Salem Artists' Row Summer Season

Artists’ Row, a City of Salem Arts Space Initiative, will open for another season full of art and programming.

The newly formed Public Art Commission, working with Deborah Greel, the new Public Art Planner, have invited “Creative Entrepreneurs” to create handcrafted items including jewelry, pottery, fabric arts, and wood turned products in their retail/maker spaces.

Four stalls in Artists’ Row have been home to many artists in the past 11 years.

City officials have invited jeweler Nikky Bergman of Nikky Bergman Editions, graphic designer and artist, Bridget Alexander of The Pack Paper Co., and candle maker Liz Frazier of Witch City Wicks to share one of the spaces.

Sibel Alpaslan, of Ceramics by Sibel, has been studying and making ceramics for over 20 years primarily in her native Turkey and now here in Salem. After all these years Alpaslan will have a line of ceramics from vases to whimsical kitchen ware. Sibel will also host pottery wheel demonstrations and workshops.

Karen Scalia of Salem Food Tours will also share a stall.

Do you love animals?

Diane Hoffman, of Diane Hoffman Designs. Diane runs a creative one-woman business that features portraits and stories of individual farm animals from New England.

Ever wonder how to make a wooden bowl?

Stop by and see Tommy Gagnon of Boston Woodworking working on his lathe to add to his extensive inventory of beautiful wood products. He will also host a series of programs that will include woodturning for beginners, make your own wood birdhouse, and hand carving various types of wood.

Throughout the Artists’ Row season all of the artisans will give free demonstrations, workshops, and many interactive experiences for the whole family.

Artists’ Row is located in historic downtown Salem at 24 New Derby St., across from Old Town Hall and Derby Square. This area at the heart of the City was originally built as a market place and continues to this day to be an important public plaza and pedestrian way.

Artists’ Row is open Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday & Sunday, 11:00am – 6:00pm and Thursdays, 11:00am-7:00pm. For a list of programming on Artists’ Row check www.salem.com/pages/artistrow or follow us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/ArtistRowSalemMa

Photo: Artists’ Row Facebook