Ann Stokes, Founder
June 9, 1931 - November 20, 2016
Our Story
In 1977, when the women's movement was still glowing, four friends--Ann Goldsmith, builder and potter; Pat Hill, painter and gardener; Dolores Klaich, author of Woman Plus Woman; and Ann Stokes, writer of poems and maker of trails--gathered for Easter dinner at Ann's home in West Chesterfield, New Hampshire. Near dessert Ann became overwhelmed by a thought of building a studio for women artists. Soon they were looking for a site. After seven minutes of downhill, Klaich said in a stern voice, "Stokes, I don't want to carry my groceries this far." They quickly walked to the top of the hill, hung a right, found a site, and began building the first studio. Designed and built by women that very summer--a handsome light-filled place to live and work in. The guesthouse was turned into a studio; another studio was built, by women of course, ten years later. All are far enough from each other to experience solitude in nature.
The original visionaries, from left to right: Ann Goldsmith, Ann Stokes, Pat Hill, Dolores Klaich, circa 1982.
You will come here to walk on earth. On well-tended-to trails through 120 acres of hemlock, maple, and pine, down to a pasture with five ancient magnificent maples lining its upper stone wall. You will come to sit on the star-gazing chair at midnight to remember what's up there. You will come for the silence here, and the silence of your soul. A wood thrush sings in the afternoon not far from the Lean-To. Deer. wild turkey, an occasional fox. You may be looking out the window and glimpse a change in direction for your story, poem, color, or shape. It is a place where the nuances of life are enlivened. Your work will show it.
Welcome Hill Studios was incorporated under the name of ARS, Inc. in 1980, and has not-for profit status. ARS, Inc. is now being operated as Welcome Hill Studios.
Welcome Hill Studios is a 501(c)3 and your donations are greatly appreciated.
Donations can be made with PayPal and are tax deductible.
STAFF
Elissa Pine, Executive Director
Elissa came to Welcome Hill in 2016, after living in nearby Brattleboro, VT for over twenty five years. She imported textiles, handicrafts, and jewelry, from India and ran Adivasi, a store in the downtown from 1995 to 2013. In 2020 she received her Masters in Management focusing on Mission Driven Organizations from Marlboro College. She is currently a volunteer working with the Afghan refugee-resettlement population in Brattleboro. She is co-creator of Two Daughter Productions working on an audio series following Afghan women in as they settle. She finds the natural beauty of the hill deeply rejuvenating and enjoys introducing new women to the experience of staying at Welcome Hill Studios.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Rebecca Davison, President
Rebecca is a book designer, editor, and writer. She graduated from the State University of California at Sonoma in American Studies and the University of Maryland with a degree in Education. Some years ago, with Ann Stokes’ help, she began to write the history of National Organization for Women. She is still working on it and hopes to finish the book in the next few years.
Debra Dill, Treasurer
Deb is a graduate of Franklin Pierce University with a degree in accounting. She has been a self employed Enrolled Agent, accountant and tax preparer since 1987. She has been on the Board of ARS, Inc. aka Welcome Hill Studios since 1987. Deb was an active host family for the Fresh Air Fund for 17 years, and has been involved with Special Olympics for 25 years, most recently as Treasurer of Special Olympics Northern Virginia. She is also a very active member of her church, including being Chairman of the Flower Guild and baking newcomer bread. Deb is happily married and lives in Northern Virginia with her husband, adult daughter and 2 Tonkinese cats. She also has 2 adult sons, one granddaughter, and is known as the "best Aunt in the world" to her many nieces, nephews and their children. She loves to travel and be surrounded by family. Deb is never far from her camera, loves to bake and cook for family gatherings, and makes quilts in her spare time.
Pat Hill
Pat is an artist, activist who helped build and design the first studio for women artists at Welcome Hill. She is a pioneer of the Gay Liberation Movement who owned Giovanni's Room, Philadelphia's gay bookstore in the 1970's. Her eight-year lawsuit against the City of Philadelphia for discrimination, which she won in 1982, now prevents discrimination by the city, of gay and lesbian civil service employees. A lifelong Quaker, Pat has also lived, and worked for 35 years, building community in her north Philadelphia neighborhood, making community gardens, removing graffiti, etc. As a graduate of the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, she was awarded their highest honor, the Cresson Traveling Scholarship, to study art in Europe. Pat is now involved in the creation of the Pat Hill / Lee Alter Gallery for Women Artists at the Gay Community Center of Philadelphia. Pat currently lives in Philadelphia with her favorite companion, her cat, Rosie.
Lynne Borofsky
Lynne has raised her family in Chesterfield, is an active Chesterfield Conservation Commission member and is a middle school educator in Putney, Vermont for longer than she will admit. Her education includes a BA from Boston University and M.Ed. from the University of Vermont. Lynne's drive to organize and create collaborative adventures has lead to many unique forest and community events, and projects developing and maintaining trails - including the development, building and maintaining of the Ann Stokes Loop in the nearby Madame Sherri Forest. She enjoys the thrill of getting projects done and sharing the beauty of a forest for exercise, inspiration and learning about the natural world. If we can educate and inspire others to become stewards of the land, then our work has purpose. At the Welcome Hill Studios, she has been keeping the trails maintained and marked so that the guests can wander through the beautiful forest enjoying the views, hidden treasures and gardens on the property.
Lise Weil
Lise is an award-winning editor and translator whose essays and literary nonfiction have been published widely in Canada and the U.S. Her memoir In Search of Pure Lust is a finalist for a Foreword Indies Award and winner of a bronze Ippy Award. She was founder of Trivia: A Journal of Ideas (1982-1991) and its online offshoot Trivia: Voices of Feminism (2003-1011). In 2014 she launched the online journal Dark Matter: Women Witnessing, a home for writing and artwork created in response to an age of massive species loss and ecological collapse. She teaches in Goddard College’s Graduate Institute where she recently helped found a concentration in Embodiment Studies. Lise has been staying regularly at Welcome Hill Studios since 1985.