Story

Painter Julie Hedrick and composer Peter Wetzler met in Toronto in 1983. In 1985 they discovered an abandoned nineteenth-century Romanesque church in the Rondout neighborhood of Kingston, New York, and have owned and curated it ever since. The first Baptist Church on the site was commissioned by Thomas Cornell in 1800. After decades of careful restoration, the couple transformed the building into both their home and an artists' retreat, welcoming visiting composers, writers and artists for years. Interiors were renovated by skilled artists, artisans and friends, with many furnishings upcycled or handmade, and the household practices thoughtful recycling and composting. In recognition of their contribution to the city's cultural life, Julie and Peter received Kingston's first Distinguished Artists Award (2018–2020).