We are heading into push time for the Yellow Springs Open Studio. The brochures are designed and at the printer, I’ve noticed some of the artists have the cover of the brochure on their FB sites and are already inviting people to come visit their studios on the Open Studios weekend. Theresa Mayer mentioned she was tickled her piece was on the cover of the brochure. It looks wonderful Theresa!
I’ve been writing some of the press for the tour and starting to send it out. Plus I’ve been looking through my picture files for what I should get reproductions made from. I had such fun seeing again some of my “Crazy Dog” series that it made me want to do some more. This is the first time I am on the Open Studios tour. (But it’s not my first venture onto a studio tour, I had the pleasure to be on Lisa Goldberg’s YS Studio Tours some years back.) This year, Kathy Moulton invited me to be a guest artist at her studio (Nancy Mellon). (She has invited me every year and this year I surprised her and said yes. I think she is just hoping, I will talk to everyone while she demos:) Kathy calls herself the “Not So Vocal Local” (She really does beautifully talking and showing people how she creates her funny and charming art!)
Karen Wintrow, at the Chamber is writing press too, with Nick Gaskins, designing the ads for Cincinnati, Columbus, Dayton, Springfield and more. The Yellow Springs Chamber partners with the YS Arts Council to put on this event. And a wonderful YS Open Studios Committee of 4 artists-Sara Gray, Kathy Moulton, Dianne Collinson and moi have been working on this annual event for 4 years now. Dianne, a ceramic artist decided this year to visit the tour, instead of be on it. We will miss her lovely studio and art. But it will be fun to have her come by and chat. That is the one thing all the artists say after it is over, “I wish I could have visited the other studios!”
Artists are checking their studios for what needs to be cleaned up. Beth Holyoke has said the best part of YS Open Studios is it gets her to clean up her studio! But I think the best part is seeing what characters will inhabit her ceramics this year.
When I was talking to the lovely Kathryn Pitstick, at Village Artisans, an art co op she is part of in Yellow Springs, she said she is thinking about what she could demo. Kathryn is a printer and it conjured up in my head, an image of her carving and showing how her different tools work. What ever she does it will be cool to see.
Theresa Mayer is already promising on FB to do more bead making demos. If you haven’t seen her making beads-with the fire going and the glass melting and at the same time, Theresa calmly explaining what she is doing- you’ve got to make sure to go to her studio this year. It’s unforgettable!
On Friday, Talitha Greene was up at 6 am creating jewelry, and it was her birthday! She almost forgot to come for our traditional lets-go-pick-out-a-slice-of-fabulous-Current Cuisine-cake to celebrate, because she was in the zone, working on art for the tour.
Giving each other matte boards and advice, loaning art racks or card racks – just like a bee hive, the artists are buzzing around making art and choices, cleaning and preparing for the YS Open Studios.
There is a list of the artists and a short description of their art and some pictures of their work at: ysopenstudios.ysartscouncil.org Come visit with us October 19th-20th 11-5 pm.
Free, Self Guided Tour of Yellow Springs Artists Studios
October 19-20th
11 am-5 pm
18 Artists, 10 Local Studios, 2 Great Laid Back Days.
Visit our web site ysopenstudios.ysartscouncil.org to use the interactive map on your mobile device or your computer to find participating studios and plan your visit. Some studios are within walking distance of our vibrant downtown, some will require a short drive in the colorful countryside.
Printed guides will be available in Mid-September at Yellow Springs Station on the bike trail, YS Arts Council, Gallery, at 111 Corry St. and various other locations around the village.