Another Dumbo Open Studio event organized by Art in Dumbo took place last weekend, so naturally I spent much of Saturday afternoon venturing around the various floors of 20 Jay Street to avoid the seasonal blowout wind. Dozens of artist and project spaces open their doors in the six-story mixed-use building, inviting the public into a whirlwind of contemporary creative output through exquisite presentations and behind-the-scenes views.
The mezzanine is packed with visitors, including some four-legged friends, Kate Teale’s speckled renderings of window sills and interior spaces, small sculptures by public artist Cheryl Wing-Zi Wong And a glimpse into street artist Swoon’s studio practice immediately stood out as a highlight.
Much of my visit to Laura Karetzky’s studio was spent focusing on the textures and tones that tell stories through her paintings. Karetzky, who has worked in Dumbo for about 24 years, said she has been working at the studio at 20 Jay Street for about seven years through the Two Trees Cultural Space Subsidy Program. Her subsidy is set to expire at the end of the year, so she’ll soon be back on the hunt for a new space.
Kalecki said she explores the idea that “there can be stories within stories” in her work.
“But more importantly, there can be several different perspectives in a story,” the artist continues, pointing to the shadow of a figure between the asphalt and the wall in the painting Shadow of an Anemone (2023). Several other panels have actual windows cut into them, allowing viewers to see through one painting into the next, as if staring into “other dimensions.”
Kalecki said she also amplified color and texture in her work, evoking what she calls “almost realism.”
Regarding her time in Dumbo, Karetzky said the community has completely changed over the past 20 years.
“When I first moved to the area, I was one of the first artists to rent space in this completely raw warehouse on Washington Street. I mean, I really carved out what I could afford at the time. Bay, where they installed the wall for me,” she explained. “There was no hot water, so we had to rinse the brushes with ice water, which shook our elbows. The elevator never worked, there were squatters in the stairwells, and it wasn’t always safe. But that’s how it stayed Affordable reasons.
Now, Kalecki says her modern studio, complete with HVAC systems, air conditioning, high ceilings and other key features, has helped her reach her highest productivity ever, necessitating the need to vacate the space this December The outlook is even more depressing.
“Our artist community is amazing,” she continued. “There’s so much collaboration between us, from studio visits to emergency crits to delivering together, you don’t even need to interact to know we’re working on each other – I love being part of the hive and feeling everyone’s energy. This pair It’s really exciting for me.
Kalecki’s words about collaboration ring true throughout the building, as individual studios host group exhibitions for artists both inside and outside the studio. space betweenCurated by Tracy McKenna for the podium project space on the third floor, “” is particularly consistent with the through-line of abstract fiber art. I find Mark Olshansky’s colorful geometric embroideries particularly refreshing.
Zhang Wenyuan’s candid and humorous marker-pen narratives of mundane thoughts and encounters on paper during her residency at the Triangle Arts Society were exactly what I needed, and I can safely say that if she were willing to write a copy of each Daily newsletter and I will soon be her first subscriber.
The Sharpe-Walentas Studio Program team comprised the entire seventh-floor open studio, highlighted by Oscar yi Hou’s ongoing oil portraits, Kevin Umaña’s glazed stoneware panels, Jesse Greenberg’s experiments with oil pastels, and Danielle Gottesman’s Spatial treatment of public signs and spaces.
Although I was willingly drawn to one building this year—the confusing office numbers and slow elevators certainly didn’t help—I’m looking forward to expanding my reach and engaging more with independent and resident artists in the future.
