City of Salem “Creative Entrepreneur” Artists’ Row Program 2017
Mayor Kim Driscoll is pleased to announce the opening of Artists’ Row, a City of Salem Arts Space Initiative, for another season full of art and programming! Artists’ Row is located in historic downtown Salem at 24 New Derby Street, across from Old Town Hall and Derby Square. This area at the heart of the City was originally built as a market place and continues to this day to be an important public plaza and pedestrian way. The Public Art Commission, working with Deborah Greel, the Public Art Planner, have invited “Creative Entrepreneurs” to create handcrafted items including pottery, fabric arts, glass art and wood turned products in their retail/maker spaces.
Four stalls in Artists’ Row have been home to many artists in the past twelve years. This year we’ve invited Liz Sullivan and Jamie O’Neill of ZBY Gallery, and returning artists Linda Mullin of Grace and Diggs, Sibel Alpaslan of Ceramics by Sibel, Karen Scalia of Salem Food Tours and Tommy Gagnon of Boston Woodturning. Claudia Paraschiv of Salem Public Space Project will be the Artist in Residence, a new program for creative placemaking beginning in July.
ZBY Gallery is a joint venture between artists Jamie O'Neill and Elizabeth Kirby Sullivan. O'Neill's paintings feature photorealistic depictions of freight trains, fishing boats, and old cars. Drawn to the forgotten objects of everyday working life, he balances the meticulous renderings with loose airy brushstrokes and graffiti tags. Sullivan is a multi-faceted artist, featuring primarily on painting and printmaking. Her current work is focused on bringing nature back into our home and urban life, with deer and forest motifs. She also creates terrariums and outdoor planted installs.
Grace and Diggs founder Linda Joy Mullen, while an architect, has always loved to sew, knit, draw, and glue things together. Architecture has been a study in building big things, while Grace and Diggs became an outlet to make little things. From paper-bag hats and burlap wreaths, to aprons and throw-pillows, Grace and Diggs’ workshops and pre-made works invite the public to experiment in design of small things. This year, Grace & Diggs is pleased to include work by Tia Cole and Christine Rock of Hervor Soaps, Jennifer Spinelli of Moon & Stag Studios (wall-hangings and curios), Marsha Fulton (artisanal crochet work) and Alikya Wingate of Serendipitish Studio (crocheted sculpture & felted pieces). www.graceanddiggs.com
Ceramics by Sibel is the working pottery studio & gallery of Sibel Alpaslan. Sibel is Turkish ceramic artist who loves the organic feeling of clay, knowing that it comes from the earth. Lately, she has been focusing on creating amphora, vases, and covered dishes that are inspired by ancient forms, and then combining them with modern whimsical surprises. Sibel will also host pottery wheel demonstrations and workshops.
Joining Sibel in her stall is Karen Scalia of Salem Food Tours. With a passion for fresh local foods and cooking, and a background in event planning as well as the performing arts—Karen knew that sharing Salem’s past with a ‘taste’ of the culinary present was the perfect way to understand and appreciate this much-loved city. Take a tour with Karen and learn more about the local food scene in Salem! www.ceramicsbysibel.com and www.salemfoodtours.com
Boston Woodturning creates one-of-a-kind handcrafted fine art, as well as usable utilitarian pieces, from a variety of local wood. Discover demonstrations in Woodturning and various workshops throughout the season in our working studio. Learn and observe the process of Woodturning or book a lesson. In our gallery space find practical and sculptural works of art created from wood. www.BostonWoodturning.com
The Lobster Shanty is a local dive bar that serves scratch-made fare. Great food & friendly service in a very casual atmosphere with zero pretense. The Shanty has been serving the Good People of Salem for over 30 years, you might even call her a local institution. We welcome anyone who wants to come and relax with us. You can even have beers with your dog on our patio, if the weather permits. This is one place where you can let your freak flag fly. Throughout the Artist's Row Season, we are serving food & drink daily, from Noon until Midnight; with musical entertainment Thursday through Sunday, outdoors when the weather is nice. Please visit our Facebook page or lobstershantysalem.com for more info.
Placemaking inspires people to collectively reimagine and reinvent public spaces as the heart of every community, strengthening the connection between people and the places they share. The Artist in Residence Pilot Program (AIRPP) seeks to bring the Salem community into the creative process through participatory project-based activities for all ages at Artists’ Row. The program, headed by Claudia Paraschiv, begins mid-July. Events will be listed at www.facebook.com/ArtistRowSalemMa
Artists’ Row is open, Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday & Sunday, noon – 6:00pm and Thursdays, 11:00am - 7:00pm. For a list of programming on Artists’ Row follow us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/ArtistRowSalemMa