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Park Slope Art Tour Lets Public Peek Inside Artists' Studios

By Leslie Albrecht | September 27, 2013 3:05pm
 Bernette Rudolph, 84, has laid out the welcome mat at her Third Street studio since 1985.
Park Slope Great-Grandmother Artist is 28-Year Open Studios Veteran
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PARK SLOPE — When you devote your entire life to making art, you might end up with a bandsaw in your living room.

That's the case for Bernette Rudolph, an 84-year-old artist who's been creating artwork since she was 7. Her sprawling Third Street apartment is chockablock with her wood-based artwork and the tools for making it.

She's got two heavy duty saws that look like they belong in a carpenter's shop and an industrial size color printer, as well as coffee cans stuffed with paint brushes and a drafting table. Rudolph's extensive creative output is crammed into every available space, even the bathroom.

"I live here with my work," Rudolph said, adding that making art has always been her first priority, though she also teaches classes, has worked as an art therapist, and has four great-grandchildren.

The public will get a chance to see Rudolph's unique living situation during the weekend of Oct. 12-14, when she and eight other artists in Park Slope and Windsor Terrace will open their studios for the weekend.

Rudolph has been participating in open studios events since 1985, when 70 local artists showed off their workspaces.

At Rudolph's home studio this year, guests will see her latest series, three-dimensional representations of famous paintings such as Picasso's "Guernica" rendered in resin-coated wood.

Over a career that's spanned more than half a century, Rudolph has worked on many different themes, including a series of wooden wall hangings of goddesses. The series included the goddess "Asphalta," patron saint of people trying to find a parking spot in Park Slope. Rudolph got a citation from Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz for that piece.

Rudolph looks forward to opening her studio each year, even though it takes about two months to get ready. She even hires greeters to make sure that everyone who walks through the front door gets a warm welcome.

"We sit, we drink wine, we chat, then they usually buy something," Rudolph said. "It's easy and direct. For the people buying, it's much more personal than buying in a gallery. It's nicer all around."

For a full list of artists on the Park Slope and Windsor Terrace art tour, check out the tour's website.