Nancy Carlson Studio

Nancy Carlson Studio

Nancy Carlson Painting

Nancy Carlson Painting

This week, Nancy Carlson (studio #4) allowed a sneak peek of the new work, still in process, that she will soon display on the ArTour.  Nancy explained that she often begins by sketching her ideas and creating smaller paintings.  On her worktable lay many new ink paintings (see if you can spot her Jesse James Bird).

Recently she has combined some of her ink paintings with other watercolors to create layered collages.  It was fun to get a behind the scenes look at her studio in the midst of her creative process.  For some interesting conversation, be sure to inquire about the themes Nancy has been exploring in her current work while visiting her studio on the ArTour.

Fred Sommers

What: Studio ArTour and Art Sale

When: Oct. 15-16, Saturday and Sunday 10am – 6pm

Where: South Central Minnesota: Cannon Falls, Faribault, Northfield

A breathtaking display of fall colors will be in full display this second weekend in October.

The 7th annual Studio ArTour opens 23 working artists’ studios to the public. The Studio ArTour is a remarkable showcase of 46 regional artists’ work in South Central Minnesota, including Cannon Falls, Northfield and Faribault.

Besides holiday and home shopping, the 2011 Studio ArTour is the perfect autumn family event to experience authentic artists’ studios, and meet working artists.

Selected artists will be demonstrating their talent and technique on site. The Studio ArTour includes work ranging from painting, ceramics, metal, glass, jewelry, fiber arts and more.

For more information featuring the artists, samples of their work, and a blog, visit studioartour.com

Follow us on Facebook at: Studioartour

Dawn Makarios

Lisa Dolezal

Heather Lawrenz

Last weekend, three ArTour artists participated in the second annual Cannon Falls Wine and Art Festival. This festival featured art from over fifty artists, and wine tasting from twelve of the best Minnesota wineries.

Despite the record-setting heat, the artists had a blast interacting with the many people who came to check out the festival. Dawn Makarios showed off her new flat dishes (perfect as a spoon rest or soap dish!) along with fresh pots she pulled out of her kiln the Friday before.

Lisa Dolezal displayed new wheel-thrown plates, and sculpted pottery. She welcomes groups of all sizes to her home studio outside Cannon Falls to watch her in action, and try their hand at the pottery wheel themselves.

Heather Lawrenz debuted necklaces featuring bird charms cut from steel file cabinets and silver serving trays. Heather will have more new jewelry this Sunday when she shows at the Caffetto Arts & Crafts Fair in Minneapolis.

The festival was sponsored by the Sons of the American Legion, with all proceeds going toward the construction of the Veteran’s Memorial in East Riverside Park.

Garden sculpture "Belly"

Industrielle Arch

There is an article on Jennifer Wolcott, (Studio #2), in the July issue of Redoux Home. The article, titled “Steel in the Garden”, talks about Jennifer’s large steel garden sculptures. Some of them are functional pieces to stylishly support climbing plants or floppy chrysanthemums, and others are pure whimsy like the Steel Magnolias. The latest version of the Magnolias includes a post in the center for mounting Colleen Riley’s (studio #1) ceramic orbs.

In her latest work, Jennifer incorporates fused and sandblasted glass with diamond plate steel in the style she calls “Industrielle” part delicate, part tough.

“I work with the vocabulary resulting from the materials and the processes.  I observe and discover rather than design and try to force the outcome. It has led to an array of organic forms made up of geometric bits and pieces. I’m always noticing new elements out of the corner of my eye.”

The steel sculptures “sit down” naturally among the green leaves and branching structures of a garden. Last month, Jennifer was an Artist in the Garden of Erika and Dan Tallman in the Northfield Garden Club’s garden tour. She has been invited to be an artist in one of the gardens on the Tangletown Gardens’ Garden & Art Tour July 23^rd this year.  Which garden? Nobody knows yet. The tour will include gardens in the neighborhood around 50^th and Xerxes. Watch for more information at tangletowngardens.com.

Redoux Home is a free monthly publication about homes and life published by Flying Pan Productions.

Kathy Miller watercolor

Welcome to the 7th annual Studio ArTour! This free self-guided tour is a once a year opportunity to visit 23 private studios displaying the work of 46 local artists in the Cannon Falls, Northfield and Faribault area. You can purchase finished work, see new art being created, or just visit and ask questions. You will see art in many forms, representing an exciting variety of mediums. Visitors will have a chance to meet the artists, photographers, sculptors and artisans and witness the creative process at work. Everyone is welcome!