North Adams artists open their doors

North Adams Open Studios returns for its fifth year, featuring over 183 artists over a two-day period -- this Saturday and Sunday -- as a wind-down to the arts season in the Northern Berkshires.

[doc]

I have a real hard time believing that this city is running the way a city's supposed to. I mean,we can't even keep a 'Movie Theater' 'OPEN'.

[AHol]

doc wrote:

I have a real hard time believing that this city is running the way a city's supposed to. I mean,we can't even keep a 'Movie Theater''OPEN'.

Hey idiot - the City does not run the movie theater. The firm that does own it (which IS NOT based out of North Adams) went bankrupt. IT happens. It will reopen.

[fullsome]

this artists are so promiscuous they are always opening something. usully with detriment medics effekts

[Bobblehead]

What a wonderful event!!

Who knew that 180+ artists would even come to North Adams, much less thrive and come together to attract people from outside the city.

Bravo North Adams art world!

[nettle]

Open studios was poorly attended, and sales of fine arts were down. Even people who sold will agree with that. The open studios committee was way over-optimistic in the numbers they chose to put out there. This is a great shame, in my opinion, because you can't make needed improvements if you just insist that everything is fine as-is.

It was also a shame that the Transcript was only interested in spinning this as a happy "everybody loves North Adams and everything here is just wonderful" story. The artists they spoke to who didn't say glowing things about open studios, or credit all their new work to open studios...they got left out of the story. When you only rely on the people who run the event, and the people who's salaries and grants depend in part on an event's success, you're missing a big chunk of the real story.

And there's no way that there were 180+ artists. There were 81 artists registered. Many of these were from surrounding areas who were exhibiting in NoAMA or other spaces, shared with mill artists. If you count the galleries downtown, which the open studios committee did, then there were more artists whos work was on view. However, it would be misleading to say that there were 180+ artists involved, or that these artists are actually in North Adams.

Sorry to rain on everyone's parade, but it was an ok, serviceable event. Not a great one. It got done, and continued the tradition, which is nice enough, but that's all that can really be said.

'06 and '07 were good years, the last two, not so much.

[Reality]

I am quite sure the kids in North Adams really looked forward to this event? LOL
But many of them did head to the skate park in the neighboring towns.

[Bobblehead]

I think the weather was not too good for this open house weekend.

Not to mention that the economy is suffering, so it makes sense that '08 and '09 were not as good as previous years.

Too bad NA natives don't appreciate what they have in their own back yard..

[can not stand]

Bobblehead wrote:

I think the weather was not too good for this open house weekend.
Not to mention that the economy is suffering, so it makes sense that '08 and '09 were not as good as previous years.
Too bad NA natives don't appreciate what they have in their own back yard..

They can't stand the arrogant people who ran it this year. They are in their own little world.

[nettle]

can not stand wrote:

<quoted text>
They can't stand the arrogant people who ran it this year. They are in their own little world.

sadly, this is accurate. they made it impossible to work with them, didn't spend much time honestly reaching out to the artists to see what was needed, but are adept at complaining about how nobody paid any attention to them or came to their meetings. A clue: if you ignore everyone else, and seem disinterested and out of touch, people will not show up.

It's unfortunate that the mass cultural council rewarded this behavior.

[Jon Dinerstein]

Bobblehead wrote:

What a wonderful event!!
Who knew that 180+ artists would even come to North Adams, much less thrive and come together to attract people from outside the city.
Bravo North Adams art world!

I've heard that Jonathan Secore is very good to work with.

[Plopper]

Secor did Downstreet art not Open studios. Open studios are Eclipse mill people. nettle is pretty right.

[Jon Dinerstein]

Plopper wrote:

Secor did Downstreet art not Open studios. Open studios are Eclipse mill people. nettle is pretty right.

Booblehead was referring to the North Adams art world.
Bobblehead is absolutely correct.

[nettle]

Jonathan's ok to work with, no disagreement there.

But, as Plopper points out, Jonathan's running
Downstreet Art, which is just one part of the North Adams art "world", such as it is. Although Downstreet Art is a good catalyst for art activity, logistically, it can't reach all the artists in town. Also, it's important to remember that as it's currently structured, Downstreet Art depends on the availability of vacant storefronts. It's a good idea in the meantime, though! Better than leaving them all vacant through the summer & fall, that's for sure.

[dave]

AHol wrote:

<quoted text>
Hey idiot - the City does not run the movie theater. The firm that does own it (which IS NOT based out of North Adams) went bankrupt. IT happens. It will reopen.

Why do you ignorant bastards resort to name calling? If someone runs the city and the city's going in the dumper,you don't think one thing does'nt affect the other. Maybe instead of spending your time trying to be insulting,or as you would probably call it,'Witty',you should put more time to looking at the 'obvious'. This is why this city is the way it is and has been,because we have an 'intellectual' like yourself running it.

[Jon Dinerstein]

nettle wrote:

Jonathan's ok to work with, no disagreement there.
But, as Plopper points out, Jonathan's running
Downstreet Art, which is just one part of the North Adams art "world", such as it is. Although Downstreet Art is a good catalyst for art activity, logistically, it can't reach all the artists in town. Also, it's important to remember that as it's currently structured, Downstreet Art depends on the availability of vacant storefronts. It's a good idea in the meantime, though! Better than leaving them all vacant through the summer & fall, that's for sure.

Well, if those are logistics then the next "Sleepy's"- esque kind of store that comes to North Adams shouldn't mind setting up camp someplace on the fringe of the city in some parking lot somewhere.