Holiday studio tour begins this weekend

By Elizabeth Shepherd • November 28, 2018 1:30 am
Locally-made paintings, ceramics, mosaic, glass, jewelry and more will be on view (Courtesy Photos) (Max Sarkowsky Photo, far right.)
Locally-made paintings, ceramics, mosaic, glass, jewelry and more will be on view (Courtesy Photos) (Max Sarkowsky Photo, far right.)

Islanders can experience art up close and personal when the members of Vashon Island Visual Artists (VIVA) collectively fling open their doors to the public during the upcoming holiday studio tour and sale from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays, Dec. 1, 2, 8 and 9.

The studio tour, founded in the 1970s by a small group of artists, has now grown to include the work of more than 100 artists at almost 40 studios tucked away at locations all over the island. Several galleries, including The Hardware Store Restaurant Gallery, Vashon Center for the Arts’ Koch Gallery, Judd Creek Ranch Gallery, Gather Vashon and VALISE, will also participate in the tour, which includes a plethora of choices for choices for colorful and original holiday gifts.

The tour will kick off early at Waterworks Studio, at 7012 SW 240th St., with an opening party at 6 p.m. Friday, Nov. 30. The studio’s collective of 20 artists will display woodwork, ceramics, jewelry, sketches, soap, watercolors, textiles, home and garden items, photography, knitwear and paintings for the show. Party-goers can also ogle ornaments by each of the members adorning an artist’s tree. An art raffle that evening will benefit the Vashon-Maury Community Food Bank.

Another show opening on Friday night, from 6 to 9 p.m., will be at The Hardware Store Restaurant Gallery, where Pam Ingalls will have a show of oil paintings inspired by or created in Italy.

“I love it there, so I continue to profess my love with paint,” said Ingalls, adding that guitarist and composer Daryl Redeker will also be on hand Friday to serenade art lovers with music.

At VALISE, members of the cooperative gallery will offer an array of small, 5 x 5 inch works of art by member artists. Artists include Andrea Bellon, Gregory Bellon, Adrian Chesser, Julian Dahl, Jennifer Hawke, Pascale Judet, Rachel LordKenaga, Jiji Saunders, Sharon Shaver, Hita Von Mende and George Wright.

For a map of all 38 tour locations, see vivaartists.com or visit the Vashon Island Art Studios’ Facebook page. Tour brochures, also containing maps and studio descriptions, are available at most island businesses.