If you have somehow missed emailing or calling to get a Spring Vermont Studio Tour Map, have no fear!

We printed 20,000 copies of these and they are all floating around Vermont.

These seventeen galleries not only feature a varied mix of Vermont artwork, they have also pledged to hand out maps.

View Where to Pick Up a Map – Open Studio Spring 2013 in a larger map and see where the following galleries are.

A. Grand Isle Art Works – 259 Rte 2, Grand Isle VT 05458. (802) 378-4591.

B. Frog Hollow Gallery – 85 Church St, Burlington VT 05401. (802) 863-6458. A Vermont State Craft Gallery

C. Emile A. Gruppe Gallery – 22 Barber Farm Rd, Jericho VT 05465. (802) 899-3211

D. Art on Main – 25 Main St, Bristol VT 05443. (802) 453-4032.

E. Brandon Artists Guild – 7 Center St. (Rte 7), Brandon VT 05733. (802) 247-4956.

F. Chaffee Art Center -16 South Main St., Rutland VT 05701. (802) 775-0356.

G. Epoch – 18 Vermont Artisans – 4927 Main St, Manchester Center VT 05255. (802) 768-9711.

H. Vermont Artisan Designs & Gallery 2 – 106 Main St, Brattleboro VT 05301. (802) 257-7044.

I. Rockingham Arts and Museum Project – RAMP. 7 Canal St. #15, Bellows Falls VT 05101. (802) 463-3252.

J. Gallery at the VAULT – 68 Main St., Springfield VT 05156. (802) 885-7111. A Vermont State Craft Gallery

K. Collective – The Art of Craft – 47 Central St, Woodstock VT 05091. (802) 457-1298.

L. White River Craft Center – 50 Randolph Ave, Randolph VT 05060. (802) 728-8912.

M. Artisan’s Gallery – 20 Bridge St, Waitsfield VT 05673. (802) 496-6256

N. Artisans Hand – 89 Main St, Montpelier VT 05602. (802) 229-9492. A Vermont State Craft Gallery.

O. Blinking Light Gallery – 16 Main St, Plainfield VT 05667. (802) 454-0141

P. Northeast Kingdom Artisans Guild – 430 Railroad St, St Johnsbury VT 05819. (802) 748-0158

Q. Miller’s Thumb – 14 Breezy Ave, Greensboro VT 05841. (802) 533-2045.

Also, every studio will have maps, so you should be able to pick one up at your first stop.

Every rest area/tourist information center on I-89 or I-91 should also have maps. (If they don’t, we’d like to know about it.)

Ten Ways to Plan Your Open Studio Tour

One of the best things about Open Studio is that you can easily put together a tour to match the interests of you and your companions. Here are 10 ideas to help you create a great studio tour experience. And don’t forget to look for the Yellow Open Studio signs!

Look for yellow signs during Open Studio Weekend. (Bob Compton’s studio, #55 on the map.)

1. Pick A Place! Let Open Studio Weekend be the spark to get out and explore places in Vermont that you have always wanted to visit. Check the guide for studios in that area and hit the road!

2. Visit A Village! Choose a classic Vermont village as your destination and combine studio visits with a stop at the General Store, the Creemee stand, the local diner, or the historical society.

Leave time for lunch at an eatery serving local foods. Above, Bristol Bakery where an intrepid Open Studio family plans the next leg of the tour.

3. Drive on Dirt! Some of the most beautiful places in Vermont are at the end of dirt roads, which is why artists choose to live there. Be adventurous. Let the yellow signs guide you to the out-of-the-way spots and experience the real Vermont classic New England farmhouses and barns, hidden villages, stonewalls, streams, waterfalls and spectacular gardens.

A painting by Kathryn Milillo. Kathryn is participating at #86 ion the map.

4. Ask An Artist! While visiting a studio, ask for suggestions of special things to see and do in the area. Locals ALWAYS know the best places.

5. Meet Your Medium! Have you always dreamed of being an artist? Seek out specific mediums like woodworking, watercolors or jewelry.

