A Weekend of Community & Creativity
At the end of April, the Ossining Arts Council spent the weekend connecting with the community in two meaningful ways — celebrating creativity outdoors at the Green Ossining Earth Day Festival and gathering with artists at the Ossining Public Library for a hands-on workshop.
OAC at Green Ossining Earth Day Festival
Surrounded by booths, music, and a steady flow of visitors, the Earth Day Festival brought together neighbors, families, and organizations all centered around sustainability and community.
At our table, participants of all ages stopped to engage in a hands-on creative activity — taking a moment to slow down, create, and connect. Adults and kids made original art on stickers to take with them - along with sunflower seeds to grow and provide food for next fall’s birds. Throughout the day, conversations flowed as easily as the artwork, with many visitors sharing their own creative interests and experiences.
OAC Board Member Barbara Levine connects with a young visitor during a hands-on creative activity at the Green Ossining Earth Day Festival.
OAC Community Meetup: Photographing Your Artwork
The weekend continued at the Ossining Public Library, where artists gathered for a focused, practical session on how to photograph their artwork.
Rather than a formal lecture, the meetup quickly became a collaborative exchange. Artists shared challenges they’ve faced — from glare and lighting issues to capturing accurate colors — and worked through simple, effective solutions together.
Key ideas included:
use natural light whenever possible
lay the work flat - not propped against a wall
us white fabric or paper above camera and below the light source avoiding glare from glass and framing
photograph work before it’s framed
keep backgrounds clean and distraction-free
What stood out most was the openness of the group — artists learning from one another, asking questions, and refining how they present their work.
New and long-time OAC member artists gather at the Ossining Public Library for a community meetup focused on photographing artwork.
Together, these moments reflect what the Ossining Arts Council is all about — creating space for connection, creativity, and shared experience within the community.
