Comments Off on Original Seacoast Artist Studio Tour Celebrates 20th Anniversary

The Portsmouth Holiday Arts Tour has inspired many others, but as the original artist’s studio tour on the Seacoast, the quality and variety of artists represented is unparalleled. This year, as they celebrate their 20^th anniversary, they are pleased to announce that many home studios are choosing to stay open, with still others staying involved by participating online.

“It’s our 20^th year and it won’t be one we soon forget!” says Mills, potter and founding member of the Portsmouth Holiday Arts Tour (PHAT). “This tour has become part of the season’s tradition for artist and visitors alike and we want to celebrate this special and unusual year and still stay safe.” Featuring world class artists, PHAT offers a wide variety of work available for sale just in time for the holiday season. Including glass, clay, photography, printmaking, jewelry, encaustic, collage and blacksmithing, this tour is sure to provide something of interest to everyone.

Since 2001 Seacoast based artists have prepared their home studios to throw open their doors the weekend before Thanksgiving inviting the public to learn, unearth hidden treasures, and buy direct from the maker. “I know our community is hopeful for a return of cultural events. This is one small way we can help make that happen while at the same time inviting them to continue to support our local artists” says Mills.

This year’s upcoming event features four in-person studios, with 8 participating artists. Additionally there are 5 more artists sharing new work on their websites and online shops. Those studios that are opening to the public will ask visitors to observe social distancing, limit numbers inside, and require masks to be worn. Visitors can consult the PHAT website for links to individual artist studios and their guidelines.

“I think one of the reasons people enjoy the Tour so much, and come back year after year, is they’ll see familiar artists, but always a few new faces,” Lisa Grey, print and textile collage artist says. “I also think the variety of medium, style and price range has kept people interested, that and the fact it’s a low-key event, perfect to take in with friends.”

The tour features Steven Zoldak and Maureen Mills, Karen Orsillo, Nancy Kanner, Emma Ashby, Dyanna Smith, Lisa Gray and Peter Happny in studio.

Online ONLY artists will include  three generations of women artists, Kristina Logan, Reg Logan, Sophia Logan- Barré.

Victoria and Lawrence Elbroch will have sales by appointment only.

As always, many of the artists will demonstrate their processes periodically throughout the tour.

Art is a special, thoughtful, quality gift for any holiday or celebration. Each piece is one-of-a-kind, always comes with a story, and is heirloom quality – a gift that can be handed down from generation to generation. Open studio visits afford time to discuss a gift with an artist who will help you make the right choice for its recipient.

For information on the artists, times, and to download the Portsmouth Holiday Arts Tour tour map, check out www.PortsmouthArtsTour.com and https://www.facebook.com/events/1767153010051460/.

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Comments Off on Always Evolving, the Portsmouth Holiday Arts Tour Happens Nov. 22-24

It’s a relic that continues to evolve, and always remains relevant. The Portsmouth Holiday Arts Tour (PHAT) is the region’s grandmother of home-based studios. Since 2001 artists have furiously cleaned their studios and thrown open their doors inviting the public to learn, unearth hidden treasures, and buy direct from the maker.

“Nineteen years ago we decided to invite people into our home studios to show collectors what it is we really do, and where we do it,” says Maureen Mills, one of the founders. “Today the tour is part of the season’s tradition for artist and visitor.”

It’s a party with benefits. For the artist, it’s a chance to experience the public’s reaction to the work, and to get to know them. For the buyer/viewer it’s a way to be more informed about the art and its maker.

“It’s a celebration of sorts,” Mills says. “It’s friends with mutual interests sharing an experience.”

PHAT underscores the best in the represented fields. Its artists, selected for skill and variety, range from masters of their fields to emerging artists. Its roster boasts some of the best in their chosen medium.

The upcoming event features nine studios, with 18 artists. There are two Piscataqua Region Artist Advancement Grant recipients, and nine League of NH Craftsman among them. The majority have exhibited nationally. Seven have shown, taught and or demonstrated internationally, among them Kristina Logan, Maureen Mills and Victoria and Lawrence Elbroch, Lisa Grey, and Peter Happny.