Nationally known for her wood sculpture, Michelle Holzapfel in her Marlboro studio, #138 on the map.

6. Choose a Cluster! Have a couple of hours? Check the map for a high-density cluster of studios and see as many as you are able.

7. Keep It Local! Visit studios close to your home or vacation spot. Artists are EVERYWHERE in Vermont, even right around the corner. Your next-door neighbor just might be a world-famous artist!

8. Find the Familiar! Visit artists whose work you know and love. Seeing their workplace, watching them work, and talking with them will give you new insight and appreciation for their work.

Liz Saslaw’s signature style is created using the technique she demonstrates above. #58 on the map.

9. Notice the New! Visit artists who are new to you but whose work sounds intriguing. Explore mediums and techniques you know nothing about.

10. Go With The Guide! Study the map and the listings. Explore the possibilities. Let inspiration strike! Go where your heart leads!

Look for the 2013 Vermont Open Studio guides at Vermont rest stops, tourist information areas and galleries across the state. Or contact the Vermont Crafts Council at 802-223-3380 or vt1crafts@aol.com. An online version of the guide can be found at vermontcrafts.com.

The Vermont Crafts Council is a non-profit organization serving the Vermont visual arts community. VCC launched Open Studio Weekend in 1993 to increase the visibility of artists and craftspeople in Vermont and to foster an appreciation for the creative process and the role that artists and craftspeople play in the vitality of Vermont’s communities.

Take your time and enjoy your weekend! (Maple Corner, VT)

Open Studio Weekend is supported by the galleries of Vermont State Craft Centers and by the Vermont Arts Council, the Vermont Department of Tourism and Marketing, and the Point Radio Station. picture credits, top and bottom, Anne Majusiak. Bristol Bakery – Lucia Bragg.

An Open Studio tour in northwest Vermont (Franklin County, Grand Isle)

View 2013 Open Studio Tour – North West Tour in a larger map and accompanying information about who is where.

Happily, adventurous Open Studio visitors traveling north past Burlington into Franklin and Grand Isle counties will have a number of studios to explore. Grand Isle itself is an incredibly scenic drive on Route 2 as it threads the islands of Lake Champlain. The regional information center, Grand Isle Art Works, exhibits the works of many area artists and craftspeople and also is home to Zach’s Cafe at the Gallery. A few miles north from here, Sara Rosedahl will show her original paintings at her studio in North Hero.

Sarah Rosedahl paints wildlife including this heron.

Back on the mainland in nearby Georgia, Greg Drew will show his woodturnings and lathe work and will also host Pat Burton‘s art jewelry and paintings. Also located in Georgia is Chasworth Pottery and farm, where Marcia Hagwood makes pottery, roving, soap and handspun yarn.

Greg Drew, a wood turner, works on a large bowl in his Georgia studio.

Heading north to St. Albans, visitors will find the original painting studio and gallery of Daniel Pattullo in the heart of downtown across from Taylor Park. Further north in Fairfield is the studio of mixed media artist Meta Strick, who believes in “veering off and staying outside the lines”. Meta, (rhymes with pita), creates one-of-a-kind, imaginative and playful works including unique wood and mixed media Art Dolls and other artful assemblages combining any of her various interests in calligraphy, drawings, paintings, needlework, book arts, printmaking, letterpress, and polymer clay, as well as incorporating artifacts, embellishments and buttons.

Shown above, an art doll created with mixed media by Meta Strick.

Bearing east out of Fairfax, visitors who wend their way to Enosburg Falls will find the collective art gallery called Artist in Residence, which exhibits the work of over 40 local Vermont artists. South from Enosburg Falls is the pottery studio of Barbara Colgrove, who makes colorful earthenware mugs, bowls and tiles.

An earthenware bowl, glazed with bright colors, by Barbara Colgrove.

A stop at Carol Crawford‘s studio in Bakersfield completes the circle. Carol, who learned to weave on an old loom that was in the barn of a commune where she lived in the 1960s, has become known for her lush chenille scarves, shawls, and entertaining stories.

Carol’s complexly patterned scarf in red and black.

