One of the areas most anticipated art events, the Northwoods Summer Art Tour, will be held Friday through Sunday, July 29-31. Thirty-two selected studios will be open to the public from 10 a.m.–5 p.m. all three days. Visitors will have the opportunity to visit private studios not generally open to the public and experience how artists live and work, view artists creating, sharing their inspirations and make purchases directly from them. The free tour is self-guided and meanders through some of the most scenic byways of Iron, Vilas, Oneida, Lincoln and Langlade counties. No reservations or tickets are needed. Guests are welcome to visit as many or as few studios as their interests and time allow. Brochures with colorful maps and directions are available at area Chambers of Commerce, many local businesses and on the tour web site at www.northwoodsarttour.com.
The Northwoods Art Tour is now in its 17th year. Members are always growing, changing and offering something fresh. Whether choosing to visit a favorite studio or one of the seven new studios accepted for membership this year, visitors are sure to see something special. There are a wide variety of quality art experiences available to choose from including photography, weaving, pottery, painting in oil, watercolor, acrylic, collage, pastel mixed media, wood works and furniture in many styles, wood carving, drawing, glassworks, original prints, gourd art, quilting and jewelry.
Artists are looking forward to sharing their new projects and inspirations and hearing visitor’s thoughts and stories. Jack Stayer, glass artist, of Sand Lake Trading Company, Lac du Flambeau, sent his guests a questionnaire last year to find out what they liked most about the tour. A few responses include:
“Many of us who do not live in the area try to schedule our visits to the Northwoods to coincide with the Art Tour. If this isn’t a testament to a quality experience then I don’t know quality.”
“Quite simply put, it’s truly a unique form of enjoyment. The sheer breadth of artwork set within the beauty of the Northwoods adds an element not present anywhere else. If you’re looking for a relaxing, positive and friendly atmosphere where you can sample art forms not seen in other parts of the country then this art tour is just the ticket.”
“To sum it all up, I enjoy the awe-inspiring beauty, the interaction, and through ownership of the art, a chance to pass on a piece of the artist as a family heirloom.”
Carl Gromoll of Carl Gromoll Woodworks, Eagle River, describes the tour from an artist’s point of view:
“People who are interested in the art and process of making come from all over and become a community, sharing ideas and stories about their and my and other members’ work. They get to be part of the setting, see how I manipulate an idea and materials, the way the tools move, the energy needed, the logic of a workspace.“
Whether the tool used is a paint brush, a chisel, a loom, a needle and thread, a potter’s wheel, an etching press, a camera, or a pencil, artists share their inner world and express ideas through their creations. All the artists of the Northwoods Art Tour look forward to sharing this creative experience, process and its results with their visitors.