Newburgh may sit along the Hudson River, but the city has another river – of sorts – in the form of Broadway. The strip is one of Newburgh’s main roadways, cutting across the popular parallels of Liberty Street and the waterfront district and serving as a pathway that’s practically a straight shot to the Hudson. It’s on this length of pavement that Grit Works, a community-centric gallery and coworking space, lies.
“We’re located in a beautiful brick building on Broadway reimagined as an industrial-chic space that’s simultaneously warm and welcoming,” enthuses curator David Lionheart. “Our gallery features exposed brick elements, but also 30 feet of floor-to-ceiling glass; I always look at this as “the window into our creativity.” From within, I’m always catching people do a double take when they see colorful, multidimensional art in the main gallery space.”
To his point, Grit’s windows do serve as a looking glass into the microcosm of art that awaits inside. It’s hard not to peek inside during a walk down Broadway or a quick visit to 2 Alices Coffee Lounge, the gallery’s neighbor. And, after doing so, it’s even harder not to pull open the door and wander through the space, admiring the exhibits on display and asking questions of the gallery’s staff as you do so.
That’s the goal, after all. Lionheart, along with the gallery management team of David Deleo and Eric Jarmann and co-curator Keara Neilsen, wants people to lean into their curiosity. Whether they’re strolling by the space or driving along Broadway at night and seeing what Lionheart calls, “the nightlight for Broadway, as the brilliant and radiant paintings hanging throughout are illuminated and somewhat inspiring,” curious passersby may soon find themselves exploring all that Grit Works has to offer.
View this post on Instagram
On View
Speaking of those offerings, they’re front and center within Grit Gallery, the gallery space that’s part of Grit Works. Lionheart, an artist in his own right, notes how the clean, white-walled space and historic brickwork allow the gallery staff to collaborate with artists to display the works at their best. There’s also an experience space in the center of the gallery that focuses on interactive and experiential art.
Alongside the art, Grit also serves as a coworking space for locals in need of a place to focus and collaborate. Throughout the year, it hosts classes and workshops for children and the community at large as well.
Now Showing
Currently, Grit Gallery plays host to two very special exhibits with strong Hudson Valley roots. The first is an ongoing exhibit by local artist Maria Lago called “River Reflections.” For Lago, an acclaimed artist with an international presence, her latest collection is filled with multihued works that draw their names from paleolithic caves near her hometown in Asturias, Spain. Striking to behold, the expressionist paintings can be viewed via a simultaneous exhibition at Grit and Studio 502, Lago’s studio space in Beacon. The show, which kicked off on October 26, runs until January 12, which means there’s more than enough time to swing by for a visit.
The second show on display at Grit Gallery holds particular significance for Lionheart, as he’s the artist behind it. The result of a special collaboration between him and acclaimed winemaker Kristop Brown, a.k.a. the winemaker at Robibero Winery in New Paltz, “The Art of Vindaris” takes viewers on a journey to better understand the collaboration of art and wine, as well as the resiliency that defines them both. Located within the gallery’s experience space, the show features mixed-media artwork by Lionheart that evokes the journey the vines, roots, and grapes must undergo to transform into wine. The pieces are riveting not only because of their movement and texture, but also because of the tactile and experiential qualities they evoke.
“The shared exhibition focuses on the development of vines and how roots grow in harsh soils, the power of sun and its importance in ripening of grapes, and the importance of stress during the growing season to build character and composition in wine – similar to how we, as humans, experience personal growth through adversity,” Lionheart explains.
In a true collaborative effort, Lionheart’s work pairs with Brown’s foray into a wine line of his own, aptly titled Vindaris. Working with Lionheart, whom he met while making wine at Benmarl Winery in Marlboro, Brown focuses on crafting wines that lean into the terroir of New York State grapes and the challenges they must overcome to turn into beautiful, highly drinkable wines. The first in his Vindaris series, a Bordeaux-style blend, is balanced yet supple, resulting in a wine that emphasizes the true beauty that can come from wine crafted right here in the Hudson Valley.
For Brown, “Vindaris is not a reflection of my accomplishments, but a step in my journey of creating the highest quality wines form the earth up.” He continues, “the terroir of New York State grapes is as difficult as it is rewarding to work in. The adverse conditions along with continuing the pioneering spirit of the winemakers before me are both prime motivators. The hard work often finds itself with little recognition; the gratitude rests within as we forge forward, so long as the vines are willing to join us.”
While Brown’s wine and Lionheart’s artwork tie together on a topical level, their connection is even more direct than that, as one look at the Vindaris label illustrates. The arc on the bottles of Vindaris is perfectly mirrored – and inspired by – the arc in one of Lionheart’s paintings within his collection.
Coming up
While there’s certainly a lot to see at Grit, the gallery is excited for a bright future within Newburgh and the Hudson Valley at large.
“Grit is positioning me to have a year-round curation of our experience space in the gallery,” Lionheart explains. “Our main gallery will be co-curated with myself and Keara Neilsen as she looks to bring a local artist, fashion, and street art collaboration show to our gallery in January 2025.”
Along with a rotating gallery of art, Grit Works also plans to maintain its commitment to community programming. It holds regular children’s classes and offers space for local nonprofits throughout the week. It also recently hosted its first-ever short film showcase, with plans for a second call for art in the filmmaking space coming soon.
And, of course, there are always the open hours. Grit Gallery welcomes the community during gallery hours Friday to Sunday from 1-5 p.m. For more information, follow @gritgallerynewburgh on Instagram or visit the venue’s website.
Grit Works and Grit Gallery
115 Broadway, Newburgh
Related: Bluebird Hunter Lodge Is an All-Seasons Escape in the Catskills
