Your Concise Guide to the 2014 Greenpoint Open Studios

A whopping 265 artists are taking part in this weekend’s Greenpoint Open Studios (GOS). Here’s your guide to exploring one of the city’s most enjoyable open studio events.

You can download the GOS 2014 map here or pick up a brochure at one of the following neighborhood spaces: Alter Men (109 Franklin Street), Alter Women (140 Franklin Street), The Diamond (43 Franklin Street), Cafe Grumpy (193 Meserole Avenue), Van Leeuwen Ice Cream (632 Manhattan Avenue), Fowler Arts Collective (67 West Street), and Adelina’s (159 Greenpoint Avenue).

And the weekend’s hashtag is: #greenpointopenstudios

Opening night party is Friday, October 3, at Dirck the Norseman (7 North 15th Street — Foursquare, Yelp), a gastropub, from 8–11pm.

Studios Buildings

For those nervous about open studio events, studio buildings are usually a comfortable way to acclimate yourself to the scene without having to wander too far. Here are two of the many studio hubs we’d suggest you start with:

67 West Street (67 West Street) — I would say this is the best studio/gallery building in the neighborhood. Definitely visit.

Pencil Factory (61 Greenpoint Avenue) — One of the most renowned studio buildings in the area, the Pencil Factory is still home to a number of talented artists. The location is conveniently located near other studios, galleries, restaurants, and bars.

Ok, now that you’re feeling adventurous …

Studios

All should be open Saturday and Sunday, noon to 6pm, and here are some artists I think are worth a look (and they are definitely not the only ones) (in no particular order):

• Hein Koh (67 West Street, #709) — This artist really likes selfies, though they aren’t really selfies (though I don’t think that’s the point).
• Chris Mottalini (67 West Street, #317A) — Photographer Mottalini has a way of transforming decay and overlooked corners into stories in light.
• OMG Webcats (67 West Street, #203) — Linear cats scratch into your consciousness until you imagine all cats desire pizza.
• Rubin 415 (67 West Street, #216) — A street artist will a distinguished geometric sensibility.

• Stacy Fisher (61 Greenpoint Avenue, #310) — A thoughtful sculptor who likes wonky geometry and hydrocal, Fisher is a must-see.
• Booklyn Artists Alliance (37 Greenpoint Avenue, Floor 4) — A guaranteed win, this space does a great job of showcasing the graphic and book arts.
• E.S.P. TV (97 Green Street, #G14) — Well … E.S.P. TV is “dedicated to promoting the performing and media based arts through direct collaboration with artists via live television production.”

• Cheryl Molnar (649 Morgan Avenue, #2-M) — Her painting collages take on landscape with slivers of color.
• Rachel Farmer (276 Greenpoint Avenue, Floor 3) — Informed by her queer and Mormon identities, Farmer’s art is smart, personal, and meditative.
• Michael Scoggins (276 Greenpoint Avenue, #830, D.) — A giant piece of paper never looked so good.
• Fabian G. Tabibian (276 Greenpoint Avenue, Floor 3, D.) — Digital, glitch, minimal, colorful, and dreamy.

• Emily Noelle Lambert (960 Manhattan Avenue) — Lambert remixes objects and adds strong colors that give them a shocking allure.
• Bill Abdale (960 Manhattan Avenue, Floor 4) — Ghostly text blurs into a conceptual slide into your imagination.

Coffee, Food & Cocktails

• Anella (222 Franklin Street) — Simple, good, and for the brunch crowd their bloody marys are definitely worth a try. (Foursquare, Yelp)
• Cafe Grumpy (193 Meserole Avenue) — Home to the laptop bridge but the coffee is good and the vibe is chill. (Foursquare, Yelp)
• Donut Wars (Peter Pan Donuts, 727 Manhattan Avenue, and Moe’s Doughs Donut Shop, 126 Nassau Avenue) — Greenpoint used to be the domain of Peter Pan Donuts, but now Moe’s Doughs has set up shop and the natives have to choose. They’re both good, but do yourself a favor and try a taste test. (Peter Pan: Foursquare, Yelp; and Moe’s Doughs: Foursquare, Yelp)
• Five Leaves (18 Bedford Avenue) — Huge scene, be prepared to wait an hour (or two). On the plus side, the food is good. (Foursquare, Yelp)
• Karczma (136 Greenpoint Avenue) — A Polish restaurant, Karczma is designed for those who like their food heavy, their vodka lists long, and their portions big. (Foursquare, Yelp)
• Paulie Gee’s (60 Greenpoint Avenue) — The pizza here is great. The wait is ridiculous. Is it worth it? Strangely, yes. (Foursquare, Yelp)
• Van Leeuwen Ice Cream (632 Manhattan Avenue) — Come in here and gain 20 pounds before you leave. It is worth it. (Foursquare, Yelp)

Other Points of Interest

• Academy Records Annex (85 Oak Street) — This beloved vinyl shop had to unroot from Williamsburg but thankfully it found a home just north and here it is. (Foursquare, Yelp)
• Co-op 87 Records (87 Guernsey Street) — Compact record shop with some great deals. (Foursquare, Yelp)
• Word Bookshop (126 Franklin Street) — A wonder little indie shop with a curated selection for the lit lover. (Foursquare, Yelp)

The 2014 Greenpoint Open Studios takes place Friday, October 3, to Sunday, October 5 throughout the Greenpoint area of Brooklyn. Greenpoint Open Studios is presented by Greenpointers with Media Partner Hyperallergic.