Discovering the Southern Vermont Arts Center (SVAC) – Manchester, Vermont

The Southern Vermont Arts Center (SVAC) in Manchester, Vermont is a true treasure for art lovers.  We visited SVAC in the Summer and were delighted with all we saw and experienced there. Open year-round and perfect in any weather, our experience began long before we entered the doors of the Elizabeth de C. Wilson Museum and the Yester House to see their exhibitions, as we drove up the long drive and saw the spectacular large-scale whimsical sculptures positioned in the fields.

Debra C. Argen at Southern Vermont Arts Center

We visited the SVAC on Saturday morning, August 3, 2024, to learn more and found out that it “began in the 1920s as an informal artists’ group for the exhibition of painting and sculpture. It has grown throughout the years to become a leading Vermont institution devoted to performance, exhibition, and studio art.” Today the Museum has a music pavilion and much more.

Southern Vermont Arts Center – Tree Allee

We have always been fascinated by glass art, about the amazing and almost magical transformation it takes during its process and have visited glass studios in Sweden to watch the artists at work and took a glassblowing class with American Glass Artist Robert Wolf to learn more. We were delighted when we entered the door of the Yester House Galleries and saw the spectacular glass chandelier created by Artist, Glassblower, and Sculptor Robert Du Grenier, entitled “VitroVerse, a joining of two worlds: the universe and the metaverse with two hundred hand blown glass planets, each illuminated by an LED light” that is part of their permanent collection.

Southern Vermont Arts Center – Robert Du Grenier “VitroVerse Chandelier” at Yester House

The Summer 2024 Solo Exhibition at Yester House Galleries was also of interest and runs until November 3, 2024, featuring artists Adria Arch, Irene Berkson, Paul Gruhier, Margaret Jacobs, Linda Mirabile, Diane Novetsky, Verne Orlosk, Cathy Osman, Anna Noelle Rockwell, Tim Segar, Staci Sherman, and Robbi Wessen. Glass art takes many forms, and we found Glass Artist Verne Orlosk’s fused glass pieces to be stunning and had a rich vibrancy to the framed works.

Southern Vermont Arts Center – Robert Du Grenier “Ancest-rial Chandelier”

We also enjoyed our visit to the Elizabeth de C. Wilson Museum where we encountered Robert Du Grenier’s transparent glass chandelier entitled “Ancest-rial Chandelier” which features 220 blown glass pieces.

Our glass fascination continued by exploring their Sand to Splendor: The Nature of Glass exhibition presented by the Vermont Glass Guild (VGG) that runs until September 22, 2024, with glass art in a variety of mediums, blown, layered, fused, or shaped, all created to dazzle the eye. Glass artists featured include Melanie Leppla, Angela Nephew, Josh Bernbaum, Jen Violette, Jeremy Sinkus, and Randi Solin.

Southern Vermont Arts Center – Melanie Leppla Glass Work

Other interesting exhibitions in the Wilson Museum included Pastel Panorama: Journeys with a Medium, featuring artists Matthew J. Peake, Linda Masten, Ann Wickham, Shelli DuBoff, Kathy Detzer, and Kate Cone, which runs until September 22, 2024. Their upcoming exhibition, Lineages: Artists Are Never Alone, opens on October 5, 2024.

Visiting the Sculpture Garden

In addition to their rotating exhibitions, permanent collections, Manchester Music Festival, Beaux Arts Fête – A Celebration of Creativity and Community (September 7, 2024), and Holiday Market, SVAC offers a diverse range of preschool programs, classes and camps for children, classes and camps for teens, and classes and workshops for adults.

Southern Vermont Arts Center Sculpture

SVAC also has a restaurant, the curATE café: Brunch is served Wednesday through Sunday from 12:00 pm until 2:00 pm, and on Sunday from 11:00 am until 2:00 pm, and Dinner is served Wednesday through Sunday, with seating from 5:00 pm until 7:30 pm. Reservations required. (Book through Open Table or call them at +1-802-362-9100 to make a reservation.)

Southern Vermont Arts Center – Horse Sculpture

With so much to experience in the Yester House Galleries, the Elizabeth de C. Wilson Museum, and the large-scale sculptures located outdoors throughout the property, plan to spend a few hours there to fully appreciate all that the SVAC has to offer.

Southern Vermont Arts Center Sculpture

Until next time, keep enjoying and supporting the arts!

SVAC Hours: Open year-round, Tuesday through Sunday from 10:00 am until 5:00 pm. The SVAC is closed on Monday.

Southern Vermont Arts Center – Nature’s Art

Admission: Adults: $15, Students and Seniors: $10, Kids 18 and under: Free, Members: Free

Southern Vermont Arts Center Sculpture

For more information on SVAC and its upcoming exhibitions and programs, please visit their website: https://svac.org or their calendar: https://www.svac.org/calendar/

Southern Vermont Arts Center
860 Southern Vermont Arts Center Drive
PO Box 617
Manchester, Vermont 05254
Telephone: +1-802-362-1405
curATE Café: +1-802-362-9100
Website: https://svac.org
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/southernvermontartscenter/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sovtarts/

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