Garden Holiday

Clinton Claussen is the Garden Supervisor at Mohonk Mountain House. He has worked at Mohonk for five years, where he has curated his passion and knowledge of plants. The Shawangunks hold a special place in his heart. He is fascinated by the native flora and fauna of the area and brings that fascination to the Mohonk Gardens. Along with native flora, Clinton enjoys bringing interesting and unusual plants to the landscape, especially those that attract pollinators and further build a fun, sensory experience at Mohonk.

Since the early 1990s, Ryan has been approaching his practice from a place of inclusivity and cultural awareness. Engaging in a dialogue surrounding the accessibility of art, Ryan expands on the legacies of Robert Indiana, Philip Guston and David Hockney. With his distinctive signature style and a desire to assimilate icons from his New York community into a visual vocabulary, Ryan draws upon street signs and cultural markers as sources of inspiration. As a painter, sculptor, muralist and product designer he appropriates text and figures from his surroundings to reconfigure the world through art. When Cronin is not in the studio he is on the lacrosse field coaching. Cronin recently completed a month-long residency at Thread Artist Residency and Cultural Center in Senegal, West Africa through the Josef and Anni Albers Foundation and is currently working on a body of work based upon his experience there.

Nina Smiley, Ph.D., graduated from Vassar College and earned a doctoral degree in psychology from Princeton University. She is co-author of The Three Minute Meditator, now in its fifth edition and translated into seven languages, and Mindfulness in Nature (spring 2017). Nina taught psychology at the University of Maryland and worked at the American Psychological Association. She has studied mindfulness with Jack Kornfield (founder of Spirit Rock Meditation Center), Sharon Salzberg (co-founder of Insight Meditation Society), and others. Nina’s work has been featured in The New York Times, O, the Oprah Magazine, Real Simple, Shape, and Prevention. She conducts mindfulness webinars nationally and internationally and delights in sharing insights about mindfulness and well-being.

Audrey Billups is the Executive Pastry Chef at Mohonk Mountain House and has over 15 years of experience in baking and pastry operations.  Before returning to Mohonk in January 2017, Billups served as the pastry chef at Topping Rose House in Bridgehampton, New York where she artfully prepared breads, breakfast pastries, desserts, ice cream, sorbets and mignardise for the seasonal restaurant. Prior to her role at Topping Rose House, Billups was the pastry sous chef at Ai Fiori, a one Michelin starred and New York Times three-star restaurant and Marea, a two Michelin starred and New York Times three-star restaurant, in New York City. Early in her career, Billups served as an assistant pastry chef at Mohonk Mountain House before moving to California to work as the pastry chef de partie at Addison at The Grand Del Mar in San Diego.

Green Cottage has been the Hudson Valley’s award-winning florist and boutique for unique and artisan gifts for over 23 years, nestled in the hamlet of High Falls, New York. With a focus on local artists, the shop is stocked with cards,  jewelry, accessories, luxury bath products, home goods, and fanciful children’s products. Sharing a love of beauty and country life, Dennis Nutley and David Urso founded the Green Cottage in 1997, building a small and dedicated staff, many of whom have now been with the store for decades.

Mathilda Bofinger is the Head Gardener at Mohonk Mountain House. They have worked in the plant world for the past 5 years in both nurseries and on farms. Mathilda appreciates the natural flora and fauna at Mohonk and has an interest in bringing back native species to the more curated gardens like the endemic crab apple found on the golf course and Mohonk Red witch hazel. Even on their off days, they visit the Mohonk Preserve and grounds to go hiking and climbing.

Michael Allsop is the Greenhouse Supervisor at Mohonk Mountain House. He has been with Mohonk for five years and brought his passion for plants as well as his gardening and landscaping experience to the greenhouse. In his position, he has brought his unique eye to the Greenhouse and surrounding landscapes. He has a vast knowledge of house plant care and specializes in exotic plants and their individual needs. You can see his passionate and playful attitude come through in the plants he curates in the Mohonk Greenhouse.

Natasha’s love for food and cooking drew her into the food industry where her interests soon extended into the world of mixology. She sees the creativity of expressing flavors and notes in a cocktail as an opportunity to explore how far she can take an idea and craft it into existence. After 16 years in the world of food and beverage, Natasha’s goal is to share her knowledge with others so they can enjoy a mixology experience of their own!

Frederic Chiu plays major venues on five continents: Lincoln Center in New York, Le Châtelet in Paris, the Mozarteum in Buenos Aires, and extensive tours in smaller and unusual venues. With a vibrant concert schedule, a legacy of 30 CDs, and a stream of superlatives from major critics around the globe, pianist Frederic Chiu occupies a special place in the world of classical music. In an eclectic career encompassing unusual collaborations and little-played repertoire, along with explorations into the psychology of performance, Mr. Chiu has demonstrated an ability to go beyond boundaries and to bring listeners with him.

Veritas is the pre-professional dance company of Dream Studio located in Red Hook, NY. Artistic director and choreographer, Lara Ganz, founded the company in 2005 to offer advanced and highly dedicated students the opportunity to experience being part of a professional dance company while still nurturing their needs and interests as budding artists. With inclusivity and acceptance at the forefront of our mission, we welcome all genders, sexes, body types, colors, and origins to experience the power of dance as an art form. Veritas performs versatile, original works by local choreographers across the Hudson Valley.

Circle Creative Collective is a local community organization of artists and makers that aims to connect and inspire diverse groups by sharing and preserving traditional crafts and skills. With a specific focus on promoting crafts, skills, events, and transformative ideas to honor unique heritages and shared experiences, this collective pursues a more inclusive, creative, and joyous world. Their repertoire includes hands-on social multigenerational workshops drawing on traditional, multi-cultural, and sustainably-sourced crafts including papermaking, weaving, soap-making, felting, gardening, beekeeping, foraging, and many more! For more information, visit www.circlecreativecollective.org.