Artists open studios for weekend tour
Are you planning to stay closer to home this year? The 6th Ramona Open Studios Tour offers a quintessential weekend getaway.
The two-day event will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, April 18 and 19. Sponsored by the Ramona Chamber of Commerce, the tour features 18 artists in 15 private studios located throughout Ramona.
A much-anticipated and well-attended event, folks return for an “art fix” that takes them out of the everyday routine and gives them a visual boost.
Spring green hills scattered with wild flowers set the mood for beginning the tour. Passing through giant boulders, grasslands dotted by cows, vineyards gracing rolling hills, working ranches and avocado groves, the Ramona Open Studios Tour provides an unique occasion to take the many roads less traveled.
Visitors move at their own pace, savoring old favorites and seeking new discoveries. Some return to catch up with their favorite artists who have become old friends and to add a few new pieces to their collections if they choose.
A unique alchemy results when 18 award-winning artists open their studios to the public for the weekend. Visual artists work mostly in isolation, rarely connecting with the people who appreciate and purchase their work.
Would you like to learn more about the artists’ inspirations, their medium, and how they became artists? The comfortably intimate atmosphere nurtures a connection to the artists, their personal experiences, and their artwork as they invite visitors into their creative sanctuaries. They welcome this opportunity to share their vision.
On the Ramona tour, there is something for everyone, from the practical to the philosophical, from the whimsical to the serious — all of it, of course, beautiful.
Artists featured in the tour are Venus Andrecht, Susan Bainbridge, Yigal Ben- Aderet, Jim Berger, Kitty Cantrell, Antonia Cosentino, Donna Davis, Sue Dawe, Lyn Feudner, Linda Kelly, Isabel McCauley, Michele Morton, Judy Nachazel, Carolyn Nespolo, Sally Quenette, Leslie Souza, Joyce Stark and Jil Streed. To preview the artists’ work or to learn more about the tour, visit www.ramonaart.com.
Ramona Open Studios Tour is made possible through the generosity of the following sponsors: Ramona Chamber of Commerce, Walker Communications and Media Services, Elam’s Hallmark, Albertsons, High Valley Veterinary Hospital, First Engineering, Farmers Insurance/Ramirez Agency, Daniel’s West, Packards Pluss, Cheers Ramona, Ramona Disposal, Larry and Tina Reeves, Clendenen Group, Oaks Grille in San Diego Country Estates, Java Hut, Dan Vengler, Norma Garcia Vengler, and Daniel’s Liquor & Deli.
Tickets are $10 per person including a full-color brochure with map, and they may be ordered by phone from the Ramona Chamber of Commerce at 789-1311 or in person at the chamber office at 960 Main St. Tuesdays through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tickets are also at: Daniel’s Liquor and Deli (1350 Main St.), Daniel’s West (17718 Highway 67), Java Hut (23658 San Vicente Road in Country Estates) and at the artists’ studios on the days of the event. Look for the bright yellow “Open Studio” signs.
Proceeds from ticket sales will benefit the Ramona Chamber of Commerce.