Dedham Artists Open Their Studios Sunday

Artists from all different disciplines will take over town landmarks, businesses and opening their doors Sunday to show off their work as part of the first .

Usually reserved for urban centers, an open studios event allows artists to show off what they're working on to the public and to get a reaction. Organizer Jen Barsamian hatched the idea to bring it to Dedham last summer and began the process in October.

"It's getting artists and the public to interact," Barsamian said. "It is like going to a museum for a day, but locally - and you get to meet all the artists.

"You go to a museum and you see all this art from artists that are dead and you can't talk to them. You read a little plaque about what they did. And this is actually a chance to go meet with an artist and see their work."

Of the more than 90 artists that will display their work, Barsamian said more than half are from Dedham.

"So they are your neighbors," she said.

The artists include potters, photographers, painters, illustrators and artists that work with textiles, wood, jewelry and glass.

"I want to show that Dedham is a place for arts and culture and we have artists living here. I think this demonstrates that with a resounding exclaimation point," Barsamian said.

Organizers are estimating 1,000 people for the inagural event, which runs from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., and have 30 volunteers to help visitors navigate.

People should park at the and ride a shuttle that will come every 15 minutes to take them to Dedham Square.

High Street will be closed between Eastern Avenue and Washington Street as part of the Open Studios event.

Artists will set up in the Endicott Estate, and businesses throughout Dedham Square. An information booth with maps of where to find the artists will be set-up outside of the .

Some artists will be inside homes near the Square and the Endicott Estate, and the will put on a Shakespeare show.

"It's a day to enjoy art and bring it locally," Barsamian said.

For where individual artists are located, click on the PDF image to the right of this article.