One of our regional treasures has to be Manitoga/The Russel Wright Design Center, the Garrison home, studio and woodland garden of the famed industrial designer.
Manitoga, a National Historic Landmark, was created by Wright to explore the harmony between nature and design, and the destination has been in touch with a bit of news: Allison Cross has been appointed its new executive director.
Cross was most recently the director of external affairs for America: Now and Here, a New York City-based national initiative led by contemporary artist Eric Fischl. Its goal was “to position visual art, poetry, film, music and plays as catalysts for civil dialogue in American communities.” From 2005 to 2010, Cross was with the Dia Art Foundation, where she was last director of external affairs for Dia: Beacon. Cross holds a master’s of art history and bachelor’s of science in environmental design degrees from Syracuse University.
We at WAG wish her well and look forward to another season at Manitoga, where volunteer landscape days are already planned for March 23 and April 20 with house, studio and landscape tours beginning May 3 and continuing through October.
For more details on Manitoga on Route 9D, visit russelwrightcenter.org or call (845) 424-3812.
– Mary Shustack
