A Scenic Driving Tour and Natick Artists Open Studios

Natick Artists Open Studios is an annual weekend event for the residents of Natick and surrounding communities that provides an incredible opportunity to see and purchase art, learn about how all kinds of art (mixed-media sculpture, paintings, fabrics, jewelry and photography) is made and have conversations with local artists about their experiences creating art.  

Think of Natick Artists Open Studios as  a self-guided art adventure. On foot, in downtown Natick alone, you can visit ten studios and group exhibit locations. Plus, there is an incredible opportunity to experience the impact of viewing original artworks within the artists’ creative spaces at their home studios location throughout South Natick - just around the corner from Dover and Sherborn.

Take a scenic drive, starting and ending in the downtown Natick area, to visit eight home studios and one group studio anytime between 12pm-5pm on Saturday October 20 and Sunday October 21.

As an added bonus,  the Oldtown Calendar Photo Competition takes place on Sunday from 11am to 3 pm at the Eliot Church. This competition, part of the Oldtown Fall Fair, features works of local photographers. Visitors are invited to vote for their favorites for inclusion in the 2013 Oldtown Calendar, a fundraiser for local non-profits.

Begin your tour at Linsey Vanderbeck’s studio at 10 Avon Street . Linsey specializes in acrylic and watercolor paintings. Then, make your way to Route 27 and head to Pearle Northrop’s studio at 111 South Main Street to see her hand painted functional art.

From Route 27, take a left on Rockland Street and another left onto Farwell Street. Next stop on your tour is The Barn at 62 Farwell Street. Suzanne Stumpf is an award-winning ceramic artist. Stumpf. She works primarily in porcelain ,specializing in sculpture and one-of-a-kind vessels.

Follow Farwell Street to Cottage Street where photographer Mike Johnson will be showing work in his front yard at 56 Cottage Street, weather permitting (or in his detached sunny, yellow barn if the weather is inclement).

Next, turn onto Woodland Street and stop at Joyce Goodman’s studio at  81 Woodland Street. Joyce works with acrylics on canvas to capture New England landscapes and make abstract creations.

Continue down Woodland Street and turn right onto Union Street. At the light in South Natick, turn right onto Route 16 and continue to South Street on your left.  Sculptor Karin Stanley, at 31 South  Street is inspired by Megalithic art and archeology of Ireland and Scotland. She creates spheres, stelas, fountains, and monoliths that incorporate ancient hieroglyphs that have been symbolically relevant through the ages.  A few steps up and across the street is the driveway for 30 South Street, leading to Barbara Levine’s quiet contemporary home, peacefully settled into the woods. Her great room offers wonderful lighting and ambience for viewing her oils on canvas and paper. Most of her works are lovely landscapes, painted “en plein air.”

Head back to South Natick center and turn left at the light back onto Union Street. Follow Union almost to the end and turn left onto Malden Street. The Barn at 3 Malden Street (right off Union Street) houses paper pulp painter Stephen Gatter, printmaker Dean James Laabs and wood, metal and glass artists Jeff Olsen.

For more information, including the Natick Artists Open Studios brochure, a  map of studio locations, and links to participating artists’ websites, visit www.natickopenstudios.org.