It is hard to miss the Katonah Museum of Art, (KMA), as you are driving along Route 22 in northern Westchester.
The striking modernist building, designed by Edward Larrabee Barnes, stands on a slight rise above the road. It is
a work of art unto itself, a preview of all that can be found inside. Your encounter with art continues once you make
your way into the exhibition halls. The museum strives to span the largest possible spectrum of cultures, media,
historical periods, and social issues in its six annual exhibitions. An extensive range of activities - workshops,
lectures, crafts - are designed to enrich the museum experience for visitors of all ages. Children are always welcome
in the halls of KMA; its Learning Center is an interactive exhibition space where children can experience the joy of
artistic exploration hands-on.

This is a big year for the museum. KMA was founded 50 years ago as The Katonah Gallery, a small volunteer-run
institution dedicated to encouraging the enjoyment, appreciation, and study of the visual arts. The Gallery was
located in a small room over the Katonah Village Library, but by the late 1980's it had more than outgrown that space.
In 1990, the renamed Katonah Museum of Art moved to its present site where the elegant new facility provided space
for a more comprehensive treatment of exhibition material, a wider range of participatory art education activities, and
a greater variety and frequency of public programs.

The museum is well worth the trip no matter what the season, and the lovely town of Katonah offers pleasant strolling
and a number of dining establishments. This fall the excitement of the museum’s anniversary is contagious, and the
whole town (especially the trees, see below) is gearing up for the celebration. Plan your trip for the end of October so
you can take part in the museum’s birthday bash! Visit www.katonah-museum.org.

Family Day Birthday Party and Concert: Sunday, October 24, 1:00 - 4:00 pm
Celebrate the Museum’s 50th birthday during a day-long party that will bring art to life for the entire family. Enjoy a
60’s-themed afternoon with art activities, family tours, music, cake, and surprise guests. The festivities will conclude
with an outdoor concert performed by the Beatles tribute band Abbey Road.
1:00-3:00 Art Activities: Wishing Banners and Shadow Puppets
1:30 Ed Young, author of The Monkey King and the Jade Emperor will sign books
3:00 Happy Birthday and Cupcakes
3:00-4:00 Abbey Road Concert
Rain or shine; $5 per person, 5 and under free

Katonah’s Trees Dress Up For Birthday Party
Brooklyn artist Jennifer Zackin has been commissioned to “wrap” approximately 23 trees on the island greens along
Bedford Road with cotton rope that will then be painted in different colors and patterns. Bright pink, orange, yellow,
green, blue, and violet stripes of varying widths will encircle tree trunks up to six feet high. These vibrant colors will
have a magnificent transformative quality, appearing playful among the changing colors of fall and will assume a strong
presence in winter when the trees are dormant. “Public art is a wonderful way of bringing people together and engaging
them in the world they occupy. It is especially thrilling to see art in unexpected places,” says Ellen Keiter, Exhibition
Coordinator at the Museum.

The project, co-sponsored by KMA and the Katonah Village Improvement Society (KVIS), coincides with a year-long
celebration of Katonah Museum’s 50th Anniversary. It will physically bring art into the life of the community as well as
back in front of the Katonah Village Library, where the museum first opened its doors in 1954. Ms. Zackin’s work will
be created with the participation of students and residents from the community, providing an extraordinary experience
for everyone involved while generating a sense of ownership and pride.

“We anticipate that Bedford Road will never be viewed in the same manner again,” says Allison Chernow, KVIS
co-president. The installation will be on view until March, 2005.

The Village of Katonah
Katonah, in the northwestern part of Bedford, saw its Historic District, in 1983, listed on the State and National
registers of Historic Places. This district encompasses the Bedford Road area, a section of the hamlet designed by
landscape architects, G.S. and B.S. Olmstead. Noted for its Victorian architecture, Katonah now stands somewhat
south of where the original hamlet was located and before it was obliged to move in the late 1890s to make way for
the expansion of the New York City watershed when the Muscoot Reservoir was built. Katonah is widely known as
home to Caramoor, Katonah Museum of Art and the John Jay Homestead, retirement home of John Jay, the first
chief justice of the United States Supreme Court.