Sometimes all it takes to feel like you’ve made a great escape is to drive an hour away from the city where you live.
In my eyes, even traveling 20 or 30 minutes to visit a different locale counts as a road trip. And when the pint-sized getaway features enticements such as scenic byways, oodles of art and the chance to get sneak peeks at creativity in action, it’s a signal to get out of town for the day, already.
Hint, hint: Saturday, April 30 would be the perfect time to head north. The Blaine by the Sea Art Studio Tour is returning after a five-year hiatus, and area artists will be showing and selling their oil, acrylic, silk, watercolor, charcoal and encaustic paintings, fine jewelry, pottery, sculpture, calligraphy, photography, glass and woodwork at home studios and businesses. Demos will also be part of the package.
Blaine by the Sea event chair Kay Dee Powell will be sharing her gallery with the public for the first time on Saturday, April 30. (Photo courtesy of Kay Dee Powell)
“It’s exciting to see where artists create,” event chair and painter Kay Dee Powell said. “I have participated in a number of shows in the past, but I’ve never organized one or been in my own studio. There will be other artists in my home as well, so we’ll have a merry time!”
Powell noted she finished her own gallery just as the pandemic hit, so nobody has really seen it yet. That will change from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, when she joins 35 other artists in hosting the revived event, which will repeat on May 28 and June 25.
This will be the first time the studio tour has ever stretched over three months, Powell said. She added that Alex Wenger, the city’s director of tourism, strongly suggested it take place on multiple days in order to attract more people to town to “eat, shop and enjoy the beauty of Blaine.”
Powell is onboard with the concept and will be front and center at an opening gala happening from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Friday, April 29 at the Blaine Harbor Boating Center at 235 Marine Dr., No. 2. All are invited to enjoy fancy wine and hors d’oeuvres as well as meet the participating artists and get a taste of what each one will be showing, and where.
Even if you can’t make it to the classy intro to the Blaine by the Sea Art Tour, consider clearing time in your schedule for one of the three dates on the calendar.
Peruse a plethora of outdoor sculptures at Matzke Fine Art Gallery & Sculpture Park during the 23rd annual Camano Studio Tour, which kicks off on Mother’s Day weekend. (Photo courtesy of Camano Arts Association)
Another option is to zip south, where the 23rd annual Camano Studio Tour will return to its roots for Mother’s Day weekend. On May 6 through 8, and again May 14 through 15, a diverse mix of both established and emerging artists will share their spaces and talents with the visiting public.
Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the event was canceled in 2020. And while last year’s event took place over a single weekend in June, this year promises more art and more time to look at it and talk about it. With 24 studios featuring more than 30 artists — in addition to five participating galleries — day-trippers will have plenty of time to find that perfect work of art.
“It’s always a thrill to see new artists join the tour as our community continues to grow as a destination for artists,” tour director and glass artist Mary Simmons said. “By connecting our established artists with those new to either Camano Island and Stanwood or to the Camano Arts Association (CAA), we offer a truly unique experience for tour visitors every year who have grown to trust that this juried event truly represents the best artistic talent in the region.”
To view the art and meet its makers, either navigate the stops along the way using the tour’s interactive map or pick up a brochure at one of the three visitor centers on the island, each studio venue and various community businesses.
If you would rather wander and wait for fate to point you in the right direction, look for the CAA sandwich board signs that will be outside each venue. You may not know where you are at the time, but that’s part of the fun.
For more details about Blaine by the Sea Art Studio Tour, go to blainebythesea.com. To find out more about the Camano Studio tour, check out camanostudiotour.com.
