Toe River Arts Studio Tour

The Toe River Arts Studio Tour, one of the largest and longest running studio tours in the country, will take place December 6–8 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day. “You will find craftspeople and artists in nearly every medium,” says Mea Johnson, marketing and communications coordinator for Toe River Arts. “This free and self-guided tour gives you the opportunity to meet artists in their studios where they create and live.” A sampling of work from the participating artists will be on display at the gallery from Saturday, November 16, through December 28. Toe River Arts will also host a meet-the-artist reception at the Spruce Pine Gallery on Friday, December 6, from 5:30–7:30 p.m.

Glass artists JJ Brown and Simona Rosasco frequently spend an hour or more with visitors, showing them around the studio and explaining their work. “Our glass art is unique in this region,” says Rosasco. “We create kiln-formed glass pieces by casting blocks or ‘pattern bars’ that are built by stacking glass into molds made of high temperature materials.” The molds are then fired and sliced to be used in the design of flat panels, creating intricate patterns that can be displayed as-is or fired yet again with ceramic molds to create plates and bowls. “As a result of this process, no two works are exactly alike,” says Brown.

Ceramic artist Valerie Schnaufer says that the studio tour offers a productive outlet for rural artists. “Visitors enjoy the chance to actually travel these beautiful roads,” she says. “They not only see how and where we work but they also experience our surroundings, gardens and homes. You get a real feel about each artist’s work and inspirations from spending time in their environment.”