The First Annual Hell's Kitchen Artist Studio Tour is a free event where dozens of artists open their homes, galleries, and studios for a self guided tour. Participating artists include individuals with well established and honored careers, as well as emerging artists, and all mediums will be represented: including painting, sculpture, photography, theater, dance, and much more. Information and tour maps will be available online a few days in advance of the event at www.artistsinthekitchen.org On November 6th - 8th, printed versions will be available at participating artists studios and businesses.
HK:ArtiST: The tour was created to expose and promote the work of local artists and create an event that recognizes the often ignored art scene right in the heart of New York City. The tours other purpose is to show the connection between the storied history of Hell's Kitchen and the current creative expression: an area often dismissed as a mere adjunct to, and overlapping with, the business and theater districts.
In addition to the efforts and resources of Hell's Kitchen artists helping to make the first HK:ArtiST get off the ground are a group of committed sponsors, that thus far include in part: Jadite Galleries ( Four Hell's Kitchen business locations, including an art cafe, a frame shop, and a laundry www.jadite.com), Mud Sweat & Tears (ceramics studio and gallery located in Hell's Kitchen for 24 years www.mudsweat-tears.com), Magnum Opus (branding, marketing company www.magnumopusimagery.com), plus individuals including artists David Scalza (who has donated his remarkable sculpture garden for HK:ArtiST) planning events and Christina deRoos, artist and nonprofit consultant.
Participating Artist Quotes:
"The Hell's Kitchen open studio tour is a great event for local artists to show their work to the community. This event will showcase great artists from the best city in the world." - Sean George
"I'm so looking forward to The Studio Tours - they'll open up and expand the vitality of our Hells Kitchen artists and community to a larger realm of art lovers. Important art is being cooked up here all the time and it's time more people know about it! The Studio Tours has already started to be a great way for HK artists to connect with one another as well. Now I know of a wonderful Sculpture Garden in a backyard where artists can perform. And we can give the tourists who flock here a real taste of art - more nourishing than the souvenir shop experience." - Janet Restino - www.cafepress.com/janetsarthouse
After enjoying open studios all over the metropolitan area, Artists in the Kitchen founder Mike Felber recently decided to start a non-profit artists organization for the community where he has lived and worked for decades. In a matter of weeks many artists and volunteers have added their efforts to make this first event a success, and a preview of much bigger art events to follow.
As an artist himself, Mike Felber's paintings have been included in various group shows, including the Art Student's League which he attended on scholarship. Although professionally Mike's career has mainly been in social work (foster care, teaching, activism), he is bringing countless hours and limitless enthusiasm to forming Artists in the Kitchen, an organization that aims to strengthen the ties between Hell's Kitchen artists and provide opportunities such as HK:ArtiST.