An Open Studio tour in west-central Vermont (Lincoln-Bristol)

View 2013 Open Studio Central West Tour in a larger map and find a list of who is where.

Another solid cluster in the spring tour can be found in the west central Vermont mountain villages of Lincoln and Bristol. The picturesque and fast-running New Haven River, considered one of Vermont’s top fly-fishing destinations for rainbow, brook or brown trout, connects the few miles between them.

A watercolor painting by Nick Mayer.

It’s a perfect spot for Escape Studio in Lincoln, where naturalist Nick Mayer combines his love of fly fishing and tying, with art, by painting watercolor “portraits” of fish and wildlife that are both scientifically illustrative and an expression of his artistic passion.

Liz Saslaw’s signature style is created using the technique she demonstrates above.

The village of Lincoln, situated at the foot of Mount Abraham, is surrounded by scenic beauty and home to many artists. New to Open Studio this year and located in the heart of Lincoln village is award-winning photographer Victoria Blewer, who meticulously and individually hand-colors black and white photographs to create dreamlike effects. Elizabeth Saslaw of York Hill Potter, has her studio on York Hill Road, and on nearby Colby Road, visitors will find the studio of Kathleen Kolb and Paul Forlenza, where Kathleen creates her luminous oil and watercolor paintings and Paul will show his landscape photographs of mountains, trees and water.

Victoria Blewer hand colors her photographs.

Leaving the Lincoln area, the road follows along the river and then over the Bristol Twin Bridges. On Bristol’s classic Main Street is Art on Main, a regional Open Studio information center and gallery, where visitors can pick up maps and see fine art and craft from over 100 artists. A few doors down the street and across from the Bristol Bakery is the studio of oil painter Rory Jackson, whose work reflects the different worlds in which he lives: landscapes evoking Vermont in the summer and seascapes of Ghana where he spends the winter.

A painting by Rory Jackson.

Heading north out of Bristol towards Monkton, visitors will find the yellow signs directing them to the studio of Dale Helms, a contemporary furniture maker on Mountain Road (should we come up with a few more words for Dale as he is back in the tour after many years?). A few miles east on Route 116 is the studio of Jim Geier, maker of the Vermont Folk Rocker. The unique rocking chair was designed to be comfortable to the back, and is handmade out of strung blocks of solid hardwood that Geier says feels “like a quilted cushion.” Five miles further south, also on Route 116, is the studio of potter Robert Compton and weaver Christine Homer. Their studio is a landmark for area people, with an eye-catching tower and sheep grazing in the front yard. Also noteworthy is Bob’s large, wood-fired Noborigama kiln. This year, Bob is celebrating his 20^th year of participating in the Spring Open Studio tour.

Chris and Bob sit in front of one of their kilns surrounded by Bob’s pottery.

Deciding where to go during Open Studio Weekend can be an exciting challenge. To show you how to create your own tour, we’ve made four this year. This is the second one.

An Open Studio tour in the Plainfield-Marshfield-Cabot region

View 2013 Open Studio Central North Tour in a larger map and see more information about the studios mentioned in this post including who is where.

A high concentration of studios can be found in the Plainfield-Marshfield-Cabot area in central Vermont.

You can start your tour at the Blinking Light Gallery where you can pick up a map for the Open Studio Weekend.

The Gallery is located just off Rte 2 as you drive into the center of Plainfield.

About 2 miles from Plainfield on Fowler Road, visitors will discover the studio of Denise D’Abramo, who makes handspun and botanically dyed specialty yarns. “When you visit Denise, you will see not only her work but her whole lifestyle,” says Martha Fitch, Director of the Vermont Crafts Council. D’Abramo, who studied textiles as a Fulbright scholar in India and collects plants for her natural dyes, lives with “her husband, two sweet children, a pile of sheep, and various other fun farm animals.”

Plainfield is also the home of the Majolica-style pottery studio of Leslie Koehler. Koehler just returned from a year in Tanzania where she was working to develop ceramic water filter technology as a way to provide safe water in developing countries. Early in her career as a potter, she traveled first to Alaska and then to Africa to work with traditional potters and learn the artistic skills of indigenous cultures. Her pottery, with an exterior of earthy-red terra cotta and a colorful Majolica glazed interior, incorporates many elements of her global interests.

