Residency Manual
I. Emergencies & Health Care
The emergency phone number in the US is 911
Residents should always contact their Program Director prior to calling 911 unless it is a matter of life or death. Directors, staff, alumni-in-residence, and interns have access to transportation for minor injuries or ailments.
First Aid kits are located in Ledig House kitchen and the kitchen at the Studio Barns. These kits include: bandages, sterile wraps, rubbing alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, sunblock, insect repellent, itch relief, Neosporin, Advil, burn relief, and allergy medication.
Health care options:
For non-life threatening injuries or illnesses: an Urgent or Rapid Care visit is recommended; we will take you to a health clinic that will charge less than an emergency room visit.
Life-threatening injuries or illnesses: these will require Hospital emergency room treatment; please be aware this is often very costly for those without US health insurance.
In the event that you need Urgent Care, here are directions to two “Rapid Care,” facilities - clinics that are only 15 minutes away:
In the event that you need a Hospital, Columbia Memorial Hospital in Hudson is only 17 minutes away:
- Columbia Memorial Hospital (71 Prospect St, Hudson NY 12534, 1-518-828-7601, emergency room open 24 hours a day)
II. Where am I?
Art Omi Campus
Residency Dorms are located at 59 Letter S Road, Ghent, NY 12075. At the top of the driveway are the four residency houses: Ledig House is available to all residents for use of the kitchen, living room, and library. Upstairs in Ledig House there are some staff offices as well as guest lodging for residency visitors. Residents reside in Reynolds Cottage, Betsy’s Cottage, and Sanford House for the duration of their stay.
Art Omi: The Fields and Art Omi: Architecture are 200 acres of walkable park grounds, home to over 70 sculptures and architectural interventions to explore or just to enjoy a pleasant walk.
The Benenson Center is located at the entrance to the sculpture park, at 1405 County Route 22, Ghent, NY 12075, and always has free coffee & tea for residents, air conditioning, heat, WiFi, thought-provoking gallery exhibitions, and staff who would love to say hello and meet you. The building is open every day from 9 AM - 5 PM.
The Studio Barns are located at the intersection of County Route 22 and Letter S Road, Ghent, NY 12075, and are utilized by the summer residency programs to provide studio-setting workspaces to collaborate or work independently, depending upon the residency.
Surrounding Area
Omi is the name of the hamlet that Art Omi is located in, a northwest area withiin the Township of Ghent, NY. Ghent, NY is located within Columbia County, located within the Hudson Valley, which is known for its rich history of farming and historical locations. It’s located approximately two and a half hours north of New York City, which is where most Art Omi residents start the US portion of their journey.
Ghent is a small and quiet town, with little on the main street (State Route 66), but you can find: gas stations, car wash, farm stands, a restaurant, and a nice café called The Bartlett House.
Continuing north on State Route 66 will bring you to Chatham. This town, well worth a visit, is home to a number of shops and cafes, including Chatham Brewing (for sampling local beers), Our Daily Bread (there’s a Deli and further into town their Gluten Free bakery), and the Crandall (a 1920’s era Spanish-styled Art Deco theater showing new and old movies alike).
Hudson, the more bustling city as compared to Chatham or Ghent, is 15 minutes away by car. The nearest train station (Amtrak) is also located in Hudson. In Hudson you can find a large variety of dining, bars, hotels/lodging, art galleries, performance venues, antiques, souvenirs, and more.
Located on State Route 9 (Fairview Avenue), between Art Omi and Hudson, you can fing larger stores for grocery, personal needs, thrift shops, and more.
III. Sending and Receiving Mail
Regular mail is delivered to Art Omi daily, except Sundays. Purchase of stamps and mailing of packages can be taken care of at the Ghent Post Office. Regular service to Art Omi by Federal Express, Airborne Express, UPS, etc., is available, including overnight service. If you intend to receive mail or packages, your mailing address while at the Art Omi is:
Your Name
c/o Art Omi
59 Letter S Road
Ghent, New York 12075
USA
IV. Kitchen Etiquette & Trash
Ledig House Kitchen: If you use any dishes in Ledig kitchen, please hand wash, or rinse before placing in the dishwasher. Pots and pans must be hand washed. If you notice the dishwasher has completed a cleaning cycle, please place the clean dishes in their proper places.
During the warmer months, dirty dishes and food left out can attract ants and other bugs into the house. All open containers of items such as cereal, bread, sugar, etc must be stored in plastic Tupperware. Refrigerator items such as butter and milk must not be left out when not being used.
There is no glass permitted in the pool area. If you are enjoying a beverage near the pool, please only use a plastic cup.
Betsy’s Cottage Kitchen: There is no food permitted in the kitchenette in Betsy’s Cottage. This space should be used for preparing coffee, tea, or other beverages only.
The Studio Barns Kitchen: Please wash all cups, silverware, dishes etc. that you use; do not leave them in the sink for someone else. Please do not remove kitchen items from the barn area!
Trash/Recycling
Recycling bins for paper, glass, metal and recyclable plastics can be found on the back porch. You do not need to separate the recyclables. If the bins become full, please empty them into the green recycling container in the trash shed next to the parking in front of Ledig.
If you notice the trash in the kitchen is full, please remove the bag and place it into the black trash containers in the trash shed and replace the bag in the kitchen with a new one.
