Art and nature come together at Storm King

4 m ago By Margeaux Baulch Klein

Mark di Suvero's work is displayed against a beautiful backdrop.

For art lovers looking to escape the stuffiness of the city’s gallery scene or anyone looking for a quiet, meditative respite from the urban jungle, there is no better day trip than Storm King Art Center in Mountainville, N.Y.

But you’ll want to move quickly, as the center closes for the winter on Nov. 15. (It reopens in the spring.)

Located just about an hour north of the city, Storm King is surrounded by beautiful Orange County scenery and mountains.

The center’s 500 acres of landscaped fields and woodlands provide the perfect backdrop for more than 100 large-scale sculptures by artists such as Richard Serra, Ursula von Rydingsvard and Alexander Calder.

WHAT TO SEE
There is a narrated tram that circles the entire park, but you will want to get up close to the sculptures to fully appreciate them.
Among the must-see works is “Wave Field,” a site-specific series of man-made hills in the corner of the park created by Maya Lin, the architectural artist best known for designing the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C.
Also impressive are the mammoth metal sculptures by Mark di Suvero that are stunningly highlighted in the fall by the changing colors of the trees in the south field. (At 65 feet high, however, it’s hard to miss di Suvero’s towering “Pyramidian,” the open-frame metal sculpture he worked on for more than 10 years.)
Inside Storm King’s French Normandy-style museum and visitor center there are smaller works, including Lin’s “Bodies of Water,” a collection of working models for “Wave Field.”

WHeRE TO EAT
You can enjoy an alfresco meal at one of many tree-shaded picnic tables.
On the weekends, check out the outdoor cafe for light lunch and snacks.

GETTING THERE
The Storm King Art Center is accessible via car and public transportation. The Coach USA bus line offers roundtrip service to Storm King for $44, including admission, which is $10.
Buses depart at 10 a.m. from the Port Authority Bus Terminal and leave Storm King at 4:45 p.m. on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and weekends.

RETAIL THERAPY
After you’ve gotten your share of culture, you might want to do your part to help the economy.  The much-heralded Woodbury Common Premium Outlets is a 15-minute drive from Storm King. In addition to outlet staples such as Gap and Ann Taylor, Woodbury Commons boasts designer stores such as Chanel, Balenciaga, Prada and La Perla. But don’t expect the prices to be slashed too low at the higher-end boutiques. While you can walk out of the Crate and Barrel outlet with a $20 chair, a Chanel handbag can still cost you a few thousand dollars.