Leslie Koehler’s studio is in the middle of a field.

Leslie uses a majolica technique to decorate her work.

Another Plainfield artist is award winning contemporary quilt-maker Kathie Alyce. Returning to the Open Studio tour after an absence of several years, Alyce designs quilt patterns including the Flip Flop Block curved template, the subject of her recent quilting book. She is currently working on a series of landscape wall hangings and creating machine-worked trees.

Kathy’s current work features trees in the landscape.

Continuing on Route 2 north of Plainfield, visitors will find Blackthorne Forge, the studio of Steven Bronstein, who makes functional and sculptural, traditional and contemporary ironwork. Less then 5 miles away is the studio of stained glass artist Fred Varney. From Blackthorne Forge, visitors can take Route 2 south to Marshfield, the home of locally famous Rainbow Sweets, a cafe and bakery with a devoted following, including a food writer from the New York Times and local poet, Louise Gluck. From there, Fitch says to follow the yellow signs and the Open Studio map/guide. “Fred Varney’s studio is amazing!” she says. “He lives on a spectacular high spot overlooking fields and mountains and has built his studio/residence with the lower level living space illumined with his own stained glass lamps, while the upper part is his studio and workshop.”

The exterior of Steve’s blacksmith shop in Marshfield. You can even do Open Studio in the rain!!

After Marshfield, it’s a short drive to Cabot where Sandy and Richard Ducharme open their individual studios and their graceful gardens for visitors to see. Located on the eponymous Ducharme Road, Sandy will show her hooked wool rugs and handpainted canvas rugs, while Richard will show his workshop and the multitude of choices of Adirondack furniture that he builds from locally harvested wood and paints or stains with either natural or saturated colors.

A floorcloth made by Sandy Ducharme in use in her dining room.

The self-guided Open Studio tour features studios of 242 artisans and artists including glassblowers, jewelers, printmakers, potters, furniture makers, weavers, ironworkers, painters, sculptors, quilt makers and wood carvers.

There are many possible combinations of studio sites that visitors can combine to create a tour that suits their interests. Here is one!

An Open Studio tour in Central Vermont (Washington-Tunbridge-Randolph-Bethel-South Royalton)

View 2013 Open Studio Tour – East Central Vermont in a larger map and see numbers and identification that goes along with the markers.

Pottery lovers can find an interesting group of clay studios along with a basketmaker and two well-known printmakers to visit in the region where Orange and Windsor counties connect in central Vermont.

For those traveling south of Montpelier and Barre, one destination that is new this year is the studio of Romulus Craft between Washington and Chelsea, where Ikuzi Teraki and Jeanne Bisson make functional and sculptural contemporary porcelain tableware and pottery. Ikuzi grew up in Kyoto, surrounded by Japan’s National Treasures. Jeanne grew up on a family dairy farm in Barre, giving her a strong connection to the land. Visitors can see a Japanese aesthetic in the forms, along with design elements reminiscent of stone, ripples in sand, or, in their latest work, Ra-Ku, the beauty of falling and drifting snow and the intricate, random patterns of cracking ice.

Marilyn Syme creates prints using the white line technique.

Continuing south to Tunbridge, Open Studio visitors can experience a quintessential piece of Vermont as they drive through the Howe covered bridge on Belknap Rd. to reach the studio of Dona Nazarenko, who will be showing her handwoven baskets. Nazarenko uses reed, birch bark and other to create what she calls “a blend of traditional, natural and inspirational” baskets. Her birch bark baskets are made from materials collected from fallen white birch trees in her own back yard. Her traditional baskets are functional and used for anything from collecting fruit to storing items. Many of Dona’s baskets feature things like wooden feet, made by her husband Warren, not commonly seen on other styles of baskets.

Dona Nazarenko’s woven birchbark purse.

