Finding Art in Boston
If you haven’t been in Boston very long, you might think the only place to find and buy art is on Newbury Street. Wrong. Although there are still a few nice galleries in the Back Bay, the real nexus of Boston’s art world has moved over to the South End. Or to be exact the SOWA District (for South of Washington). Here on the edge of the South End, are several industrial buildings housing artist lofts and art galleries. This coming weekend (but once again in the Fall, and once a month on the First Friday of each month), artists and art galleries throw open their doors to the public. You can wander from studio to studio, and if you see something you like, you can buy it. The biggest event of the year is the South End Open Studios usually held the third weekend in September. (It will be held Sept 20 and 21 this year).
Although the South End Open Studios has become the most popular of the Open Studios events, there are actually Open Studios events in almost every neighborhood in Boston throughout the fall. It’s a great way to discover a new artist (and meet him or her in person) and get acquainted with the local art scene. There’s another bonus in shopping the open studios as well: Artwork bought at these events is often significantly cheaper than the same work would be in a gallery next door.
So if you feel it’s time to dress up your walls with art, look beyond Newbury Street to the real heart and soul of Boston’s art scene. For a full 2008 calendar of Open Studios events by neighborhood, click here.
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