Metal Program Rocks Radical Jewelry Makeover Project
After painstakingly sorting, examining, and dismantling pounds of donated jewelry from across the Hudson Valley and beyond, the Metal program transformed its haul into more than 100 new pieces as part of the Radical Jewelry Makeover project. Their upcycled creations were then displayed and sold at a special exhibition, "Acquired Tastes," at the DRAW Gallery in Kingston Nov. 1-15—named by Chronogram magazine as one of the "Top Hudson Valley Art Exhibitions to See in November 2025."
Read more about the Metal program's participation in the Radical Jewelry Makeover project here
Team Led By Dean Mokren Secures Award
A team led by Fine & Performing Arts Dean Jeni Mokren and Deb Gould from the Office of the Provost has received a $50,000 award from the Chancellor’s Economic Development and Upward Mobility fund to embed industry credentials into academic coursework (EICAC) in the arts, humanities, and social sciences, Provost William McClure announced in December 2025.
McClure wrote that the goal of this project is to advance education initiatives that support the workforce and promote student success. The award will support adding industry credentials for students in the Design, Music, and Theatre Arts departments.
Sustainability and Wearable Art Minors Discussed
In December 2025, students were invited to two afternoon discussions in the Honors Center to review the draft of a proposed interdisciplinary minor in Sustainability, an initiative that Department of Art Associate Professor Andrea Frank is stewarding.
SAA Invites Students to Participate in Exhibition
The Student Art Alliance is currently accepting submissions for its first gallery show, "Awakening," to open in Smiley Art Building on March 6, 2026. Submissions will be accepted until Feb. 11.
The SAA requests that those interested only submit one piece so that the group can accept as many artists as possible. Artists of all disciplines are encouraged to interpret the theme “Awakening” with a piece they believe fits it the best, and are asked to please submit artist statements to go along with the pieces.
According to the SAA, the show is "an opportunity for ALL artists at SUNY New Paltz (including but not exclusively art majors) to exhibit their work and highlight the talent at our campus! We would love to see your work be included!"
To submit a piece for consideration, please fill out the submission form.
Anna Conlan Speaks at AAMG Conference
Dorsky Museum Neil C. Trager Director Anna Conlan spoke on a panel exploring innovative student-led curatorial initiatives at the 2025 Association of Academic Museums and Galleries Conference, hosted by the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque, in June 2025.
The session, “Storytelling in Unconventional Spaces,” highlighted how academic museums are creating platforms for student voices to lead, interpret, and connect across disciplines. Conlan presented on Art x Books, The Museum's collaboration with the Sojourner Truth Library, where students curate meaningful connections between library collections and Dorsky exhibitions—an approach that empowers emerging thinkers and redefines where and how museum learning happens.
Conlan was joined by colleagues from peer institutions including Tom Yoshikami and Rebecca McNamara from the Tang Teaching Museum and Sara Stepp from the Mulvane Art Museum, each sharing models for engaging students in museum practice.
Dorsky Wins 2nd Place in Chronogram Readers Choice Awards
Congratulations to The Dorsky Museum on winning second place in the "Best Museums" category of Chronogram magazine's sixth annual Readers' Choice Awards!
According to the magazine, tens of thousands of readers weighed in with 350,000 individual ballots spread across 278 categories.
Photo by Barry Mayo, from @dorskymuseum on Instagram
Sophie Landres In Conversation at Kaatsban
Dorsky Museum curator and exhibitions manager Sophie Landres joined acclaimed photographer and MacArthur Fellow Dawoud Bey for a public conversation hosted by Kaatsban Cultural Park in Tivoli, NY.
According to Kaastban, Bey and Landres discussed his much celebrated bodies of work, beginning with the 2013 Birmingham Project up through his most recent 2025 exhibition at the Sean Kelly entitled Stony The Road. After the conversation, attendees were welcomed to join the artist and curator for a reception in the Lobby Gallery with books for sale.
Bey’s work was featured in Landmines: Dawoud Bey, Christina Fernandez, Richard Mosse, Rick Silva, a recent exhibition curated by Landres at The Dorsky.
Painting & Drawing students on a biodiversity walk. Photo provided.
Take Your Students on a Biodiversity Walk
Professor Laura Wyeth has created a campus Biodiversity walk that professors can access to introduce students to the amazing eco-systems we walk through every day on our campus.
Associate Professor Andrea Varga says she has integrated this walk into her Mixed Media Techniques for Storytelling class to help students with nature journaling.
"They have had an incredibly positive response, saying things like, 'I never even noticed how much nature is all around us on campus until this walk!'" says Vargas.
To take your students on a biodiversity walk, contact Wyeth at wyethl@newpaltz.edu.
The Department of Theatre Arts has joined the Broadway Green Alliance College Green Captains program as part of its ongoing initiatives to incorporate sustainable practices in teaching and studio spaces.
The department joined the alliance to provide guidance and leadership opportunities for students to engage in theatre sustainability. For example, current student Bridget Donnelly is working in the scenic studio and incorporating these practices in the reorganization of the department's.
Learn more about the Broadway Green Alliance College Green Captains Program.
