Many years ago when I began teaching I excitedly told my Introduction to Art Education class that we would be visiting an art museum as part of our course work.
I was met in return with long faces and frightened looks. It turns out that many of the students did not want to go to the museum because they didn’t think they knew how; and were fearful that their classmates would recognize this lack of know-how and belittle them. I realized that my students needed a 101 tutorial on how to visit a museum.
As I prepare for my upcoming Open Studio event to celebrate the completion of the recent commission I was awarded through the state of New Hampshire, I realized that, like my students, my guests may benefit from a brief tutorial on how to attend such an event.
An Open Studio event brings the artist and the public together, and in this case, to celebrate a milestone in the artist’s career. It is an opportunity to expose the community to what we do and make. We can educate them on how and why we function as working artists. We can answer technical questions and those related to price and materials. We can even dispel a few myths and misconceptions. And, we can open the door to new markets.
The completed commission, six large scale paintings of the state tree (the birch) to be installed in the Philbrook Center, (the licensing building for the state of New Hampshire), will be on display at the Open Studio. During the Open Studio event I will also demonstrate my artistic process and serve refreshments.
For the next few weeks, I will continue to educate about the Open Studio event. And in the end, I will invite you to my Open Studio event where you will know what to do and how to do it!
