Labor Day Artists Tour Wrap Up

A view of some outdoor sculpture and sculpture garden on Sunday 

This weekend was the 4th annual Yakima Artist's Studio Tour. My studio was again on the tour, and again this year, the other 3 studio art faculty at YVC (Chris Otten, Monika Lemmon, and Kayo Nakamura), as was my daughter's jewelery (Dezignosaur on Instagram).

The sculputre path marks the route into the shed, backyard, and studio

Since it was all the same folks as last year, we tried to keep the good stuff from last year while making improvements. After the show last year I wrote down some ideas for things to do this year, but I didn't actually look at the whole list until the Thursday before the tour.

My studio on the first day of the show

A few changes or improvements I was able to implement this year (or keep from last year) included not putting out quite as much stuff as I sometimes do. I have a tendancy to worry that I don't have enough, so I dig out more and more. This year I put out the best functional work, but hid some pieces that weren't my favorites. I also didn't bother to unbox some work that was in the Dust faculty show earlier this year at Larson Gallery.

berry bowls

Something I found amusing was that during the show, someone asked me for a berry bowl in a color I didn't have on display. I had one stashed under the table, as I wasn't as happy with the interaction of the glaze and surface texture in that one. Since I had it nearby, though, I was able to bring it out for her. She didn't mind the color irregularlities, so I sold it to her at a discount.

berry bowls as pincushion heads

I had also boxed up, separately, some items that were damanged. At the end of the first day, Kayo and I were brainstorming about pieces that incorporated ceramics and mixed media, so stook a few of the pieces that were intact, but not great for food and turned them into pincushions/pin storage with heads.

my ceramic sculpture with Kayo's doll hands

The show ended up evolving over time, with more work showing up on the second day, especially from Kayo. The sculpture garden along the side of the house is a permanent part of the yard (since last year's show), but I added things to it for the show, as did Kayo.

Kayo's and my work hanging out in the rock garden together

I also had to replace some things that people ended up buying from the rock garden area. One person asked to buy a piece that had been out all year.

the shed being delivered (by a really neat truck)

A day or two before the show, the space for the show changed considerably. We had purchased a shed and weren't sure if it would be delivered before or after the Tour. As it happened, it was delivered right before and we decided to leave it empty for a few days in case anyone wanted to use it for art.

Kayo's work installed in the shed

As it happened, Kayo had a fabric piece that was just the right height for the interior of the empty shed. It was installed Sunday and was a delightful addition and surprise for anyone who attended both days.

Kayo's light up baby in the shed

As the show went on that day, she added a few more friends and surprises to both the interior of the shed and the rock garden and other spaces.

Chris's photo with googly eyes

Towards the end of the first day, as it was getting very hot outside and some of us were getting tired and maybe a bit silly, the googly eyes came out, creating a considerable change in the mood of some of the photographs and paintings.

Monika's painting with googly eyes

One of the delightful things about a group show like this, and more particularly, this particular group of people, is that while I was inside chatting with visitors to the show, changes were happening outside, so I didn't know about the googly eyes until I came out and saw Monika's largest painting, transformed.

Monika's work without googly eyes

I like doing this tour because I like having people come to my house to look at my beautiful studio and see my work. I also really like talking to folks about the art, about art making, about YVC, and more. 

Chris's skull with googly eyes

This year the four of us made a concerted effort to advertise to YVC faculty, staff, and administrators before the end of Spring quarter, since many faculty aren't on campus in summer.

my work and Kayo's on the porch of the shed

I also wanted the show to be fairly low stakes for everyone, since preparing work for a show can be stressful and all 4 of us teach full time, just had a big show in January, and don't always choose to make work that is particularly commercial. I kept reminding myself and everyone that the goal was showing our work, hanging out with nice people, and talking to more nice people, which I think we accomplished.

close up of Kayo's work

While people were visiting, we could often get into interesting and lively conversations. I found some of the particularly refreshing, both visits with people I know, but don't see all that often, and people I met this year at the show. One of my favorite surprise conversations was with a elementary educator who was asking for advice about setting up a home studio and finding time to make her own work. It was such a refreshing conversation that it made me feel much more excited for the start of the fall quarter.

Monika, Chris, and Kayo enjoying the weather before it gets super hot

During the lulls in the day, when visitors weren't around, the four of us, as well as our families, had time to chat and even make more work. For some of the time, Monika was drawing and Kayo was making cards with Chris advising on the text for the cards. She sold most of the cards, but when she had the whole stack, it was really funny to read through the whole set. 

Kayos drawings, mixed media, and cards on display

Overall, for me, the show was a welcome transition between summer (when I try to spend most of my time and energy in the studio, making work--or doing family stuff) and fall (when I need to prepare and teach my classes--not to mention my union duties, which never actually stop). 

Monika's work in the foreground, with Chris and Kayo's tables behind

Today, the day after the show, I did union work, of course, but also finished putting away the work and signs and other stuff from the show. My studio is now incredibly clean and I have whole shelves of space free for the next time I can carve out some time and energy for the studio.

My studio after I put away the tour stuff

My plan for the next two weeks is to stay out of the studio and try to relax a bit before the quarter starts, but I also moved the four works in progress down to the main work table and lower shelves so I can get those done when I do get back into the studio.