Art Foundry Studios at New Village Arts

CARLSBAD — At times, more than 14 artists can be found working side by side at the Art Foundry Studios at New Village Arts where artwork is created and displayed in the artists’ spaces, common display walls and a gallery room. The working studio and art gallery is open to the public Tuesdays through Sundays. Visitors are welcome to view artists at work and talk to them about their art.
Among the resident artists are professionals who also work as architect photographers, faux finish painters and poster artists outside the studio. Most of the artists have been creating and selling art for their entire career.
In the studio, artists work in pastels, acrylics, oils, watercolors and other media. “We encourage different media,” said Laura Kurner, Art Foundry manager. “Most of them work on painting in oils or acrylics. We also have a photographer, a mixed media artist. We like to keep it a mix so not all artists are landscape painters.”
Artists typically work in isolation. The shared studio allows them to bounce ideas off of fellow artists and teach each other new techniques and skills. “There is a synergy working in the same space,” Kurner said. “It spurs their creativity. When they’re stuck they can give each other advice to make it work.”
Crystal Goudey is a portrait artist who visited the foundry shortly after it opened and has been one of its resident artists ever since. “I said ‘I have to be here,’” she said.
“It’s so conducive to creative interaction,” artist Margi Saccomanno said. “I haven’t painted this much in 30 years.”
Resident artists rent a space for a six-month period or longer. Unlike other studios artists are required to work during some public viewing hours. “They must enjoy interacting with the public and sharing with fellow artists,” Kurner said.
In addition to Tuesday through Sunday hours that the art foundry is open to the public, artwork can also be seen during intermissions at the adjacent New Village Arts Theater and during the monthly “Experience Thursdays on the Coast” art walks.
Art Foundry Studios is a project of the New Village Arts Theater. The focus of the theater group is to bring theater, music and art to Carlsbad. “It’s another synergy having an arts center in the Village of Carlsbad,” Kurner said. “On a small scale we’re bringing all of the arts into the Village of Carlsbad.”