Julian Open Studios Tour Features 19 Artists, New Gallery

Watercolor by participating artist Coral.

By Bobbi Zane

Nineteen emerging and established professional artists will open their studios to visitors during Julian's fifth annual Open Studios Tour, set for Nov. 13-14.

This is a rare opportunity for visitors to meet artists in Julian's emerging arts community, where more than 30 professional artists live and work. Not normally open to the public, all studios are located within a 7-mile radius of Julian.

Art collectors will have a backstage opportunity to meet nearly half of the Julian artists in their own work setting, discuss current projects and get an inside look at gallery exhibitions mounted especially for this event. Collectors will have a chance to purchase or commission original pieces in the intimacy of the artists' own studios.

The Julian tour is unique in its diversity of media, artistic sophistication and sources of inspiration. "Sophisticated elegance" describes photos of Chuck Kimball, while Timothy Hinchcliff creates yarn mosaic paintings with mythical themes. Julian's beautiful forested and mountain countryside inspires the work of Sally Snipes, Stan Goudy and Dorothy Mushet. Don Weeke and Beryl Warnes transform natural fibers into stylishly beautiful objects such as baskets, gourds and handwoven rugs and shawls.

With 14 studios open, this year the tour has been expanded to include Julian's newest art showcase, Art@78 Gallery Collection in Wynola. It is currently showing the "Julian Collection," a selection of works by local artists.

Visitors to the studios will get insight into the creative processes used in weaving, glassmaking, painting, sculpture, fiber art, assemblage, stained glass, ironwork, digital collage, photography, watercolors and printmaking. Participating artists include: Beryl Warnes, Julian Weaving Works; Annie Dover and Stan Goudy; Rachel Pearsey; Charlotte Mitchell; Don Weeke; Leena Hannonen; Chuck Kimball and Nanessence; Ken Wright and Carol Schloo-Wright; Shirley A. Jackson and Coral; Kaya Laudsen; Dorothy Mushet; Ann Reilly; Sally Snipes; Timothy Hinchcliff; and Dexter Mugford.

Julian Open Studios began in 1999, when a trio of artists living along a country lane decided to showcase their work to locals and visitors on a Saturday afternoon. By 2002, Open Studios had expanded to two days and included works of 19 Julian artists, drawing art-loving visitors from Southern California and beyond.

Maps showing locations of all the studios are priced at $15 each, with map sales benefiting the new Julian Library. They are available at the Julian Chamber of Commerce in Town Hall, (760) 765-1857; Art@78 Gallery, (760) 765-9944 in Wynola; Julian Weaving Works in Santa Ysabel, (760) 765-1986; and at Wynola Pizza Express, (760) 765-1004. For more information, visit www.julian studios.org.

Julian Open Studios Tour is a presentation of the Arts Team.