An Artists' Studio Tour in the Sierra Nevada Foothills

Mother Nature shares her wildflower art during the Studio Tour....

"I don't think painting has ever been just painting to me. It has always been a way to either understand or explore an emotion, dream or vision. I guess you could say it is a therapy of a sort-even Picasso called it 'another way of keeping a diary'. And then there are some times, actually most times these days, I call it a kind of prayer."

"Jewelry rule number one--never put your jewelry over an open sink. Working in gold, fine silver, sterling silver, bronze, semi-precious stones and freshwater pearls, I specialize in custom work, both new and re-design. Above all, I believe that any old and forgotton jewelry can be transformed into a piece of art."

"I have always been inspired by beautiful nature that surrounds me. I have recently been drawn to plein aire painting. You will find my work in my studio and gallery called Colors, where I create most of my art."

"I am living the second half of my life, merging more and more into an art expression that reinvents itself on a daily basis. I play with elements in the real world and in some virtual worlds, making collage images that I cannot repeat or tell you exactly how they were made. I sometimes have to remind myself this is fun, just as life is meant to be."

"I make sculptural creatures and functional pottery for use in the home. Recently, I have been drawn to sculptures of local animals and imaginary fairy tale-like creatures."

"I started weaving in 1983, and continue to look for new ways to express my passion for this ancient art, often using the Fibonacci sequence in my designs. Natural fibers are what I prefer and find great delight in dyeing them myself. I love watching the colors as I weave. I also enjoy pouring and decorating soy candles."

"My recent hand-pulled monprints and monotypes explore the world of Gumshoe the Hound and other furred and featherd creatures. These kindred beings populate my past and present, and have popped up in my art. I very much enjoy them as part of my world and my creative process."

"Soon after I took my first clay printing class, my guest bedroom became a clay print studio. As a novice artist, I have been challenged by the mechanical and artists aspects of print making. What is the hardest? Working to get the image from your head on to a clay slab for a print--and remembering to think backwards!"

"My topological acrylic paintings embody the most valued aspects of my studio practice--the creative flow, those moments of working in transcendence. I have exhibited throughout the West in Lost Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego, Seattle and in Central California, including solo exhibitions in Fresno at Fig Tree Gallery and at the Fresno Art Museum."

"I love the art and craft of guitar making. Custom guitar making is about finding the perfect match between species of wood, construction techniques and the type of music the finished guitar will be required to make. I always try to match a muscian's individual needs with a unique guitar, thus helping an accomplished player to create the most beautiful sound possible."

Three Rivers, California, is located at the main entrance to Sequoia National Park, half way between Los Angeles and San Francisco. To Sacramento and San Francisco on the top of this map, to Bakersfield and Los Angeles at the bottom of the map.