Friday, March 9, 2012

Why I Do Open Studios by Susan Bloch


Interacting with people at open studios is fun. I highly recommend it.

It is a casual weekend event. People get to choose the locations they go to and are genuinely interested in the art and artists at those locations. It feels comfortable and relaxed.

It puts a little pressure on me to evaluate what I’m doing and to think about my studio in a more public way.

My art routines begin to include visitor aware activities. I notice unnecessary items in my studio and move them out. I see things in a different light. It reminds me to move beyond the enjoyment of process and into the entire activity of being an artist. This means different things to different artists and becomes part of the dialog.

I appreciate the community more including:

  • people who come out to support the arts
  • people who work tirelessly behind the scenes to keep the arts going
  • arts leaders and volunteers
  • non-profit agencies in our community that become more and more creative with less and less funding
  • all other artists
  • the media who continue to write and broadcast art events
  • educators --- and everyone else.

Why does open studios make me aware of all this? Because my studio is generally a private place, usually only open by appointment. It causes me to think in an expanded way. I’m more aware that artists are opening their studios around the country and world. It’s almost like a holiday, a tradition that takes on meaning because we are all doing it together, year after year. The more people that participate by opening or visiting studios the more exciting it is for all of us.

Susan Bloch, Glass Artist, NCOS Participant

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