The 4th Annual New Bern Artists Studio Tour
On Saturday, November 5th, artists from all over New Bern will open the doors to their studios and give people a glimpse of how they create their work. The tour is self-guided – you can stop by as many studios as you want, and it’s completely free and family-friendly. It runs from 10:00am to 5:00pm.
Fifty artists – painters, potters, photographers, quilters, welders, jewelers, plus those who work with glass, leather, textiles, and wood – will have their works on display. Many will also be doing demos and showing works in progress. Rarely does the public have a chance to see behind the curtain and have one-to-one conversations about the artist’s process. Some of the artists represented show their work nationally, but not always locally, so this is the once-a-year chance to discover new talents and treasures.
Some participants will be creating works specifically for the tour, such as gifts and prints with holiday shoppers in mind. Mixed media artist Carol More states she’ll be showcasing “more affordable artistic ‘experiments’ based on the visitor feedback from last year’s success, including my mini-clay sculptures known as ‘Crabby Critters’”.
Many artists, who spend much of their creative time in solitude, welcome the opportunity to interact with visitors. Plein air painter Susan Cheatham, who will be at the CAGS Annex on Middle Street, notes that last year, “it was so wonderful meeting new art lovers especially because our five studios are hidden in the back of the Kress Mall.”
Still others use the tour to give back. Shelley Mathiot, a potter with Bear Hands Art Factory, will be working on her wheel but also selling seconds, “pots that are still functional but have a small flaw, at drastically reduced prices. All of the proceeds from the seconds will be donated to True Justice, an organization that fights human trafficking.”
It’s easy to plan your route. At the website newbernartists.com, you can learn more about each artist, download a printable map, or link to the navigable Google map. In late October, a free full-color brochure with the map inside will be available at the Bank of the Arts, the History Center, and other downtown locations. On the day of the tour, signs will help direct visitors to each studio door.
Participating Artists:
Leslie Anthony: Oil Painter ~ 311 Middle St.
Annalee Ash: Landscape Artist ~ 4163 MLK Blvd.
Shawn Bradley: Furniture Designer ~ 1504 Spencer Ave.
Sandy Bruno: Painter & Pyrographer ~ 27 Pier Pointe
Floyd Bullock: Quilter ~ 2807 Neuse Blvd, Suite 12
Chris Carroll: Portrait Artist ~ 311 Middle St.
Susan Cheatham: Plein Air Painter ~ 309 Middle St.
Sherry Clark: Animal Portraiture ~ 311 Middle St.
Shop Class: Wood and Mixed Media ~ 406 Guion St.
Beth Conley: Mixed-Media Artist ~ 311 Middle St.
Audrey Cushman: Plein Air Painter ~ 901 Pollock St.
Jill Eberle: Figurative Oil Painter ~ 901 Pollock St.
Brenda Gear: Mixed-Media Artist ~ 309 Middle St.
William Gehlert: Outdoor Painter ~ 5000 Clubhouse Dr.
Gary Gowans: Figurative/Landscape Artist ~ 311 Middle St.
Paula Hissett: Weaver ~ 1506 Trent Blvd.
Donna Hodgins: Nature Photographer ~ 514 Metcalf St.
Ann Marie Hodrick: Jewelry Artist ~ 919 Broad St.
Jane Horner: Painting & Sculptor ~ 1408 Thorpe Abbotts Lane
Cory Hunter: Sea-Glass Jeweler ~ 514 Metcalf St.
George Hunter: Landscape / Still Life Painter ~ 5000 Clubhouse Dr.
Noreen Jekel: Painter & Photographer ~ 286 Gatewood Dr.
Wendy Johnson: Lampwork Artist ~ 901 Plantation Dr.
Karla Kulp: Gourd Artist ~ 311 Middle St.
Julie Larick: Oil Painter ~ 327 Pollock St, No. 6
Ben Lindemann: Aerial Photographer ~ 202 Middle St.
Heide Lock: Oil Painter ~ 309 Middle St.
Shelley Mathiot: Potter ~ 1820 Trent Blvd.
Eleanor McArver: Impressionistic Painter ~ 309 Middle St.
Scotty McCarty: Jewelry Artist ~ 47 Pier Pointe
Carol More: Collage Artist ~ 1502 Lucerne Way
Cindy Polo: Plein Air Painter ~ 220 Craven St.
Christine Provard: Watercolor Artist ~ 901 Plantation Dr.
Karen Rawson: Oil Painter ~ 901 Plantation Dr.
Karen Schaaf: Watercolor Artist ~ 114 Sailors Court
Belinda Scheber: Watercolor Artist ~ 309 Middle St.
Jeffrey Sherman: Photographer ~ 204 8th St.
Donna Slade: Colored Pencil Artist ~ 507 Pollock St.
David Slyck: Mixed Media Artist ~ 2012 Spencer Ave.
Patty Smithwick: Silverplate Jeweler ~ 47 Pier Pointe
Elizabeth Spencer: Wood Sculptor ~ 1203 Queen St.
Joyce Stratton: Mixed-Media Artist ~ 309 Middle St.
Linda Sura: Weaver ~ 3414 Colony Dr.
Sally Sutton: Landscape Painter ~ 901 Pollock St.
Pat Tencza: Potter ~ 901 Pollock St.
Catherine Thornton: Sculptor & Painter ~ 507 Pollock St.
Vicki Vitale: Miniature Painter ~ 507 Pollock St.
Michaele Rose Watson: Glass & Clay Artist ~ 217 Middle St.
Ginger Wernersbach: Oil Painter ~ 309 Middle St.
Martha Williams: Mixed-Media Artist ~ 507 Pollock St.