The Smithy

The Smithy The Smithy is a non-profit organization that seeks to nurture creativity and passion for the arts. Welcome to The Smithy!

The Smithy Clay Studio is open year-round and The Smithy Galleries are open seaonally May - August. With a long history of cultivating the growth of the arts in Cooperstown, we offer compelling exhibitions in our gallery, quality educational opportunities in the Clay Studio and community-oriented concerts and events. Our historic building provides three floors of exhibition space filled with artwo

rk from some of the most talented artists in the region. We host three gallery opening receptions each summer season that are free and open to the public! Several ticketed concerts take place in our beautiful
garden space behind The Smithy featuring many great
local players. The garden is also the backdrop for our
biggest event of the year, the Annual Fundraiser,
a night filled with music, food, friends and fun! Interested in the art of pottery making? The Clay Studio offers classes and workshops year round, taught by experienced and friendly instructors. Whether you are a beginner or a pro, you are guaranteed to find a class to meet your creative needs and skill level. There are plenty of class options for both adults and children, so bring the whole family!

The Smithy Gallery opens its first exhibition of the season with A Square Deal: Small Works Exhibition—featuring more th...
06/02/2026

The Smithy Gallery opens its first exhibition of the season with A Square Deal: Small Works Exhibition—featuring more than 180 artworks, each measuring 10 inches or less and created in a square (or cube!) format.

Join us for the opening reception Tuesday, June 2 from 5–7 PM and explore this diverse collection while enjoying light refreshments. We look forward to welcoming you!

The show runs from June 3 to July 11 and can be enjoy from Tuesday through Saturday | 11am-4pm

Join us Tuesday, June 2 | 5–7 PM for the opening reception of A Square Deal: Small Works Exhibition! featuring work by 4...
05/27/2026

Join us Tuesday, June 2 | 5–7 PM for the opening reception of A Square Deal: Small Works Exhibition! featuring work by 40 Smithy member artists and 50 invited guest artists.

A Square Deal explores the creative possibilities that emerge through limitation: every work in the exhibition is square and measures no more than 10 inches in any direction. The result is a dynamic collection of paintings, ceramics, photography, sculpture, fiber art, mixed media, & more—all inviting viewers to slow down, look closely, and discover the beauty within smaller forms.

Exhibition on view June 3 – July 11, 2026
Gallery Hours: Tuesday - Saturday | 11 am - 4 pm
Opening reception is free and open to the public.

,

Memorial Day weekend our open studio hours are regular on Saturday but we are closed on Monday. The Monday evening whee...
05/22/2026

Memorial Day weekend our open studio hours are regular on Saturday but we are closed on Monday.

The Monday evening wheel class IS running.

Photo credit, ceramic planter by .anne

Make your own perfume! Maybe you’ve been here making scented candles with Toni? Now she invites all to come explore more...
05/18/2026

Make your own perfume! Maybe you’ve been here making scented candles with Toni? Now she invites all to come explore more complex fragrances and make an atomizer of your own custom scent!

Previous workshop attendance is NOT required. Fragrance newbies are welcome!

Friday, May 22nd, 6-8 PM, $50 and includes all materials

https://smithy-clay-studio.jumbula.com/Spring2026/Perfumery102

Two of our regular ceramics instructors, Ursula Hudak and Megan Irving, have pieces on display at Cooperstown Art Associ...
05/15/2026

Two of our regular ceramics instructors, Ursula Hudak and Megan Irving, have pieces on display at Cooperstown Art Association, Essential Art through June 25th

Join us this Friday, May 15 | 5–7 PM for an exciting evening celebrating three new exhibitions at the Cooperstown Art Association. Don’t miss one of the season’s biggest opening nights—these exhibitions bring together some of New York’s most compelling artists and conversations.
🎨 The 35th Annual Regional Juried Art Show features 66 outstanding works selected from more than 176 artist submissions, on view through June 25.
✨ Gallery B presents “Everything is a Part of Everything Else,” watercolors and oils by Emily Falco.
🌄 Gallery C features *Otsego Dreams* by the Leatherstocking Brush & Palette Club, on view through June 17.
Free and open to the public.
Gallery Hours: Tuesday–Saturday | 11 AM–4 PM.

