By the Jamaica Plain Arts Council
It is with sincere thanks that we send this note to you. Your support of the JP Arts Council, Projections on September 12th, and the JP Open Studios event on September 25th and 26th is greatly appreciated.
Optimism and hope and planning and lots of helping hands shone through. The ability of art to transform was apparent throughout our neighborhood during two weekends in September of 2021.
Jamaica Plain danced with creative energy. In addition to painting, printmaking, drawing, photography, fiber arts, ceramics, mixed media, jewelry, sculpture, glass, woodworking, furniture-making, assemblage and every art form there were artist demonstrations, giant bubbles, music, poetry, and much, much more throughout Jamaica Plain. A huge Thank You to all who volunteered their time and energy, sponsored the event, hosted artists, opened their studio or porch or yard, created art to share, and came to enjoy and celebrate the arts in Jamaica Plain.
Whether you were among the 100+ businesses and individuals who contributed financially or with in-kind support or you volunteered your time in any number of ways, your generosity made the 2021 Open Studios a success.
Each year we strive to recognize and display the vibrancy of artists creating throughout Jamaica Plain. Thank you to the audience and community members who came to view and purchase art and to celebrate the amazing creativity of our neighbor and community member artists!
Special thanks to each of the artists who opened their studio doors and came outside to display on porches, fences, sidewalks and more and to the First Baptist Church, First Church Unitarian Universalist, Loring Greenough House and Jameson and Thompson Picture Framers for their kindness in accommodating artists at their locations and for their continued commitment to hosting artists. A round of applause to the JPOS group site coordinators, Kasey, Deborah, Mary, Keyse, Kingsley, Kristen, Elysabeth, Melissa, and Syd for their time, energy, and dedication to the artists at the group sites. And thank you to the Eliot School, Stonybrook Fine Arts, Rogerson House and several businesses for providing private shared studio space. To Hyde Square Task Force and The Eliot School for providing special music presentations on Saturday and Sunday. To Glen Hawkins for the beautiful design of the JPOS 2021 map booklet, poster, insert, to Ginger and Centre/South Main Streets for an online version of the map, and Jennifer Hill for the always evocative cover art which signifies JPOS.
Many thanks to the many, many volunteers it takes to make JPOS successful: To our intern for Artists of JP campaign, our sponsorship leader, our website volunteers, distribution of banners, yard signs, signage, map box construction, distribution and re-stocking, Information Booth volunteers who assured the public got around, a myriad of other tasks, and the Clean-up crew!
JPOS 2021 Volunteers: Mary Birnbaum, Brian Bishop, Gail Bos, Anne Brown, Joy Cochran, Abby Clabaugh, Constance Cervone, Alison Cupples-Archila, Saug Datta, Izzi Duprey, Susan Duprey, Tom Duprey, Thomas Durand, Mary Festa, Rob Festa, Bob Field, L’ Merchie Frazier, Marc Goldring, Lisa Goren, Cristina Hajosy, Glen Hawkins, Amy Hitchcock, Kymberlee Keckler, Jamie Kendrioski, Anna Koon, Joe Koon, Hilary Law, Sasja Lucas, Kristen Macdougal, Hunter McKee, Shay McKee, Kris Manjapra, Mariana Negron-Quinones, Rich Paritz, Robin Radin, Anne Sasser, Dale Savit, Bill Shamlian, Suzanne Salem Schatz, Bryan Tucker, Dani Schechner, Becca Vanneman, Zara Woodhead and Deborah J Karston Photography, and the many friends, partners, family members and others who assure the preparation, creation, and presentation occur.
A standing ovation to Susan Duprey, for her 7th year our JPOS Coordinator, who orchestrated so many moving pieces into a comprehensive event.
This weekend, for us, showcases the best of JP and the best of living in this city. We thank each one of you who generate and encourage the energy buzzing through our community open studio’s weekend. Thank you for your dedication to the artists and community of JP. And to the artists of Projections and JPOS, thank you for allowing us to be part of a creative community of gifted, generous, and dedicated artists; thank you for feeding our souls, inspiring us, and compelling us to continue.
Please save the date for the 29th Jamaica Plain Open Studios, September 24 & 25, 2022!
The Jamaica Plain Arts Council is a non-profit organization supporting artists in the Jamaica Plain community, through its annual Open Studios, periodic exhibitions, professional development offerings, and a commitment to cultivating local audiences for the visual arts.