It’s leaf-peeping season and like some of us in the Capital District, you may be looking for an excuse to take a leisurely drive up the Northway to support the local arts scene while simultaneously taking in the region’s stunning foliage. Look no further than the quaint and beautiful Lake George Village during the month of October to accomplish both of these tasks.

From now until October 30, the Lake George Arts Project will be featuring a solo exhibition of paintings by Yeachin Tsai. Presented at the Courthouse Gallery, Nature Songs features 28 of Tsai’s dynamic and transient pieces.

A native of Taiwan, Tsai grew up studying traditional Chinese brush painting and calligraphy from Chinese Masters. She later received a BFA from National Taiwan Normal University and a MFA from Brooklyn College of the City University of New York.

The paintings featured in the exhibit range from rich and vibrant still lifes to abstract interpretations of motion, momentum, and flow. Tsai clearly has a unique and authentic voice coming through her work as transmitted through simple, yet uniquely energized, brush strokes. Take, for example, her breathtaking acrylic on canvas, “The Sky Dancer.” United in hues of blue, various shapes and patterns seemingly move in a multitude of directions. They interact with one another as one does through dance – finding a harmonious and coordinated flow by feeding off of another’s energies. As a professional musician, I am deeply captivated by the motion and can almost feel the vibrations projected by the dancer’s groove.

Tsai is no stranger to the Capital Region. Her work has been featured at dozens of prominent galleries throughout the region, including the Spring Street Gallery in Saratoga Springs, the Opalka Gallery in Albany and the LAB at Collar Works in Troy. In 2020, Tsai was featured on season 6 of WMHT’s AHA! A House for Arts: Calligraphy Meets Abstraction with Yeachin Tsai.

Established in 1977, the Lake George Arts Project strives to provide quality arts programming for the Lake George region as well as exposure and income opportunities to professional and emerging artists. Nature Songs is funded in part by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the New York State Legislature as well as the Town and Village of Lake George, Price Chopper’s Golub Foundation, 518 Profiles, the Glenn and Carol Pearsall Adirondack Foundation, and Lake George Arts Project members.

Patrons may enter from the side entrance of the Old Country Courthouse. All entering the gallery are required to wear a mask. Visitors are also encouraged to call before their visit, as COVID-19 public health mandates may necessitate a change in regular gallery hours.

Nature Songs runs until October 30, 2021. Gallery hours are Wednesday – Friday from 12 – 5 pm and Saturday from 12 – 4 pm. The Courthouse Gallery is located on the corner of Canada and Lower Amherst Streets in Lake George. Admission is free.