05/14/2026

Join us this Friday, May 15 | 5–7 PM for an exciting evening celebrating three new exhibitions at the Cooperstown Art Association. Don’t miss one of the season’s biggest opening nights—these exhibitions bring together some of New York’s most compelling artists and conversations.

🎨 The 35th Annual Regional Juried Art Show features 66 outstanding works selected from more than 176 artist submissions, on view through June 25.

✨ Gallery B presents “Everything is a Part of Everything Else,” watercolors and oils by Emily Falco.

🌄 Gallery C features *Otsego Dreams* by the Leatherstocking Brush & Palette Club, on view through June 17.

Free and open to the public.

Gallery Hours: Tuesday–Saturday | 11 AM–4 PM.

, ,

Off to great start yesterday with the first class of the Spring Session, Throwing with MORE clay! Students starting with...
05/12/2026

Off to great start yesterday with the first class of the Spring Session, Throwing with MORE clay! Students starting with varying amounts of clay are working up to 10, 20,
Or even 50 pounds of clay.

Class begin Monday! Several classes are full but there are spaces in some 8-week classes as well as a 4-week class and w...
05/08/2026

Class begin Monday! Several classes are full but there are spaces in some 8-week classes as well as a 4-week class and workshops on Fridays and Saturdays!

AVAILABLE CLASSES AND WORKSHOPS
⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️

MONDAYS

THROWING W/ MORE CLAY 10AM - 1PM, $280, 8 weeks W/ URSULA HUDAK (must have some throwing experience)

WEDNESDAYS

DRAWING ON CLAY/DRAWING NOT REQUIRED 6:30-9:30 PM, $280, 8 weeks W/ MEGAN ADAMS IRVING

FRIDAYS

PERFUMERY 102, MAY 22, 6-8PM, $50 W/ TONI HARNETT

SATURDAYS

INTRO TO MOLD MAKING(4 WKS) 10AM-1PM, $140 W/ RITA PAYNE (suitable for beginners)

STUDIO SKILLS: Making Portable Damp Boxes, Sat May 16th and 23rd, 10AM-1PM, $70 W Laura Parker

Here are a few of the candles we made yesterday in the scented candle workshop! Cardamom, rose, lavender, vanilla, clove...
04/26/2026

Here are a few of the candles we made yesterday in the scented candle workshop! Cardamom, rose, lavender, vanilla, clove, juniper, sandalwood, oak moss, and orange are just a handful of the essential oils we tried and learned more about. Thank you, Toni for helping us make these!!!

Toni is offering a Perfumery class, Friday, May 22nd 6-8pm so if brewing up fresh scents sounds fun for you, this is your sign to get started!

https://smithy-clay-studio.jumbula.com/Spring2026/Perfumery102

You probably need a damp box so join this 2-day workshop and make two! If you make sculptures, multiples, do surface wor...
04/24/2026

You probably need a damp box so join this 2-day workshop and make two! If you make sculptures, multiples, do surface work on wet clay, make decorative parts that get put together later, or just need your pieces to stay workable for longer between studio visits then you need a damp box.

Studio Skills Workshop: Making Portable Damp Boxes 
$70.00
Sat, May 16th and 23rd
10:00 am - 1:00 pm

Description

In this class, you’ll make two individual portable damp boxes out of lidded plastic storage containers with plaster on the bottom. Small boxes will be provided for the first class and then participants will bring a box of their choosing for the second workshop. Plaster will also be provided. 
 
Laura Parker is skilled in both pottery and sculpture. She loves teaching folks new ways of thinking about ceramics, and helping their imaginations take form. She works on her pieces from her small home shop as well as the Smithy, but loves the communal energy of our studio!

https://smithy-clay-studio.jumbula.com/Spring2026/StudioSkillsMakingPortableDampBoxes

Address

55 Pioneer Street
Cooperstown, NY
13326

Opening Hours

Tuesday 11am - 4pm
Wednesday 11am - 4pm
Thursday 11am - 4pm
Friday 11am - 4pm
Saturday 11am - 4pm

Telephone

(607) 547-8671

Website

https://smithy-clay-studio.jumbula.com/giftcard

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when The Smithy posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Museum

Send a message to The Smithy:

Shortcuts

Share