An open door to art: Open studios this weekend gives chance for the public to interact with artists

Though the concept of open studios is nothing new to Peninsula artists, this event marks the first time that artists have coordinated their schedules in the month of December.

Cindy Stokes, a Redwood City photographer, said the holidays have typically been a popular time for artists to hold open studios, but efforts in previous years were disorganized. Just following the last year’s holiday season, she and other artists wondered if they could coordinate their efforts to increase attendance across the community.

“We said, ‘Why don’t we coordinate our open studios?’ That way, we can cross-promote our work,” she said.

Stokes is part of a community of artists organized by ARTS RWC, that has an aim to advance Redwood City as a destination for the arts.

Chaired by Beth Mostovoy, a Redwood City photographer, ARTS RWC has partnered with Redwood City’s Parks, Recreation and Community Services Department, the Civic Cultural Commission and the Public Arts Task Force on this event. The group has been successful with collaborations in the past, working with these groups to coordinate Redwood City’s Art on the Square program, which brought artists to Courthouse Square four times during the summer and once in November this year. Mostovoy is working toward making Redwood City the arts and entertainment capital of the Peninsula, and sees power in numbers as essential to this goal.

“The art reads like a tapestry throughout the community. We are co-creating this beauty together,” she said.

Along with four other artists, Mostovoy will showcase her print photography at her home, one of the Open Studios sites.

Chris Beth, Parks, Recreation and Community Services Department director, shares this enthusiasm for creating what he calls a cultural renaissance in Redwood City.

“We have a culture of collaboration in Redwood City, groups that work really well together. We do lots of events to activate the downtown and gather artists into a community,” he said.

Beth cites a utility box mural program, an increased number of approved murals on buildings, sculptures in public areas and the development of a public art master vision as strides the city has made under the leadership of ARTS RWC.

Elevating the arts profile is also a priority for Rebecca Bangs, president of the Art Center of Redwood City and San Carlos, another Open Studio site. A San Carlos resident, Bangs has been working in contemporary pointillism for the last three years, and will be showcasing her paintings along with 26 other artists at the Art Center.

“A lot of people see art as a luxury, and we think it would be great to shift the culture so that it is more mainstream,” she said.

Standing in the natural light streaming into her shared studio at the Arts Center and surrounded by the bold color of her paintings, Bangs discussed the importance of an arts community in her path toward dedicating time to her passion for painting.

“I always wanted to be an artist. I trained to be an artist, went to school to be one. But I got knocked down too many times,” she said.

Shared spaces

For Bangs, one of the joys of participating in an open studio is meeting people who have felt similarly stifled in pursuing their artistic interests.

“You see many people who feel they’re not creative when they are. Or they are working in their garages, on the side,” she said.

The Open Studios offers individuals a chance to ask artists about their process and get a glimpse of the spaces where they work. Kari Zinser, who also has a studio space at the Arts Center, looks forward to open studios as a way of gaining visibility in the community.

“You don’t often have people come and buy your art right away,” she said. “But they might come back and ask for a commission later.”

Zinser is a Belmont-based artist who uses acrylic ink and paint to create wall paintings with what she calls abstract fractal creatures. She once received a call from an interior designer asking her to create pieces for a client. The designer had seen her work at a previous open studios event, took a photo and showed it to a client, who requested a commission of her work.

“You never know what’s going to happen at one of these,” she said.

Opening a dialogue

For other artists, the Open Studios event opens a dialogue with their work that unlocks meaning that cannot be conveyed through online stores. Shirley Bunger, a Redwood City-based artist, repurposes older materials to create new stories through her art. She collects postcards, photos and mementos to create different types of collages, all of which tell stories. One of Bunger’s more recently completed projects is a quilt of recipe cards she purchased at an estate sale.

“Because of the intricacy of this work, it’s important for people to see it and understand the story behind it. It’s only then that they can see themselves in it,” she said.

It seems for many of the artists presenting their work this weekend, the chance to have conversations about art is why they invite others into their studios.

“Even though I’m an introvert, I feel charged when I’m talking about art,” said Bangs.

Visit redwoodcity.org/residents/redwood-city-events/art for more information.

anna@smdailyjournal.com

(650) 344-5200 ext. 102