For the ninth year, the Santa Barbara Mesa’s community of select artists will open their private home studios and share the unique surroundings that inspire them as part of the Mesa Artists Studio Tour this weekend, Nov. 3-4.
On Santa Barbara’s seaside Mesa away from the downtown traffic and bustle, it seems that just around this corner or down that lane a prize-winning artist lives and quietly works, fueled by the neighborhood’s laid-back lifestyle and stunning ocean and mountain vistas.
Not normally open to the walk-in public, the 10 artists on the tour will welcome visitors with displays of their newest art, a look into their work spaces, and light refreshments from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
The prize-winning artists on the tour this year include Karen Aggeler, Susan Belloni, Deborah Breedon, Sarah Carr, Morgan Green, Sally Hamilton, Cree Mann, Margaret Nadeau, Erin Williams and Ellen Yeomans.
“I love seeing new faces and chatting with former visitors,” Green said. “The casual setting helps everybody relax and have a good time. It’s like a garden party all day.”
The key is the tour’s free brochure. This guide can be found at many local businesses and hotels. It contains an easy-to-follow map to the tour’s working studios, which may be tucked into a shady byway or perched on a panoramic hillside. The brochure also offers colorful examples of each artist’s work, and concise directions.
The brochure also is available online. It can be downloaded from the Mesa Artists Studio Tour website by clicking here.
Visitors can reach all the studios by car during a leisurely afternoon. Some like to cycle. Either way, the tour has become a custom for many seeking an entertaining afternoon of fine art away from the urban crowds.
— Artist Erin Williams represents the Mesa Artists Studio Tour.
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