BY RUSSELL CLEPPER
Whidbey Life Magazine contributor
Nov. 18, 2013
Eight artists, four studios, two days.
The Whidbey Island Holiday Art Studio Hop is scheduled from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 30.
Tammi Sloan, one of the artists and chief instigators of the tour, and recently profiled in Whidbey Life Magazine, said the group of eight South Whidbey artists seeks to give island residents a dynamic way to skip the mainland malls and shop locally. All the studios are in the Langley area, so participants who complete the tour won’t have far to drive. People can even walk from Sloan’s studio to Sarah Dial Primrose’s Purple Cottage studio.
“We decided to encourage people to come to all four studios,” Sloan said. “You can pick up a passport at the first one you visit and get it stamped. [If you get all four stamps] you’ll be entered to win a prize.” The prizes are pieces donated by each of the eight participating artists.
Sloan said she and her collaborators are selling works that go from modest pricing to the realm of high-dollar fine art. Teaming up with her on the holiday hop are Anne Belov, Anne Niles Davenport, Kim Tinuviel, Sarah Dial Primrose, Pam Winstanley, Martha McCartney and Steve Sloan.
Besides the opportunity to view and enjoy the artwork, and possibly win one of the prizes, participants on the tour will be able to visit with the artists, see where they work and learn about their different processes of creation.
“The range and diversity of the exhibited works constitute the most compelling reason to complete the entire tour,” Primrose said.
Her “beering” jewelry, fashioned from flattened, usually rusted bottle caps, which she finds on music tours throughout the Southwest, has received accolades from Whidbey Island to West Texas for its unique and elegant designs.
From Steve Sloan’s kinetic art and other sculptures, to Winstanley’s colorful, painted silk banners, to McCartney’s mixed-media shrines, to master artist Belov’s richly luminous paintings and prints, tour-goers will discover a fascinating medley of form and color.
Most of the artists will be introducing new pieces, or even lines of work. Tinuviel will display several new pieces from her Light Sculpture series, which are made of steel, copper, encaustic and paper. Davenport will introduce a new, limited line called the Blueberry series, which are kitchen towels, woven with the same creative instinct for complex, rich designs found in her shawls, scarves and textiles.
Tammi Sloan’s deftly created and handsomely designed jewelry will be on exhibit, as well.
“We have a good price range for people,” she said, “from $20 or $30 items on up to… Well, I don’t want to discourage people from coming!”
Tammi Sloan has posted directions to all the studios on the events page of her website here.
More information on Whidbey Life Magazine member artists on the tour is available through the following links. Tammi Sloan; Anne Belov; Kim Tinuviel. Check out Primrose’s “Primordial Path” Facebook page at Sarah Dial Primrose.
STUDIO LOCATIONS
Kim Tinuviel — 4563 Cedar Hill Rd, Langley
Anne Belov and Anne Niles Davenport — 5131 Blacktail Lane, Langley
Tammi and Steven Sloan — 3221 E Harbor Road, Langley
Sarah Dial Primrose, Pam Winstanley and Martha McCartney — 3203 E. Harbor Road, Langley
(Pictured at top: “Summer Dawn” light sculptures by Kim Tinuviel. Steel, copper, paper and encaustics.)
Russell Clepper is a singer-songwriter who plies his trade locally and around the country. He also is a substitute teacher for the Oak Harbor School District.
Click on Whidbey Life Magazine to read more stories about the local creative community.