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| By Lori O'Brien Correspondent HOLYOKE Visual and performing artists will be opening up their studios for the public to view during an Arts Walk at Open Square Oct. 6-8. 4 Open Square Way, a sprawling mixed-use urban community located between Dwight and Lyman streets, has come alive in recent years with a variety of businesses and artists who have set up shop there. An opening reception for the Arts Walk Weekend is planned Oct. 6 from 5 to 8 p.m. This is an opportunity to view a sampling of the artwork from the artists-in-residence and meet them personally, as well as meet performing artists from the Enchanted Circle Theater and the Massachusetts Academy of Ballet. During a recent tour of the second and fourth floors where most of the action will be, artist Betty Korostynski of "Studio 211" said that area residents will be able to spend hours meeting artists and getting to know Open Square intimately. "Each spring and fall the artists gather to present their latest works to the public," said Korostynski, adding "Arts Walk allows the public to experience free of charge what is happening in their community." Korostynski is also a member of the Holyoke Art League and is coordinating efforts between Arts Walk and the league's Fall Art Extravaganza Oct. 6-8 at Canal Gallery, adjacent to Open Square. Arts Walk hours for open studios and performances is both Oct. 7 and 8 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Artists taking part in the festivities at Open Square include clothing designer Sue Bennett, web designers and visual arts professionals Bill Alatalo and Bronwen Hodgkinson of cdeVision, cartoonist Gary Hallgren, pottery artist Lola Lach, and artists Joe Costin, Keith Fisher, Stacy Geryk, Sean Halliday, John Kaminski, Paul Leveille, Jill MacFarlane, Sue McGough, Dean Nimmer, Michael Powers, Lisa Troseth and Korostynski. In addition, Rose Marie and Charles Flachs of the Massachusetts Academy of Ballet will feature ballet demonstrations on Oct. 7 on the fourth floor and members of the Enchanted Circle Theater, an educational theater company, will meet and greet visitors in their studio space throughout the weekend. Also, a special exhibition titled "Intersections" on the fourth floor of Open Square will feature the award winners of a grant competition sponsored by the Massachusetts Cultural Council. "It will be a city block long filled with artwork," said Korostynski. In addition, an exhibition featuring the works of faculty from Holyoke Community College will also be view throughout the weekend. The Black Sheep Deli at Open Square will also be open during the weekend festivities. In conjunction with the Arts Walk, the Holyoke Art League will present its juried fall art show in the Canal Gallery, 380 Dwight St. In addition to the free art show, area residents are encouraged to take part in a clothesline auction where individuals can bid silently on members' original paintings with the highest bid on Oct. 8 taking home the work of art. On Oct. 8, a series of demonstrations will be offered by league members including Jane Barrientos who will discuss Trompe L'Oeil at noon, followed by a sculpture demonstration at 1 p.m. by Estelle Bergeron, and Sharon Harris rounds out the program at 2 p.m. with painting with a pallet knife. The art show is open Oct. 6 from 6 to 9 p.m., Oct. 7 from noon to 6 p.m., and Oct. 8 from noon to 4 p.m. A reception for the artists at the Canal Gallery is slated Oct. 7 from 4 to 6 p.m. For more information on the Arts Walk, visit www.opensquare.com or call (413) 532-0600, ext. 211. For more information on the Holyoke Art League, visit www.holyokeartleague.org |