by McKenna Friend

Details at the end of this post on how to win tickets to this event!

The Arts Consortium is offering an exclusive behind-the-scenes look into the world of local artists with the first biennial South Valley Artists’ Studio Tour: Opening Doors/Opening Minds, taking place March 22-24, 2013. Over the course of three days, more than 30 Tulare County artists (listed below) will open their personal studio doors to the public, demonstrating their individual creative processes and sharing different phases and facets of their work.

The Arts Consortium, the active non-profit arts council for all of Tulare County, is one of the state’s local partners of the California Arts Council. The organization also works closely with other non-profits, local governments, businesses, and individuals to provide opportunities to create and celebrate the arts for all residents and visitors. The Arts Consortium brought us the 5-day Taste the Arts festival back in September and is now thrilled to be able to bring such a unique experience to artists and studio tour guests alike.

Art by Stephen L Ball

Ticket holders for this tour can ask the artists questions, watch them in action, and potentially build a more personalized relationship with artists in our community. There will be something for everyone. Each artist offers something different: watercolorists (like this year’s featured artist Steven L. Ball of Springville), aerosol artists, wood carvers, weavers, ceramicists, printmakers, and photographers, are only some of those represented.

Studios involved in this tour stretch from Dinuba to Springville. All Studio Tourists will pick up their passport, name badge, and map at one of our three Embassies at: Arts Visalia (214 E Oak Avenue), Tulare Historical Museum (444 West Tulare Avenue), and the Lindsay Art Gallery (165 Gale Hill). These embassies will be open during the entire tour, beginning at 4:30 on Friday, March 22. Not only will the tourists be provided detailed maps, but also suggested routes to get the best mileage.

This rare opportunity only comes every two years and space is limited, so purchase your $15 reservation tickets today. Yes, that comes out to $5 per day or less than 50 cents per studio! Tickets are on sale now at the above locations and online at www.artsconsortium.org. The ticket price goes up to $20 after March 22.

Currently at the COS Gallery is the South Valley Artists’ Studio Tour: Opening Doors/Opening Minds Exhibition featuring a piece of art from the artists involved in the tour. The exhibition at COS is through March 22 at the gallery located at 915 S Mooney Blvd, in the Kaweah Building, Room 214 A and is free to the public.

Join these respected local artists this March 22-24 with the South Valley Artists’ Studio Tour: Opening Doors/Opening Minds.

Steven L. Ball, Watercolor (2013 Featured Artist)
Toni Best, Basketry
Kevin Bowman, Printmaking
Jeri Burzin, Photography
Connie Butterfield, Clay
David Castro, Paint
John Coppola, Mixed Media
Patricia Crose, Ceramics
Piet Eppinga, Stoneware
Louise Fisher, Clay
Lonni Flowers, Watercolor
Russ Friend, Photography
Cecile Garrison, Gourds
Erik Gonzalez, Aerosol
Linda Hengst, Oil
Nel Huie, Oil
Shirley Keller, Ceramics
Sam McKinney, Gourds
Anthony Mendoza, Clay
Dix Miller, Watercolor
Amie Rangel, Charcoal
Matthew Rangel, Lithographs
Marn Reich, Clay
Mark Robinson, Stone Carving
Deanna Saldana, Mixed Media
Joan Seibel, Clay
John Sundstrom, Sculpture
Sherley Tucker, Pottery
Linda Victory, Gourds
Ernie Weerasinghe, Oil
Ginny Wilson, Photography

To enter to win a pair of tickets to the tour, simply email KRL at life@kingsriverlife[dot]com by replacing the [dot] with a period, and with the subject line “artists,” or comment on this article. A winner will be chosen March 20, 2013.