{"id":47468,"date":"2019-09-26T13:42:17","date_gmt":"2019-09-26T19:42:17","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/artistsofutah.org\/15Bytes\/?p=47468"},"modified":"2019-10-16T09:33:54","modified_gmt":"2019-10-16T15:33:54","slug":"wasatch-studio-tour-coming-to-a-neighborhood-near-you","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/artistsofutah.org\/15Bytes\/wasatch-studio-tour-coming-to-a-neighborhood-near-you\/","title":{"rendered":"Wasatch Studio Tour \u2014 Coming to a Neighborhood Near You!"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Image from the Instagram account of Wasatch Studio Tour<\/p><\/div>\n

The circus is coming to town. Maybe you, too, remember when the Ringling Brothers train rolled into town loaded with animals, sets and human performers. The excitement and anticipation of clowns, acrobats, sword swallowers, elephants, horses and tigers, oh, my!<\/h4>\n

That\u2019s a lot like the excitement building for the Salt Lake Valley\u2019s first-ever, valley-wide Wasatch Studio Tour (WST) on Oct. 12-13, 10 a.m. \u2014 6 p.m. Instead of circus acts in three rings, you\u2019ll see (potentially) over 100 fine artists doing whatever they do in their studios. That\u2019s right, folks, 110 artists working in as many as 20 different mediums (depending on how you count them). Meet them where they work \u2014 in backrooms, basements, garages, and large, fancy studios. See how they magically turn wax, rust, clay, wood, silver, gold, fiber, paper, canvas, paint, film and digital bytes into works of fine art.<\/h4>\n

But that\u2019s not all. It won\u2019t cost you a dime (unless, of course, you can\u2019t resist buying something).<\/h4>\n

About a year ago, Salt Lake City artist Mary Tull returned from a trip to Tubac, AZ, where she stumbled upon an open studio event in that small, artsy town. \u201cWhy don\u2019t we have something like that here in Salt Lake?\u201d she asked friend and fellow artist Jeff Juhlin.<\/h4>\n

Juhlin didn\u2019t have the answer but shared her interest. He recalled a similar conversation among artists about 20 years ago. At that time, there were conflicting ideas about how to stage a studio tour and nothing got traction. Most artists would just rather stay in their studios and do what they love than organize an event. But Juhlin remained convinced that artists would benefit from such an event.<\/h4>\n
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Jeff Juhlin in his Salt Lake City studio.<\/p><\/div>\n

Juhlin believes the system of gallery representation works great for a few artists to show and sell their work, but not for most. \u201cIt\u2019s difficult to get into galleries,\u201d says Juhlin. \u201cEven if you get in, it\u2019s difficult to sell your work.\u201d A studio tour, on the other hand, gives emerging artists opportunities for visibility; and for more seasoned artists, it\u2019s an opportunity to meet collectors and form relationships.<\/h4>\n

Many cities and regions organize studio tours: Denver, Boise, Portland, Seattle, San Diego, Whidbey Island, Phoenix, Albuquerque, San Francisco, and the whole state of Vermont, to name a few. Juhlin and Tull knew if they wanted to do something like that in Salt Lake they\u2019d need help, so they assembled a committee representing diverse skills and demographics: Chauncy Secrist, a younger artist who works in both 2-D and 3-D assemblage; Sarinda Jones, a nationally-known glass artist and teacher; Kandace Steadman, former arts administrator, currently working in collage; and David LeCheminant, a sculptor who works in wood, with an extensive background in marketing and arts management, and direct experience with San Francisco\u2019s Studio Tour. With Tull\u2019s background in painting and arts management, and Juhlin\u2019s experience as a nationally-recognized artist and instructor, they had a highly skilled team.<\/h4>\n
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David LeCheminant in his Salt Lake City studio.<\/p><\/div>\n

Would artists be interested? The team posted an open invitation on Facebook and Instagram in early 2019. \u201cWe thought 45 artists would be a respectable number in the first year,\u201d says LeCheminant. \u201cThat happened in the first two weeks.\u201d<\/h4>\n

