Vermont Open Studios May 26 and 27

20th Year of the Annual Event

By: Vermont - Apr 04, 2012

Celebrating 20 years of inviting the public on a tour of private studios.

The familiar yellow signs will dot the state.

Come on in.

Glass artist Debora Coombs.

Harry Besett demonstrates glassblowing to Open Studio visitors at his studio in Hardwick, Vermont. (Photo: Wendy Besett)

Furniture maker Bob Gasperetti with a small portion of his collection of lumber in his Mt. Tabor studio near Manchester, Vermont. (Photo: Anne Majusiak)

Jeremy Ayers throws pots in his studio in Waterbury, Vermont (Photo: Anne Majusiak

 

Yellow signs will once again dot the Vermont landscape over Memorial Day Weekend, leading locals and tourists alike to the workspaces of 259 artists and craftspeople who will open their studios to the public for Vermont Open Studio Weekend's landmark 20^th year.

2012 marks 20 years of Open Studio Weekend in Vermont and is a unique opportunity for people to meet a wide variety of artists and craftspeople in their studios, some of which are only open to the public during this event. As always, the two-day event is held over Memorial Day weekend, this year on May 26^th and 27^th. Visitors will be able to learn how art and craft is made at the studios of glass blowers, jewelers, printmakers, potters, furniture makers, weavers, ironworkers, painters, sculptors, quilt makers and wood carvers. Many galleries will also host gallery talks and feature special exhibits in conjunction with Vermont Open Studio Weekend.

The Crafts Council will honor two craft studios that have been part of Open Studio for all 20 years: Glassblowers Harry and Wendy Besett from Hardwick and furniture maker Bob Gasperetti from Mount Tabor. Also being honored by the VCC are other long-time participants including individuals, collaborative groups of artists, and organizations serving as information centers.

Vermont Spring Open Studio Weekend is a statewide celebration of the visual arts and the creative process in which Vermont artists and craftspeople invite the public to visit them in their studios. The Vermont Crafts Council launched Open Studio Weekend in 1993 as a way to increase the visibility of artists and craftspeople in Vermont. The event's goal is to foster an appreciation for the creative process and the role that artists and craftspeople play in the vitality of Vermont's communities.

Visitors return to Open Studio year after year, choosing different regions of Vermont to explore. Martha Fitch, executive director of the Vermont Crafts Council says that Open Studio Weekend is "new" each year because the groups of studio and gallery sites vary annually. According to Fitch, "About 40% of the map changes each year as studios take a year off, and new studios join the tour. This accounts for about 80 new sites every year and allows for new geographic clusters to emerge."

The Vermont Crafts Council publishes a free map booklet with directions to participating sites. The Vermont Studio Tour Guide is available at Vermont Information Centers, from individual studios and galleries, or by emailing a request to vt1crafts@aol.com.

The Vermont Crafts Council is a non-profit organization serving the Vermont visual arts community. Open Studio Weekend is supported by the farmers who own Cabot Creamery, The Vermont Arts Council and the Vermont Department of Tourism and Marketing. Additional information about Open Studio Weekend can be found online at www.vermontcrafts.com/