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Date: 5/10/2022
EASTHAMPTON – Cottage Street Studios is preparing to host their annual Spring Open Studios event on May 14 and 15 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m at 1 Cottage St.
The open studios have been taking place for over 30 years and are a great opportunity for residents to support artists in the community.
According to Cara Taylor, one participant of the event, there will be almost 30 artists in the building who will have their doors open. There will be woodworkers, lighting artists, potters, photographers, painters, printmakers, basketmakers and more.
“You can meet a variety of artists, you can buy a variety of their work, you can sign up for a workshop with them or find out about their process,” she said.
Taylor herself is a ceramic artist who makes hand-built and wheel-thrown pottery. She will have vases and planters on sale during the Open Studios event.
According to Taylor, the event is a great way to support the local community after COVID-19.
“I think that people have really felt an increased need and desire to support local artists. I participated in the Open Studios back in December and I had more than five or six people, I had a multitude of people, say to me that they wanted to invest their money within a five-to 10-mile radius of where they lived,” she said.
Buying artwork from artists in the community is also a great way to feel a deeper connection to the art, according to Taylor.
“They know the person, they might know the process or they might learn something about it and I think it just makes people more invested consumers,” she said.
She said that she is most excited about meeting potential new customers and catching up with repeat customers as well.
“I love seeing the people who come year in and year out. It’s nice to see their faces and catch up with them and how they’re doing. I also really love finding out about how people make their way into the building. They’ve come across it for the first time or they come all the time… It’s just really fun to chat with the members of the community,” said Taylor.
Those interested in learning more about the event or Cottage Street Studios are encouraged to visit their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/CottageStreetStudios/.