The most recent count is 110 participating artists. About half of them work in studio clusters, such as Rockwood Studios in Sugarhouse, the Baldwin Radio building in Millcreek, or the Bogue Foundry on the west side of downtown; or they have formed ad hoc artist groups just for this event. Individual studios range from the Avenues to Draper, Cottonwood Heights to South Jordan, and Emigration Canyon to West Valley City.<\/h4>\n

In addition to geographic diversity, there is also diversity in age, gender, experience, and art mediums. The team considered a juried selection process to help ensure a higher quality of work being shown but decided it was better to be inclusive, especially this first year. In the week before the event, visitors will be able to curate their own tour using a map on the WST website and a searchable list of artists by medium or by name. And the names include some very well known artists, such as Connie Borup and Randall Lake; midcareer artists like Justin Wheatley, John Bell, Hikmet Loe, and Clint Whiting; and many emerging artists, including some recent graduates of university art programs.<\/h4>\n
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Mary Tull<\/p><\/div>\n

The goal of the event, says Tull, is \u201cto get more people into our studios.\u201d But there\u2019s an educational component, too, she says. Visitors will see, \u201cThis is what artists do. This is why they do it. Look at the process involved in making art. Now there\u2019s a personal connection with artists. Look at all the diversity of people who are spending part-time or more somehow devoted to art making.\u201d<\/h4>\n

\u201cOne of the purposes of this is to get more people looking at original art,\u201d adds Juhlin. \u201cExposing them to things they didn\u2019t even know about. I\u2019ve seen a million artist studios and I still want to see people\u2019s studios. This is a way to make that connection, take a peek, and see what our secret life is all about.\u201d<\/h4>\n

Tull, Juhlin, and LeCheminant all agree: this is just the beginning. The San Francisco Studio Tour is divided into four geographic quadrants over four weekends, says LeCheminant. \u201cThis year [in San Francisco] there are more than 880 artists participating.\u201d<\/h4>\n

\u201cThe whole state of Vermont has organized open studio events in every city,\u201d says Tull. \u201cIt\u2019s a huge deal. We just want a successful first year \u2014 the artists are happy, the public is happy, we\u2019ve learned a lot of things. That\u2019s our goal. Let\u2019s just get through this first year and then evaluate what\u2019s next.\u201d<\/h4>\n
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Kandace Steadman<\/p><\/div>\n

One thing\u2019s for sure: more funding, in the form of artist fees and\/or sponsorships, will be needed next year. This year artists paid $120 each, or $75-$90, depending on the number of artists together in one location. Kandace Steadman applied for a grant for scholarships and received a \u201cRandom Act of Art\u201d grant from Utah Division of Arts and Museums. This enabled seven artists to pay just $50 to participate.<\/h4>\n

Fees and donations cover marketing costs \u2014 the web site, social media, postcards, posters, yard signs, and printed tour maps. \u201cWhy don\u2019t you have a smartphone app?\u201d asked an artist at a recent workshop for participating artists. \u201cWe\u2019d love to,\u201d says LeCheminant. That\u2019s one of many future enhancements that may be possible if this first-year tour goes well.<\/h4>\n

Much of the success of the tour will depend on the artists themselves. That\u2019s why the team of organizers scheduled two workshops offering advice on marketing, social media, setting up for the studio visit, and how to talk about their art to visitors. \u201cThese are things they don\u2019t teach you in art school,\u201d says Juhlin. The identical workshops featured three speakers, followed by a Q&A session.<\/h4>\n

Emily Ashby, a social media expert, offered tips for maximizing audience relationships on Instagram. Mia Vollkommer, a jewelry artist, former gallery manager and arts administrator, spoke about setting up the studio space for visitors and how to have a memorable conversation. She also offered suggestions on pricing strategies. Adam Hansen, Gallery Director for Meyer Gallery in Park City, focused on communication with visitors and collectors: having a legible artist statement that regular humans can understand; talking to guests in a relaxed way, and finding out what they think about the artwork.<\/h4>\n

For the relatively low registration fee to participate, the free workshop was a nice added value for those able to attend. What artist hasn\u2019t struggled to explain \u2014 in plain English \u2014 why their artwork takes its particular form? Art jargon may work fine when speaking to fellow artists or professionals, but the average studio visitor won\u2019t get it.<\/h4>\n

