Medford Open Studios celebrates local artists in a big way

By Ryan Fiore

Visitors stepped off trolleys and into art-packed churches, breweries and university buildings on Saturday, June 20, as the first-ever Medford Open Studios, hosted by Arts Collaborative Medford (ACM), transformed nearly two dozen locations across the city into pop-up galleries for a six-hour celebration of the city’s arts.

For 25-years, West Medford Open Studios served as Medford’s premier annual celebration of Medford-based artists and art-oriented small local businesses. This year, however, marked a significant change for the event. Under ACM, the yearly festival has expanded beyond West Medford— broadening its horizons to encompass the greater Medford area— and rebranded as Medford Open Studios.

Spread across 11 volunteering venues and 11 smaller home studios, the event gave over one-hundred featured artists— specializing in both audio and visual arts— an opportunity to showcase their work to the public and connect with new audiences. From watercolor paintings to handcrafted jewelry, from functional pottery to fiber arts and Henna body painting, this year’s Medford Open Studios put a spotlight on nearly every artistic discipline Medford has to offer.

The excitement didn’t just stop at the visual arts— multiple venues featured live musical performances, including bluegrass musician Ethan Robins and duo act Lorelei Stahl. Food trucks were also on multiple sites— ACM had a coffee truck stationed right outside their home studio, while a Frozen Hoagies truck made an appearance at Walnut Street Center. Shuttle buses did continuous loops, departing once every 30-minutes across a trail on the host sites to transport visitors to all eleven locations.

ACM Executive Director Regina Parkinson spoke on the citywide expansion of Medford Open Studios, saying the event drew the strong turnout organizers had hoped for. Parkinson believes the citywide expansion has helped foster a better sense of community among Medford-based artists.

"One of our goals was to build on the legacy of West Medford Open Studios while creating something that reflected the entire city,” she said. “Seeing residents travel between neighborhoods, meet artists, and discover new spaces made it clear that Medford is ready for a citywide celebration of the arts."

Emily Kwong— an ACM Studio Artist specializing in acrylic paints and watercolors— had an opportunity to display her art at ACM’s home studio on Mystic Avenue during the event. Kwong said the event allowed the full breadth of her artistic output to be on display and gave her a chance to connect with members of the Medford arts community who were not previously aware of her work.

"I saw an opportunity to really showcase all my work in a way I had control over," Kwong said. "In the past, I've shown in shows that have a targeted theme or audience. This was a place for me to show me and what I'm capable of.”

Ultimately, Kwong’s hope was that her art would leave a lasting impression on those who visited her studio at ACM that day.

"Art is up to interpretation," Kwong said. "I've learned a long time ago there is no controlling the viewer, so my hope is that, at the end of the day, it's memorable enough for it to leave its mark, whether small or large."

The event didn’t just feature ACM mainstays— it also attracted artists who have only recently begun exhibiting professionally. Mixed-media artist Glennon Beresin displayed portraits, commissioned works and a series of Medford-inspired landscape paintings— which Beresin has coined as “burbscapes”— created specifically for her Open Studios booth at Mystic Ave’s Great American Beer Hall.

Beresin first heard about Medford Open Studios after joining Arts Collaborative Medford as a gift shop artist last year.

“It seemed like a great way to meet other local working artists and art enthusiasts,” Beresin said. “Communities need spaces like this to feel connected and inspired in a world that feels so dominated by virtual socializing on tiny screens. Nothing beats actually talking with strangers and meeting new people who might even live two streets down from you."

Milva McDonald, a functional potter who had a booth at ACM’s EventThem venue, showcased a collection of bowls, mugs, plates and miniature pieces, such as spice pots and bud vases. As a Medford resident of over 30 years, McDonald said she couldn’t pass up participating in the city’s first-ever citywide art celebration.

"Though I'm a relatively new potter, I've called Medford home for more than 30 years," McDonald said. "I jumped at the chance to participate in my hometown open studios."

McDonald went on to say that her favorite part of the event was interacting with visitors interested in her art, giving her a chance to discuss her artistic process with intrigued onlookers.

"I love it when visitors ask me questions about how certain design, or glazing, or building aspects are achieved," McDonald said.

It seems that the one thing everyone at Medford Open Studios could agree on is that, at its core, Medford Open Studios is focused on building connections across Medford— not only among artists, but also between artists and the people who engage with their work.

“Art is a tool for fostering social change, awareness, empathy, and a vibrant, engaged community,” McDonald said. “It makes our city a more attractive place to live and to visit, which improves our quality of life and enhances the city's profile in many ways, including economically.”

“Community is such a needed resource, and having events that make crafts and joys more accessible to all really uplifts everyone,” Kwong said. “We only thrive if we support one another, one plant and survive on its own, but can thrive in a garden.

ACM hopes to host Medford Open Studios again next year around the same time. While no official plans have been made, organizers have discussed expanding Medford Open Studios into a two-day event. ACM expects to confirm its plans for 2027 in the coming months.