Artists across western Loudoun have been hard at work to get ready for this weekend’s Art and Studio Tour which will feature the works of over 40 creators across a variety of mediums.
The three-day event welcomes the public into the artists’ homes, studios or businesses to give them an up-close look at how they go about creating each piece. Community members are encouraged to visit multiple studios without the pressure of having to buy something, according to Franklin Parks Performing and Visual Arts Center Director Elizabeth Bracey.
“The artists are not always expecting people to buy things during the tour. It’s certainly nice when people walk out with a painting … but it’s really an opportunity for them, as well as the community, to just really spend some time getting to know each other. And there are very few, I think, events like this where you don’t feel obligated to buy something at the gift shop,” Bracey said.
While art can often feel like a somewhat elitist interest, Bracey said the tour gives people a chance to see what they like and talk one-on-one with the creators.
“The exhibit really makes art and artists more accessible to the general community, so they can be in a studio and watch the artists creating their jewelry or their pottery, or the painters can explain how they use their different tools. … It gives them an opportunity to interact in a way that is very encouraging and welcoming and I think builds a respect for the visual arts community, which has a long tradition in Loudoun County,” she said.
The tour, which is primarily volunteer-run, was first held in 2006, which would have made this year its 20th year; however, a two-year break was taken in 2020 and 2021 because of the pandemic. Bouncing back and reengaging both the public and the artist community was a bit of a challenge, according to Planning Committee Chair G’Ann Zieger.
“Elizabeth had this great idea of having an exhibit at Franklin Park for the month of May, where each of the artists would bring one piece of artwork and have it on display for the month of May, and then the tour would start in June,” Zieger said. “And it was huge because the artists themselves, they never get to go on the tour, because they’re artists on the tour. … We had a reception for them, and it was so interesting to watch the artists interact with each other.”
That seemed to do the trick in 2022 and the arts center has been hosting the reception and display each year since, Zieger said.
Bracey and Zieger said picking their favorite stop on the tour would be like choosing a favorite child as they are both avid art enthusiasts and artists.
“It’s impossible, because there’s just such a wealth of just incredible art and amazing artists in just western Loudoun County,” Zieger said.
Work to plan the tour begins in September each year as the committee begins meeting to work on the logistics of annual event.
“We start our call for artists at the beginning of November. We take December off, because everybody’s busy over the holidays, and then at the end of January the call for artist ends and then by the middle of February, then we submit the call to our jurors, we look at the jury results, and then we choose the artists,” Zieger said.
Typically, the tour pool is made up of about 20% new artists each year.
Visitors shop handmade items at a studio along the Western Loudoun Art and Studio Tour June 2, 2023.
Once they are chosen, the real work begins.
“From the middle of February until [June], it’s pretty labor intensive, because that’s when we produce all of our website, our printed materials, all of our publicity, all of the things that we do to support the artists,” Zeiger said.
Once the tour is over, supplies are picked from the studios, surveys are sent out and grant writing begins.
Operating the tour financially is very reliant on grants, Zieger said, and Bracey added that 95% of the work done is completed by volunteers.
“Everything that we collect, both from grants, from our advertisers, from the artist, fees, everything goes towards the production of the tour,” Zieger said.
The tour will take place Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, although not every studio will be open on Friday. Community members can go to the tour website at wlast.org to learn more and find the list of participating artists. Physical copies can also be picked up at Purcellville Town Hall, the Purcellville Library and the Franklin Park Arts Center.