If there was ever a perfect weekend to be in the Catskills, this would be it: pleasant weather, in the mid-70s during the day, and low 50s at night, an abundance of green, and birds, and all the beautiful things that make country living so enriching. And, there is art – lots of it this weekend.

The Phoenicia Spoken Word event takes place tonight at 6:30 at Mama’s Boy Café in Phoencia. Organized by poet and painter Anique Taylor, and sponsored by the Arts Upstairs gallery, this second annual event takes place in conjunction with the Shandaken Art Studio Tour. The event will feature over a dozen of poets and writers who will be reading from their works. Books will be available for sale.

The Shandaken Art Studio Tour, which launched in 2008, includes over thirty participating artists working in all styles and media: glass, iron, ceramics, sculpture, collages and assemblages, landscape and abstract painting, comic book art, as well as clothing. The studios are open Saturday, July 19 and Sunday, July 20 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Maps for self-guided tours are available online at shandakenart.com.

Also, Saturday, July 19 at 7 p.m. it’s the Yarnslingers’ night at the Catskill Art Society in Livingston Manor, Sullivan County. Storytellers from all walks of life will be sharing their tales with the audience. This is a popular event that takes place the third Saturday of the month. For more information, visit catskillartsociety.org.

Chace-Randall Gallery in Andes, Delaware County, announces an opening reception Saturday, July 19 at 5 p.m. for artist Judith Lamb . Twenty-six oil paintings will be on display, showcasing Lamb’s interests in plants, fruits and vegetables, and their juxtaposition with random objects. Lamb has shown her work in many exhibitions in New York City and the Catskills. To see a sample of her work click here.