Stone Quarry Hill Art Park facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Stone Quarry Hill Art Park |
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| Type | sculpture park |
| Location | 3883 Stone Quarry Rd, Cazenovia, NY 13035 |
| Website | https://sqhap.org/ |
Stone Quarry Hill Art Park is a special outdoor place near Cazenovia, New York. It's like a huge outdoor art gallery! You can see amazing sculptures spread across 104 acres of beautiful land. There are four miles of trails to explore, offering great views of the countryside. The park is open every day from morning until night.
Besides showing art and enjoying nature, the Art Park also has a cool program. It's called the Artist in Residence Program. Artists from all over the world come to live and create art here. They make sculptures that fit right into the park's natural setting. Since 1991, over 100 artists have been part of this program. They came from 19 different states and 8 foreign countries!
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History of the Art Park
Cazenovia was founded way back in 1793. The land where the Art Park is now started as a farm in the early 1800s. A woman named Mary Hackley and her two sons lived there. You can still see parts of their old farm, like foundations and apple trees.
Later, in the 1840s, a stone quarry opened nearby. You can still see traces of this old quarry today. After many years and different owners, Dorothy and Robert (Bob) Riester bought the land in 1958. This included Mary Hackley’s old farm.
Building the Hilltop House
From 1959 to 1965, the Riesters worked on building their home. Dorothy designed the house to fit the hill's shape. It was built to handle the wind and the land's rock. The house is called the Dorothy Riester House and Studio. Many people call it the Hilltop House.
The Hilltop House is a work of art itself! Dorothy and Bob built much of it by hand. It has a special entryway like a Japanese garden. There's a six-walled library and a music room. They even made their own tiles for the kitchen and bathroom. In 1965, the Hilltop House became their permanent home.
The Art Park Grows
By 1970, the land started becoming a place for art. An Art Barn studio was built. It became a base for the Syracuse Ceramic Guild. This studio had special ovens for making pottery. In 1979, the Ceramic Guild started an annual Pottery Fair. The Art Park still hosts this fair today.
The Art Park kept growing over the years. It officially became a non-profit organization in 1991. Soon after, Dorothy and Bob Riester held their first outdoor art show. It was called “Sculpture on the Hilltop.” Today, the Art Park offers many things. These include indoor and outdoor art shows, artist programs, art workshops, and special events. They also give educational tours.
The Dorothy Riester House and Studio
The Dorothy Riester House and Studio is still at the top of the hill. It was the home of the Art Park's founders, Dorothy and Robert Riester. On March 19, 2014, the house was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This means it's a very important historical building.
The house and studio are special because they are great examples of a mid-20th century modern home. Dorothy and Robert designed and built it themselves. They had help from local builders. The house shows Dorothy's artistic style. You can see it in the sculpted fireplace and textured walls.
Amazing Artworks to See
The Art Park displays many sculptures by its founder, Dorothy Riester. You can also see new sculptures that change often. These come from artists who live and work at the park. There are also artworks from collections around the world.
Some of the artists whose work you might see include Emilie Brzezinski and Rodger Mack. Other artists are Enrique Saavedra, Esther Benedict, and Christopher Gentner. You might also find art by Michael Kalish and Takafumi Ide.
