Open Studios — First 3 Weekends in October

By Jondi Gumz

Open Studios Art Tour, a chance to visit 322 artists and support local art with a purchase, returns the first three weekends in October — for the 37th year.

Neighbors, friends, collectors, and art lovers are invited to connect with artists, see their creative process up close, and buy art from the source.

You may wonder: What is new this year?

Ann Ostermann, Open Studios director, shares these highlights:

There are more first-time participants than ever – a record 65 artists are new. They include Sierra Evans of Aptos, Chelsea Wagner of Santa Cruz, and Charles Gonzales of Watsonville.

Not all artists have their own studio so you’ll find artists sharing studios or exhibiting in alternative spaces such as Pajaro Valley Arts in Watsonville where Josefina Rocha and Hermelinda Vasquez-Matias will be.

Want to keep your driving to a minimum? You can see three artists at one location in Scotts Valley: Matthew Werner, whose marquetry is world-class, is hosting Sally Fuess and her oil paintings of animals and Peter Koronakos, who creates whimsical pieces from found objects.

Haven’t explored the Tannery Art Center in Santa Cruz? A record 13 Tannery artists will exhibit, including Gazelle Parsons, Chris Mosley, Amanda Hess & Bree Karpavage, Margaret Niven, and Anna Cummins.

The printed guide, available at libraries and other locations, includes a special feature, “Artists by Medium.”

Looking for jewelry makers? Glass blowers? Printmakers? Woodworkers? Artists who specialize in nature? Artists who specialize in pet portraits?

Never fear—they are all here!

The cover of the 124-page guide displays a distinctive piece of art by Jenni Ward. She has created public art projects in Sweden, Florida, Washington, Taiwan and California — and she’s getting ready to install a large-scale public art project on the new Westside Rail Trail.

She currently leads a semi-nomadic lifestyle in her van with her husband and dog, and they spend a great deal of time on their desert property in Baja Sur.

If you are new to the art tour, remember it is free.

You decide which artists to visit and plan your own route.

Hours are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

Studios are open two of the three weekends.

Studios are divided between North and South County (with the Santa Cruz Yacht Harbor as the dividing point) on this schedule:

• Oct. 7-8: South County artists — from the Yacht Harbor south
• Oct. 14-15: North County artists — from the Yacht Harbor north
• Oct. 21-22: All County — all 277 artists

Some artists have participated since 1986, some are newcomers, and all of them are creative.

There are so many to see, how can you choose?

You could start with this trio.

Chris Mosley, a Black artist and co-curator of the month-long Melanated Expressions artist showcase with a passion for glass and innovation at the Tannery Arts Center Studio 124, #224, North County.

Sylvia Valentine of Corralitos, a nature photographer who created a book called “Sanctuary,” #13 South County.

Winsor Kinkade, a Santa Cruz visual artist and social worker who acknowledges the Amah Mutsun people native to this region, #74 North County.

All three were chosen to receive the California Arts Council Emerging Artist Fellowship. This is a $5,000 award to support the artist.

Or perhaps you want to see more oil paintings from Natalia Aandewiel, the Ukrainian refugee who inspired the first Ukrainian Art in the Park in Capitola. She’s participating.

Or you want to hear about Maggie Renner Hellman’s trip to Italy and what that inspired. She’s participating.

Or you want a chance to win a landscape painting by Michele Hausman of Soquel who spent four days painting en plein air on the Big Sur coast with eight other artists. She’s participating.

Ostermann, who’s been doing this for 21 years, said “it takes a lot of planning and nerve” for artists to prepare to welcome guests where they work.

She sees the rewards.

“It’s a joy to see it pay off with art sales and new relationships formed, old friends reunited, and neighbors getting to know each other,” she said. “It’s also a great event for visitors to experience the creative life of our area.”

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Tips to Plan Your Art Tour

Open Studios connects us to many of Santa Cruz County’s visual artists,” said Ann Ostermann, director of the event since 2002. “It’s an opportunity to visit a studio and learn more about the artist’s creative practice, tour a neighborhood you don’t know yet, or purchase a piece from your favorite local artist.”

Whether this is your first Open Studios or you’ve attended for years, here are six strategies for mapping your tour:

1. Pick up a FREE artist guide at the library or other drop-off points throughout the county. Find artists in your neighborhood by medium, or simply browse through the guide and find artwork that captures your eye. If you can’t find a guide, stop by the Arts Council offices at 1070 River St., Santa Cruz during open hours — a stack is available throughout October.
2. Follow Open Studios on Instagram @openstudios.scc to learn more about participating artists and see behind the scenes.
3. View participating artists on the Open Studios artist A-Z pages at https://openstudios.artscouncilsc.org/artists.
4. Download the FREE app — available on iTunes & Google Play. Mark your favorite artists in the app, map their location, and then build a tour around that.
5. Follow the green signs. During Open Studios, you’ll see lime green signs with artist names and arrows all over the county. Consider every Open Studios sign your personal invitation. Follow the signs and enter a studio.
6. Check out the Preview Exhibit at the Santa Cruz Art League, open Sept. 29 through Oct. 22 at the Santa Cruz Art League, 526 Broadway, Santa Cruz. Preview Exhibit features artwork from more than 300 Open Studios artists. Pop into the gallery, find artwork that intrigues you, and note which studios you want to visit. Meet the artists at the public reception 3-6 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 1. Free bike valet parking.

Visit one or 100! No one is keeping score. Spend a day or just a few minutes, whatever fits your schedule and mood.

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Open Studios is the premiere event of Arts Council Santa Cruz County, which has a mission is to nurture and invest in artists, culture, and the arts. Arts Council makes grants to artists and arts organizations, arts education programs serving 20,000 youth across Santa Cruz County, and supports the Tannery Arts Center, and the Watsonville Center for the Arts. Learn more at www.artscouncilsc.org

Top Photo: Michele Hausman of Soquel is known for her impressionist oil landscapes.