on view, as well as paintings by Anamario Hernandez and the photography of Smiljana Peros.
Hours: Daily, 11 am to 5 pm

Darryl’s
155 Main St.
Beacon, NY
(845) 831-2808
Continuing for Second Saturday: The clothing we normally spy here could be described as wearable art, but the shop owners have decided to celebrate Beacon tradition and put up some fine art. Continuing Darryl’s Second Saturday participation is art from Catherine Welshman. She has participated in group and solo shows around Beacon for a long time, and with this exhibition of oil paintings, she adds another venue to her list.
Hours: Daily, 11 am to 6 pm

Marion Royael Gallery
159 Main St.
Beacon, NY
(727) 244-5535
Special for Second Saturday: How sweet it is! A new batch of treats is ready to be revealed behind the gallery, in MR Yard. This cozy space packs in a lot of art. (We wrote about the gallery and yard a couple years ago, here.) Take a peek, take your time, look around.
Ongoing: Inside the gallery, see Candelabra: Things That Carry the Light of the World, featuring "finely executed visual perspectives" in various mediums by more than a dozen artists. What carries the light of the world to you? How do you carry light? Don't hide it under a bushel. Bring it to Main Street and the MR Gallery. 
In the MR Yard outside, don't miss The Bird's Nest, a site-specific installation.
Hours: Noon to 7 pm (sometimes later)

Hudson Beach Glass
162 Main St.
Beacon, NY
(845) 440-0068
This glass studio has been casting functional and sculptural objects for over 20 years - a truly special establishment to have in Beacon. Stop in to find blown-glass objects of all kinds, from lights to bowls to wind chimes. Sometimes on Second Saturday, you can watch them blow glass!
Special for Second Saturday: Ryan Cronin, 30 Days in Senegal, opens. The show includes drawings, prints, and paintings Cronin created while in the West African country, on a trip sponsored by the Josef and Anni Albers Foundation. The show is curated by Carl Van Brunt. Come meet the artist at a Second Saturday reception! Through Sunday, December 8.
Hours: Monday to Saturday, 10 am to 6 pm; Sunday, 11 am to 6 pm; Second Saturday opening reception, 6 to 9 pm

Clutter Magazine Gallery
163 Main St.
Beacon, NY
(212) 255-2505
The Clutter Gallery is a branch of the Clutter Media Group family, and is focused on showing quality work by both established and emerging artists in the fields of toy design and customization, as well as modern pop and lowbrow art. Clutter Gallery's exhibitions are open to the public and free of charge. 
Special for Second Saturday: Two solo shows open this month, from artists Klav and Draculazer. First up: Klav’s One Off. Connecticut native Klav has made a name for himself with his iconic weathered custom figures, and well-considered, supremely executed paint schemes. The founding and only member of Creeping Death Robot Club, he is a painter, sculptor, and toy customizer specializing in hand-painting techniques developed through a background in 1980s Japanese science fiction modeling. The second show, by Draculazer (aka Michael Skattum), showcases Eerie, Alien, Demons! An illustrator, toy designer, and monster maker known for a hyper 2D drawing style and his devotion to ooze, Skattum has been making noise in the toy community for many years with his original sculpts and collaborative projects. Come for the art, stay for the refreshments: Second Saturdays at Clutter have libations from Lagunitas Beer! Through Friday, December 6.
Hours: Monday to Friday, 10 am to 6 pm; Saturdays, noon to 5 pm; Second Saturday opening reception, 6 to 9 pm

RiverWinds Gallery
172 Main St.
Beacon, NY
(845) 838-2880
RiverWinds Gallery features Hudson Valley artists. Work includes fine art paintings and photography, plus contemporary crafts including ceramics, jewelry, fiber arts and more.
Special for Second Saturday: Opening this week at RiverWinds is Postcards From Oz, a collection of postcards that are part of an exchange with Australian artists. First, postcards from the Hudson Valley were exhibited at an artisans gallery in Benalla, Victoria, Australia. Now, postcards handmade by the Northeast Artisans group have come to RiverWinds. The 6x8 postcards - each one unique - are for sale. (If you’re up for going down an Instagram rabbit hole, #artistpostcard is pretty great.)
Hours: Monday and Wednesday, noon to 4 pm; Thursday and Sunday, noon to 5 pm; Second Saturday, opening reception from 6 to 9 pm.

