A sunny Sunday was the perfect setting for the second Open Studios where the arts thrived made by artists from in and around Altadena and Pasadena.
The day started slow and began to pick up toward the afternoon with more people visiting studios and businesses and enjoying a fun filled day with varying kinds of art.
The businesses were easy to find since the addresses were provided ahead of time.
But the day had its own challenges especially for visitors not familiar with the area that were left to fish for studio addresses the same day and quickly devise a plan on where to go. Patrons who did not have a car, a smart phone or GPS were out of luck. For those who wanted to plan ahead of time, it meant an extra trip, any day ahead of the scheduled event, to pick up printed maps with studio addresses that were available at various merchants.
A posting on the Open Studios Facebook page stated the reason due to “one artist being a victim of online stalking and ID theft”. How would that stop a potential stalker from picking up a printed map and finding out the addresses was not explained!
Organizers are urged to better accommodate out of town patrons in future events by providing addresses to all locations. Most artists double up their garages as studios. If an artist does not feel comfortable giving their residential address, they need to be asked to exhibit at one of the various designated business sites. Most art patrons like to plan ahead and that is only achievable with full disclosure of addresses. A more enjoyable experience will be achieved by providing visiting art lovers with less stress.
Despite the hurdle of the addresses, it was an enriching and fun event to attend. We are looking forward to the third Open Studios with better organization which can only be achieved as time goes by and organizers learn from past experiences.
Congratulations to all the artists on showcasing their love through their talent. Art is love made visible and it all came true on Sunday.
♦ Open Studios was held on Sunday, June 1st, 2014 at various locations throughout Altadena and Pasadena. You can support them by buying a cool T-shirt or two. All proceeds will go towards supporting the upcoming Open Studios – Dec 2014.
(Click on photos to enlarge. Photos by Maelane Chan)
[This article has been updated to include a link to buy T-shirts – June 4, 2014 12:37 a.m.]
Hi, thanks for mentioning Open Studios. And thanks for the input. We are working on a better solution to the map. One idea is to have a shuttle running all day. We will need to have the funding for it, since we are a non profit. One way that we can do that is to sell T-shirts!! Any purchases will be greatly appreciated!!
Hi Leslie,
Article has been updated to include a link to buy T-shirts. Good luck.