2012 City-Wide Open Studios begins this weekend: Grand Opening Reception on Friday

Artspace
City-Wide Open Studios
50 Orange St, New Haven, (203) 772-2709
City-Wide Open Studios
Fri., Oct. 5, 5—8 p.m. Grand Opening Reception
Weekend 1: Oct. 6/7—"Passport Weekend" (individual studios in New Haven, Hamden and West Haven)
Weekend 2: Oct. 13/14—Erector Square
Weekend 3: Oct. 20/21—Alternative Space at the old New Haven Register building
Plus special events—see below

Press release from Artspace

Connecticut’s leading forum for visual artists returns to New Haven every October. City-Wide Open Studios invites the public to meet hundreds of visual artists, in studio and alternative spaces across New Haven, and to learn about the creative process. Nearly 300 artists will take part in the festival over the course of three consecutive weekends. Each weekend features different workspaces in New Haven; in all, more than 60 sites will be open. A grand opening reception, free and open to the public, takes place at Artspace on Fri., Oct. 5, from 5—8 p.m., followed by late night festivities throughout Ninth Square.

To mark the 15th year, Artspace has invited artists to draw inspiration from the crystal, whether in chemical, mathematical, geological, or polished form. Special themed tours and exhibitions will take place; prepare to be dazzled. In collaboration with Project Storefronts, the public is invited to the opening night Crystal Ball. Other special events are listed on the calendar and more will be announced in the coming weeks.

During the first weekend (October 6/7), visitors are invited to explore New Haven, Hamden, and West Haven to discover the area’s hidden artistic gems—the individual studios and small group spaces scattered throughout downtown and residential neighborhoods. A special gathering of artists making functional objects—furniture and crafts—will be featured at 14 Gilbert Street. A free, guided bike tour departs both Saturday and Sunday at 12:30 p.m. from the Devil’s Gear bike shop at 360 State Street (enter on Orange). Walking tours TBA.

The second weekend (October 13/14) features artists and demonstrations at Erector Square, 315 Peck Street, New Haven. Erector Square is New Haven’s largest concentration of studios, in a series of buildings that once housed the factory making Erector Sets; today over 100 artists maintain studios there. Studio Maps will be available at the entrance, along with a schedule of demonstrations. The visit is free; $5 donation is suggested. The studios will be open from noon-5 p.m.

The third weekend (October 20/21) will feature the Alternative Space, at the vacant, mid-century, New Haven Register Building, off of I-95. Admission is free; a $5 donation is suggested. The Alternative Space will be open from noon—5 p.m.

Throughout the festival, viewers are invited to visit the central Festival Exhibition at Artspace, which will feature a representative work by each participant, along with maps and information. A host committee of local individuals invites everyone to meet the artists at theopening reception on October 5. The Official Map & Guide of the event and a website with studio information will be available at the opening. Details for all of the events can be found at the City-Wide Open Studios Web site.

City-Wide Open Studios has been made possible thanks to First Niagara Bank Foundation, Yale University, the New Haven Register, the City of New Haven Economic Development Office, Yale-New Haven Hospital, and other local corporations. Eileen & Andrew Eder, Seth Brown & Ywe Ludwig, and the Honorable Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro chair the Host Committee, a group of art lovers and supporters.

Special Events:

• Fri., Oct. 5, 5—8 p.m. CWOS Grand Opening Reception

As part of the October’s first Friday, On 9, Artspace will hold the CWOS Grand Opening Reception. Also at Artspace, the opening of a special printmaking project created by Darwin Nix in collaboration with clients of Liberty Community Services. Free! At 8 p.m., explore LAMP, "Light Artists Making Places," throughout the Ninth Square.

• Saturdays and Sundays, Oct. 6/7, 13/14, 20/21 at The Lot. Curated by Marianne Bernstein

A modular cube, crystal clear, serves as temporary studio by day and a 4-sided, illuminated projection space by night at 812 Chapel Street. The schedule will be as follows: October 6/7 (Darwin Nix, abstract etchings), October 13/14 (Keily Anderson-Staley, tin types), and October 20/21 (Kirk Bacon, drawing and sculptural installation).

• Oct. 5—22. The Crystal Palace Experimental Film/Video Festival. Organized by Liena Vayzman.

Crystal Palace is an experimental film/video festival curated by Liena Vayzman for ArtSpace's 15th Anniversary—its crystal anniversary—which will feature crystal-themed, crystallizing, and multi-faceted video and films. Crystals, including snowflakes, diamonds, ice crystals, and gems will be featured; works will explore these references in both abstract and narrative forms, taking the cultural, scientific, and mathematical associations with crystal as a point of departure. Like the Crystal Palace plate-glass building, a marvel of engineering constructed by Joseph Paxton for the Great Exhibition of 1851 in London, ArtSpace's Crystal Palace aims to illuminate and amaze—the festival, held in Artspace’s gallery at 50 Orange Street, will feature non-narrative and experimental video installations, as well as more traditional films. Works in the festival will be screening continually during gallery hours (Tuesday–Thursday, noon—6 p.m.; Friday, noon—8 p.m.; Saturday–Sunday, noon—5 p.m.). After CWOS, the Crystal Palace Experimental Film/Video Festival will travel to the Kroswork Gallery in Oakland, California.