KITE by Charles Rogers

Fill up the gas tank in your car, load up your family and friends and head out to one of Tucson’s most popular events. It is the Tucson Open Studios where you will get to meet some of Tucson’s finest artists in their studios and homes this weekend and see their unique creations. The event takes place this coming Saturday and Sunday, April 13 & 14 from 11:00 am – 5:00 pm in over 75 locations with more than 140 artists participating.

It is happening all over Tucson. Expect to see about every kind of art medium you can imagine from oil or acrylic on canvas, glass, textile art, jewelry, ceramics, print making, sculptures in different mediums, photography, and more.

Janet Burner in her studio

Tucson Open Studios event is funded and promoted by the artists themselves as it has been for the past number of years.  This year there are a number of new professional artists that have not been seen by the Tucson public prior to this weekend.

The advantage to viewing work in this open studios format is to see work as it is being created and to be able to talk to the creative person about it.  By just looking at a blank canvas or a bag of clay you realize that without the creative energy and passion of these artists nothing would appear.

“Two Chickens” by Brenda Huettner

Two new professional artists that have studios near mine in Dunbar Springs are Charles Rogers on University Blvd. (painting at top of this article) and Brenda Huettner on 9th Ave.  When visiting Brenda’s display in her Dunbar Springs home be sure and check out the Poo Monkey from the closed Magic Carpet in her side yard. She and her husband had it totally restored.

For participating artists and the location to their studios visit the Tucson Studio Tours website that lists all the artists on tour with a sample of their work and directions to their studios. http://tucsonopenstudios.com

Birthmark by Kyle Johnston

In the printed April issue of  Zocalo magazine a majority of the artists are listed with their locations. This year the event has attracted lots of media coverage in Zocalo,Tucson Weekly,  the new Tucson Happenings magazine, the Arizona Daily Star (Sunday 4/7/13 issue) and on several radio stations. It is obvious this is a much-anticipated event.

I highly recommend you taking advantage of this great opportunity to see great art, meet the creators and buy a piece for your own collection this weekend.

Full of It by Art Toones

Award winning artist Art Toones is opening her studios this weekend as part of the TPAC Open Studios Tour this Saturday 11/15 and Sunday 11/16. There are over 167 artists this year opening their studios to the public.

On Thursday, November 12, I attended the Open Studios exhibition at Gallery 801 Main St. put on by the Tucson Pima Arts Council.  Art professor, Alfred Quiroz, of the University of Arizona was chosen as judge to pick the “best of show.”  Art Toones , ceramic creation was selected for first place and receives a check for $500. Out of all the great art at this exhibition this piece really stood out as exceptional.

The winning ceramic sculpture titled ” Beneath” is the creation of professional Tucson artist Art Toones. I was so impressed with her work I immediately called her and received information for this article and recommend art patrons to visit her at her studio called Reality Check Studios.  Her location and that of the other artists participating this weekend can be seen at at: http://www.tucsonopenstudios.com/ost/ost-online-program-2009.pdf

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