For more than two decades, Kingston has been at the forefront of bringing artists and art aficionados together through a tradition known as the “First Saturday.” Every first Saturday of the month Kingston’s galleries open their doors to receive the public to view the gallery’s new exhibition. As the tradition gained traction in the early 2000s, First Saturday brought thousands of visitors to Kingston, inspiring Art Along the Hudson to hold similar events in dozens of communities throughout the Hudson Valley. The Kingston event has drawn the attention of national media outlets, citing Kingston as a model for the economic impact of artists nationwide. It continues to be very popular in the community and with folks visiting the Kingston area.

Along with other events like the Kingston Artists’ Soapbox Derby which this year will take place on Aug. 18, (https://kingstonartistsoapboxderby.com/), and venues like the Arts Society of Kingston (https://askforarts.org/), the arts are well-supported, drawing tens of thousands of visitors each year to Kingston and enriching a vibrant arts community. The Midtown Arts District is good resource for arts in Kingston (https://madkingston.org) through their ongoing arts education, events and Storefront Gallery.

One of the galleries participating in First Saturday is the Lace Mill Gallery. Located at 165 Cornell St. in Kingston, the RUPCO project, which restored a dilapidated old factory to useful life, provides housing for artists, musicians and writers. There’s an impressive gallery and concert space featuring ongoing art exhibitions and performances (https://thelacemillarts.com/home/). The current gallery show, “Painters & Sculptors,” features more than a dozen artists.

The show came together as a collaboration and the devoted work of James Martin, president of the Lace Mill Arts Council, and show curator Sasha Ascher. It’s a unique project — a regional exhibition “celebrating those who paint and those who sculpt, and those who do both.”

“A number of us from the Lace Mill Arts Council took it upon ourselves to present the art show,” said Martin. “This was RUPCO’s original concept for the building: a place where artists, musicians and performers live and collaborate to provide the best events for the community.”

Of the success of the “Painters & Sculptors” exhibit, Martin said: “The current gallery opening reception was in July and there was a major turnout. Because of this interest, the show has been extended throughout August. We will host another opening reception this coming Saturday, Aug. 3.”

The “Painters & Sculptors” exhibition is unique. One of the artists, Pamela Timmins, put it this way: “All of my life I’ve been going to art exhibits. This is the first time I’ve seen an exhibit of artists who do both sculpture and painting and their sculptures and paintings are displayed side by side.”

I asked Ascher what it was like to curate such a show. “It was a bit challenging,” she told me.

“We had to morph the space so that it will accommodate both painting and sculpture and become a balanced way to present the work,” she said. “We were successful. It brought a symbiotic quality to do it in that way and the visitor can have an immersive experience in the show.”

Pablo Picasso was quoted as saying, “Sculpture is the best comment that a painter can make on painting.” His concept, brought to life, is on display at the Lace Mill Gallery this Saturday, Aug. 3 from 5-9 p.m. at The Lace Mill, 165 Cornell St. in Kingston. The show continues through Aug. 25.