DUMBO — The Open Studios program brought excited crowds to the streets of this historic waterfront neighborhood last weekend, where participants could get a good look in person at the studios of more than a hundred local artists. It featured a dizzying array of disciplines. Visitors interacted with the artwork and talked shop with the creators at the Saturday and Sunday celebrations, sponsored by Art in DUMBO and organizations including the Sharpe-Walentas Studio Program, Triangle Arts, the New York Studio School and BRIClab.
The event included more than 130 artists opening their studio doors to the public. Curated programs such as this one support artists financially while maintaining the character of this DUMBO community that others from around the city and tourists alike come to see.
“Open Studios presents a unique opportunity for the artists in the DUMBO neighborhood to open themselves up to the community and interact with our neighbors in a more intimate way,” said Kate Gavriel, Director of Cultural Affairs at Two Trees Management. “Opening up their studios to the public cultivates a special experience where attendees can get a sense of the artistic process and have conversations with the artists about their work. Programs like this are what makes this neighborhood so special. Not only is DUMBO a haven for artists, it’s home to an established a community of people who truly appreciate art and are able to attend events that deepen that passion.”
Studios range from artists who have worked in DUMBO for decades to those participating in artists residency programs. Artists and organizations in the community include Rodney Ewing, Liz Collins, and Lucky Risograph. Participating residency programs are: Sharpe-Walentas Studio Program, Smack Mellon, Triangle Arts, BRIClab, and New York Studio School.
Visitors were ab;e to plan their visit at dumboopenstudios.com and utilize an interactive map of artists’ studios.
Readers Who Missed The Event Can See Photos Here:
Works from participants can be found on Art in DUMBO’s website, as well as artist highlights on the organization’s Instagram account.
PROFILES OF PARTICIPATING ARTISTS
Rodney Ewing
Rodney Ewing’s drawings, installations, and mixed media works focus on his need to intersect body and place, memory and fact, and to re-examine human histories, cultural conditions, and trauma. As a topic-based artist, his interdisciplinary practice involves extensive research of overlooked historical objects, individuals, spaces and events of the Black Diaspora. His narratives explore and translate the actual and emotional dimensions of these subjects to draw the viewer in toward the piece and immerse them in a reorienting experience of images, words and ideas. With his work, he creates a platform that requires us to be both present and profound in our observations. Rodney’s work has been exhibited at the Museum of Modern Art, San Francisco The Museum of the African Diaspora in San Francisco, Jack Shainman Gallery: The School, The Drawing Center in NY, and most recently at Rena Bransten Gallery.
www.rodneyewing.com
@ledette
Liz Collins
An artist in the Two Trees Cultural Subsidy Studio Program, Liz Collins specializes in textiles and fiber. She works fluidly between art and design, with emphasis and expertise in textile media. Upon graduating from RISD with her MFA, she launched her own knitwear focused fashion label with a runway presentation in New York during fashion week. She spent the following four years growing her company, designing, producing, showing, and selling clothing for the international fashion market. Her solo exhibitions and installations have been presented in New York City at Museum of Arts and Design, LMAK, Heller, BGSQD, and Candice Madey, and at NADA, Collective, and Spring Break art fairs. In 2021, the Tang Museum published Liz Collins Energy Field, Collins’ first major publication. In 2022, Liz painted a dynamic new mural at the renowned Pearl Street Triangle in DUMBO.
www.lizcollins.com
@lizzycollins7
Lucky Risograph
Lucky Risograph is a POC-owned print, design studio, and publisher based in DUMBO, NY. Since their establishment in 2018, they have continued to incorporate an eco-conscious and affordable nature into their everyday practice, working with diverse artist communities locally and internationally, in addition to offering workshops and open studio hours.
https://luckyrisograph.press/
@luckyrisograph
About Art in DUMBO
Art in DUMBO is a resource for the community that provides information about art events, happenings, galleries, residency programs in DUMBO, Brooklyn. For more information, visit artindumbo.com. 