In several villages near Interstate 89 are clusters of studios in Randolph, Bethel and South Royalton. Randolph, the home of the White River Craft Center, also is home to Holly Walker who makes contemporary, functional earthenware pottery. Bethel is home to several potters and their studios: Andrea Trzaskos, who will debut her new studio space during Open Studio; Grace Pejouhy and Evan Williams,who collaboratively create one-of-a-kind wood fired pottery; and Becca Van Fleet and Nathan Webb, makers of stoneware pottery who love to give tours of their large, two-chambered wood kiln and brand new studio building.

Maxine Hugon stacking bowls.

South Royalton features the studios of Marilyn Syme, a printmaker of woodcuts, silkscreens and solar prints;Jeanne Amato, another woodblock and solarplate printmaker, and Maxine Hugon, a potter whose work combines carved, wheelthrown and handbuilt techniques.

This tour features only a subset of the 242 artists and art sites open during Open Studio Weekend. We hope to see you on the tour!

VERMONT OPEN STUDIO WEEKEND

MAY 25 & 26, 2013

An interview with 20-year Open Studio participants

Fred and Judi Danforth — Pewterers

www.DanforthPewter.com
Located on Seymour Street in Middlebury

Vermont Open Studio Weekend happens annually over Memorial Day Weekend. Although Memorial Day isn’t quite the beginning of summer here in Vermont, it is turning a page on the calendar. The Open Studio event has become a rite of passage for a lot of people, both visitors and artists.

Four studios are being honored this year for their 20^th year of participating in Open Studio Weekend. One is the husband and wife team of Fred and Judi Danforth, who make pewter products at the studio/retail store in the heart of Middlebury.  We recently spoke with Judi to find out what visitors will see at Danforth Pewter.  Let’s do the tour!

What would you say is special about Open Studio Weekend?

The real power of Open Studio Weekend is in the opportunity to bring attention to the numbers and variety of fine crafts being made in every nook and cranny of the state.

We feel a sense of camaraderie as we join our fellow Vermont artisans all over the state in showing our unusual craft to interested visitors.

Federal Frames and Onion Oil Lamp

Tell us about Danforth Pewter. What will people see when they come for Open Studio?

Fred and I have been exploring what is possible to do with pewter for the past 38 years, and as it happens, that includes a huge variety of things! Over the years, our individual interests have led us in different directions within our craft. Fred has concentrated on spinning hollowware such as oil lamps, vases, and one-of-a-kind pieces. I enjoy the casting technique we use to make jewelry, ornaments, keyrings and home accessories like frames, measuring spoons, etc. Fred designs directly on the lathe as he works. I draw a design and then carve wax or employ a CAD mill to make original models. In combination we are able to produce a broad line of items and price ranges.

Fred spins pewter on the lathe in his Middlebury studio.

During Open Studio Weekend, Fred will be spinning hollowware, including one-of-a-kind oil lamps on a restored 19^th century lathe. We’ve set up a viewing area so visitors can get the best possible view of the spinning process. Visitors can see our bronze and rubber mold casting area as well.

We also have a history wall and a collection of historic pewter pieces. The Danforth family started making pewter in 1755 and 17 craftsmen in the family followed. After a five-generation break, we revived the family trade in Vermont in 1975. This unique story is illustrated along a Time Line, and historic pewter collection features several antiques made by Fred’s ancestors, as well as pieces from our own archive of pewter work from 1975 to present.

Fred and Judi’s work from eariier in their career, part of a collection of work from the Danforth family.

Why did you first decide to participate in Open Studio Weekend 20 years ago?

Ever since we started our business in Woodstock in 1975, we realized how much people loved to see the process of working with pewter. It was so clear to me from the start that an Open Studio tour was a great idea. What a treasure-experience it is for visitors to get in their cars and explore the state and artists’ studios.  There are lots of dots to connect in the tour!

How has Open Studio changed for you over the years?

We are a little different than most of the studios during Open Studio Weekend.  Years ago, we did have our studio on a back road in Lincoln.  We have grown a lot since then, and now our facility is a full-time, year-round retail environment.

What has made Open Studio successful for you?

