Art studio tour sparks knowledge and creativity

Local artisans offer a sneak peek into their world

Susan Schell

of the Gateway

It’s not every day that anyone can wander into an artist’s home studio and watch them busy at work. But during the Greater Gig Harbor Open Studio Tour Sept. 19-20, people can do just that.

Armed with a map of locations in the area, art lovers can take a leisurely self-guided tour on one or two days of the hidden-away enclaves of the artistically talented. Art enthusiasts or the merely curious can visit a handful or a multitude of 29 open studios and meet the creators, free of charge.

The tour will be available from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days and spans the lower peninsula area including Gig Harbor, the Key Peninsula, Olalla, Purdy and Fox and Raft islands.

The tour will host painters, pastel artists, sculptors, fiber artists, jewelry designers, glass artists, potters, sumi-e-artists and musical instrument craftsmen.

New artists will be featured on the tour, plus returning favorites whom people may want to visit again, or ones they missed on the tour last year.

“I’d like to stress the importance of the educational aspect of this tour,” said Barb Bourscheidt, publicity committee member. “The reason that so many artists will be demonstrating is so people can witness the steps in the processes involved in creating each medium.”

Although many of the artists are well-known and have their work in galleries throughout the area, this is a rare chance to get a behind-the-scenes look at their skills and talent in a relaxed, approachable atmosphere.

“I meet a lot of people, and I try to set up a party atmosphere so people enjoy themselves,” said Al Johnsen, a well-known painter of West Coast scenes. “It gives me a connection with the community. It’s really an open house — I’ll have hors dourves and drinks for visitors.”

Johnsen’s studio sits at the end of Gig Harbor Bay, overlooking the water. He is the driving force behind the tour itself, having brought the idea from the art-rich community of Santa Cruz, Calif., where he taught pottery and drawing at the University of California Santa Cruz.

When Johnsen moved to Gig Harbor in the early 1990s, he thought the Maritime City had enough of an art community to support such a venue. The Gig Harbor tour was launched in 1993 and has been growing steadily ever since.

This year’s tour might be someone’s golden opportunity to find a treasure they can enjoy for years. Johnsen said his work on display will be priced to sell.

“The economy is so bad, and people just don’t have the extra money,” he said. “There will be fine art that you can afford. Anybody can buy an original painting here.”

“Sometimes people don’t understand why original art costs so much,” Bourscheidt said. “It’s because it isn’t mass-produced by a machine somewhere. This gives the visitor a greater appreciation of what goes into making art.”

The variety of work on the tour will offer something for everyone, from the delicate curves of wooden harps, to one-of-a-kind jewelry, to sculpted glass that graces exquisite restaurants.

Bourscheidt said witnessing artists at work may spark an interest in observers who may want to pick up the craft and find an outlet for their own creativity.

“Art speaks to different people in different ways,” she said. “Sometimes people find that by witnessing an artist at work; they find something they become passionate about.”

Open studio tour

The Greater Gig Harbor Art Studio Tour offers two days of creativity. A downloadable map of this year’s Open Studio Tour is available at www.gigharboropenstudiotour.org.

The tour will be held from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sept. 19-20.