Leaves were falling, balloons danced in the breeze and there was an abundance of sunshine. It was the perfect weekend for the first annual Wood River Valley Studio Tour (WRVST), held October 19-20, to explore the studios of local artists that are strewn about the Valley. With so many artists and mediums on the tour, there was something for everyone. The hardest part was figuring out where to start.
It would have been difficult to make it to all 55 artists on the tour in two days—it is an event best savored over a number of years. Sharon Payne Bolton, a mixed media artist on the south end of Ketchum, recommended starting at Wood River Fine Arts. She said, “It’s hard to get a feel for some of the art from the website or brochure. I tell people to go check out the mosaic and samples on display.” From there, the map could take you to your favorites or to as many as you could fit in to the day. “We’ve had people stop by from Boise who came up just for the tour and people that were here for the Jazz Festival,” said Martha Hollenhorst at Boulder Mountain Clayworks as she explained how the kilns operate.
Oftentimes, local galleries do not display local artwork, even when they do the artists are not always on hand. “People are enjoying getting to meet the artists,” said Kathryn Reidinger, a Ketchum based painter who loved being part of the tour. “It’s a much more personal experience.”
The WRVST not only allowed the community to meet the local talent, it allowed them to see where and how the artists work. Susan Hall, another Ketchum painter, doesn’t like to have any preconceived notions when beginning each piece unless it is one of her larger installations. She prefers to let the art evolve and reveal itself. She has even taken to painting on the floor, so that whichever end points up is determined once the piece is finished.
Other artists collect things like timepieces, knives and coins and let their art form around those items. Sharon Payne Bolton’s art incorporates fun objects that she finds. Her interests now are very different from when she started, and her studio is like a time capsule displaying the evolution of her art over the years. For those who enjoy her style, she is quick to recommend a stop at Kary Kjesbo’s studio in Hailey. She is the artist who made the jewelry on Sharon’s wrist. In Hailey, Sharon’s artwork is on display amongst the treasures that Kary collects and turns into wearable art. “It took us a few years to figure it out but people who like my work often like hers and vice versa. We need to start doing shows together,” said Kary.
Many artists experienced a steady flow of people throughout the weekend including Brooke Bonner, co-founder of the WRVST event, whose studio is on the south end of Bellevue. She said the Reception with the artists held on Saturday night at Wood River Fine Arts was also well attended. “I’d say about two hundred people came through,” said Brooke. The first year was a success and we can look forward to great things from the Wood River Valley Studio Tour in the future.
Below are photos of the WRVST Reception by Brooke Bonner, held at Wood River Fine Arts.