We have created a destination here in Middlebury, and we work with our local group of studios with Open Studio publicity and distributing a map for our local tour. We use our own email list and also social media to get the word out, not just for ourselves, but also for all the studios in the area.

Fred and Judi Danforth in their studio with interesting metal objects in the background.

Thanks for the interview Judi! We wish you and Fred the best of luck during Open Studio Weekend!

VERMONT OPEN STUDIO WEEKEND

MAY 25 & 26, 2013

An Interview with 20-year Open Studio participant

MARION WALDO MCCHESNEY — CERAMIC ARTIST

 Studio located on Lily Hill Road, Pawlet, Vermont

www.marionwaldomcchesney.com

Vermont Spring Open Studio Weekend happens annually over Memorial Day Weekend. Although Memorial Day isn’t quite the beginning of summer here in Vermont, it is turning a page on the calendar. The Open Studio event has become a rite of passage for a lot of people, both visitors and artists.

Four artisans are participating in Open Studio Weekend this year for the 20th time. One is Marion Waldo McChesney, a ceramic artist and potter.  Let’s do the tour and see what Marion is up to!

______________________________________________________________

Marion McChesney prepares to load her kiln in her Pawlet studio.

What is special about Open Studio Weekend?

It’s a good time of the year to visit the state because mud season is over and early summer is beautiful.

Tell us about your pottery studio?

So many people that come to my studio tell me it was their favorite place they visited.  First of all, it is in a stunning setting.  You come up the road through a tunnel of trees and then the view opens up to rolling hills and hayfields.  Occasionally you have to stop so that the wild turkeys can cross the road! 

The studio itself is bright with a cathedral ceiling and a bank of windows facing the south, letting the sun flood in.  I have a showroom of finished work in the front, and a glaze and kiln room in the back behind a full glass door that can be opened during the studio tour.

I have been making ceramic art and functional pottery for 30 years. My work is my way of expressing what is inside of me. I work in porcelain and white stoneware and fire in an electric kiln.  The pieces are diverse, but are all about shape and form.

Marion with a view of two tall handbuilt clay structures in her studio.

Why did you first decide to participate in Open Studio weekend 20 years ago?

When Open Studio first started, I thought it was a fabulous idea and it seemed to me that Vermont was one of the few states that would be able to pull off something like this statewide because of its size.  I wanted to be part of it.

How has Open Studio changed for you over the years?

I have believed in Open Studio since day one, but it took about three years for it to catch on.  Now that Open Studio has been happening for over 20 years, I notice that I get people who are deliberately traveling to different parts of the state to see different studios.

What things have you done to make Open Studio successful for you?

I like people, I love to have visitors, and I love to share what I am doing. People enjoy themselves while visiting the studio.  I encourage touching, which puts people at ease.  

I make it fun for kids; they especially like my “Roadkill” pieces that are flat, dry, but recognizable impressions in the clay of things like bats, sea horses, frogs and scorpions. I was pleased when these were featured on the Wayne Brady Show on national TV!

The yellow signs really make it easy for people to find me, especially since my studio is about 5 miles from Pawlet and the last mile is on a dirt road. 

Marion is surrounded with many of her handbuilt clay bowls.

Thank you for talking with us and we hope you have a great Open Studio Weekend!!

VERMONT OPEN STUDIO WEEKEND

MAY 25 & 26, 2013

An interview with 20-year Open Studio participant

ROBERT COMPTON — POTTERY

www.RobertComptonPottery.com
Located 5 miles north of Bristol village on Rte. 116

Vermont Open Studio Weekend happens annually over Memorial Day Weekend. Although Memorial Day isn’t quite the beginning of summer here in Vermont, it is turning a page on the calendar. The Open Studio event has become a rite of passage for a lot of people, both visitors and artists.

Four artisans are participating in Open Studio Weekend this year for the 20th time. One is Robert Compton, a potter in Bristol known for his firing and glazing expertise, who will be part of the Open Studio tour along with his wife Christine, who is a spinner and weaver.  Let’s do the tour and find out what visitors will see at Bob and Christine’s studio!