“I think one of the reasons people enjoy it so much, and come back year after year, is they’ll see familiar artists, but always a few new faces,” Lisa Grey, print and textile collage artist says. “I also think the variety of medium, style and price range has kept people interested, that and the fact it’s a low-key event, perfect to take in with friends.”

This year’s art includes stoneware and porcelain wares, monoprints, mixed media collage, printmaking and drawing, photography, carved and illustrated ceramics,  jewelry (glass beads and fused, metal and porcelain), felt scarves and wall art, hand-cut designs, cabinetry, blacksmithing/metalwork, illustration, woodwork and acrylic and encaustic paintings.

“It’s surprising what’s tucked away in these nine locations, Mills says. “It’s also surprising who is there.”

The tour also features Karen Orsillo, Nancy Kanner, Emma Ashby, Diane Stradling, Tess Feltes, Lucinda Clarke, Bill Clarke, Dyanna Smith, and three generations of women artists, Kristina Logan, Reg Logan, Sophia Logan- Barré.

As always, many of the artists will demonstrate their processes periodically throughout the tour.

PHAT’s FREE Studio Checkpoint Pass and Raffle is also back. Visit all nine studios over the course of the weekend, get your passport marked at each one, and be eligible to win one of a number of original works by participating artists.

A free passport and information on how it works is available at each studio.

There are numerous reasons people come and return year after year, not the least being gift-giving.

Art is a special, thoughtful, quality gift for any holiday or celebration. Each piece is one-of-a-kind, always comes with a story, and is heirloom quality, a gift that can be handed down from generation to generation. Open studio visits afford time to discuss a gift with an artist who can help you make the right choice for its recipient.

For information on the artists, tour times, and the raffle, download the Portsmouth Holiday Arts Tour brochure, or visit us on Facebook and Instagram!

“We’ve always thought of this as ‘an occasion.’ It’s a way to meet face-to-face, and, we trust, for our guests it’s an intriguing and entertaining event,” Grey says. “So once again, the doors are open, studios tidied, and our best work (and deals) are on display.”

Stop by, Nov. 22 5 to 8 p.m.; Nov. 23 and 24, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

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Comments Off on 2019 Tour Brochure now available!

Find out all the details of the 2019 Portsmouth Holiday Arts Tour on our new brochure, posted on the Brochures page, here. It includes all of this year’s artists and a map of the locations. Make your plans now to come to Portsmouth the weekend before Thanksgiving, November 22-24, and join us for this fun tour of open studios!

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Comments Off on Want a preview of the tour?

Check out the window at Alie’s Jewelers in downtown Portsmouth to see items on display from a number of artists participating in the tour. Thanks to Alie’s for arranging the lovely display again this year, and thanks to tour artists Karen Orsillo and Tess Feltes for organizing things on our behalf.

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Comments Off on Studio Checkpoint Pass and Raffle – new this year

We have a raffle! For this year’s tour, check in with the first studio you visit to pick up a “Studio Checkpoint Pass” with all the studio numbers. Have the artists sign your pass at each studio and then turn it in at your last studio to be entered into the raffle.

Raffle items will be on display from each artist in their studio. One ticket will be drawn for each item at the end of the tour weekend.

Another great reason to come out and visit the Portsmouth Holiday Arts Tour!

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Comments Off on 2018 Tour Brochure is Here!

All the information about this year’s Portsmouth Holiday Arts Tour can be found in our new brochure. Discover who’s new to the tour, see examples of their work, and explore the updated map.

We hope you’ll join us for our 18th year – November 16-18, 2018.

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Comments Off on 2016 Brochure and Tour Map Available

It’s another year filled with incredible local art – the sixteenth annual Portsmouth Holiday Arts Tour! We are already gearing up for our November open studio weekend, which includes the creation of a new brochure and Tour map. Jump to the Map webpage to download all the 2016 information.

For those of you attending the League of NH Craftsmen Sunapee Fair, stop by Dyanna Smith’s booth #501, or visit Maureen Mills and Steve Zoldak in Demo Tent F to pick up a brochure in person.

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