Thursday, June 18, 2009

Chance to Win an Alan Sanborn Painting and Support NCOS

Here is your chance to own a beautiful original Alan Sanborn painting. This framed and matted watercolor painting will be raffled off on Wednesday, June 24th, and the proceeds will benefit North Coast Open Studios. Tickets are still available. For only $5 you will get a chance to take this beautiful painting home with you!

Call (707) 834-6460 for tickets or more information. Tickets are available until Tuesday, June 23rd for a $5 donation to North Coast Open Studios (c/o Ink People Center for the Arts).

Thank you to Alan Sanborn and North Coast Gallery & Framing for their generous donations! Drawing will be June 24th. Need not be present to win.

Friday, June 5, 2009

And the Survey Says...

Open Studios Attendees:
Do you have feedback on your experience attending North Coast Open Studios? Want to help us plan for next year's event? Complete and return the NCOS 2009 Attendee Survey and you will be entered to win one of five gift certificates (for an ice cream cone, shake or sundae) or the grand prize of a custom ice cream cake!

NCOS Participating Artists:
There's a survey for you too! Complete the NCOS 2009 Participant Survey and you will be entered to win a free listing in the 2010 North Coast Open Studios Guidebook.

You feedback will help us plan for the 2010 event, and make sure it is even better then the 2009 NCOS! Thank you so much for taking the time to complete and return this short survey.
Please complete the survey and return it to: NCOS, c/o the Ink People Center for the Arts, 411 12th Street, Eureka, CA 95501 by Tuesday, June 23rd, and you will be entered to win!

Questions? Contact NCOS at (707) 834-6460.







Thank you to Bon Boniere for their generous support of the arts in Humboldt County!

Thursday, June 4, 2009

See Artists in Their Natural Habitat


North Coast Open Studios is a once a year opportunity to see artists in their natural habitats. Artists’ studios are often as much artwork as their creations are. On top of that, most artists do not welcome visitors into their inner sanctums lightly.

So, this really is a very special chance to see, not only what has been created recently, but the older artworks that no longer excite the creative artist as much. A common characteristic of the creative personalities is that they are most excited about what they are working on right now. “If it’s new, it must be the best,” is the artist’s cry. It may or may not be, but it will eclipse thoughts of older artworks. The advantage of Open Studios is that you can actually browse through those older pieces and discover the gems. It’s like a treasure hunt.

The other special feature of Open Studios is the opportunity to get to know the artist whose work you have admired for so long or to meet a new artist and discover their artwork – with the artist right there to talk with you about it. Fabulous!

It pays to plan your studio tour ahead of time. So get your NCOS guidebook and plot your adventure. Two weekends affords lots time to get out around the county and visit all those artists’ lairs.




Left: Painting by Libby Maynard.

Libby, who is the Executive Director of Ink People Center of the Arts, will be open by appointment during North Coast Open Studios. Libby is pictured above (left) with Ink People Program Manager Tanya Nordberg.