Hello Again! It's Nice to Be Back.

It's been a busy few months, culminating in last weekend's Mid-City Studio Tour in Long Beach. And what a great weekend it was! We all thought it was a success - perfect weather, lots of visitors to each studio, happy encounters, good conversations, sales. I loved having the help again this year of my artist niece, Susan Stromquist, who flew in from Philadelphia.

There is something very special about showing off a creative work space not often open for view. A  studio is normally a private place where an artist can relax with ideas, experiments, processes, failures and successes - a place of many internal conversations. So, to open it up to friends and strangers is quite a change of pace. But there is a sweet reward for all the organizing, cleaning, preparations - the pride of presenting to others one's own art on one's own studio walls in one's very own personal space.

Here are a few pictures:

Entryway to my studio 

My studio, all dressed up.

Another view of my studio

A third view including my etching press

Susan at the studio door

Gail Werner with one of her encaustic monoprints.

JoAnne Berke stands next to the display of her jewelry.

Carol Roemer stands in her studio.

Gisele and Kim Hocking at Greenley Art Space.

John Montich in front of his photo works.

The artists' after-party in Slater Barron's back yard on Sunday evening

CiCi, an art enthusiast.