Celebrating its 20th anniversary the painters, sculptors, collagists, ceramists, print makers, videographers and multimedia hosts of the Saugerties Artists Studio Tour are eager to embrace the opportunity to once again open their studios for art lovers who want to experience the place where art is made. This year many new-to-the-area artists have joined ranks with this ever- growing Saugerties artists’ community. All of the artists have been plying their skills to create new work, tinker with new techniques and mediums, and review past endeavors, finding new meaning in earlier explorations.
This year’s tour features 40 studios that are bracing (in a good way) for visitors, who will see completed work and works in progress in a wide array of mediums and styles. Whatever your interest, the tour has something for you—painters working in oils, acrylics, and inks, as well as with digital tools; collage makers and printmakers; photographers and video artists; sculptors working in polished steel or industrial debris, or making earth art, such as a bluestone creation to be enjoyed in the open air; ceramic artists whose work ranges from figurative to functional with a bit of funk thrown in for good measure and, enamel designs on silver and metal jewelry. Any and all materials can be transformed into artfully created pieces, such as handcrafted furniture and home furnishings made of vintage barn wood and high quality hardwoods. As well as weaving and spinning, a new category this year, featuring one-of-a-kind designs and original designs on silk.
On the tour’s website short videos introduce visitors to many of the artists in an up-close, personal way, telling their stories in their own words and offering demonstrations of how they do what they do best.
This is the tour’s 20th year of shining a light on local talent. It all kicks off with an opening reception on Friday, July 15, at the Dutch Barn Art & Heritage Gallery, 119 Main Street, Saugerties, from 5 to 7 p.m., where you can pick up a map for this free self-guided tour. Gallery hours are July 16-July 31, Saturdays, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sundays, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Open studio days are Saturday and Sunday, August 13-14, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Please check the website for more information about the Tour and its artists: www.saugertiesarttour.org. There is no charge to attend the opening reception and the open studio tour is a free event, registration is not required.