Open Studios Around Orange County

In October of this year the Orange County Arts Council is hosting an Open Studio Tour for artists from all around Orange County. For one weekend, from October 17th-18th, local artists open up their studios to the public so people can see and experience how they work in their natural habitat. All artists listed in this entry are going to be part of the Open Studio Tour.

Artist Joan Kehlenbeck

The Open Studio Tour raises public awareness of art in the community. There are so many people who don't realize how many artists there are creating in this area. I was one of those people before I became an intern for the Arts Council. I had no idea how many working artists were in my area, and I'm so grateful to have had the experience to meet them. This will give everyone the chance to have the same experience I did when I realized that our little piece of New York is filled with wonderful creative people doing wonderful creative things.

Artist Roslyn Fassett with her work "Veiled Silence"

The tour is a self-guided one. Maps, found online as well as in galleries, businesses, lodging sites and tourist info centers, will show a list of studios that will be open for visiting. One of the stops on the list will be our very own Arts Council building, where we will have five artists using our lovely office to show how they work.

In addition to a weekend of open studios, there will be an opening reception on October 9th and preview weekend from the 10th- the 11th. During this time, one piece of art from each artist will hang in our gallery. Think of it as a way to let you know what you have to look forward to while you're touring around the weekend after. Also, take this as an opportunity to support the arts in your community, because artists need support from their friends and neighbors. I hope you enjoy the experience of getting a behind-the-scenes look that you wouldn't get to see otherwise.

Work by Artist Jill Brody