Open Studios June 2022

I was lucky enough to get to take part in my local artists open studio event this year, for the first time in two and a half years. I was sharing a space with a fellow printmaker and friend down at the local studio space in town. As always, it involved a lot of last minute panicking and preparations, but it was a rewarding experience none the less.

One of the main benefits of doing open studio’s is getting to meet and talk to people about my work. Art and printmaking can be fairly solitary disciplines, so it’s always good to participate in a collective event. Also, answering peoples questions helps me to understand my own work and what matters to me about it, things that I can sometimes lose sight of. Finally, seeing people enjoy my work invigorates me, and usually leads to some renewed inspiration and ideas for where to take things going forward.

Overall, it’s a valuable experience, even if the level of preparation can be off-putting. It gives me a couple of weekends to exclusively focus on my work, presenting it to the public, seeing what works and what doesn’t, and gathering new ideas for the future.