Visitors welcomed at studios in East Boulder County Artists tour

Gallery shows and exhibitions have become ubiquitous in the Front Range's ever-expanding arts scene, but the opportunity to actually step into an artist's studio remains rare — and, artists say, more illuminating.

"My favorite part of a studio tour is being able to just see and embrace people's creative spaces," said Berthoud-based metal artist Charlotte Zink who, who shows in Longmont. "I feel like it is interesting to watch the steps they go through and see the space that is full of things that inspire (the artist)."

But why settle for going into one artist's studio when you could go into, say, 16 of them instead?

That's the thinking behind the East Boulder County Artists Studio Tour, which on Saturday and Sunday will provide the opportunity to check out the latest masterpieces from Zink and 37 artists based in and around Boulder County at 16 studios in Longmont, Erie, Louisville, Lafayette and Niwot.

Robin Bryant, the president of tour organizer East Boulder County Artists, a nonprofit, described the event as a self-guided tour during which all of the studios listed on the tour brochure will be open to the public between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. That brochure can be found at ebcacolorado.org.

"It's just a nice community event and it provides some educational opportunities for people to learn about how we all create our art," said Bryant, a potter whose Longmont studio will be a tour destination.

New artists join tour

According to Bryant, all of the artists who are showing on the tour will be present at the studios where their art is displayed, and many will be doing demonstrations during the tour, so visitors can see them in action.

"For example, I have my studio in part of my garage, so I will have my wheels and my kiln and all that, and I'm hosting four other artists in the studio with me," she said. "There will be another potter and there will be a glass artist and a jewler and a metal artist."

Bryant said glass lovers in particular will not want to miss stopping at glass blower Angelo Ambrosia's studio, where Ambrosia's entire crew will be blowing glass the whole weekend.

The participating artists work in a variety of mediums, including clay, painting, metalworking and jewelry. This year's tour will also include several new artists and many of the stops will feature artists working in multiple mediums, she said.

Among the artists who attendees of past EBCA Studio Tours will likely recognize is David Beumée, who founded EBCA 19 years ago. Beumée, who is known for his pottery, will be showing photographs for the first time during the tour, as well as "one-of-a-kind monoprints." The photos, he said, were taken during a recent trip to Northern California's redwoods region and the Oregon coast.

Beumée said he also appreciates the fact that the tour allows artists to sell their work directly to the public.

"Both wholesale and consignment sales are a 50-50 agreement where you are giving up 50 percent of the sale price automatically in the agreement with the gallery, so this is a chance for the artist to sell retail directly to the public," he said. "In a profession that is difficult to make a living at anyway, it provides quite an opportunity for any artist."

Paul Albani-Burgio: 970-699-5407, paulalbani-burgio@prairiemountainmedia.com