The Other Side of Fenway

I can’t believe how fast this last weekend went…I feel like I say that every Monday but its true every Monday.  There are always so many things to do this time of year in New England.

One of my favorites is Fenway Studio’s Open House… this year it seemed like it was a little earlier than normal being held this weekend.

Fenway Studio's
30 Ipswich St., Boston MA
photo source

I would have totally missed it without my good friend Maureen’s sharp eye catching it and texting me the “hey we have gotta go”.  We first discovered the Fenway Studio’s Open House a couple of years ago when they were hosting a open house/wine tasting.  No wine this year but it’s still such a cool event.

Some Art....loved this Artist's stuff!

Some more art...

A little something about Fenway Studio’s (from their website):

It came to be built because early in the 1900s, many of Boston's best-known artists lost their studios and life's works in a disastrous fire at the Harcourt Studios on Irvington Street in Boston, and many barely escaped with their lives. 

Fenway Studios was designed so that every one of the 46 studios would have north-facing windows, 12 feet high. The interior plan, with 14-foot high ceilings, was inspired by the 19th century atelier studios in Paris, where many of the original artists had studied. The building, of classic Arts & Crafts design with clinker brick exterior, is located on Ipswich Street in the Back Bay. 

Fenway Studios is a National Historic Landmark building. It is the oldest continuously functioning building in the country constructed for and dedicated solely to artists' space. The Studios are also the first in the country to pioneer a not-for-profit limited-equity form of ownership. In order to maintain rents at an affordable level, artists are not permitted to profit from the sale of their units, save an adjustment for inflation.

The really cool thing about this open house is that not only is there a ton of great art work to look at but the studios are all individually owned and thus individually decorated (or not decorated in some cases…).

The windows are magnificent...perfect for an artist

A fairly utilitarian (ie underdecorated) studio...
it's still so appealing isn't it?

Some are just downright cozy.

They had a little coffee clatch going in this studio...so inviting!

The "living" area of another studio..many studios put up a wall or curtains
to separate the space 

Upon entering each studio there is generally a small storage area and stairs that lead down to a main “room” where the art happens.  There is also some form of very small bedroom (like just barely big enough for a bed and that’s about it) and tiny kitchenette.  Many have fireplaces.  Kind of like a real mini studio apartment – but it doesn’t look like these are primary residences for anyone.

This was my favorite studio as far as decor goes...loved that it has
some color and the space is so well organized/used. 

The kitchenette of this studio..more color....and a happy color
at that

The view from the entrance (i.e. top of stairs).

And the other side of the room...with Maureen making friends
with the artist's rescue dog.  He was a sweetie.

The artists who choose to participate in the open house (not all do maybe 25 or so do) open their studios and welcome the public and are present to discuss their works and sell them. There are all price points from $5 greeting cards made from original prints to several thousand dollar larger original pieces and everything in between.

Definitely a Sunday well spent!