Greenpoint Open Studios Plus

By Charles Kessler

Last Sunday I went to Greenpoint Open Studios (GOS). It's an annual tour, and this time a whopping 265 artists signed up. In addition, other artists (including some shown below) unofficially left their studios open without committing to the entire two-day event. I got to 25-30 studios and two galleries, and selected ten artists for this post. Links to their websites are provided if you want more information.

I'm embarrassed to say this was my first time in Greenpoint. It's only accessible by the G train, which doesn't go into Manhattan, so getting there is somewhat inconvenient. One would think that would keep the rents affordable, but most of the artists I talked to say it's still expensive. I can understand why. Greenpoint is a diverse, lively area with some beautiful, tree-lined residential neighborhoods,

Shady Greenpoint residential neighborhood near Noble and Lorimer Street.

a large, thriving commercial district, lots of great restaurants (especially Polish restaurants), good bars, and abundant industrial loft-type space suitable for art studios.

276 Greenpoint Avenue.

Here chronologically are my highlights:

Emily Noelle Lambert, 960 Manhattan Avenue.

Ann Chisholm in her studio, 276 Greenpoint Avenue.

Close-up detail of blue and white three-panel painting above by Ann Chisholm, Territory, 2014, mixed media collage, each panel 48 x 12 inches,  276 Greenpoint Avenue.

276 Greenpoint has a gallery for artists in the building (below).

Leonard Reibstein with his work in the art gallery of 276 Greenpoint Avenue.

Warren of small studios in 276 Greenpoint Avenue.

Victoria Duffee, 276 Greenpoint Avenue.

Auxiliary Projects, one of my favorite galleries, recently moved from a tiny second-floor space in Bushwick to this somewhat larger former garage in a residential area of Greenpoint. Jennifer Dalton (who along with Jennifer McCoy founded and run the gallery – two excellent multidisciplinary artists) told me they are getting more people visiting the gallery then they did in Bushwick, probably because they are on the ground floor.

Auxiliary Projects is unique in that they work with artists to help them create small, hand-made works that can be sold for under $300. Their goals are to: "facilitate wider distribution for artists’ work we admire and to enlarge the community of people who can collect art." It's a lot of work for these two very busy people, but they appear to be succeeding – at  the very minimum, aesthetically.

Installation view, Adam Brent, Good Hill Drift, Auxiliary Projects, 212 Norman Avenue, until November 23rd.

Adam Brent, The Pumpkin and the Oriole, 2014, PLA plastic, ceramic. 8 x 7 ½ x 8 inches, Auxiliary Projects, 212 Norman Avenue.

The plastic parts of Brent's sculptures (PLA plastic) are made with a 3D printer.

Joshua Johnson, 67 West Street.

Hein Koh, 67 West Street.

Heather Guertin in her studio, 67 West Street.

Heather Guertin's art is on view at the Brennan & Griffin Gallery on the Lower East Side until October 12th.

Stephen Eakin, 67 West Street.

Stacy Fisher, 61 Greenpoint Avenue.

BONUS!
Wednesday I visited Catherine Cullen's studio on Staten Island. I'm really excited by how poetic and inventive this work is, and so (deceptively) simple. Cullen is an artist to watch.

Catherine Cullen, Staten Island.

Catherine Cullen, Staten Island

Obligatory photo from the Staten Island Ferry (Jersey City is on the left, I don't know what city is on the right).