#FirstFriday: September Exhibitions

Every month, we highlight exhibitions, events, and workshops that feature WSW alumnx artists. We share the shows near and far that make up our monthly must-see list.

New York

September 6 – 18: Join us at Unison Arts Center in New Paltz to celebrate our incredible interns at the opening reception of their group show, light/house, on September 5th at 6 PM. The exhibition includes a culmination of print and paper work as well as ceramics pieces made during their time at WSW. Unison’s gallery hours are Thursday through Saturday, 1-5 PM or by appointment.

Unison Arts Center
9 Paradies Ln, New Paltz, NY

September 6 – October 31: Join Rejin Leys (Studio Internship, 1989) for the opening reception of her solo exhibition Touch Jamaica, displaying new paper relief sculptures on September 6th at 1 PM. “By casting such things as our oldest tree, public art, and architectural details, Touch Jamaica creates a tactile timeline that explores local history through infrastructure to tell the story of the neighborhood.”

King Manor Museum
153-03 Jamaica Avenue, Queens, NY

September 10 @ 7PM: Tatana Kellner will discuss her work, her journey as an immigrant from Czechoslovakia, finding her artistic voice, and co-founding WSW during Tatana Kellner: Through the Immigrant’s Lens. This artist talk is free and open to the public. To learn more and RSVP, click here.

Bohemian National Hall
321 East 73rd Street, New York, NY

Now – October 10: Mikayla Patton’s (Studio Workspace Residency, 2024 + BIMA Artist’s Book Residency Grant for Indigenous Artists, 2025) solo exhibition, Holding Close, presented by River Valley Arts Collective is on view at the Al Held Foundation. With Holding Close, Patton presents new mixed-media work in recycled paper pulp, porcupine quills, sweet grass, ink, red earth, and glass beads. An enrolled member of Oglala Lakota Nation, Patton creates sculptural objects that explore Indigenous materials, language, and traditions—such as adornment practices—along with intimate, personal narratives. You may also view the exhibition on a guided tour, click here to reserve your spot.

Al Held Foundation
In the Drawing Room, Boiceville, NY

Georgia

September 4 – January 30: Legacies in Paper by Nancy Cohen (Studio Residency Grant, 2022), Sara Garden Armstrong, and Helen Hiebert is a group exhibition celebrating their lifelong exploration of handmade papermaking.

Robert C. Williams Museum of Papermaking
500 10th St NW, Atlanta, GA