Visitors enter the gallery where Bob and Chris have their work on display.

What would you say is special about Open Studio Weekend?

Open Studio Weekend is important to our studio since the more people understand the processes used to create pottery, the better they appreciate the finished work. Open Studio Weekend brings in many individuals who have never come to our studio before, and acts as an icebreaker for folks who may have been shy about just dropping in if there was no such special event taking place.

Open Studio is also a fun way for 2-3 friends to travel together as a group to see things that intrigue them.  Maybe one person wants to see pottery and another wants to see woodworking, so they check out both types of studios together.

The Open Studio map/guide is incredible.  It stimulates peoples’ curiosity.  They can look at the map and see there are studios in an area of Vermont they have never explored, and Open Studio gives them a reason to go there.

Tell us about your pottery studio, and also the weaving studio of your wife, Christine. What will people see when they come?

Our studio is often used as a landmark on Route 116.  The tower, in particular, captures peoples’ imagination and they wonder what it is.   We find that one-half to two-thirds of the people who come through are local Vermonters who just wonder what is going on in there! Originally we built it to store packing peanuts to gravity feed into boxes when we shipped a lot of pottery to galleries.  Now, we use it as a storage area.

People also remark about the sheep in our front yard.  They are Border Leicester sheep, and Christine spins their wool to use in her weaving. 

During Open Studio, we hope to give visitors an understanding of how things are produced:  how I make pottery and Christine does her weaving.  I will talk with visitors about the origins of clay, where it comes from, and how the firing process chemically transforms the raw material into pottery.  I’ve also set up a self-guided tour if people prefer, where they can tour the Kiln yard by following informational signs and can view a power point presentation on the history of the pottery and the evolution of my work since I opened my first studio in 1972. 

This year Christine’s weaving studio will be a new feature, and she will show visitors the Le Clerc loom on which she weaves her rayon-chenille scarves and shawls. Christine has been involved with spinning and weaving as long as I have been a potter.  Before she moved to Vermont, she worked in a living history museum where she milked a cow by hand, cooked on the open hearth and taught weaving and spinning. She will talk with people about how you spin and the difference between fleece and hair. 

I have been a working potter for over 40 years and while this has been the means by which I earn a living, it is also a lifestyle choice that has allowed me to live and work in one location.  The focus of my work has been on form rather than decoration and I have chosen to employ firing methods that mark each pot with patterns that result from the interaction of fire and clay.

A visitor looks closely at a ceramic colander, appreciating the details that make this one of a kind.

Why did you first decide to participate in Open Studio Weekend 21 years ago?

I was part of an organization 35 years ago called Vermont Craft Professionals.  It only lasted a few years, but in some ways it was the predecessor of the Vermont Craft Council. At that time, we were a group of craftspeople looking for a way to connect with the people who bought our work and we did it through a craft show we started.  Years later when Open Studio Weekend began, it tapped into that feeling that was already there of wanting to connect with people.

How has Open Studio changed for you over the years?

Early on, most of our visitors came from 5 miles down the road.  But I’ve noticed in the past few years that we are getting more people coming from southern Vermont or adjacent states traveling here to visit this area.  They tell me, “We’ve done southwest Vermont and the Northeast Kingdom, now we’re doing the Champlain Valley.”  It really shows that people are dedicating themselves to seeing over a number of years all that is offered during Open Studio weekend. People are getting up at 5:30 in the morning so they can travel to as many studios as possible! 

What has made Open Studio successful for you?

Well, stamps on postcards have given way to email.  I send reminder emails about Open Studio to people who are on our “Friends” list. 

The yellow signs are key.  It was a great idea to use them from the start, and they have really become identified with the event.  People see the yellow signs and hit the brakes.  They know the yellow signs means Open Studio is happening.

I also talk up Open Studio with our customers throughout the year.  We keep some extra maps to give out year-round, although we always caution people to call first when Open Studio Weekend is over.  That’s the great thing about Open Studio Weekend–you are sure you are welcome during that time.

Thanks for the interview Bob! We wish you and Christine the best of luck during Open Studio Weekend!