Artist Adrian Martinez in his studio.
Ten years ago, two artists opened their studios. Each artist invited five artists to share their creative space in hopes the community would come and support the arts. This event later grew to include 12 studios and 25 artists. It officially became a two-day event with signs, banners, and a catalogue highlighting the artists on the tour. Over the past 10 years the event has shown over 354 local artists, weathered the elements, and furnished many homes with art, while inspiring new artists to join the fun.
This year, organizers can truly celebrate a decade of bringing the arts to Chester County. Nothing is better for those who love great art and collect great art, than these two days in May, this year organizers moved the tour to two wonderful days in September.
Still, with the COVID-19 pandemic still very much an issue, organizers point to key safety issues that should make this year’s event both fun and safe for the general public:
- The majority of our studios are private – so visitors are not present where hundreds of people have been.
- The layout of our studios lends themselves to easy social distancing practices, and all offer outstanding safety procedures including but not limited to hand sanitizer stations as well as the sanitizing of surfaces.
- We are monitoring the current situation in Pennsylvania daily as it continues to evolve and following all state guidelines. We are committed to the safety and well-being of our artists and patrons.
Despite needing to postpone the event earlier this year, there is clear excitement about being able to return.
“After 10 years of organizing the Studio Tour, I am amazed at the talent that keeps popping up in Chester County! We have many new and outstanding artists joining us, along with our stable of artists who create something new every year for the tour,” said Jeff Schaller, artist and show coordinator. “This year the public will have a unique opportunity to see artist demonstrations at the participating studios. The tour has something for everyone, from the first-time art buyer to the seasoned collector, in a wide range of mediums and prices. This year, I’m also excited to share “Find 5.” If you don’t have time to make a weekend out of it, visit our website and click “Find 5!” We’ll find you the five closest studios to you, so you can get your creativity on nearby.”
This year, 135 artists in 55 studios will safely exhibit different mediums, such as painting, sculpture, jewelry, photography, clay, glass, paper and fiber. Many studios have large properties allowing artists and collectors to social distance. All the artists will be wearing masks while on hand to share their studios, discuss their work, and meet buyers and browsers alike.
The 2020 Chester County Studio Tour is sponsored by Citadel Federal Credit Union, the tour is free and open to the public on Saturday, Sept. 19, from 10:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. and Sunday, Sept. 20, from 11:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. Please visit www.chestercountystudiotour.com for a map, artist and studio listings, and the catalogue. Handicapped accessible studios are marked on the studio pages in the catalogue and on the website. Email info@countystudiotour.com or call 610.942.9629 for further information.
Visitors are encouraged to design their own self-guided tour with our new interactive website. By visiting www.chestercountystudiotour.com., visitors can now click the “Add to Itinerary” button of their “must see” artists, and have Google Maps plot the most efficient route, providing turn-by-turn directions to each chosen studio. Tolsdorf Oil Lube Express has generously sponsored this option. For those short on time, we have designed “Find 5!” which will find the five closest studios for the visitor. Members of the public can also start with a studio close to their starting point, or anywhere they like, by using a convenient map graciously sponsored by FIG Industries.
The County Collector Series, sponsored by Otto’s Mini & Otto’s BMW, will be offered again in 2020. The public can collect an original framed 6” x 6” piece of art for the special price of $75. Two-dimensional artists have created original works of art in a simple and elegant 6” x 6” frame, and three-dimensional artists have created special pieces for the County Collector Series. A photo of each work in this series is included in the catalogue and displayed on the website.
The Chester County Studio Tour was created by Jeff Schaller, painter and tour organizer.
