Take a pair of sneakers. Add foam, glue and nasty chemicals. You get this. (All photos by Renee Ligtvoet)

A movement, a new fabric, a piece of clothing… Fashion was everywhere during Bushwick Open Studios. For the artists it is a way to express their art, to publicize their work or just to highlight a character. Here are a few picks.

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Meryl Meisler. Image via Arts in Bushwick

Before Bushwick had New York Times write-ups and citywide acclaim for its art scene, it was a silent, sleeping hub of creative ingenuity. We all gotta raise our glasses high for the O.G.’s responsible for putting this place on the map, and what better way to do so than check out their work during Bushwick Open Studios that brought us here?

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New York photographer Lauren Renner will be displaying photographs from her In Others’ Words project during Bushwick Open Studios. All photos by Renner.

Asshole. Dike. Son. So hot. Cunt. Mess. Slut. Rich thug. Beautiful. Nervous. Pot head. Strong. Champ. Scorpio. Atheist. Fat. Gay. Positive. Hippie. Sexy. Helpful. Meat head. Impulsive. Naïve. Coward. Remarkable. Depressed. Drug addict. Polite. Freak. Wasteful. *

If you were asked to make a list solely composed of words which others have used to label you, which words would you pick? Would you allow a complete stranger to write those very words all over your naked body and let yet another unknown photograph you? That is precisely what Long Island-based photographer Lauren Renner asks of her models for her ongoing project In Others’ Words. Renner is showcasing her photographs during Bushwick Open Studios at Fine & Raw Chocolate. Plus, she’s always looking for more brave volunteers, in case you’re interested.

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This Saturday from 6-10PM you have another chance to achieve the impossible – to see (almost) all Bushwick and Ridgewood galleries in one night. As a complement to Frieze Art Fair happening on Randall’s Island this weekend, 47 Bushwick and Ridgewood galleries will stay open late and participate in the general art festivities. RSVP on Facebook and check out the participating spaces here, and to make your travels through the neighborhood easier, check out also beta version of a long-awaited galleries map!

Oh, and don’t forget! On Saturday we travel between the galleries like this….

The art scene in Bushwick is as unique and diverse as its residents. Just as we hate typecasting ourselves, our galleries are both true to their identities yet flexibly push their own boundaries (and ours!) in order to continue to challenge and engage our community’s many faces.  This week’s art picks offer an array of themes and medium – from exploration of modern myths to sustainable societies, and from abstraction to interaction – that are guaranteed to entice and excite each of Bushwick’s multiple facets.

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Being a people person: It’s not for everyone! (photo by Maria Gotay for Bushwick Daily)

Premier Bushwick DIY venue Silent Barn is looking for some goodwill-capable community-minded souls to assist with a couple of projects they have in the works, and if you like the local music scene and have experience being pleasant with strangers, that could mean YOU!

Here’s the email that we received from the Barn Folk. Contact info is at the bottom. Drop them a line and make this stuff happen!

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Is it just me or has Bushwick gotten bigger? This week Bushwick and its surrounding neighbors are hosting a great number of must-see events that will prove to expand our already well-defined artistic palate. Rather than focusing on individual events this week, we at Bushwick Daily will highlight destinations for the discerning gallery-goer. Depending on what you’re in the mood for, I’m sure one of the following localities will be sure to hit the spot!

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All photos by courtesy of 319 Scholes.

Stepping on dog shit is inevitable. There is nothing you can do about yourself, the only thing left to do is cry out to your friends to watch out and not make the same mistake. Filip Olszewsk and Bunny Rogers stepped on the Internet’s shit and their cry was a two-piece installation presented at the 319 Scholes gallery.

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All photos taken by Patrick Delaney.

Sunday night 19 artists converged in The Active Space to compete against one another in a Bob Ross landscape painting takedown.  You may be familiar with the popular Brooklyn Takedown competitions that pit amateur cooks against one another in an attempt to win audience votes and street cred. In the 10 years since its inception, the Takedowns have morphed to include a variety of foods from avocados to cookies! This, however, was the first Takedown that wasn’t culinary, and what better place to host a paint-off than in Bushwick? The Active Space was set up with 19 easels facing the front of the room where repeat episodes of Bob Ross were projected on a screen. Each artist had 1 hour to create their version of a Bob Ross landscape for the chance to win the audience vote and $250 worth of art supplies from Utrecht. That’s a prize worth fighting for.
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Bushwick Art & Shipping Inc. just moved into town. Sure, there are already a few stores that sell art supplies in the neighborhood, such as SoHo Art Materials on Gardner (which operates only during short weekday hours), Better Than Jam at the Loom , and Low Brow Artique on Central. But this addition to the wide array of small businesses popping up in the ‘hood is one that was sorely needed. Bushwick Art & Shipping Inc. brings together all of the art supplies that previously were spread out, scarce, or just plain inaccessible all under one roof. With a very convenient location (on Flushing, just steps from the Morgan L stop), this diverse store houses art supplies, a shipping center which is FedEx, USPS, and Postal Service certified, and a vintage boutique, making it a one-stop-shop for many locals. (Fun fact: well-known gallery Factory Fresh was here before closing in 2012.)

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