Author: Chris Goldthorpe

The Open Studios Tour is this weekend, October 19 and 20 from 11am to 5pm. We have a record number of studios this year with many new artists joining the tour.

 

Our Instagram Page can be found here:

 
Many of the artists on the tour also have Instagram pages. Click on one of the thumbnails to view the corresponding Instagram page.

 

The artists listed below have registered using Google Forms for the Open Studios Tour. All registrations are provisional until high quality photos of the artwork have been received. If paying by check the registration will not be complete until the check has been received and processed.

• Justin Becker, Acrylic, Oil Base, Watercolor
• Catherine Bede, watercolor, pen & ink
• Alex Bell, Seed Bead Earrings
• Autumn Berliner, Acrylic, mixed media, spraypaint
• DK Boljat, oil, acrylic, mixed media
• Leo ‘Leopoldine’ Brew, oil
• Michele Bufton, acrylic, oil, mixed media
• Murray Carter
• David Castle, watercolor, oil
• Martin Conley, Sculpture, wood, stone
• Susan Curington, acrylic
• Pamela Dierickx, ceramics
• Anya Doll, fiber, acrylic, mixed media
• Karen Doyle, oil
• Kathie Ellis, watercolor
• Debbi Estes, mixed media, acrylic, alcohol ink
• Peg Falconer, calligraphy, book arts
• Evelyn Fritz, Watercolor, Acrylic, Encaustic
• joyce gabriel, Letterpress & Watercolor
• Linda Gerrard, fused glass
• Kimberly Ghaemmaghami, Sculpture, 3D collage, and mosaic
• Patricia Gifford, acrylic, oil and mixed media collage
• Chris Goldthorpe, photography
• Merry Goldthorpe, Felted wool, watercolor
• randy goossen, Ceramics
• Lieta Gratteri, Watercolor, oil
• Bob Heath, Glass
• Theresa Hirschmann, Encaustic
• Linda Holland, Watercolor
• Maria Huppi, Oil, Acrylic
• Peter Irving, Highfire Stoneware
• Patti Isaacs, silk painting, paper
• Linda Jerome, oil painting
• Philip Lapp, wood
• Gretha Lindwood, soft pastels, oils
• Cindy Marsh, Watercolor
• Christine Martell, fiberart, photography, printmaking
• Barbara Mason, Printmaking
• Mike Mason, Botanical collage
• Emily Miller, Fiber art, mixed media, interactive installation
• Michael Orwick, oil, watercolor, pen & ink
• JoAnn Pari-Mueller, watercolor, pastels, calligraphy
• Virginia Parks, encaustic, mixed media
• margaret pike, Colorful pottery bowls, mugs and vases
• Ana Quinn, porcelain clay, high fire glazes, and stains
• Marie-Helene Rake, precious metals, stones
• Annie Salness, Oil, Acrylic, Mixed-media
• Donna Sanson, acrylic, gouache, watercolor
• Carli Schultz, glass, sterling silver, semi-precious stones
• Victoria Shaw, ceramic, mosaic
• Valerie Sjodin, mixed media, acrylic, book arts
• Amy Stoner
• James Smith, watercolor, acrylic, colored pencil, oil
• Marlys Violet Spencer, Wearable Art
• David Weber, oil, pastels, watercolor
• Emma Weber, Photography, painting, poetry
• Kandyse Whitney, quilled paper
• Jim Zaleski, Pen and Ink, Watercolor, Oil and Acrylic, computer-based image enhancement software.
• Florence St.Gallery and Studios, multiple media
• Golden Road Art Studios,
• Sequoia Gallery and Studios,
• The Village Gallery of Arts,

Last year after some encouragement from dear friends I decided to take a leap I have been considering for some time, and make a commitment to get myself out there as an artist. The Washington County Open Studios tour proved to be an excellent opportunity to do just that. For years I attended this event and others like it; each time getting energized and inspired by the high quality art that is represented in this event. Someday I will do this I would think but first… Each year would pass and the distractions of life and fear of standing naked before the world would stop me. Last year I leapt. I am a sculptor by training but in my artistic life, I wander from medium to medium. Trying to reign this in proved only to stifle my creativity, but a cohesive body of work was difficult to identify. This realization reinforced my excuses but I decided to sign up anyway because if not now then when? That proved to be a very good decision. By making the commitment, I forced myself to focus and cobble together a body of work that looked somewhat like it was made by the same person. The event was very successful for me. Sales were good, and I even got a few commissions! I was invited to be in an exhibition and heard about other opportunities to explore. Before the show I told myself I would be happy if people just made the effort to come see my work. I was so grateful when people in fact did visit my studio and surprised even more when they began making purchases. Some were even strangers! Most were friends. What I didn’t anticipate was that joining this show and seeing the response from those who attended, gave me a great boost of creative energy and I have continued creating more and more work and now have more ideas than I know what to do with. What a wonderful experience this has been! I am definitely doing it again next year.

 

Amy Stoner reflects on her experience as an artist on the 2018 Washington County Open Studios Tour:

This was my first year participating in Washington County Open Studios, and I’m glad I did. I have lived in this area for over 7 years and wanted to connect more with my local community, and I figured this would be a rewarding and enjoyable way to do it. Also, there is nothing like a deadline to get you motivated to create new work, tidy up the studio, and work towards a new goal!

I had a BLAST during the studio tour and simply adored the time I got to spend with visitors discussing my work and technique, the tour in general, and our community. Visitors were so gracious and excited to see artists “in their natural habitat”! It’s a wonderful experience as an artist to really open up your creative space to others. So many people have a romantic (and often distorted view) of artists….and this is a great way to show them that art is accessible and enjoyable and something EVERYONE can benefit from!