The workshop was also an opportunity to ask questions, like: \u201cIf my studio is in my home, how can I feel safe inviting a bunch of strangers in?\u201d \u201cHow can I find other artists to form a group?\u201d And, \u201cWhat forms of payment should I be prepared to accept?\u201d Or, \u201cWhat\u2019s Venmo?\u201d<\/h4>\n
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The tour provides patrons an opportunity to discover unique features of the artists’ working spaces, like this work in Steadman’s basement studio.<\/p><\/div>\n

Though artists themselves are key to promoting the event, the WST will provide support in the form of postcards, posters, outdoor signage for each studio, and a printed map. Their website, www.wasatchstudiotour.com<\/a>, which already has a gallery of artwork from participating artists, will also include a listing of studios by artist and by art medium to help visitors organize their tour. And as a sponsor City Weekly will carry ads about the tour.<\/h4>\n

For this annual event, what happens after the tour will be as important as what happened before or during. The team, along with participating artists, will gather and analyze data to determine what went well and what could be improved. At a gathering of the artists at some future date, participants will be invited to share experiences and ideas for the future. There will be some way to get feedback from visitors, too.<\/h4>\n

Tull says this year\u2019s partner and sponsors will be interested in the analysis, too. The Utah Arts Festival is partnering with Wasatch Studio Tour this year. Key sponsors are Salt Lake City Weekly and the Utah Arts Alliance. Other sponsors are the Utah Division of Arts and Museums, Blick Art Materials, Meyer Gallery in Park City, Sweets Candies, Alpine Art and Frame, Aspen Falls Spinal Care Center, Publik Coffee, and CBRE Real Estate. And there may be more sponsors by the time of the event.<\/h4>\n

Ask anyone on the organizing team about the future and they\u2019ll be delighted to share their own hopes and dreams, often adding, \u201cdon\u2019t quote me on this.\u201d It seems likely there will be a second annual Wasatch Studio Tour. And don\u2019t be surprised if it spreads like a wildfire in a hot summer wind to include counties to the east, north, and south of Salt Lake.<\/h4>\n

To stay informed about Wasatch Studio Tour, event plans, and participating artists, check out the web site (www.wasatchstudiotour.com<\/a>), and follow them on Facebook and Instagram (@wasatchstudiotourofficial<\/a>).<\/h4>\n

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The circus is coming to town. Maybe you, too, remember when the Ringling Brothers train rolled into town loaded with animals, sets and human performers. The excitement and anticipation of clowns, acrobats, sword swallowers, elephants, horses and tigers, oh, my! That\u2019s a lot like the excitement building for […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":940,"featured_media":47520,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_piecal_is_event":false,"_piecal_start_date":"","_piecal_end_date":"","_piecal_is_allday":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[14],"tags":[3066,74,1562,2248,3529],"class_list":["post-47468","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-visual_arts","tag-david-lecheminant","tag-jeff-juhlin","tag-kandace-steadman","tag-mary-tull","tag-wasatch-studio-tour"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/artistsofutah.org\/15Bytes\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Screen-Shot-2019-10-02-at-10.25.14-AM.png","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"publishpress_future_action":{"enabled":false,"date":"2026-06-19 16:05:38","action":"change-status","newStatus":"draft","terms":[],"taxonomy":"category","extraData":[]},"publishpress_future_workflow_manual_trigger":{"enabledWorkflows":[]},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/artistsofutah.org\/15Bytes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/47468","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/artistsofutah.org\/15Bytes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/artistsofutah.org\/15Bytes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/artistsofutah.org\/15Bytes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/940"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/artistsofutah.org\/15Bytes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=47468"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/artistsofutah.org\/15Bytes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/47468\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":47591,"href":"https:\/\/artistsofutah.org\/15Bytes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/47468\/revisions\/47591"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/artistsofutah.org\/15Bytes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/47520"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/artistsofutah.org\/15Bytes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=47468"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/artistsofutah.org\/15Bytes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=47468"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/artistsofutah.org\/15Bytes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=47468"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}