A SELF-GUIDED Arts and Crafts Tour
With 39 Artists at 12 Studio locations across Seattle
Friday, December 2 4-9 pm
Saturday, December 3 10am-5pm
Sunday, December 4 10am-5pm
Contact: Leah Hunkins
206-427-2057
admin@penguinadesigns.com
SEATTLE SAMPLING WEB SITE:
www.seattlesampling.com
Photo downloads; www.seattlesampling.com
Or contact Loren Lukens at llpots@comcast.net for additional photos
SEATTLE SAMPLING ARTISTS’ STUDIO TOUR CELEBRATING 24th YEAR
Seattle, Washington, Fall 2011- Seattle Sampling, Seattle’s most established and largest holiday arts and crafts tour is celebrating its 24th year. Thirty nine of Seattle’s award–winning, professional craftspeople will be showing at 12 locations throughout the greater Seattle area. This free, self–guided tour offers holiday shoppers a relaxed and intimate opportunity to meet the artists in their own environments, where they work and live. A vibrant opening night reception at each location will be held Friday, December 2nd from 4-9 pm. On Saturday and Sunday, December 3rd and 4th, each venue is open from 10 am to 5 pm. A map and a complete listing of all the artists and their locations are available for download at www.seattlesampling.com or by calling 206-935-6740. Some studios also have additional hours.
SEATTLE SAMPLING: TRADITION AND CHANGE
Seattle Sampling began in 1987 when ten artists decided to pool their talents and mailing lists to create a studio tour. Two of the founding members continue their involvement this year; Ginny Conrow & Paddy McNeely (clay artists).
Of the additional 37 artists some are new to the tour, some are returning after an absence, and some have been showing with Seattle Sampling for a number of years. Their locally and nationally recognized work includes clothing; jewelry in a myriad of materials and styles; glass: beads, mosaic, blown, and fused; paintings; functional and decorative ceramics; decorative lighting; traditional and non-traditional basketry; paper collage; metal sculpture; and fiber. New to the tour this year are artists working in bronze, dichroic glass, up-cycled wool, hand pressed print making, sculptural jewelry in steel, silver & mica, handmade felt and flameworked glass. Returning artists take this as an opportunity to show their new design directions and bring back old favorites. New artists add a constant element of discovery to the overall tour.
A MORE PERSONAL EXPERIENCE
One of the pleasures of shopping at a studio sale, whether for your own collection or for gifts, is the ability to spend time with the artists; to see how and where a piece is made. Artists love to explain their creative processes, show off their work spaces, and make a personal connection with their buyers. For the customer it can make the artwork speak more intimately to them. If you want to spend all day at one studio, a few hours, or a whole weekend visiting all of the studios, Seattle Sampling allows you to customize your viewing and shopping experience while supporting the local economy.