Clarkson University’s
Beacon Institute for Rivers & Estuaries
199 Main St.
Beacon, NY
(845) 838-1600
This historic brick storefront houses a variety of Institute programs: the WOW! gallery, the Hudson River bookstore and gift shop, its administrative headquarters, and a new venture, Sensor Place. Events feature talks by artists and regional Hudson Valley authors.
Special for Second Saturday: The River, pastels from Croton-on-Hudson artist Evan Turk opens in the Main Street gallery. Turk created the series in the span of an entire year, through all four seasons, reflecting on continuity, impermanence, and change. See link for more information. On view through March.
Hours: Friday and Saturday, 3 to 7 pm; Sunday, noon to 4 pm

THE MIDDLE & MARKET SQUARE

Howland Public Library
313 Main St.
Beacon, NY
(845) 831-1134
Continuing for Second Saturday: The Beacon Photography Group brings Vintage to the library for this month’s exhibition: a celebration of all things vintage, focusing on such subjects as signs, cars, clothing, toys, household items, architecture and many more objects. In these images, 10 photographers from the Beacon Photography Group will offer their visions of the vintage, providing the viewer with a celebration of the continuation of the old into our current world. The Beacon Photography Group was founded in 2013. The group began as an online community, and has since expanded to include face-to-face meetups, photo walks and exhibitions. The group, now with over 300 members, is open to photographers of all levels from beginner to professional. Local photographers interested in joining the Beacon Photography Group can visit their Facebook page. Through Saturday, November 16.
Hours: The Community Room is open during regular library hours

Big Mouth Coffee Roasters
387 Main St.
Beacon, NY
Special for Second Saturday: Big Mouth was cool enough when it opened (by the diner and Beacon Pantry) as a spot for freshly roasted, crafted-with-love coffee. But it has become extra special because of how they seem to host a lot of neat art! This month, come check out Modern Imprints, works from Katherine Larocca (maybe you caught her work at a Catalyst Gallery show?) and Andrew Barger (he’s a Bau regular). Meet the artists and have some food and drinks at the opening reception.
Hours: Second Saturday reception, 7 to 9 pm

Oak Vino Wine Bar
389 Main St.
Beacon, NY
(845) 765-2400
Not just a place to kick back with a glass and unwind, Oak Vino is also a great spot to see art.
Special for Second Saturday: Wish You Were Here, an exhibition of landscape photography by Sean Fryxell. Sharp, snowy peaks lead to billowing spooky fog, as the camera holds tight to details despite some vast expanses. As stunning as his landscapes are, poke around the other parts of Sean’s website to check out some heavy-hitting documentary photography, as well as his thoughtful graphic design work. Through Tuesday, December 10.
Hours: 3 to 11 pm; Second Saturday reception, 7 to 9 pm

THE EAST END & BEYOND
(Closer to the mountain)

Morphicism
444 Main St.
Beacon, NY
(845) 440-3092
Moveable art in frames - art you must see and experience. Jay Palefsky taught art in New York high schools for more than two decades, then packed his bags to pursue life as an artrepreneur, with a steadfast commitment to doing things differently. 
Hours: Call for hours and events

No.3 Reading Room & Photo Book Works
469 Main St. 
Beacon, NY
Two doors west of the Howland Center, No. 3 Reading Room & Photo Book Works is an artist-run venue, featuring select artists’ books, artist photobookworks, photography books, work on paper and poetry from small and independent presses. Contact Paulette Myers-Rich at photobookworks@gmail.com for additional information. 
Special for Second Saturday: Paulette describes this month at her storefront in such a lovely, evocative way, that we’ll let her tell you what’s going on: “November at No.3 Reading Room & Photo Book Works brings new and rare poetry and photography books just right for these early, dark evenings. Perhaps you’re tired of screens and screeds right about now. Or you may be on the lookout for a special gift for a special person. Something meaningful, something beautiful, something full of light. It’s what we long for. So I’ve filled the Reading Room with dozens of very special books for the long winter ahead. There are too many books on the shelves to list, so visit and browse.”
Ongoing at the Reading Room: Poetry, photography and artists' books published by small and independent presses, including Hudson Valley writers and artists, are always available for browsing and for sale. “There are always books about poetry, book arts and photography that are not for sale or circulation, but are available for anyone who wants to take the time to read,” Paulette adds. “You’re always welcome to do so.”
Hours: Saturdays and Sundays, noon to 6 pm

