During the 2009 Plein Air–Easton! Competition & Arts Festival, artists from the Bay Hundred Peninsula will open their studios during the festival week (July 20-26) for the Bay Hundred Studio Tour. This free self guided tour takes a peek into the personal world of working artists from St. Michaels, Bozman, Neavitt, McDaniel, Wittman, and Tilghman Island. Don’t miss the chance to drive through idyllic plein air landscapes and view waterfront vistas while looking behind the scenes to see how art is produced and catch a glimpse into the private world of favorite local artists.
The tour offers a special opportunity for visitors to observe artists at work and have the kind of concentrated one on one dialogue rarely available with busy working artists and craftspeople. The artists will share their work and discuss material choices and techniques. No matter your favorite media, there will be something of interest for everyone.
St. Michaels is home to Susan and Robert Murphy’s unique hand painted Claiborne Ferry Furniture, Debbie Scales’ Water’s Way Art Studio, and Lee D’Zmura’s botanical art.
Take a jaunt down Bozman Neavitt Road to watch Heidi Wetzel create unique woven sculpture and basketry. The Jan Kirsh Studio in Bozman features sensual fruit and vegetable sculptures in Kirsh’s lush garden (she’s also a landscape designer). Continue to the quaint waterman’s village of Neavitt and the waterside studio of Martha and Forest Bogan, who make functional and decorative hand thrown pottery.
Return to the main route to find local favorite Martha Hudson’s watercolor paintings in picturesque McDaniel. Proceed to Wittman to see elegant custom wood furniture by McMartin & Beggins, and finely crafted stained glass by Paul Winters at Caledon Glass Works.
Venture on to Tilghman Island to find hand decorated new and vintage furniture at the Tilghman Island Chair Company, where Lee Sloan and Susan Crawford will exhibit paintings, and Jackie Boell will display hand crafted jewelry. Local oil painter Walt Bartman will open his studio door as well.
Plan to spend an afternoon or a full day on this road trip through some of the most scenic areas of Talbot County. Studios will be open daily, with hours varying. Pick up a copy of the tour schedule and map at Plein Air–Easton! Headquarters during the festival week, at Coffee Cat, 5 Goldsborough St., the Easton Visitor’s Center at 11 S. Harrison St., or the St. Michaels Branch of the Talbot County Free Public Library at 106 Freemont Street.
Full details and tour map are available at the Plein Air–Easton! website: www.pleinaireaston.com or by calling the Plein Air–Easton! Hotline at 410.822.7297.