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Open Studios Set For WeekendBy Jen Thomas - October 09, 2007
NORTH ADAMS - Only in its second year, the North Adams Open Studios weekend has already exceeded expectations.
"Open Studios has grown faster than the organizing committee expected it to," said committee member Edward Sedarbaum. "It took us all by surprise."
With less than a week left to plan the extravagant two-day event, which drew at least 500 people last year, the 11-member committee is working to finalize plans on the project, which has doubled in size since last year.
"It's immense. There's double the artists and many more sites," said Sedarbaum.
Scheduled for Oct. 13 and 14, Open Studios will feature the work of 86 area artists in nearly 20 city locations, including Heritage State park and the artists' mill triad - the Beaver Mill, the Windsor Mill and the Eclipse Mill.
Open Studios patrons will be exposed to hundreds of pieces of Berkshire County art as the town is transformed into what Sedarbaum called "one big artist's studio." The historic trolley will shuttle visitors to the many sites along the route and will be treated with a free pass to the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Arts.
"It’s going to be major," said Sedarbaum.
In its mission statement, North Adams Open Studios says it seeks to "inspire and enliven the community through the arts and grow the creative economy by drawing art lovers and tourists to North Adams and all it has to offer."
"There's been an awful lot of talk in the past about the potential of North Adams after Mass MoCA. The question is, Are we living up to that potential?" said 2007 Chairwoman Sharon Carson.
Carson and several others living in the Eclipse Mill started the Open Studios event four years ago as a way to share work with others in the building. As the event grew in popularity, the group expanded to include more artists until 2006, when they launched a full-blown committee and started what is now Open Studios.
"This is about working together with people in the community and bringing people into town," said Carson.
"North Adams has become a magnet for creative people. We all say it, but where is the evidence to the public? This is it. We're making it real," Sedarbaum said.
Calling Open Studios "definitely a bring your children event," Sedarbaum said the weekend is geared towards both families and tourists. Special events include a childen's drawing wall, a drumming presentation and a printmaking demonstration.
The event also received more than 60 business sponsorships this year and several storefronts have offered to participate in the event. The Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts' Gallery 51, North Adams Antiques and Cup and Saucer will all be Main Street destinations, along with Payri Books and Widgits on Eagle Street.
While neither Sedarbaum nor Carson had exact estimates for the weekend, they did say they had printed 2,000 site maps to distribute.
"It won't tell us how many came, but it will show us how many came at the least," said Carson.
After planning since March, Carson said she's expecting a hectic couple of days.
"No matter how much you plan, something always pops up," she said.
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