Celebrating local artists with free studio tours October 17, 18, 19
From the Allegany Artisans, pictured is new member Laura Hunsberger who operates a Wellsville studio
The 37th Annual Allegany Artisans Tour is coming to a studio near you on October 18th and 19th, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.! A few studios will be open on Friday, October 17th, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. 40 artisans in 38 studios will showcase their work in a variety of media, including clay, wood, metal, fiber, paint, jewelry, and much more. Most of the artisans on the tour have participated in previous years, some for decades, but Allegany Artisans is pleased to welcome 8 new members to this year’s tour!
Alfred – Amy Bennett and Kate Elliott are joining the lineup of artists showing near Alfred.
Amy Bennett makes playfully functional, hand-built pottery from rich brown clay, glazed with a contrasting bright matte palette. Her modernist aesthetic invites the user to experience everyday objects as works of art. Her work will be on display with Rebecca Wind Pottery (1820 Waterwells Rd, Alfred Station).
Pottery by Amy Bennett
Kate Elliott’s work focuses on color, texture, and pattern, which appear in her rope and textile sculptures, handmade blank books, and geometric mandala-like drawings. She will be showing at Len Curran’s Unique and Artistic Jewelry (5431 Jericho Hill/Route 12, Alfred Station)
Textile sculpture by Kate Elliott
Arkport – Susan Jamison’s studio is in Arkport (233 Ellis Hill Rd). She works in both digital photography and mixed media. Susan welcomes commissions and requests for custom photo alterations. Children who visit her studio will have the opportunity to create potato prints to take home.
Photography by Susan Jamison
Andover – Kimberly Grossman, a new potter on the tour, will be showing her wares at Walker Metalsmiths in Andover. She makes functional pottery for everyday use and enjoys carving and decorating the exterior surface so the glaze creates highlights and shadows on the surface of each piece.
Pottery by Kimberly Grossman
Wellsville – Four of the eight new artisans on the tour are showing in Wellsville: Kristin Buchholz, Diane Fagergren, Laura Hunsberger, and Peggyann Watts.
Kristin Buchholz will be showing her nature-inspired paintings, prints, and collages in her yoga studio (175 Pine St), where she pursues her artwork and also offers yoga and meditation classes.
Painting by Kristin Buchholz
For those interested in home décor pieces with a little bit of country flair, Diane Fagergren’s studio is the place to be (4124 Fords Brook N Branch). She uses a variety of media, including stained glass and fiber, to create suncatchers, table runners, decorative pumpkin sets, and much more.
Braided Rug by Diane Fagergren
Laura Hunsberger, who creates functional pottery pieces that showcase unique textures, earthy tones, and timeless charm, will be showing in her bright green studio at 19 N. Franklin. She invites visitors to embrace the beauty of handcrafted imperfection.
Pottery by Laura Hunsberger
Rounding out the lineup of new artisans in Wellsville, Peggyann Watts does traditional rug braiding using new and upcycled wool and hand weaving with new cotton fiber. She makes a variety of items including rugs, tabletop runners, bowls, scarves, baby blankets, and towels.
Weaving by Peggann Watts
The studios of Susan Jamison, Kristin Buchholz, Diane Fagergren, and Peggyann Watts will also be open Friday from 5-8 p.m. Theirs are four of the fourteen studios participating in the annual tradition of holding a reception to kick off the weekend.
For more information on all of the artisans participating in this year’s tour, check out alleganyartisans.com. The site includes the full tour brochure and also has the artisans listed by media and location. More information can also be found on Facebook at facebook.com/alleganyartisans. The Allegany Artisans are excited to welcome community members into their studios and to share their work.
