Forty artists and designers in 3 renovated mill buildings in the Armory Arts District of Pawtucket, RI will open their studios and lofts to visitors. Organized annually since 2012, XOS showcases a wide array of artwork including paintings, sculpture, fine prints, photography, fine crafts, wearable art, jewelry, graphic and textile design and more.  Visitors will encounter inexpensive fine crafts as well as high-end gallery art, all for sale and tax free.

In addition to viewing art, visitors will have an opportunity to learn about creative art making.  Artists will be sharing their inspirations, showing work in progress and demonstrating their techniques.  This year, BIG INK will be joining the event where Lyell Castonguay and friends will be printing huge woodcut prints and encouraging visitors to join them!

Also of interest to visitors are the mill renovations.  Riverfront Lofts, a former knitting mill on the Blackstone River, is now a condominium with more than 50 unique, light-filled work/live spaces adjacent to the Blackstone River. Next door is Blackstone Studios, once a cardboard factory now contains both design and art studios including that of well-known artist/designer, Morris Nathanson. One block away is Mad Dog Artists Studio, a new enterprise that provides studio and common area workspaces for artists on a short-term or long-term rental basis. (Riverfront Lofts, 10 Exchange CourtBlackstone Studios, 163 Exchange Street, Mad Dog Studios, 65 Blackstone Avenue).