Art Studio Tour adds artists, consolidates locations

Pat Williams of Luxemburg works in her studio on one of her wildlife paintings in advance of next weekend's Northeastern Wisconsin Art Studio Tour. Williams is chairperson and one of the host artists.

The Northeastern Wisconsin version of the Art Studio Tour returns next weekend with some differences.One change is the availability of more artists.

“Last year, we had 15 artists, and this year we have 18,” said Pat Williams, chairperson.

“The Art Studio Tour is to give the public an opportunity to visit the artists and to see how work is done,” Williams said. “What we want to do is try to help the public understand what it takes to create real good art and how it’s made so that they have a greater appreciation of art.”

All the artists are on hand.

“We open our studios to allow people to come into our spaces to talk to us personally, to watch us work, to see how things are made, to ask questions and, if they desire, to purchase something directly from the artist,” Williams said. “That has a lot more value in the long run.”

The tour is artist-run for the first time. In the past, it was a function of the Northeastern Wisconsin Arts Council.

“This year, we have artists who have been on the tour before hosting either new artists or other artists who have been on before but would rather be at a different space and be at a host artist’s residence,” Williams said.

Some artists “cannot for one reason or another have John Q. Public come into their space or their home,” she said.

The 18 artists are at 10 locations.“I think from everything that we have heard so far that the the public is very excited about the opportunity to visit more than one artist at a stop,” Williams said. “To have several artists at any given location is a draw. It helps them with gas.”

It’s the 11th year for the tour.