North Adams' Eclipse Mill Opening Studios For Weekend

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Eclipse Mill artists will open their doors to the public this weekend.

The Eclipse Mill artist lofts will host their annual open studio weekend where the public can see firsthand how the artists live and create

Resident artist Debi Pendell said there are 40 units in the old mill, and more than 25 artists spanning from potters to painters will have their doors open.

"Although we have work in the hallway we don’t invite the public in to our homes," Pendell said. "Once a year we welcome people into our work space, which actually happen to be for all of us our homes as well."

Pendell said normally the studios are not open to the public and people don’t have the option to actually discuss the art with those who made it.

"I exhibit my work in a gallery, but I am not there all the time," she said. "Here I can hear the response people have to my art, I can answer question and find out what they are thinking, and meet the community. There is definitely a back and forth."

Pendell said the event gives people a chance to expose themselves to art even if they are unfamiliar with it.

I think sometimes people are shy about art and feel like they don’t know enough or they are unfamiliar so they feel a little intimidated,” she said. “I would encourage people to come; we are all very friendly and open and we love to talk and introduce people to art.”

She said people can buy the art, but the open studios are more focused on showing people what the artists do.

"It gives people a chance to meet artists who do tend to be invisible in the world and view a wide variety of art in a no pressure situation,” she said. " It gives people the chance to be curious about art, the artist, and the building."

She said the event has changed every year since its inception in 2006, and this year there is a new interactive map that can be found on the open studios website.

The Eclipse Mill is on 243 Union St. and the galleries are open Saturday, Oct. 18, from 10 to 6 and Sunday, Oct. 19, from 10 to 4.

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