SUNY New Paltz Presents Composium, a Series of Events Exploring Sustainability in the Arts
SUNY’s largest studio MFA program presents a symposium exploring the connections between materials, process, community, and the environment.
With a full slate of workshops, talks, and exhibitions focused on sustainable arts practices, SUNY New Paltz is thrilled to present its 2025 Composium from September 18 through 20 at the SUNY New Paltz campus.
This year’s keynote address, “Sustainability as a Collaborative Practice,” will be presented by cross-disciplinary artist sTo Len, who will discuss his holistic, community-minded approach to creating ecologically transformational work.
Also on Friday, artist and author Natalie Stopka discusses her work utilizing botanical color in re-envisioning ecological relations and shares the colorful stories of her historically inspired plant pigments. On Saturday, Natalie hosts a workshop on using foraged ink and pastels.
On Saturday, artist Venetia Dale will present a survey of her pewter and fiber sculptural works that speak to the emotional landscape and interconnection of mothering, interpersonal relationships, and community.
All talks will be held in-person as well as livestreamed online.
The Composium features three events with ceramicist Lisa Orr, including the construction of an ultra-efficient, zero-smoke wood kiln on Thursday, September 18; a firing in the kiln filled with work made from locally foraged clay on Friday, September 19; and an unloading and evaluation of the firing on Saturday, September 20.
SUNY New Paltz metal students will exhibit their collaborations with Radical Jewelry Makeover, a project that works with jewelers of all levels to educate people about mining and material sourcing issues involved in jewelry making.
Other exciting Composium offerings include a foraging walk and ethnobotanical tour of SUNY New Paltz with Matthew Friday; a charcoal retort presented by Michael Asbill and Ripley Butterfield of Processing Collapse; and a public meal of foraged and locally sourced food in SUNY New Paltz’s EcoArtLab.
Composium is free and open to the public.
To learn more and register, visit newpaltz.edu or contact Matthew Friday at fridaym@newpaltz.edu.
