SPRING OPEN STUDIO WEEKEND PRESS RELEASE
Contact: Martha Fitch, Director
Vermont Crafts Council
802-223-3380
vt1crafts@aol.com
21ST SPRING OPEN STUDIO WEEKEND IS SET FOR MAY 25 AND 26
A Look Behind the Scenes at Studios of 242 Artisans Across Vermont
It must be Open Studio Weekend when bright yellow signs appear along Vermont's roads over Memorial Day weekend, guiding visitors to studios of 242 craftspeople and fine artists across Vermont during the 2013 Open Studio Tour on May 25 and 26.
This year's tour features a number of artists new to the tour, giving long-time Open Studio visitors some fresh destinations to explore. There are also some new clusters of studios in Lincoln, Wilmington, Chittenden, Middlesex and Greensboro. Many visitors plan to head to their favorite studios to see what new art works await them.
Open Studio Weekend is a statewide celebration of the visual arts and creative process, offering a unique opportunity for visitors to meet a wide variety of artists and craftspeople in their studios, some of which are only open to the public during this event.
The self-guided Open Studio tour features the work of glassblowers, jewelers, printmakers, potters, furniture makers, weavers, ironworkers, painters, sculptors, quilt makers and wood carvers. Many galleries will host gallery talks and feature special exhibits in conjunction with this event.
This May, the Vermont Crafts Council which organizes the event, is honoring four studios that have reached their 20th year of participating in Spring Open Studio Weekend:
- William Laberge, William Laberge Cabinetmaker near Dorset
- Marion Waldo McChesney, The Pawlet Potter near Pawlet
- Fred and Judi Danforth, Danforth Pewter in Middlebury
- Robert Compton, Robert Compton Pottery near Bristol
Martha Fitch, the Executive Director of the Vermont Crafts Council, says the allure of the Open Studio tour is that "it takes you through the real Vermont in a safe and controlled way. The road may go on and on, but the yellow Open Studio signs along with the Open Studio map will guide visitors to every studio."
The Vermont Crafts Council (VCC) publishes a free map booklet with directions to participating sites. The Vermont Open Studio Guide is available throughout the state at Tourist Information Centers, galleries and studios. It is also available on the VCC website, http://www.vermontcrafts.com. or by calling 802-223-3380.
VCC launched Open Studio Weekend in 1993 to increase the visibility of artists and craftspeople in Vermont and to foster an appreciation for the creative process and the role that artists and craftspeople play in the vitality of Vermont's communities.
The Vermont Crafts Council is a non-profit organization serving the Vermont visual arts community. Open Studio Weekend is supported by the galleries of Vermont State Craft Centers and by 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/or by calling the Vermont Crafts Council at 802-223-3380.
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