Dear Editor,
Jamaica Plain was quite literally awash this weekend—with rain, wind, and cold temperatures. While we are still saddened by the cancellation, we also want to take a moment to reflect on all the effort that went into preparing for this weekend and to recognize the incredible community that makes such an event possible.
As I’m sure you know, an event of this size and scope doesn’t happen overnight. For the past 10 months teams of board members and volunteers have worked tirelessly behind the scenes, attending to the countless details that make JP Open Studios happen.
To everyone who volunteered, sponsored, offered to host artists, prepared artwork, and contributed in so many other ways: THANK YOU! Your generosity, whether financial, in-kind, or through your time, talent, and energy, is what keeps JP Open Studios happening year after year, for more than 30 years.
And to our 225+ JPOS artists: thank you for sharing your talent, creativity, and generosity with our community—not just during JPOS weekend, but throughout the year. You are such an important part of what makes Jamaica Plain vibrant, creative, and inspiring.
I often say, “It takes a village,” and this village of JP is truly amazing. We are incredibly grateful for the many people who continue to show up, pitch in, create, support, and make our community what it is.
We hope to see you at the JPAC Annual Meeting on Wednesday, Nov. 12 at 7 PM at the Footlight Club on Eliot Street.
With gratitude,
Susan Duprey
JPAC/JPOS Executive Director and the Jamaica Plain Arts Council
P.S. Please save the date for the 34th Jamaica Plain Open Studios, September 25 & 26, 2027!
To those that make JPOS possible….
Thank you to all who offered their studios, porches, fences, sidewalks, etc.
To the First Baptist Church, First Church Unitarian Universalist, Loring Greenough House, Eliot School and Curtis Hall, Stonybrook Fine Arts, The Footlight Club, Pondside Dental and the local businesses that offer to host artists in their locations.
Thank you to the JPOS 2026 Group Site Coordinators:
To to the JPOS group site coordinators, Kasey Appleman, Deborah MacFail, Keyse Angelo, Kevin Brown, Asako Severn, Kingsley Weihe, Bob Field, Quenby Bucklaew, Liz Cinquino, Gena Mavuli, Brendan Killian and Syd Hardin for their time, energy, and dedication to the artists.
Thank you to the JPOS 2026 Volunteers:
To Glen Hawkins for the beautiful design of all of the JPOS 2026 event materials
To Anna Koon for her wonderful and insightful artist workshops
To Asako Severn and Maddie Drake for their much needed technical and website expertise
To Michelle Stolzoff for our social media presence
To Christine DeGennaro for initiating and overseeing our T-Shirt contest and fundraiser (FYI you can still purchase a JPOS 2026 t-shirt)
To Anna Koon and Marc Goldring for poster distribution
To Allida Warn and Kathleen Kirby for writing and distributing our press release
To JP Licks for offering to host our info booth each year and provide treats for volunteers
To our info booth volunteers: Thomas Durand, Bryan Tucker, Julie McKee, Rich Parritz, Tom Duprey, Graham Duprey, Lisa Bacon, Deanna Forist, Peter Curran, and Linda Burnett
JPOS 2026 Board Members:
Gail Bos (Board Member)
Constance Cervone (Board Member)
Carrie Clayton (Secretary)
Susan Duprey (Executive Director)
Cristina Hajosy (Board Member)
Glen Hawkins (Board Vice President, Art Director)
Gigi Kellet (Book Keeper)
Robin Radin (Board Member)
Allida Warn (Treasurer)
Anne Sasser (Board President)
Bill Shamlian (Board Member)
Michelle Stolzoff (Marketing Director)
JPOS 2026 Active Volunteers
Maddie Drake
Mike Kriley
Asako Severn
Kathleen Kirby
Marc Goldring
Christine DeGennaro