North Coast Open Studios

Good morning, artists! It's the time of year where we typically start planning for North Coast Open Studios during the first two weekends of June, but nothing about this last year has been typical, has it? I've been working, since last summer, on a plan for a fully virtual event: tiers of participation that include an Open By Appointment guidebook listing, video studio tours, and scheduled live Q&As during/between the event weekends, but I keep running into two big roadblock...s: 1) We have a lot of artists for whom a virtual event is not an option, and 2) I'm not sure how the event would pay for itself. After 7 years, I can coordinate the in-person NCOS practically in my sleep, but let's be honest, a 100% digital event is a completely new event! Where am I going with this? Well, I think it's fairly clear that, at this point, public health situations are not going to magically resolve themselves by June. By this fall, we may (hopefully) be getting closer. I've often explored a fall NCOS event, and I think we'll play Fall 2021 by ear. Perhaps folks will be healthier and vaccinated, personal contact will be less scary/life threatening, and in-person studio visits on an artist-by-artist basis may be more of a possibility... maybe with a virtual element added in for folks who would like to explore the option. If you'd be interested in joining the NCOS committee to help think through these options come this summer and come up with a game plan to make it happen, please email me ([email protected]). Be well and stay healthy, everyone. I really miss your faces and your art (in person). I look forward to a time when (safe) visits and hugs are a reality again. ~Monica Topping~ NCOS Coordinator and Participating Artist

This week on KEET TV's Studio Space, Open Studios artist Laura Keenados of Bad Cat Pomegranate! Live on KEET, Friday at 8:30pm. You can click the Live TV link on their website to watch it as it airs, or catch it for the next few weeks online at https://video.keet.org/show/studio-space/.