Artists in Saugerties will be opening their studios to the public on August 13 and 14, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Visitors will be able to see their work space, tools and finished works, buy works and discuss the artists’ work with them.
The studio tour will be preceded by a number of events, the first of which was a July 15 showing of one work each by many of the artists whose studios will be open. Held at the renovated Dutch barn behind Kiersted House, the art showing drew at least 150 people, said Marjory Block, president of the Saugerties Historical Society, headquartered at Kiersted House. The exhibit will remain at Kiersted House through July 31.
Block provides the barn free to the art tour, but the barn it is beginning to pay for itself, with several weddings and other events booked for this summer and fall. “It is not good to have it standing empty,” she said. “It should serve the community.”
Art work by the participating artists will be on display at Opus 40 on Fite Road from August 12 to September 12, with an opening reception on August 12, from 5 to 7 p.m.
The tour includes 44 artists, whose studios are throughout the town. Businesses in the village are displaying art work in their windows. The exhibits will be in place through August 15.
This year, 44 artists are participating, including several who have not previously been part of the tour.
One of the new artists, Tara Bach, has been “seriously painting” for about three year. She quit her job to produce art full-time, and said that so far she’s doing well.
The artists’ tour has been working with the historical society before the society imported and reassembled the barn, said Block. “We’re both benefiting from the relationship.” Tour coordinator Barbara Bravo said she and Block had cooperated in applying for a
grant for lighting for the barn.
Yvette Lewis was the curator of the display. The challenge was create interesting smaller spaces within the large space. In some cases, works in view behind the semi-partitions were related in some way the work directly in front of the viewer, she said.
“It was a wonderful experience to bring everyone together. There are so many different styles, and bringing them together was exciting.” The works are placed to display the relationships of shape and texture, she added. Among those who helped put the display together were Grey Morris, Herb Perr, Ulf Logan, Robert George, David Brown and Barbara Bravo.
Artists participating in the tour include a veritable who’s who of Saugerties art: Isaac Abrams, Noelle Auriemma, Tara Bach, Anita Barbour, Ana Bergen, Kelli Bickman, Barbara Bravo, Sharon Broit, David Brown, Jean Campbell, Michael Ciccone, Shelley Davis, Tamara DiMattio, Ruth Edwy, Steve Frederick, Robert George, Josepha Gutelius, Mikhail Horowitz, Jennifer Jewett, Brian Josselyn, Marsha Kaufman-Rubinstein, Kay Kenny, Barbara Tepper Levy, Yvette Lewis, Ulf Loven, Iain Machell, Ann Morris, Grey Morris, Hugh Morris, Michael Nelson, Gus Pedersen, Herb Perr, Bill Reinhart, Joan Reinmuth, Tad Richards, Prue See, Sarkis Simonian, Michael Sullivan Smith, Viorica Stan, Raymond J. Steiner, Marck Webster, Saundie Wilson, Jennifer Zackin and Carol Zaloom.
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