The Chester County Studio Tour is scheduled for May 14-15 – Daily Local

DOWNINGTOWN – Spring is here, as well as a favorite event for art collectors – a tour of Chester’s studio, a two-day art extravaganza featuring 165 artists in 61 studios on Saturday, May 14, and Sunday, May 15.

The tour was described as a tour of the studio and garden that appeals to people who love to explore beautiful properties and discover the lives of artists.

The co-founder of the tour, pop artist Jeff Schaler, says last year’s tour had to be changed to outdoor viewing due to pandemic restrictions, but now the participating artists are happy to have come out of “hibernation”. “We were in our studios, developing our ideas, cultivating intuition and improving our skills,” said Schaler from his studio in Downingtown.

Schaler said the annual tour began 12 years ago when a group of his fellow artists shared ideas at a monthly meeting of art critics, and they decided to address the public in a new way.

As it turned out, Chester County can be considered “the country of Andrew Wyatt”, but it is also home to hundreds of non-traditional artists working in different environments, as well as photographers, engravers, woodworkers and sculptors.

The artists represented in the three studios in and around Coatesville are perhaps typical of the range of work you can see. According to a free illustrated catalog published in each studio, artists found at Rachel Roman’s home include self-proclaimed “bird artist” Annie Patrice, glass artist Stephen Schaefer and Jill Beach, who creates sculptures from clay, paper, encaustic and metal. .

In another Coatesville studio, artist Herb Eilertsen will showcase his series of magnificent and dramatic paintings by the neighboring West Branch of Brandywine.

At Nancy Furman’s home and studio on top of the hill, visitors can see works by photographer Ron Salzman and landscape painters Elizabeth Hughes and Tim McAleese.

Furman, a former principal at an elementary school in Downingtown, is now spending time exploring new artistic means. Her street landscapes of Coatesville and Downingtown, such as the painting shown here, have a textured look as they are made with oil and cold wax.

Furman will also showcase his recent work using a technique called wet felting and needle felting. These works are another one to see. The wet felt technique proved to be perfect for depicting fun scenes of children’s games, Furman said, while needle felting was used in colorful landscapes designed to hang from the wall, like mini-tapestries.

Given the popularity of the Chester County Tour – it is not only free but also does not require tickets – it is clear that the tour organizers have developed the most effective system for attracting visitors. For example, Coatesville is an easy drive from the many other studios that appear on tour itineraries that you can download from the band’s website.

Romana, a painter whose figurative works are reminiscent of Eastern European folk tales, said she created her own map where she located her home on Oak Street. The map highlights Coatesville’s convenient location with other studios such as the studios in West Chester (20 minutes drive) and Jeff Schaler’s studio (15 minutes) next to others in Downingtown.

Roman’s studio is also located just a few blocks from the historic Lukens district, a 14-acre green space that includes historic homes open for excursions every Saturday.

Roman first took part in the annual tour at Spring City Mill Studios near Phoenixville. But after moving to Coatesville less than three years ago, she discovered a new audience and friendly neighbors. Now she is looking forward to inviting the public to her spacious home, which includes an outdoor garden with a frog pond. “Artists tend to spend so much time working in isolation, so we really enjoy it when you go out and meet us,” Ramana said.

The Chester County Studios tour is free and open to the public on Saturday, May 14, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sunday, May 15, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, including a map and a way to create your own tour design, visit the group’s new interactive website at www.countystudiotour.com.