One group of local Adirondackers who will be directly affected by the change in ownership and function of the Wawbeek is the Adirondack Artists Guild, whose members have displayed their works for sale in various buildings at the resort, particularly the restaurant, for almost 10 years. The realization that this important showplace would be lost this autumn prompted photographer Barry Lobdell to ask the owners, Norman and Nancy Howard, if they would consider sponsoring an “Artist in Residence” program at the resort. The resulting Wawbeek-inspired artwork could then be displayed and made available to the visiting public until the close of business in October.

Nancy Howard, who had already been thinking along similar lines, generously made an offer of two nights’ complimentary lodging, including breakfast, for any Guild members who wished to participate. “In residence, the entire Wawbeek property will serve as play and workspace. This includes interiors, porches and decks when not otherwise occupied, as well as boats,” Howard said.

Several Guild members have already taken advantage of the offer, with more to follow as the Wawbeek and personal schedules allow. Artists Diane Leifheit, Sandra Hildreth, Eleanor Sweeney and Barry Lobdell have participated to date. All have produced work that has been displayed and sold during the residency program.

Painter Sandra Hildreth spent two nights and three days exploring the Wawbeek property. She writes, “It was a wonderful opportunity to have an extended period of time at a beautiful place that I was only able to visit before. I walked the shoreline nature trail at different times of the day; did an early morning painting of the front of the Wawbeek – it was more visible because the leaves were not fully out and the building was well lit by the morning sun; took pictures of loons; and watched the changing light on the opposite side of Upper Saranac Lake as the sun went down. I saw two sunrises that were entirely different! I saw so much more because I had lots of time to spend looking, painting, and walking. I feel like I developed a more intimate relationship with the place.”

Diane Leifheit has been making pictures at the Wawbeek property for many years. “The first piece was the view from the lake in mid winter of the main building done in pen and ink,” she says. “This spring the gift of time spent painting on the property seemed to have a sense of urgency to it that past observations lacked. I am trying to capture the way it is right now, since the property will undergo many changes very soon. In that sense all the artists are historians. We are recording a space that will soon pass into memory."

“Spending time in a beautiful setting anywhere is a pleasure,” recalls photographer Barry Lobdell. “When the time is yours to do with as you please, with no worries other than ‘what are they making for breakfast?’, the experience of nature takes on a very rich flavor. Such was the time during my recent residency at the Wawbeek. I explored much of what the place has to offer: the shoreline and woodlands trails, several of the many buildings and their porches, and Upper Saranac Lake itself. The weather was mixed, with the first day full of clouds and showers and the second sunny and bright. I was up at dawn each day and photographing until after sunset in the evenings. Visiting the Wawbeek has always been a pleasure, but usually limited by a schedule. Staying there for several days offered me the opportunity to discover new visual details which weren't so apparent in earlier, less intensive visits.”

The Adirondack Artists Guild is a cooperative retail art gallery representing a diverse group of regional artists residing and working in the Tri-Lakes region of the Adirondack Park. The gallery is located at 52 Main St, Saranac Lake, 518 891-2615. Summer gallery hours are Monday through Saturday from 10 until 5, with extended hours until 7 on Thursday and Friday, and 12-3 on Sundays. The Guild is on the web at www.adirondackartistsguild.com.