OPEN STUDIOS .

INSPIRING ART.

Map in hand, I set out again for the second weekend of Portland's Open Studio Tour. As a true Portlander, I didn't let a little thunder, lightening and rain stop me and from what I could see, it didn't stop the artists either.

First stop - Wendy Dunder(http://www.wendydunderart.com/), a multi-talented artist whose work includes murals, mosiacs and paper/wood sculptural lights. These wonderful, soft lights are made using a wood frame that is covered with layer after layer of tissue paper and glue. Just beautiful.

Marjin Wall(http://www.marjinwall.com/), an artist working in wood, shared her process of using milk paint to finish her hand-turned creations including candlesticks, salt/pepper mills and bowls. Her workshop/studio had that wonderful smell of freshly cut wood.

Jan vonBergen, another multi-talented artist whose work includes ceramics, encaustic and prints generously demonstrated how she does solar plate printing in her cozy studio. I love how her works combines calligraphy, solar printing and exotic, cancelled stamps.

Nicky Falkenhayn(http://www.nickyfalkenhayn.com/), a metal artist, had no trouble opening up her studio because it's still in the process of being built. A two level space will allow her to do large welded pieces as well as have a separate space for her amazing knitted silver wire jewelry. What a challenge to be out there greeting people on such a cold, rainy day. Thanks, Nicky!

Sunday was a much nicer day to be out and about. I enjoyed my visit to two other studios without the rain.

Sara Swink(http://www.claycircle.com/), a clay sculpture artist had a wonderful display of both large and small scale clay pieces. I really appreciated it when she explained her process of using oxides and underglazes to achieve the soft, paint-like patina on her sculptures.

Ann Munson(http://www.annmunson.com/), another artist who works in many different media, opened up her greenhouse/studio sharing her art and garden. There were layered paper collages, cement mosiac sculptures, prints from her colored pencil drawings of animals, fun and funky bracelets, small container gardens to go and cement wall art. Outside I strolled through her wonderful garden taking in even more of her creations like the chickens on a bicycle, basset hound planter and the dragon under construction around her down spout. But not to be missed or forgotten...the turkeys perched in her pine tree. Now that was a sight to behold!

Thank you, thank you to all the brave artists who graciously opened up their studios and shared their art this weekend rain or shine.