Two years ago, James Dupree, a longtime Philadelphia painter who has five pieces in the Philadelphia Museum of Art's permanent collection, was completely frustrated with his participation in the Philadelphia Open Studio Tours.
"I had been there all day, all weekend really, and nothing," Dupree said. "All of a sudden, at the moment of total frustration, we did $5,000 worth of business. A new person had come in and really liked my work. They bought a serious piece and had an eye for what they wanted.
"That is why, in the end, the Open Studio Tour is such a fantastic event," said Dupree, whose studio is at 3617 Haverford Ave.
This weekend and next weekend, 275 Philadelphia artists of all types will be opening their studios and galleries to the public, hoping for just that moment - and the sale - Dupree experienced. On Saturday and Sunday from noon to 6 p.m., studios east of Broad Street will open their doors. Next weekend, Oct. 10 and 11, also from noon to 6 p.m., it will be the turn of creative folks located west of Broad. This Web site, www.philaopenstudios.com, enables you to plan your tour.
Philadelphia Open Studio Tours started 10 years ago as a way to connect artists who had made a sort of diaspora around the city. No longer were they crowded into Center City - many had begun moving into Mount Airy and South Philadelphia and West Philadelphia and Fishtown.
"It was to be a nonjuried event. The only requirements were that you be a Philadelphia artist and have your own studio space," said Ann Koivunen, who helps coordinate the tours. Artists pay $80 for the publicity and connections to one another, but otherwise they are on their own if they want to provide refreshments and the like.
Jill Katz is a part-time artist, hoping her photography will get noticed in an event like the Open Studio Tours. She works in marketing, but will be showing her color and black-and-white travel and urban landscape photography at the University City Arts League, 4226 Spruce St., next weekend in the west-of-Broad section of the Tours.
"It is definitely competitive in Philadelphia, but there is a willingness to help one another reach a level of success," said Katz, who moved here from New York about 10 years ago to get a little breathing room from that city's ultra-competitiveness. "I would say there is a great network of dedicated artists and arts professionals with a general interest in working together and bridging communities, which is unlike other cities."
Ana Hernandez is eager for the Open Studio Tours to give her a better connection with the emerging arts community in Fishtown. She recently moved her fabric arts studio to the old Viking Mill building at Coral and Hagert Streets, where there are several other studios.
"I think it is full of potential for things to happen here. The Tours, I hope, will bring people to it," said Hernandez, who came to Philadelphia from her native Spain to do graduate work at the Tyler School of Temple University. She does indoor and outdoor fabric installations at her studio, 2026 Hagert St.
"My ideal situation from this is that an architect or interior designer sees my work and gives me a commission. But I also want to expand my network, see what other artists are doing, maybe inspire some of them, too."
Paul DuSold isn't counting on new business, though that would be good, he said, but he is hoping his old students from his Fleisher Art Memorial and Woodmere Art Museum classes and repeat customers come to see him at his home garage/studio at 6903 Wayne Ave. in Mount Airy. DuSold said he had been in the area around 12th and 13th and Race and Vine Streets for years, but found rents rising a great deal.
"I kept having to move and then hit on the idea of converting my garage into a studio," said DuSold, who specializes in traditional representational painting. "I'm using this opportunity to clean up, to put things I want to sell up on the walls. It is the chance to have a salon for one weekend, so everyone should enjoy it."
Philadelphia Open Studios Tour
Artists' studios located east of Broad Street are open noon to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Artists located west of Broad Street will be open the same hours next weekend, Oct. 10 and 11. Information and locations: 215-546-7775, www.philaopenstudios.com.
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