By Tod Dimmick

Every October over the past 20 years, local artists have opened their studios (virtually last year!) to the world in a celebration of art and community known as Natick Artists Open Studios (NAOS).  The event has grown to over 85 artists passionate about jewelry, ceramics, sculpture, photography, painting, woodworking, and artistry with paper, fabric, glass, or garden.  

The open studios weekend offers a unique opportunity to visit studios not normally open to the public, and to meet the artists themselves.  This year’s Open Studios weekend is October 16-17.  Many studios will be open from 11AM to 5 PM each day.  The weekend is run entirely by volunteers who love the Natick art community. 

NAOS is now one of the art events offered by the newly formed Natick Artists Association, an affiliate of the Natick Center Cultural District. More information is available at https://www.artnatick.org/

One long time venue at NAOS weekend is the Oldtown Photo Calendar Competition (Sunday, October 17, 11AM – 3PM in South Natick. Visit www.oldtowncalendar.org in October for location information.) Photographers range from amateur to professional, but all share a passion for finding new and unique views of ‘Oldtown.’ The theme has inspired a broad range of images over the years; Natick Common in winter, along the river in Dover and Needham, pastures in Sherborn, Lake Waban in Wellesley. 

Visitors to the competition vote for their favorite photographs. The new 2022 calendar will also be unveiled at the show, featuring winners from the virtual 2020 competition. The calendar is a fundraising tool for the Natick Service Council, the Bacon Free Library, the Natick Historical Society, the Morse Institute Library, the Eliot Church of Natick, and others. The Natick Historical Society often leads “Oldtown” walking tours from the show. “The Eliot Church started the project twenty years ago as a way to build community,” said Rosemary Driscoll, Eliot Church Moderator.  “Since that time, it has grown into a popular tradition that really does bring people together.” 

For more information about the Oldtown Photo Calendar Competition, email [email protected] and visit www.oldowncalendar.org. 

For more information about the many other artists and venues featured in the Natick Artists Open Studios Weekend, visit https://www.artnatick.org/ 

Tod Dimmick, [email protected]