VERSE Work/Shop is a brick-and-mortar gallery and retail space in Red Hook, NY founded by sisters Vanessa Shafer and Cassandra Ruff who have returned to their hometown to launch a lifelong dream of creating a destination to showcase regional artist + makers.  Throughout the year the Work/Shop will host a series of changing exhibitions amongst ongoing collections by small batch modern makers featuring furniture and goods for the home and body.

Stop in to be versed in what’s being created just next door.

VERSE

VANESSA SHAFER / Founder, Designer, Finder

Vanessa received a Bachelor of Arts in Art History from Trinity College before graduating from Yale School of Architecture with a master’s degree in architecture.  She spent the first portion of her career at Gwathmey Siegel & Associates Architects, a world renown modern architecture firm based in Manhattan where she had the privilege of working closely with Gwathmey on many projects including the Jeffery H. Loria Center addition to Paul Rudolph’s “tour de force”, the Art and Architecture Building at Yale, GSAA’s plans for the expansion of Glenstone and numerous homes featuring astounding private art collections. It’s there that she was awakened to the world of contemporary art and especially its integration into domestic design.

In 2015 Vanessa began “Studio VRS.” to pursue several independent projects that brought her back to her roots in the Hudson Valley.  Her design practice, now VERSE Works, is a growing collaborative practice primarily focused on residential design with projects throughout the Hudson Valley and the greater United States.

After almost twenty years of living in Brooklyn and Manhattan Vanessa returned to the Hudson Valley with her husband and two daughters.

CASSANDRA RUFF / Director

Cassandra has had a career as a designer and project manager with a specialty focus on Event Planning + Design.  She supports VERSE Works projects on multiple levels, including project management, administration, and sourcing.  While she spent the past few years in the corporate event market producing top tier events for world class brands, she has passion about connection and experience on any scale.  VERSE Work + Play will be a platform for Cassandra to exercise her love for events at the Work/Shop and beyond.  Starting this spring, Cassandra will spearhead a recurring series of Artist + Makers events at the Work/Shop with VERSE’S “Talk Shop” program.

Now back home from Boston’s North Shore with her partner Kara and dog Stevie, if not at the Work/Shop, they’ve escaped back to the beach.