Date Set for the 16th Annual East Boston Open Studios

Eastie artist Carmen Sasso works in his studio during last year's East Boston Open Studios at the Atlantic Works Artist Building at 80 Border Street. This year's event will kick off Saturday, April 23 and Sunday, April 24.

Eastie artist Carmen Sasso works in his studio during last year’s East Boston Open Studios at the Atlantic Works Artist Building at 80 Border Street. This year’s event will kick off Saturday, April 23 and Sunday, April 24.

By John Lynds

Part of what has made East Boston a wonderful place in which to live is the neighborhood’s flourishing artist community. The East Boston’s Artist Group at 80 Border St., renovated a decade ago by the East Boston Community Development Corp., is unlike any other art gallery or studio in Boston. Here the building balances unique workspace for artists with a fine gallery in which to display local art shows with weekly, monthly and annual events to embrace community participation and support.

Year after year, no other event tries to engage Eastie residents and expose them to the world of art and culture as does the annual East Boston Open Studios.

This year over 30 Eastie artists invite the community to see their latest creations in their studios, view group exhibitions, attend live music and dance performances and visit the new artist studios across the neighborhood.

The East Boston Artist Group has set the date for the 16th Annual East Boston Open Studios to be held at the Atlantic Works Artist Building at 80 Border Street. This year’s Open Studios will take place on Saturday, April 23 from 12 to 6 p.m. and again on Sunday, April 24 from 12 to 6 p.m.

“You are invited to tour the artist’s building and talk to the artists, see them at work and learn about art,” Open Studios organizer and Eastie artist Nick Costopoulos. “Original artwork including jewelry, sculpture, figurative and abstract painting, pottery, drawings and photography will be for sale in all price ranges.”

Costopoulos said participating Open Studios artists in the Atlantic Works building include; Cindy Bishop, Domenic Chavez, Chris Chou, Nick Costopoulos, Darlene DeVita, Rick Dorff, Jessica Dunegan, Jason Fitz-Gerald, Kevin Frances, Jesse Kahn, Kim Kent, Maureen Kirra, Jaime Min, Diane Modica, Liz Nofzinger, Maureen O’Connor, Moni Oolyonghai, Jane O’Reilly, Juliann Rubijono, June Krinsky Rudder, Sarah Rushford, Anna Salmeron, Carmen Sasso, Loretta Shoemaker, Larry Volk, and Jaye Woodstock.

During Open Studios weekend there will be the opprtunity to sample artwork, music and performances at other neighborhood locations like ZUMIX at 260 Sumner Street and Harbor Arts at the Boston Shipyard and Marina at 256 Marginal Street.

“The Boston Writer Blog recently said ‘If you have not yet discovered East Boston, you are in for a treat… an is an easy point of access to downtown Boston, a community of vibrant businesses, tasty restaurants, a thriving arts scene, and gorgeous parks’,” said Costopoulos.

East Boston Open Studios is organized by the East Boston Artists Group, a volunteer organization made up of artists living and working in East Boston. The group sponsors arts events throughout the East Boston neighborhood including an Open House and Holiday Sale in December.

The Open Studios event is supported by a grant from the East Boston Foundation with administrative support from ZUMIX. Come see what makes East Boston shine: the art, the people, and the vitality of life on Boston Harbor.

The Atlantic Works building is a quick 5-minute walk from the Maverick Station on the Blue Line. If driving, there is plenty of free on-street parking.

For more information and directions, visit our website at www.eastbostonartists.org. You can email us at [email protected] and follow us on Facebook @East Boston Artists Group or on Twitter @eastbostonart.

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