Watercolor Landcape Workshop at Quarry Farm

The farm [Quarry Farm] is perfectly delightful this season. It is as quiet and peaceful as a South Sea Island. Some of the sunsets which we have witnessed from this commanding eminence were marvelous. One evening a rainbow spanned an entire range of hills with its mighty arch, and from a black hub resting upon the hill-top in the exact centre, black rays diverged upward in perfect regularity to the rainbow’s arch and created a very strongly defined and altogether the most majestic, magnificent and startling half-sunk wagon wheel you can imagine…I don’t know whether this weird and astounding spectacle most suggested heaven, or hell. The wonder, with its constant, stately, and always surprising changes, lasted upwards of two hours, and we all stood on the top of the hill by my study till the final miracle was complete and the greatest day ended that we ever saw. Our farmer [John T. Lewis], who is a grave man, watched that spectacle to the end, and then observed that it was “dam funny.”

Mark Twain, letter to William Dean Howells, Quarry Farm, August 9, 1876

Sometime toward the end of July or the beginning of August, when Quarry Farm is in its fullest splendor, CMTS holds a watercolor workshop at Quarry Farm for local art teachers. Teachers who participate in the event receive professional developmetn credit from Greater Southern Tier BOCES, which provides monetary support for the event.

CMTS hopes to hold this event every year going forward. The Watercolor Landscape Workshop at Quarry Farm assists CMTS in fulfilling its mission to provide service and support to teachers, artists, and the regional community.

2025

The 2024 workshop was led by Wendy Brubaker, Art Teacher at the Corning-Painted Post School District, and Aaron Kather, Assistant Professor of Art at Elmira College. (All images courtesy of Jan Kather)