V. Laundry
There are two locations for residents to do laundry on campus:
Betsy’s Cottage (no laundry before 8 AM or after 9 PM)
Ledig House (located in basement, entry from outside near porch)
Please be considerate in your water usage. Team up! Coordination and cooperation among the residents is key for a smooth use of the machine. If you need help, please reach out to a staff member.
VI. Internet & Phone
Our campus is equipped with public high-speed wifi throughout the Residency Houses, Studio Barns, and Benenson Center.
Please note: lengthy downloads should only be done at night. At times, the internet may be slow because too many residents are downloading large files at the same time: doing this at night will greatly help make sure everybody is able to connect to the internet and that it will work at a decent speed.
Local phone calls (those within the 518 area code, or toll-free 1-800 or 1-888 calls) may be made from Ledig House, if you need to place an international call and prefer not to use Skype or other internet-based software, you must purchase a phone card.
VII. The Ledig House Library
On the first floor of Ledig House, near the large stairs, you will find the library. The library contains a collection of works by writers and translators from more than seventy countries who have participated in the Art Omi: Writers Residency. There are also several general reference books available. To borrow a book, please fill out the sheet on the desk, return the book to the marked bin when you’re done, and be sure to write in that it was returned.
In addition, there is also a computer, printer and office supplies in the library available for resident use.
VIII. Swimming & Biking
Bicycles are available at Ledig House and the Studio Barns from April - November. Please store all bicycles under the designated bike sheds at each location to avoid weather damage. Be careful, as the gravel roads in the area can be dangerous. There are also several bicycle helmets available.
We have a swimming pool available for use during residencies that take place from May - September. Please read the regulations carefully. There is no glass permitted in the pool area.
Residencies from June - August take place at the same time as Camp Omi (our children’s summer art camp). The pool is used by the children from 12 - 2:30 PM M-F during this period. Please avoid using the pool when the children are there.
IX. Taxis & Transportation
There is no public transportation to or from Art Omi, and taxis must generally be arranged by phone. In addition to taxi services, recently implemented ride-share services like Uber and Lyft have been widely used.
McManns Transport (518) 610-0071
Pronto Taxi (518) 822-9500
Riverview Taxi (518) 828-3355
Warren Taxi (518) 828-4040
Hudson City Transport (518) 822-8880, (518) 828-3356
S Taxi (518) 828-4545
X. Ticks & Lyme Disease
If you have been bitten by a tick you are at risk for a tick-borne illness. These illnesses include but are not limited to: Lyme, Anaplasmosis, Babesiosis. These are the most common diseases with the most severe symptoms.
XI. Poison Ivy and Poison Oak Leaves
What are poison ivy and poison oak?
Poison ivy and poison oak are plants that can cause a skin rash (called “allergic contact dermatitis”) when they come in contact with your skin. The red, uncomfortable, and itchy rash often shows up in lines or streaks and is marked by fluid-filled bumps (blisters) or large raised areas (hives). It is the most common skin problem caused by contact with plants (plant dermatitis).
Poison ivy usually has three broad, spoon-shaped leaves or leaflets ("Leaves of three? Let it be!"), but it can have more. It may grow as a climbing or low, spreading vine that sprawls through grass (more common in the eastern United States) or as a shrub (more common in the northern United States, Canada, and the Great Lakes region. It is frequently found on the shady side of trees, and along roads and paths.
Poison oak has leaves that look like oak leaves, usually with three leaflets but sometimes up to seven leaflets per leaf group. It grows as a vine or a shrub.
Prevention:
- Learn how to identify these plants and avoid them. When hiking or engaging in other activities that might expose you to these plants, try to stay on cleared pathways.
- Wear protective clothing. If needed, protect your skin by wearing socks, boots, pants, long sleeves and vinyl gloves.
- Wash your skin. Within 30 minutes after exposure, use soap and water to gently wash off the harmful resin from your skin. Scrub under your fingernails too. This helps prevent a rash. Even washing after an hour or so after contact can help reduce the severity of the rash.
- Clean contaminated objects. If you think you've come into contact with poison ivy, wash your clothing promptly with detergent — ideally in a washing machine. Handle contaminated clothes carefully so that you don't transfer the active ingredient — urushiol — to yourself, furniture, rugs or appliances. Also wash any other contaminated items — such as outdoor gear, garden tools, jewelry, shoes and even shoelaces — as soon as possible. The oil from the plant can stay volatile for a year on clothing or other objects.
- Apply a barrier cream. Try over-the-counter skin products that are intended to act as a barrier between your skin and the oily resin that causes poison ivy rash.
Treating a rash:
- Apply an over-the-counter corticosteroid cream for the first few days.
- Apply calamine lotion to help with itching.
- Take oral antihistamines, such as diphenhydramine (Benedryl).
- Soak in a cool-water bath containing an oatmeal-based bath product.
- Place cool, wet compresses on the affected area for 15 to 30 minutes several times a day.
Useful Links
Local Shopping & Services
Arlene’s Artist Supply (Albany, NY)
Michael’s (Albany, NY)
Sheffield Pottery (Sheffield, MA)
McGreevy Photo Lab (Albany, NY)
JoAnn’s Fabric (Hudson, NY)
Digifabshop (Hudson, NY)
Staples (Hudson, NY)
Banks
All of these banks have ATM's.
Chatham
Key bank (518) 618-4181
16 Coleman St
Trustco Bank (518) 392-0031
193 Hudson Ave
Hudson
KeyBank (518) 828-4327
160 Fairview Ave
TD Bank (518) 828-9991
177 Fairview Ave