Working artists in the Verde Valley will be opening their private studios to the public for the 16th annual Sedona Spring Open Studios Tour, which will be held Friday, April 26, through Sunday, April 28.
This wonderful biannual self-guided event is presented by the Sedona Visual Artists’ Coalition and is always free to the public. The tour runs from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday, April 26 and 27, and from noon to 5 p.m. Sunday, April 28.
The Tour’s co-chairs, clay artist Mike Upp and painter Julie Ronning Talbot, are counting the days until the Spring Tour kicks off. “Astounding, gratifying and exciting,” are words that both artists use to describe the phenomenal growth of the Open Studios Tour from approximately 20 artists in the early days to 50 artists in the upcoming spring tour.
The SVAC Tour has built a reputation as a wonderful weekend for art lovers to visit with professional artists in their working studios, as well as an opportunity to purchase art while enjoying the beautiful landscape of Sedona and the Verde Valley. Past tour visitors have reported that one of the distinct pleasures of shopping on the studio tour is spending time with the wide variety of artists who offer a personal look at how and where their work is made.
Upp explained that artists enjoy demonstrating their creative processes as they share their workspaces and, more importantly, make that special and personal connection with buyers and visitors alike.
“For the visitor, the Open Studios experience invites the artwork to speak much more intimately to them as it provides an opportunity to gain a deeper appreciation and understanding of the creative process,” Upp said, adding that a major appeal of such an experience is the chance to buy gorgeous, one-of-a-kind and locally produced artwork directly from the artist. “The wide range of style, quality and art forms is a testament to the thriving vitality of the arts community in Sedona and the beautiful Verde Valley.”
This coming spring, there will be 50 artists participating in Sedona, the Village of Oak Creek, Cornville, Cottonwood and Clarkdale. Open Studios visitors agree the tour is a way to experience the creative process as a real hands-on learning event, with the invitation to watch demonstrations as a top draw.
“There’s really no way not to be charmed, beguiled and thrilled with something different in whatever your favorite medium is — be it glass, ceramics, pottery, sculpture, jewelry, painting, drawings, digital art, photography, fiber, weaving, mixed media, silks … it’s all here,” Talbot and Upp said.
Brochures with a complete list of participating artists and a map of their studios, will be conveniently available at numerous locations around the Verde Valley, including hotels and restaurants, as well as the Sedona Arts Center and the Chamber of Commerce visitor center in Uptown Sedona. Complete information — including artists’ names and mediums, studio locations, a downloadable map and suggestions and ideas for planning a personalized tour — is available by visiting the SVAC website at sedonaartistscoalition.org.
The Sedona Visual Artists’ Coalition is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit educational and charitable organization. This inclusive organization welcomes artists at all levels and encourages creativity, community and camaraderie. Benefits of membership include promotion of an individual’s artwork on the group’s website, opportunities to showcase art, the Open Studios Tour, social events and networking possibilities. Contact Mike Upp at mjupp10@gmail.com or (503) 789-4437 for more information.
