Back Roads of Brown County Studio Tour

~by Paige Langenderfer(courtesy photo of Connie Skyrme)

Working artists will welcome visitors throughout the month of October as part of the 26th annual Back Roads of Brown County Studio Tour.

The tour is a free, self-guided event designed to showcase the arts and crafts created in and around Brown County. Juried artists will open their personal studios to the public from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday for the entire month of October.

Guests will be able to watch artists creating their work, talk with artists and explore the spaces that inspire them. Some studios will also offer prepared activities so that guests can take part in art creation.

This event is a unique opportunity for art collectors to purchase artwork directly from those who made it. Many artists create items especially for this event.

This year’s tour includes 14 studios and 15 artists who specialize in jewelry, repurposed metal art, stained glass, acrylic, water and oil paintings, pottery, needlework, pastel, blacksmithing pieces, woodworking, artisan foods and soaps, and much more.

The Brown County Studio Tour began in 1999 when a group of local artists wanted to create an event to showcase the artwork and natural beauty of the place they called home. They thought the Nashville gallery visitors would be interested in seeing the working spaces of artists and learning about how the artwork is made.

“The tour was envisioned to promote working artists and their studios,” says original tour artist Amanda Mathis. “The artwork was, and continues to be, a wide range of mediums that represents the best of what Brown County has to offer.”

This will be artist Connie Skyrme’s third year as a featured artist on the tour. Skyrme, who lives in Helmsburg, creates upcycled furniture, mosaics, home decor pinstriping and custom paintings.

“I enjoy the camaraderie of artists and meeting new people. I also enjoy meeting first timers on the tour as well as visitors that have been on the tour for many years. It’s nice to see them return each year,” Skyrme said. “I love being an artist in Brown County and this tour is a longstanding tradition of artist participation. It is also a great venue for showcasing your art work.”

What: Free self-guided tour showcasing Brown County artists and their personal studios.

When: Studios are open Wednesday through Saturday 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. in October.

Number of studios: 14  Number of artists: 15

Information: To see the list of participating artists and download a map of the studio destinations, visit bcstudiotour.com .