Walking west from the Woodstock Green, crossing the crumbling bridge over the Tannery Brook stream and turning left into Woodstock Way, you walk through a boutique hotel of tiny houses that command big prices. Emerging from this enclave, ascending the hill onto Sergent Richard Quinn Lane you will find yourself opposite the American Legion, a gathering place of veterans of some of the oldest Woodstock families, who as Paul says, are “salt-of-the-earth, good people and neighbors”. Across from it sits a former boarding house, built in 1926, which once served briefly as the Woodstock Day School and is now known as The Mothership.
Paul McMahon is the mother, father, creator, and visionary behind The Mothership. He has transformed it into a space where artists can display their work and perform in conjunction with exhibits. Recently, Linger Dance performed alongside Bucky Miller’s art show, Big Skeleton, while Andrea Ward—a musician, singer, and choreographer— brought movement and sound to abstract paintings. Last autumn, writer Jenni Knight, a Byrdcliffe resident, read excerpts from her work in progress. The Mothership is open to all, a welcoming haven for creativity. A conversation with Paul is inspiring, thought-provoking, and multidimensional. During a visit, he shared his daily mantra, “How best can I use my imagination today?” He embraces the benefits of life in an artist community, despite his observation that when money arrived in Woodstock, some of the fun faded. Though he claims not to be a “careerist,” Paul’s journey is rich and varied, spanning art, spirituality, performance, music, and community-building. His creative endeavors range from inventing a cat toy in the 1980s (still being sold) to designing clever bumper stickers, producing artwork, posters, music, and performing as The Rock and Roll Therapist on WFUV and WDST. His visual art has been exhibited in esteemed institutions such as The Whitney, The Met, and the 321 Gallery. And up next? A Museum of Pizza show.
If you’re looking for an experience, visit The Mothership for a look at a little old school Woodstock creativity. Have a conversation with Paul—you won’t regret it. Woodstock is made up of many heartbeats, and Paul McMahon is undoubtedly one of them.
Check out his website https://paulmcmahon.tv/mothership and on social media at: Mothership Gallery in Woodstock NY.
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