Saranac Lake Artist Revives Beloved Arts Center as Cedar Street Studios
A local ceramics artist is spearheading the rebirth of a vital community space in Saranac Lake, transforming the former BluSeed Studios into Cedar Street Studios and ensuring the arts continue to thrive in the Adirondack region.
Months after BluSeed—a cornerstone of the local arts scene—closed its doors due to a “dire” financial situation, Jazen Reuss is poised to purchase the building, renovate it, and launch a new era of arts classes, gallery showings, and music performances by early summer.
The 7,500-square-foot building on Cedar Street remains a hub for a handful of artists utilizing its studio space, with classes already underway since October and more planned for the future. Reuss intends to operate Cedar Street Studios as a for-profit business, incorporating several retail spaces—a departure from BluSeed’s non-profit model. This shift, she believes, will address the financial challenges that plagued its predecessor.
The coronavirus pandemic significantly impacted BluSeed, leading to a decline in grant funding. A GoFundMe campaign raised over $40,000, but ultimately proved insufficient to sustain the organization. Reuss, who served as the ceramics studio manager at BluSeed since 2020, expressed her devastation at the closure, learning of the dissolution two months before the public announcement—around the same time as the closure of ADK ArtRise, another local art education business.
“The thought of town losing both of the arts centers was just heartbreaking,” Reuss said. “Like, we’re an artsy town. We can’t not have an arts center.”
Driven by this conviction, Reuss immediately began exploring the possibility of purchasing the building and preserving it as a community arts studio. The process was complicated by the fact that, as a non-profit, BluSeed’s sale was subject to state attorney general oversight, requiring a sale price at or near full market value. An appraisal increased the building’s price by $150,000, initially raising concerns about affordability. However, Reuss secured investments from friends and family and is also obtaining a substantial loan.
Reuss confirmed they recently received approval from the attorney general’s office and plan to finalize the sale after the holidays. She described the experience as both “exciting and scary,” admitting she typically prefers meticulous planning, but this venture has been “quite the rollercoaster.”
Initially, Reuss kept her plans confidential for two to three months, not even sharing them with close friends or family. She began contacting banks for loans, only to be advised to develop a comprehensive business plan first, which she promptly created. Despite the challenges, she finds the experience “uplifting,” though she occasionally pauses to question her undertaking.
While profitability isn’t immediate, Reuss is confident Cedar Street Studios can become self-sustaining. She acknowledges the significant financial burden, including heating costs and manual snow removal with the help of friends and family to avoid plowing expenses. Recognizing her reluctance to ask for assistance, Reuss launched a GoFundMe campaign to provide essential support for repairs, heating, transition costs, and equipment upgrades. The campaign can be found at tinyurl.com/bdcmntna.
Reuss explained her desire for Cedar Street Studios to operate as a self-sufficient business, avoiding the dependency issues that impacted BluSeed. A key component of this strategy is the establishment of “The Wander In Art Shop,” an art retail space offering a wide range of supplies.
Addressing a significant need in the local art community, Reuss plans to stock clay in bulk at wholesale prices, as currently, ceramics artists in Saranac Lake must travel three hours or order online to obtain this essential material. She also noted a local demand for supplies catering to miniature and Warhammer 40,000 figure painters, given her experience at Goody Goody’s Toys and Games. Textile artist Martha Jackson will contribute by offering supplies for quilters and knitters.
Furthermore, Reuss envisions a second retail space geared towards patrons of the Adirondack Rail Trail, which runs adjacent to the studio. She is actively seeking artists to feature in the gallery and is eager to revive the music events that once animated the space. Renovations, including cutting doorways and installing walls, are necessary to prepare the retail areas and gallery for operation, with a target completion date of June.
When BluSeed dissolved, then-Executive Director Marissa Hernandez expressed hope for a buyer committed to maintaining the building as a community art center. The BluSeed board retained some discretion in selecting a buyer, and Reuss has received expressions of support from both past and present board members.
Reuss also intends to maintain a private studio space in a tool shed at the rear of the building, valuing the creative freedom and separation it provides. Above all, she was determined to prevent the loss of the community hub that BluSeed represented.
Having lived in Saranac Lake for approximately 14 years, Reuss feels a strong connection to the community and a desire to give back. She emphasizes the importance of art as an outlet for expression, regardless of emotional state. “It’s a good thing to do no matter what you’re feeling,” Reuss said. “If you’re happy. If you’re sad. If you don’t have any energy and you need something to get you going. Or if you have too much energy and you need to get it out.”
Describing herself as a “hermity” person, Reuss highlights art’s ability to foster connections and spark conversations with strangers. She also stresses the importance of art education for children, particularly in a world increasingly dominated by screens. Recalling her own childhood, she remembers turning to paint or clay when boredom struck, contrasting this with the ease of getting lost in social media today.
Reuss hopes the studio will become a vibrant space for classes, artistic collaboration, and community engagement. Plans include expanding the ceramics area into dedicated studio and classroom spaces, resolving scheduling conflicts between artists and classes. The printmaking studio will be reconfigured into a classroom and a ventilated glaze-making room, addressing health concerns related to silica exposure.
Several artists have already expressed interest in teaching classes, and Reuss plans to donate clay during the first year to keep costs down. Discussions are underway with the Paul Smith’s College pottery club regarding the construction of a wood-fired kiln on campus. An upstairs apartment will be transformed into an artist-in-residence program, attracting creatives from across the country to Saranac Lake.
Reuss expressed concern about the building’s fate following BluSeed’s closure, fearing it could revert to a simple warehouse. “I really like it here,” Reuss said, gesturing around the building, where murals still adorn the walls and the air still smells like paint and ink.
