06/15/2026
Our next exhibit at Glens Falls City Hall's 2nd Floor Gallery will feature Bella Zhdanova's “Soft Worlds.”
Bella is a teacher who, inspired by her students' wonder, creates stories from that expansive, imaginative realm of youth. Her work will be on view from June 29 through September 25.
An opening reception is July 10, at 5 PM.
"I don’t have any special education in the art field. I am an elementary school teacher with extensive teaching experience in NYC public schools. While working with students of young ages, I enjoyed making art projects with them.
The nature of kids' perception always was so fascinating to me. They could tell a story using different materials found at home ( pieces of fabric, fur, leather) or found in nature on the way to school ( leaves, flowers, pebbles, even pieces of wood bark).
It was like they saw beautiful things all around. So, I think some creativity from my little students rubbed off on me. And when the time came, and I found more time for my own projects, all the memories of funny, naive, fairytale stories came to my mind and to my vision.
I started making pictures from felt. I like that whenever it’s not coming well, I can always take off the yarn and do it over. It has a way of looking not flat, having some depth. The mixture of yarn colors could be so unbelievably subtle. I want my pictures make people smile, be a happy and a carefree child once again."
- Bella Zhdanova, 2026
