Arts & Antiques
Inside the Artists’ Studios
Kansas Citians can take a personal tour through the workspaces of several local famed and new artists at the Kansas City Artists Coalition Open Studios.

In the former streetcar stables at 708 E. 31st St., Linda Lighton creates her ceramic art: flowers, pods, sea snails and sponges, as well as political commentary, such as her “Weapons of Love and War” — ceramic lipstick and bullets (which, come to think of it, bare a striking resemblance). She shares the 13,000-square-foot workspace with four other artists. And November 3-4, they will open it up to you, too.

Now in its seventh year, the Kansas City Artists Coalition Open Studios features about 200 artists. Some, such as Linda, show their work in their studios. Others collaborate with friends to share spaces.

Artists downtown and in the West Bottoms, River Market, Crossroads, Plaza, Westport and Valentine neighborhood show their work the first weekend in November. The second weekend features open studios in Brookside, Waldo and the suburbs.

Janet Simpson, executive director of the Kansas City Artists Coalition, says that the event is a great opportunity to talk to artists. People learn how the artists create their work and why they are interested in a particular subject matter. “Part of the fun of collecting is knowing the back story,” Janet says.

Artists agree that open studios provide a more intimate setting than, say, a gallery. Linda has participated in the event several times. “It’s really fun for me to meet with my friends in my space,” she comments. “It’s a nice fall opportunity to see old pals and catch up, and meet new people, too.”

Participating artists range from the well-known, such as Mike Savage and Charlie Podrebarac, to young artists who are becoming noticed by collectors.

Dominique Elkind falls in the latter category. Although she graduated recently from the Kansas City Art Institute, she has already had a few shows. Her intricate pen and ink drawings depict fantastical landscapes, fairy tale settings, and animals, babies and girls in a way that the artist describes as “cutesy, but dark and twisted.”

She likes the open studio format because it draws a bigger crowd than art show openings typically do. “It’s more like a fair,” she says. “There are so many people and so many mediums that you’re bound to like something.”

She, along with other artists, will have their work displayed in Mel’s Artspace, 201 Wyandotte. It is the underground gallery of the Kansas City Artists Coalition.
An Artist’s Work Is Never Done
While the public makes plans to see favorite artists and new talents, the artists are working hard to prepare for the event — not that long hours are anything unusual for them.

Jesse Christopher, who graduated from the Kansas City Art Institute in 2004, is participating in Open Studios for the first time this year. He says he is trying to finish some pieces for the event, but working overtime is impossible. As it is, he says, “I spend pretty much all my free time working on my art.” His drawings, many of which are abstract depictions of people, have been featured in several shows.

What Jesse likes about Open Studios is the laid-back setting. Visitors can start conversations, but Jesse says they almost always ask the dreaded question: What inspires you?

As dreaded as it might be, he does have an answer. “Most of my inspiration is derived from human emotion,” he explains. “My work is about human beings being emotion junkies.” He adds, however, “Just because I’m making art about something doesn’t mean I’m exempt from feeling that way.”

Now, when was the last time you talked to somebody about human emotion? An interesting conversation could be awaiting you at Open Studios. And the artists will appreciate you stopping by, too. As Christopher says, “You spend all this time making artwork, and it’s sort of in vain if nobody sees it.”      

Planning Your Day
With so many artists to see, the Artists Coalition gallery might be a good place to start. There, each artist has work on display during the Open Studios Preview Exhibition, Wednesday-Saturday, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., October 19 through November 15, and from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., November 4 and 11. 

You can also buy the event book, “The Guide to Kansas City Artists,” for $24.95. In addition, maps and lists of artists are available online at kansascityartistscoalition.org. Many of the artists also have personal websites.
 
Details, Details
Who: Kansas City Artists Coalition
What: Open Studios
When: 11 a.m.-4 p.m., November 3-4 (Downtown Corridor); 11 a.m.-4 p.m., November 10-11 (Greater KC)
   
Special preview exhibition 11 a.m.- 6 p.m., Wed.-Sat., October 19-November 15; 11 a.m.-4 p.m., Sunday, November 4, 11

Where: Many studios around town

Get a map at: kansascityartistscoalition.org