Founded in 1998 by philanthropist Paul Andres along with world-renowned sculptor John Weidman, the Andres Institute of Art seeks to underline the interface between nature and art. It comprises a spacious workshop/studio on the upper slopes of Bear Mountain in Brookline, New Hampshire, along with 140 acres of beautiful woodland threaded by miles of nature trails along which artists from across the globe have placed more than 60 original works of art. The Institute is a non-profit, all-volunteer 501.c.3 charitable organization, and the Sculpture Park (New England's largest) is open free to the public 365 days a year during daylight hours. Each year the Institute sponsors and hosts the Bridges and Connections International Sculpture Symposium to bring together artists from different cultures for several weeks of fellowship, training and creativity. During their short tenure the artists learn new techniques, share their expertise and create original works of art which are added to the permanent collection of the Institute. While each symposium has a theme, artistic ideas are restricted only by each sculptor’s imagination and what is physically feasible in the limited time they have to create their works. There are no clients to please, no judges to impress. Andres is unique in that artists are given the freedom to create for art’s sake, and many return to produce more sculptures in subsequent years. The combination of rugged nature trails, outdoor hiking for fitness and viewing fine art from a variety of cultural backgrounds makes for a truly uncommon and inspiring family outing found nowhere else. Only an hour from Boston, it is one of the hidden gems of New England.