October 2 and 3 mark Vermont’s 10th annual fall Open Studio Weekend. A few years ago, a second Open Studio weekend was added in June, making the statewide self-guided tours a biannual event. Sixty-eight studios and exhibits across the state will participate this fall, including jewelry makers, metal workers, glassblowers, potters and more.
Open Studio sites in the Mad River Valley include Moosewalk Studios and Galleries in Warren, featuring paintings by Gary Eckhart and digitized photography by Roarke Sharlow; Mad Women in the Attic in Moretown, showcasing metal and stained glass by Elga Gemst; and Sprout Industry Designs, highlighting Kelly O’Hearn’s block prints on paper and clothing, also in Moretown. Studio-goers can get a glimpse into the artists’ processes and purchase original artwork directly from the artists.
Studios throughout the state will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, October 2, and Sunday, October 3. Studios will observe COVID-19 guidelines as outlined by the Vermont Department of Health. Studios will likely require masking indoors and may limit visitors to small groups at a time.
The map with all 68 sites can be found at vermontcrafts.com and at the Artisans’ Gallery on Bridge Street in Waitsfield. Studios will be marked with yellow Open Studio signs.
“Use a visit to the studio as an opportunity to view foliage on the roads along the Mad River. Take the trail over the Appalachian Gap and find studios in Starksboro and Bristol. You won't be disappointed to see behind-the-scenes, at-the-work life of artists,” said Martha Fitch, executive director of the Vermont Crafts Council, based in Montpelier.
Open Studio Weekend is supported by the Vermont Arts Council, National Life Insurance and the Point Radio.
