All trails lead to art this weekend

Art lovers don't usually get to buy a painting in the same room where the muses whispered their inspiration and the artist's hand transformed paint into painting.

Organizers say that's the magic of ARTrails Studio Tour.

Once a year, artists throughout the Foothills open up their home studios and invite art lovers inside to look around, visit, enjoy some snacks — and just maybe take home a piece of art.

ARTrails Studio Tour for 2012 kicks off Friday and runs through Sunday. The hours will be 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday-Saturday and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday.

Members of the Mountain Shadows Artists Association created the popular event six years as a way to let folks in Yuma know that the Foothills is home to lots of creative people.

“I'm not sure people in Yuma are aware of all the fantastic art out here in the Foothills,” said painter Linda Calahan, one of the event's organizers. “We have a lot of people in the Foothills who are very accomplished artists.” She added that many of the Foothills artists involved with ARTrails have earned local and regional honors for their work.

The tours are free and self-guided (see inset box for map info).

About 500 people attend ARTrails every year.

This year's features 30 artists displaying their works at 17 home studios.

“At some studios, people won't just be meeting one artist, but two to three artists,” Calahan said. “People will certainly be getting their art fix at those studios.”

That number is nearly double the studios that participated during the first ARTrails.

“Our group is really growing and we're really happy,” she said. “People in Yuma are beginning to really look forward to our art tours every year. I've been getting a lot of calls from people looking for brochures.”

In addition to paintings, ARTrails will showcase photography, pottery, woodcarving and gourd art.

“We have some really diverse art,” Calahan enthused. “We also have new art every year.”

In addition to art, most artists treat guests to a small snack, whether it's lemonade and cookies or glasses of wine.

To Calahan, the social and conversational aspect of ARTrails is what makes it unique. Art lovers aren't just left to wonder about the creator and story behind an interesting piece of art.

“This is a wonderful opportunity for people to visit with an artist and find out how they create their work. It's not very often that you get to go inside a studio and actually see the artist at work. People are really going to enjoy what they see.”

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ON THE TRAIL:

Studio: George Hazard

(509) 999-9243

11359 E. 34th Place, Yuma

• George Hazard (Oil)

• Peter Van Went (Oil)

Studio: Sandra Erickson Welday

(952) 836-6632

11322 S. Ave. 12E, #2 (Rancho Rialto)

• Sandra Erickson Welday (Oil)

• Gay Norton (Oil)

Studio: Mary Blair

(406) 360-7089

11525 S. Cassidy Dr., Yuma

• Mary Blair (Bronze Sculpture, Oil)

Studio: Rosemary Hawkey

246-5636

11856 S. Dawn Dr., Yuma

• Rosemary Hawkey (Mixed Media, Acrylic)

Studio: Jim & Marijke Farnsworth

(209) 403-4126

12635 S. Dorothy Dr., Yuma

• Jim Farnsworth (Photography)

• Marijke Farnsworth (Oil, W/C, Pastel, Colored Pencils)

• Linda Calahan, (W/C, Oil, Acrylic)

Studio: Greenhouse Gallery

342-1047

13178 47th St., Yuma

• Norma Ukura (Oil, W/C)

Studio: Elaine Larson

305-0074

12655 S. Montana Ave., Yuma

• Elaine Larson (Oil, W/C, etc.)

• Judy Wright (W/C)

• Majel Shuler (W/C)

Studio: Lorraine Fielding

342-2812

13583 E. 45th Lane, Yuma

• Lorraine Fielding (Oil, W/C)

• Mary McCulley (Oil, W/C)

Studio: Sandi A Gourd Art Gallery

210-9458

13242 55th Dr., Yuma

• Sandi Antonacci (Gourds)

• Karen Peterson (Gourds)

Studio: Sue Morgenthaler

(509) 480-9484

13219 49th Dr., Yuma

• Sue Morgenthaler (W/C)

• Shirley Franzen (W/C)

• Adell Pullen (W/C, Oil)

Studio: Al Smith

342-2025

13588 49th Dr., Yuma

• Al Smith (Oil)

Studio: Connie Oberg

305-0682

14139 E. 49th Dr., Yuma

• Connie Oberg (Oil, Stained Glass)

• Valeen Trujillo (Oil)

Studio: Barbara Thorvilson

305-1562

13159 Onami Ave., Yuma

• Barbara Thorvilson (Digital Art, Multimedia)

Studio: Jeannie's Gallery

305-0482

14382 E. 50th St., Yuma

• Jeannie House (Oil, W/C, Acrylic, Pastels)

Studio: Carol Taylor

(425) 765-5616

13279 Onami Ave., Yuma

• Carol Taylor (Clay)

• Cathy Milsted (W/C, Acrylic, Pencil)

• Paulette Christel (Clay)

Studio: Lois Fox

345-9431

14800 E. 52nd Dr., Yuma

• Lois Fox (Western Art, Oil)

• Adair Bentley (W/C )

• J.D. Fox (Woodcarving)

• Sharon Kidder (Oil, Acrylic)

Studio: Maren's Watercolor Creations

345-9503

14812 E. 51st St., Yuma

• Maren Waddill, (W/C, Acrylic, Coffee)WANT A MAP?