Thanks to all for supporting studio tour

This year’s Open Your Eyes Studio Tour, featuring 30 artists’ studios in Cornwall, Warren and Goshen, exceeded all records over the previous eight years of this event. Although we don’t have a final count of studio visitors, we know that hundreds of visitors from within the region, as well as from far away, went from studio to studio during the weekend of June 30 and July 1, even in the oppressive heat. We are so thankful to the artists for generously opening their studios to the public so that visitors could gain insight into and appreciation for the process of creating art. Painters, photographers, sculptors, textile artists, printmakers, jewelers, woodworkers, metal, clay and glass artists all had a wonderful experience connecting with visitors.

Thanks to this year’s sponsors, we were able to continue the Tour for an 9th year, as free and accessible to all. Our local businesses (large and small) generously sponsored the 9th annual Open Your Eyes Studio Tour and made it possible for the NW CT Arts Council to promote and organize this event effectively. For this we thank Housatonic Heritage, the Republican American Newspaper, WSHU Public Radio, The Matthews Group and The Kestrel Foundation and 12 area restaurants that advertised in the Tour Map. New to the tour was a Toast the Tour ‘after-party’ which was generously hosted by Souterrain Gallery at The Wish House. Special thanks go to Housatonic Fine Art and Framing and Amy Tobin Holistic Massage for providing space for artists who have studios inaccessible to the public.

The numerous volunteers who helped the staff of the Arts Council prepare for the tour and man the tour information stations during the weekend are to be thanked as well. We are so grateful for the physical help, the funding, and the generosity of spirit that allow the Arts Council’s small, parttime staff to continue to present this popular event in the region each year.

Amy Wynn, Executive Director, Northwest Connecticut Arts Council, Torrington