Open Your Eyes studio tours begin Aug. 24

The Northwest Connecticut Arts Council’s 10th annual Open Your Eyes Studio Tours are set for Aug. 2425, in Winsted and New Hartford. A group of 29 artists will open their creative spaces to the public and share their art practice and processes with visitors.

“This is a unique opportunity to visit local working artists from a variety of artistic backgrounds while exploring the beauty of northwest Connecticut,” event organizers said. “Learn about each featured artist and reserve your map of the tour at OpenYourEyesTour.org. For a small donation, a map can be mailed to you before the tour weekend.”

This year’s artists include painters, potters, photographers, sculptors, fiber artists, basket weavers, textile artists, mixed media artists, printmakers, gourd carvers, ceramicists, calligraphy and book arts, and jewelers. Artists in New Hartford include Carol Taylor, Carlton Taylor, Karen Carvalho, Deb Strid, Holly Hall, David Skora, Ginny August, Pam Chambers and Susan Rood.

In Winsted, participants include MaryPat Leger, Victor Leger, Cheryl Bartley, Sharon Lee Dougherty, Jane Durchame Hoben, Gail O’Connor, Monica Rosenberg, Amy Richardson, M.Wilk, Katheleen Borkowski, Donna Davis, Amy Grosclaude, Jeanne Morningstar Kent, Debra Lill, Kiki Michalek, Heather Neilson, Tina Puckett, Julie Rego, Karen Rossi, and Gay Schempp.

Maddie Stenson, Program Coordinator of the Arts Council, said, “I am super excited for this year’s studio tour, especially since I am so familiar with the areas. It is an honor to work with such phenomenal and diligent artists, including my art teacher who taught me at Torrington High years ago. I hope that studio visitors enjoy seeing this region’s vast creative energy as much as I have this year. I’m looking forward to the tour weekend.”

During the tour weekend, there will be two information stations where visitors can check in for the tour, get maps or pick up preordered maps, posters and tshirts, ask questions, and make donations to the Arts Council. The Winsted Information Station is at Whiting Mills, 100 Whiting St.. The New Hartford Information Station is at Beekley Community Library, 10 Central Ave., New Hartford.

Each station will only be open during the hours of the Studio Tour, 10 a.m.5 p.m. Aug. 24, and 10 a.m.4 p.m. Aug. 25.

The Opening Night Party will be held at Brewery Legitimus at 283 Main St, New Hartford, 68 p.m. Aug. 24. The brewery is donating 10 percent of the proceeds during the event to the Arts Council and there will be live music and a food truck.

“I am so excited by the breadth of work on this tour. The local artists and artisans are a huge part of what makes this region special,” said Rufus de Rham, executive director of the arts council. “Their creativity helps keep our communities sustainable, and adds to the wellbeing of our area. This is a great way to celebrate their contributions while bringing tourists into our towns.”

The Studio Tour remains free to the public thanks to the generous support of our sponsors: The Litchfield Distillery, Housatonic Heritage, The Matthews Group and The Kestrel Foundation. Our media sponsors are WSHU and the RepublicanAmerican. The Northwest Connecticut Arts Council gets year round support from the Connecticut Office of the Arts/ DECD.