On September Mondays (10, 17, 24), members of the Folk Art Guild will present a series on the teaching brought by George Ivanovitch Gurdjieff. His fundamental aim was to help human beings awaken to the meaning of our existence and to the efforts we must make to realize that meaning in the midst of the life we have been given. These gatherings will be informal; each successive week, additional material will be presented, with time to ask questions and discuss the ideas.

Next week, September 10th, the presenters look forward to describing how the teaching has touched their lives. Annie Schliffer, a potter, Matthew Shubin, musician, and David Barnet, woodworker, will introduce certain ideas which initially drew them to the “Work”, as it is referred to. After many years of practice, what is alive and fresh today?

The following week, September 17th, the presenters will examine the sacrifices necessary to bring the Gurdjieff Work into life. Gurdjieff himself faced monumental struggles as he conveyed the body of ideas to those in the West.

Read the entire press release for this set of presentations in the Classics series. Opens in new tab.

About the Folk Art Guild:
A not-for-profit arts community and educational institution, the Folk Art Guild began its work in crafts more than 50 years ago. Located on a 350-acre farm in New York’s Finger Lakes Region, the Guild has grown to receive worldwide recognition for its handcrafts, which have found their place in museums, private collections, shops, and galleries through the United States and abroad. The on-site East Hill Gallery welcomes visitors from May to October.The Guild also offers workshops for adults and conducts educational outreach programs for children. The Guild’s reputation for quality handcrafts has grown during the 50 years that it has flourished in Middlesex. This teaching that stands behind the Guild has been less well known.