Summer arts come alive

by Don Cadoret

With a tumultuous two years behind us, the summer of 2022 feels like it holds promise.

For some, that return to normalcy arrives with the 19th annual South Coast Artists Open Studio Tour slated for the weekends of July 16-17 and August 20-21, in the towns of Tiverton, Little Compton, Westport, and Dartmouth.

“It’s been quite a while since anyone has felt safe visiting the private spaces of our friends and artists,” say SCA President Heather Stivison. “And now artists are eager to welcome you back into their personal studios and show you how they’ve been inspired and what they’ve been working on while you’ve been away. Expect some exciting changes and a new shared experience.”

By opening the doors to their private world, art lovers can witness the joy of what it’s like to be an artist. Going inside a studio is the best way to understand the inner workings of a creative life – something that isn’t always apparent when visiting a gallery. Up close and personal is the key, Stivison says.

The annual studio tour explodes on the scene every summer on the third weekend of both July and August. It attracts thousands of art lovers to an idyllic coastal world that is well-loved by visitors from all over. The open studio tour is a well-recognized event that attracts regional attention. Visitors come from all over the east coast to see an amazing variety of artists that range from new artists to nationally-known artists who live and work in the South Coast.

“This region is unique,” Stivison adds. “It’s a blend of rural and coastal living that is both unassuming and sophisticated. From that rare mix you get an inspired way of life that is harmonious for artists and anyone else who chooses to visit.”

The tour, first held in 2004, was organized by Amy Lund, a Tiverton weaver who wanted to share her work with natural fibers on a loom. A small group of other artists joined her on those first few years and soon SCA was born into a non-profit group that encouraged arts education and the actual tour where visitors explore the inner workings of studios across the four towns.

This year that tradition continues as 75 artists open the doors to their studios. Since its inception, the tour has been a free event designed for the entire family. Many of the artists demonstrate their skills so that visitors can better understand just what it takes to fully realize a creative vision. This year the variety of work showing includes paintings, sculpture, pottery, woodworking, textiles, photography, glass, encaustic, watercolor, jewelry, and mixed media.

“I love seeing the faces of old friends and meeting new families that come to my studio,” says potter Lindsey Epstein of Tiverton. “Sharing the process of how I throw clay on the wheel and what goes into a finished pot when it comes out of the kiln is magic. You have to see it to believe, whether you’re a child or an adult.”

“A group of like-minded artists came together with the mission of promoting art education, artists working, and our galleries throughout the year,” says founding SCA president Kelly Milukas of Tiverton. “The non-profit role and mission of this amazing group has flourished for 15 of those years, faithfully held together by dozens of dedicated volunteers and a hard working, 13-member board of directors. The strength of the organization and the artists has grown significantly in that time.”

The all-volunteer group is certainly the key to their success, as witnessed by the thousands of visitors who trek to the South Coast every July and August. There’s so much to do in this region and the addition of an art experience makes it even more appealing. SCA also hosts educational events throughout the year and special exhibits in the spring and during the holiday, bringing art and the community together.

To experience this artsy adventure, you can check out the organization website, southcoastartists.org, or download its digital SCA app on your mobile device. With that information you will be able to chart your art path through the South Coast. There is also a beautiful printed brochure that includes artist listings, places to eat, sponsors, and a map. Brochures are available a different businesses in the area and are also at every Cardi’s Furniture and Mattress store in New England.