Keep a spot open for a tour of these Orcas Island artists’ studios in August

Friday August 9 – Sunday August 11, 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.

— from Bruce Wilson for Orcas Artists’ Studio Tour —

Thirty two premier Orcas Island artists and craftspeople will welcome the public into their working studios for the Orcas Artists’ Three Day Studio Tour, Friday August 9 through Sunday August 11, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

This free event will feature artists working in painting, print making, stone cutting, woodwork, blacksmithing, encaustics, ceramics, fiber arts, sculpture, photography, jewelry and more. Visitors will have the opportunity to watch demonstrations, meet the artists and purchase their most recent work.

A special Artists’ Show will be held at the Orcas Center from July 26 thru September 3.

The Studio Tour was started in 2011 by Dave Hasslett and Bruce Wilson to show visitors and locals the eclectic environments and processes in which our islands artists and craftsman create their work. The experience is best described by Edee Kulper of “Life on Orcas island” website … lifeonorcasisland.com/art-tour-a-3-day-sensory-adventure/ …”How often do you get invited to 34 artists’ studios to see what they make and watch demonstrations? Here, where most roads are marked private, you rarely even see how others live, so this is a double whammy of a tour.

“Leading up to this fantastic annual three-day weekend event, there are studio tour brochures in lots of downtown shops. Inside the brochure is a map and a description of each studio and how to get there. It’s all free, and you set about the tour whenever you want, stopping wherever you want, and staying at each one as long as you want. We saw amazing homes, interesting art, and unique ways of life.”

Brochures with maps and directions can be picked up at the Orcas Island Chamber of Commerce office or on the web at OrcasArtistsStudioTour.com. Call 360-376-2755 or 626-437-2513 cell or email skycap@earthlink.net for further information.