Discover and explore the world of visual art, get a behind-the-scenes look at the creative process, and meet the artists within their studios and galleries during the 22nd Annual PlacerArts Autumn Art Studios Tour. Held annually during the second weekend in November, the Autumn Art Studios Tour is a self-guided driving tour of Placer County artists showing and demonstrating their art in their working environments.

Artists in a broad range of media and styles prepare for the tour months in advance, creating new work, displaying their existing works, and readying their studios for tour weekend. Studios and galleries will be open Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, November 13th, 14th, and 15th from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The tour includes 97 featured artists in 57 locations across almost all of Placer County, from Lincoln to Roseville to Dutch Flat and everywhere in-between. The studios are open to all ages; families and groups are welcome and the tour is free.

Artists relish this opportunity to explain and demonstrate their work in their private studios, while visitors appreciate the opportunity to see work by favorite artists and also discover new artists and styles. Placer County is a natural habitat for artists who translate the foothill vistas, wildlife, history, and people into a stunning variety of interpretations including paintings, pastels, photography, sculpture, functional pottery, jewelry, glass, wearable art, mixed media, and more.

The Autumn Art Studios Tour contributes to public awareness about the quality and diversity of art created in Placer County and provides visitors with opportunities to view and purchase a wide range of original work and artistic gifts created by individual artists. Additionally, the Studios Tour fosters an interest in and a greater understanding of the artistic process and provides the public with a unique opportunity to enter the world of a visual artist to experience how, why, and where art is created.

The new official 47-page full-color guidebook for the Autumn Art Studios Tour is available at many locations, including PlacerArts Auburn and PlacerArts ARTspace Rocklin, and is also downloadable online at www.PlacerArts.org. It contains a detailed map with all studio locations, descriptions of the artists and their media, a sample photo of their work, a fun “treasure hunt” contest, and select artist spotlights.

To help plan for the PlacerArts Autumn Art Studios Tour, the public may visit several “preview show” locations, including the main “Taste of the Tour” art show with almost all 97 artists displaying one sample piece at the General Gomez Art and Events Center / PlacerArts 808 Lincoln Way Downtown Auburn. Satellite preview shows are also on display at Blue Line Arts in Roseville, The Flower Farm in Loomis, Art League of Lincoln Gallery in Lincoln, Final Gravity Brewery in Granite Bay, and the Westfield Galleria Mall in Roseville. These exhibits are a great opportunity to view works by the artists participating in this year’s tour. From pottery to metal work to oil paintings and everything in-between, the preview shows allow visitors to take note of which studios may interest them and help plan their tour. All preview shows are free and open to the public during the locations’ regular hours.

There will also be an AAST Art Bucks raffle. Win up to $500 in “art bucks,” a same-as-cash gift certificate that may be used towards purchases from tour artists anytime over the next year. There are eight chances to win prizes from $100 to $500 in art bucks. Tickets are $5 each or five tickets for $20. Art bucks raffle tickets can be purchased prior to the tour weekend at the PlacerArts home office at 808 Lincoln Way in Auburn and during the tour weekend at the five tour information centers. Tour information centers are located at Finnish Temperance Hall on at 4090 Rocklin Road in Rocklin; PlacerArts ARTspace Rocklin at 5460 5th Street in Johnson Springview Park; the Newcastle Packing Shed & Art Studios at 455 Main Street in historic downtown Newcastle; the Old Library Artist Studios at 175 Almond Street in Auburn; and PlacerArts/General Gomez Center at 808 Lincoln Way in Downtown Auburn.

Founded in 1983, PlacerArts is the Arts Council of Placer County, a nonprofit catalyst for the arts and humanities and the designated state-local partner of the California Arts Council. PlacerArts promotes the work of performing, visual, and literary arts producers as well as cultural and heritage attractions countywide.

Source for story and photos: Elizabeth Sands PR