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Studio tour celebrates 10th anniversary
Rhett Owings painting
Visitors to the Stanislaus County Artist Open Studio Tour can enter a free drawing to win a piece created by local artists like this painting by Rhett Owings (Photo contributed).

Local artists from around Stanislaus County will open their studios to the public during the 10th anniversary of the Artist Open Studio Tour.

The self-guided studio tour will be held from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on April 23 and 24. A free booklet, available online and in print, contains photos of the art and descriptions of the 41 artists on the tour.   

Tour participants can plan their route to visit artisans and makers of jewelry, ceramics, paintings, wood working, mosaic, textiles, photography and metal working. Artists may show visitors the tools and materials while demonstrating some of their skills. 

Rhett Ownings plein aire
Participants on the Stanislaus Artist Open Studio tour will have a chance to see artists demonstrating their skills, like Turlock painter Rhett Owens.

Visitors can purchase directly from the artists while supporting the local art community. Also, visitors can enter a free drawing to win an art piece created by artists Rhett Owings, Barbara Gill, Randy Crimmel or Richard Bradshaw.

Artists will display directional signs to their studios or outdoor spaces. The tour booklet will be available at the Carnegie Arts Center, 250 N. Broadway, Turlock, Mistlin Gallery, 1015 J Street, Modesto, or online at www.stanislausaos.com

artist open studio 2
Artisans of all kinds will open their studios, including Modesto mosaics creator Karen Kingsbury.

The first Artist Open Studio tour was organized in 2010 by Alice Richards, who provided the start-up money and organized the artists from the Central California Art Association. Mistlin Gallery hosted the artists’ potlucks and distributed materials for the artists. The Gallo Center for the Arts hosted previews for Open Studio Artists in the lobby. The first tour map was $10 and included 30 artists and a “passport” with entry form to win a piece of art. The tour repaid Richards and became self-sufficient. COVID cancelled the 2020 tour, however, and the booklets were discarded. Following COVID guidelines, the tour resumed in October 2021 and became free to the public. This year’s event includes eleven artists who participated in the original inaugural 2011 tour.