Brooklyn Does It Best: Two Free Days Of Total Arts Immersion On June 9 and 10

On Saturday June 9 and Sunday June 10, the Brooklyn Waterfront Artists Coalition (BWAC) will host its Open Studio Weekend in Red Hook and Carroll Gardens. Self-guided tours are an extension of the ongoing BWAC Pier Art Show which attracts thousands each year. This annual event allows art lovers to delve more deeply into the area's vibrant art scene; over 100 participating artists will open their studios to the public, offering a unique and exciting opportunity to meet the artists and learn about the origins of some of Brooklyn's freshest art. Studios throughout the neighborhood will be open from noon to 6 p.m. on both Saturday and Sunday.

Brooklyn, NY (PRWEB) May 10, 2007 -- On Saturday June 9 and Sunday June 10, the Brooklyn Waterfront Artists Coalition (BWAC) will host its Open Studio Weekend in Red Hook and Carroll Gardens. Self-guided tours are an extension of the ongoing BWAC Pier Art Show which attracts thousands each year. This annual event allows art lovers to delve more deeply into the area's vibrant art scene; over 100 participating artists will open their studios to the public, offering a unique and exciting opportunity to meet the artists and learn about the origins of some of Brooklyn's freshest art. Studios throughout the neighborhood will be open from noon to 6 p.m. on both Saturday and Sunday.

During the Open Studio Weekend, "visitors see the work where it's created, and in a more intimate setting than a museum or gallery," explains Ellie Winberg, a full-time working artist and BWAC coordinator, "also, many gallery owners and serious collectors use these tours as an opportunity to scout out emerging talent." But whether one is a serious collector or not, the BWAC Open Studio Weekend will offer all visitors a chance to find excellent work while helping to support and advance the careers of local Brooklyn artists in a very direct and satisfying way.

Tour-goers will find art ranging from traditional oil paintings and watercolors to handmade paper, photography, ceramic sculpture, mixed media, glass art, installations and experimental works. At several large multi-artist studios, such as the nationally-known New Clay Studio in Carroll Gardens and the Monarch Luggage Factory Building Studios in Red Hook, a number of artists work collectively, with uniquely imaginative results.

An active and growing gallery scene in Red Hook showcases talent as well, including the Kentler International Drawing Space which will open a special exhibition curated by Isabelle Dervaux, Curator of Contemporary Drawings at the Morgan Library. A host of related happenings, including a reading at the newly-reopened Lucky Gallery on Richards and Wolcott, and free live music at the new performance space, Jalopy, on Columbia Street promise to make the two days a celebration worthy of penciling into any art-lover's calendar.

Making the trip to Brooklyn a double treat, the Red Hook/Carroll Gardens Open Studio Weekend (www.BWAC.org) and the Atlantic Avenue Art Walk (www.atlanticavenueartwalk.com) have been coordinated to take place simultaneously, creating an impressive art destination that extends from salty-aired Red Hook and Carroll Gardens to the diverse shopping district of Atlantic Avenue.

Maps for all artist locations can be obtained at the BWAC Pier Show, located at 499 Van Brunt in Red Hook; Extreme Paper Studio at 160 Union Street in Carroll Gardens; the Fall Café at 307 Smith Street located next to the Carroll stop on the F Train; or by calling 718-832-0496. Maps can also be downloaded from the web at www.bwac.org. The Brooklyn Waterfront Artist Coalition is the largest artist-run, nonprofit volunteer arts organization in Brooklyn.

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