TERRESON:BEACON
475 Main St.
Beacon, NY
(914) 772-6570
Jeffrey Terreson's paintings are in the collections of various Fortune 500 companies, as well as the United Nations. His work is inspired by 20th-century post-war masters such as Julian Schnabel, Jasper Johns, Mark Rothko and Joan Snyder. 
Special for Second Saturday: Come say goodbye to Jeffrey Terreson and his wildly textured paintings! Say farewell to the stately equines and the dynamic dancers alike. But also maybe introduce yourself, and take one home? Jeffrey’s hosting a giant sale of his works ahead of his move to his new gallery in Katonah, Forward Contemporary. This weekend, he’s offering prints for up to 80 percent off and originals up to 50 percent off. See our article on the closure, including his heartfelt letter to the arts community in Beacon.
Hours: Second Saturday, 11 am to 9 pm; Sunday, 11 am to 6 pm (he’ll be setting up Friday after 11 am if you want a sneak peek!)

Howland Cultural Center
477 Main St.
Beacon, NY
(845) 831-4988
Beacon's Howland Cultural Center is not just another arts organization. Its beautiful home is a Victorian building, a library for a long time, that was born specifically to serve the community as a cultural resource.
Ongoing: The annual Andrew Lattimore Studio & Students Art Exhibition features nearly three dozen Hudson Valley artists, drawn from the classes and workshops offered at Andrew Lattimore’s art school in Cornwall-on-Hudson. Through Sunday, December 1.
Hours: Friday to Monday, 1 to 5 pm (closed 11/9, 11/17, 11/23 for special events)

Maria Lago Studio 502
502 Main St.
Beacon, NY
(845) 765-8421
Special for Second Saturday: You know Maria Lago for her looming, evocative, larger-than-life sculptures. Her latest work, though, returns to hypertextured painting with Cartas a Mi Madre.
Hours: Thursday, Friday, and Sunday, 11 am to 5 pm; Saturday, 11 am to 6 pm

Bau Gallery
506 Main St.
Beacon, NY
(845) 440-8089
Bau (Beacon Artist Union) is a platform for members and artists to grow, present and market their work and collaborative curatorial projects, while hosting events of related disciplines: performances, talks, film and music. BAU builds a vital link between artists' activities and rest of the community.
Special for Second Saturday: In Gallery 1, The Tragic Plot, sculptures, paintings and bas reliefs by Jebah Baum. Through Saturday, December 7.
In Gallery 2: Woodcuts and artists books by Ilse Schreiber-Noll make up With and Against The Grain, dedicated to Antonio Frasconi. Through Saturday, December 7.
In the Beacon Room: Photography in Phocus, curated by Ella Baum, with participating artists Eilif Rønning, Cassie Jain , Ella Baum, Emma Brodsky, and Hannah Benton. Through Saturday, December 7.
Hours: Saturday and Sunday, noon to 6 pm; Second Saturday opening reception, 6 to 9 pm

King + Curated
530 Main St.
Beacon, NY
(845) 440-3368
King + Curated has become well-known around Beacon for modern fine jewelry that is pretty darn artsy all on its own, but the shop is officially joining the Second Saturday fest with the addition of a full-time art wall! The inaugural artist featured is Jo Rigol, with 12 pieces from her Las Lloronas (“weeping women”) series. She describes the work as, “The merging of universally opposing forces such as beauty, fashion and death, attempting to openly confront the societal norm that separates these in an effort to introduce a vivid and conceptual contrast, while still maintaining the individual ideals and interpretations of the observer.”
Hours: Monday to Friday, noon to 7 pm; Saturday, 11 am to 6 pm; Sunday, noon to 4 pm; Second Saturday opening reception, 7 to 9 pm.

BEACON near Route 52

The Lofts at Beacon Gallery
18 Front St.
Beacon, NY
(845) 202-7211
The Lofts at Beacon brought back to life a 19th-century brick mill that once made textiles in the Hudson Valley, located by the Fishkill Creek and situated near the Hudson River in the artists' haven town of Beacon. The Lofts have been completely remodeled into beautiful spaces, providing excellent loft rental units for the working artist.
Opening Saturday, November 16: Dog, Cat and Horse Days of Autumn, photography by Jim Dratfield. The animals’ personalities emerge in Jim’s portraits of cats, dogs, and horses. His “petography” has been profiled on ABC’s “20/20” and “The View,” and featured in Town & Country, The New York Times and Oprah’s O. magazine. He is the author of 12 books and recently moved to Beacon and is enjoying living here in the Hudson Valley. Through December 30, 2019
Hours: Opening reception on Saturday, November 16, 4 to 7 pm