It’s time for another Art Studio Tour on Guemes Island! This event is quickly becoming a favorite activity for Islanders and visitors from the mainland. Not only do we get to ride around the island taking in the beauty of our little paradise, but we also get to see, firsthand, the talent of those who call it home. If you head to the Community Hall first, you can grab a map and a cup of coffee before you head out on your island art adventure. 

In addition to some familiar favorites, June’s tour will welcome some new faces. The Horneman family representatives will grow by two and can be found in the Community Hall. In December, we were introduced to 10-year-old Scarlet, who loves chickens and dragons, drawing and sculpting. Her jewelry and magnet inventory will be augmented by her 6-year-old sister, Violet, who loves her cat, rabbits, and cooking. Violet has also been painting with watercolors since she was 2. Their mom, Shauna, will offer artisanal soap. The ingredients for her soap come from herbs she grows and the daily milking of their goats. This busy mom handcrafts the soaps during naptime. The LeBoutillier family will also be represented at the Hall. Devon and her dad, Chris, are crowd favorites with their greeting cards that feature Devon’s graphic arts and Chris’s nature photographs. The talent runs deep with this family! Shout out to Devon for all her hard work designing everything for the Studio Tour and all her other Guemes Island Community Center Association support.

The Community Hall will also house some additional jewelry artists. Susan Brendon delivers jewelry and home décor that she crafts from found items. Expect to find lots of stones, glass, and wire united in ways that are sure to please. Laura Ferguson of AMAZEBALLSaf creates colorful jewelry with whimsical themes that will bring a smile to your face. New to the tour, Erik Kankaala will feature his made-to-order leather bags.  Erik was trained by a retired Hermès craftsman in Zurich, Switzerland. His sturdy pieces are saddle stitched by hand. If you’re looking for something different to adorn your body, Frea Gladish is back with her indigo dyed clothing. The soothing blue of this natural dye makes her comfortable products a pleasure to wear. Similar in color, Karen Lamphere will introduce us to wet cyanotypes, which are basically photographic blueprints that, once seen, will beg to be hung on your wall! 

There will be two groups of artists whose profits will support other causes. The library will benefit from Guemes Gear sales along with creations by four artists – Bill Clark’s wooden art, painted rocks by Dave and Karen Shill, and MitreCraft pieces. The Ferry Trail supporters will include the popular repurposed bags by John Strathman along with a group of 6 friends (Mari Walsh-Smith, Maryam Schutz, Katie Johnson, Mary Heath, Bonnie Olpin and Nancy Liggett) who meet to play and make art on Guemes. Their affordable print cards along with a few original watercolor paintings will help to see the Guemes Island Ferry Trail completed. 

For the first time, the Community Stage will be a stop on the Studio Tour. Three artists will be center stage. Donna McCord has relocated from her usual Beacon Glass studio to display her skill as a glass artist, which is evident in her decorative art and the rainbow of colors in her functional drinking glasses. Look for her to return to her island studio for the December studio tour. Area Farmer’s Markets and shows will be down an artist as Andy Gladish of Element Fe will finally be staying on the island to sell his blacksmithing art. Embellish your inner chef with his beautiful knives. Deanne Elizabeth (Savage) is also new this year and will showcase her oil on canvas paintings, wearable art pieces, and found object garden art.

Tower Arts Studio will play host to three women who each provide unique artwork. The studio owner, Sue Roberts, uses clay to showcase her skill and creative thought processes. She brings life to ideas with the detail found in expressive faces. Sue was awarded the Best of Show for 2023 and her piece was displayed at the Port Transit Shed, part of the Anacortes Art Festival. Amanda Rose will be sharing her paintings and botanically dyed home goods and clothing. Last, but most certainly not least, Cathy Schoenberg will offer paintings, cards, and her extremely popular calendars.

Despite being a little out of the way, an Atlas Arts visit is a must! Not only is there a killer view, but owner Kara Simons and her friend Jennie Mimnaugh will be treating the buyer to a selection of their ceramics.

Jennie’s pieces are rooted in island life, featuring crabs and Guemes Island shaped imagery for her decoration, and Kara’s are mostly functional ceramic art, impulse crafts, and a little kitchen witchery. It’s the year of the rabbit and Kara looooves bunnies and will have several rabbit characters on her work. 

The final artists are all in their own studios. Loalynda Bird is responsible for our yearly Luminary Parade and when she’s not teaching people how to make their own luminary, she’s creating some to sell.

She also has a selection of her paintings, macrame, painted rocks, and illustrations. Bob Anderson also makes luminaries in addition to sculptures, bas-reliefs/sand castings, drawings, and photography. Bob was our April Artist of the Month. 

Tim Wittman was March’s Artist of the Month, and he creates unbelievable wood sculptures that must be seen in person. He has a talent for bringing out the character that’s hiding in the wood. David McKibben is also a master with wood. He turns bowls and makes small wood items, often with trees from Guemes Island. He’s been working with segmented wood and has also added a Guemes shaped cutting board to his repertoire.

Marietta Harrigan always wanted to do art and when she was finally able to finish her fine art degree, she was a busy mom who had to focus on her family and earning a living. She spent many years trying to make a buck in various jobs, from sign maker to 3D computer artist and tech analyst. She finally came home to art and now she shares her oil paintings and art cards with us. Finally, Sequoia Ferrel delights us with not only watercolor paintings, but also something more animal in nature…botanical dyed yarn and sheep skins! 

Break out your calendar and be sure to write in Saturday, June 3rd from 10am-4pm so you don’t forget to head out the door to explore. As long as you’re putting that date on your calendar, why don’t you add Saturday, December 2nd as well? December’s Studio Tour will see the return of favorites like Jan Smiley’s weaving, Les Eelkema’s decorated paddles, Tom Hancock’s wood and metal functional items, and Chris Shuman’s paintings.