ART STUDIO TOUR

It’s again time for Guemes Island’s popular Artist Studio Tour on Saturday, December 3rd from 10 AM – 4 PM. Guemes Island is home to more than its fair share of extremely talented artists and this tour presents the opportunity to see some of their works in person and even take some home! Plan to spend a few hours traversing the island in search of new treasures for yourself or get that holiday shopping started. First up, let’s take care of your nutritional needs. New this year is Emma’s!  Emma Moline will offer hot and cold beverages plus a wide range of snacks. She will be at the Community Center from 9:30 to 4:00. There will be an outside window or indoor service for your convenience. The Soup-To-Go crew will again be offering a selection of tasty soups, so your growling tummy won’t distract you from your viewing pleasure. Drive-thru service will run from 11:00 to 1:00 at the Community Church and $5.00 will get you soup, bread, and dessert. Profits will benefit the Guemes Island Fire Department.

The highest concentration of artists will be at the Community Center. Some are selling items to support the Ferry to Park Trail. Artist created scrubbies and a raffle along with Upcycled Animal Feed Bag Totes, by John Strathman, painted rocks, and a Maryam Schutz design t-shirt will be available. The library will also be fundraising by selling Guemes Gear and artist creations including Karen Shill’s painted rocks, and select items from MitreCraft.

The Community Center is thrilled to play host to the youngest artist on the tour. Scarlet Horneman is beginning her career with her company named Where the Wild Clay Grows and will sell jewelry and collectible figurines. How exciting that we on Guemes Island will be able to say we knew her way back when…

Other artists who will be at the Community Center include Susan Brendon who uses items found in nature to create jewelry perfect for a gift that speaks of Guemes Island’s beauty. There will also be two fiber artists. Heidi Brewer-Peters will feature handwoven rugs, art journals, collages, and beadwork. Jan Smiley will be selling her beautiful hand weaving and hand knitting items. Dawn Mertens, whose mixed media/drawing is hard to define into one art style, lets her inspiration guide her to a finished product. Hopefully her work inspires you to guide it into your shopping bag! Father and daughter, Chris and Devon LeBoutillier, will be selling photo prints, greeting cards, and calendars. Chris is a noted wildlife photographer and Devon does amazing graphic design. Her Guemes Christmas cards will fly out the door!

Tower Arts Studio will include four artists.  Owner Sue Roberts will feature her functional ceramics (her sculpture was Awarded Best of Show at the 2022 Anacortes Art Festival!) and her Tickled Pink Homemade Chocolates. Her creations will delight the eye and sweet tooth of all!  Cedar Petrick, of Hummingbird Island Farm, will offer a beautiful blend of colors and textures with her dried botanical wreaths. Amanda Rose creates useful and colorful objects of art in the form of paintings and botanically dyed home goods and clothing. Another Anacortes Arts Festival award winner is Cathy Schoenberg. Her paintings, cards, and calendars are always popular!

Not every artist will be bundled together with others. Visit the individual studios of Loalynda Bird of Paper Birds Studio (newly remodeled!), Donna McCord of Beacon Glass Center, and David McKibben of Shavings & Sawdust Woodshop. These stops will include luminary light home designs, painted rocks for the garden, macrame wall décor, illustrated greeting cards, gift certificates for classes offered, turned wood bowls, and small wooden items. Beacon Glass is an active glass hot shop.

Two separate studios are located on the property of Kit Marcinko, so be sure to find them both. Kit is our oldest artist and has an amazing eye for turning natural items or found objects into art creations. Kate Taylor will feature her painting, digital prints, and mixed media

Three more locations will house an additional six artists. Eelkema Studio will house Les with his repurposed wood, metal art, and his beautiful canoe paddles. Tom Hancock will also be selling his wood furniture and décor made from wine barrels. His donation of metal orbs now frames the gardens at the Community Stage. Last month’s Featured Artist, Marietta Harrigan, will be at her own studio along with Chris Shuman. Here you can look for cards that were featured in a show at the Anacortes Arts Festival, and hand painted glass tree ornaments. Let adventure guide you up the mountain to Atlas Studio to see not only an amazing view, but the incredible ceramic works of owner Kara Simons and new show participant Jennie Mimnaugh.