The second annual Art Harvest Tour rolls out this Saturday, Sept. 26 and Sunday, Sept. 27, luring tourists along its 80-mile route with a dozen stops at local studios and galleries.
The free self-guided tour runs both days from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
“This is an opportunity to visit many studios and see where the creativity takes place,” said Mary Rose Nichols of Perry, one of the event’s organizers
This is the second year for what the organizers hope takes root as an annual event on the last weekend in September. Ryk Weiss and Pam Dennis, both sculptors from Ogden, got together with Jenny Eklund, Colleen Eckhoff and Mary Rose Nichols to plan the original Art Harvest Tour event.
New artists’ studios on this year’s route include the Billy Whittling Collection in Boone and Gorman House Photography in Jamaica.
“We think many people are intrigued by what the artist’s studio looks like,” said Nichols, owner of the Mary Rose Collection in Perry. “Using the printable route map as their guide, tour-goers will also be able to follow directional signs along the way as they approach an artist’s studio or a gallery.”
As a kick off to the 2015 Art Harvest Tour, the Cellar at La Poste will host live music, snacks and a cash bar Thursday, Sept. 24. Ryk Weiss, one of the tour’s planners and artists, will don his musician hat and perform an acoustic set with his band, World Citizen. Weiss will sing and play the guitar and will be joined by Dave Sternquist on bass and vocals and Brad Johnson on mandolin.
“Molly will be serving loose-meat sandwiches and potato wedges for $6,” said Jenny Eklund, co-owner of the Cellar at La Poste. Doors will open at 5 p.m., with the live music starting at 6:30 p.m.
Weiss is enthusiastic about the tour’s second year. The innaugural tour attracted several hundred visitors.
“Enjoy the beautiful fall weather and scenery as you visit the studios and galleries of the area’s best artists,” Wiess said. “In addition to enjoying the studios, you’ll see a much wider selection of the artists work, since it doesn’t have to all fit in a van! A few locations will be hosting multiple artists. This lets us include artists without sufficient studio space to host, as well as keeping the number of stops manageable so you can do the tour in a few hours.”
Find more information about the many artists on the tour by visiting the Art Harvest Tour Facebook page. The itinerary for this year’s tour includes:
Perry:
- Mary Rose Collection, 1215 Warford St., Mary Rose Nichols — stained glass; Spring Valley Ranch — fiber, hand-spun yarn
Jamaica:
- Gorman House Photography, 13709 Austin Pl., Melissa Stukenholtz — photography; Michael Lundberg — mixed-media painting
Iowa Highway 141:
- Peterson Studio, 21770 141st St., Perry, Betsy Peterson Designs — painted wooden designs; E.A. Peterson Pottery — functional kitchenware
Woodward:
- Picket Fence Creamery, 14583 S Ave., Creations Looming, Shari Janssen — weaving
Madrid:
- Art House on State, 221 S. State St., Florianna Hayes — pastel paintings, prints; Terry Dooley — watercolor paintings
Iowa Highway 17:
- Cicotti Art Glass, 2306 258th St., Ames, Art Cicotti — handblown glass; Mary Weisgram — pottery
Boone:
- Billy Whittle Collection, 1229 Noble Hills Place, Bill Greenley — woodcarving
U.S. Highway 30:
- Flock 9 Stufios, 893 210th St., Ogden, Pam Dennis and Ryk Weiss — mixed-media sculpture
- Kieffer Manufacturing, 502 E. Oak St., Ogden, Tom, Bob and Ben Kieffer — woodworking
U.S. Highway 169:
- Moondance Jewelry/Moore Old Wood, 840 290th St., Ogden, Kelly and Larry Moore — jewelry, woodworking
- Ruby Willo LLC, 2050 I Ave., Ogden, Brad Kiefer — copper light sculpture
- Greenwood Works, 493 310th St., Perry, Joe Warnock — woodworking
I cant wait. This is going to be off the chain.