Yellow Springs Artist Studio Tour: meet my guest artists

The Yellow Springs Artist Studio Tour is this coming weekend, Sat., Oct. 19 and Sun. Oct. 20, from 10 am-6 pm both days. This is my sixth year participating as a host, and this year I have four guest artists. We have 26 artists at eight locations with two new host artists and 13 new guest artists.

Courtney Yoakum incorporates drawing, painting and sculpture in her jewelry design. She enjoys using clay to create a surface and design that works well for delicate detail. The images are often inspired by flowers and creatures. After firing, a color pallet is selected and she paints a design using a a thin layering technique to create a vibrant finish.

Steve Smith and Rebecca Graves from 4 Corners Studio work in a partnership creating functional stoneware pieces that are thrown on the potter’s wheel by Steve, with sgraffito surface decoration by Rebecca. Sgraffito is a decorating technique produced by applying layers of color or colors to the unfired clay and than scratching away a design to create contrasting images, patterns and textures. They will also have reduction-fired stoneware.

Libby Rudolf paints watercolors, large and small, inspired by the beauty of The Glen Helen Nature Preserve as well as other natural spaces around the country. She has studied with various nationally known artists and is a signature member of the Western Ohio Watercolor Society. She paints plein-air (out in the middle of nature) whenever possible.

The tour is a driving tour. Visit the Yellow Springs Artist Studio Tour website for more information about the other hosts and guest artists and to download a tour map. Maps can also be picked up at the Winds Cafe, Young's Dairy, the Yellow Springs Chamber of Commerce, and at the artists studios the days of the tour. All studios will have red balloons and signs.