Gayle Rappaport-Weiland arranges her hand-painted products on the display table in her Pismo Beach studio.
Jim Tyler of San Luis Obispo packs up his pastel paintings of Central Coast landscapes.
Bobbi Matuk adds the finishing touches to a demo bandana in Paso Robles.
In Morro Bay, Suze Crowley counts the final beat as she completes another mandala.
These local artists, and 136 more, are preparing for two weekends showcasing their paintings, jewelry, woodwork, glasswork and more during this year’s Open Studio Art Tour. In its 27th year celebrating the creativity of the Central Coast, the event spans two consecutive weekends, October 11-12 and 18-19.
What begins as a space for visitors and residents to experience unique, local art also becomes an opportunity for artists to connect with one another and with attendees, bringing many of them back year after year.
Rappaport-Weiland has been participating in Open Studios for a decade. This year, her studio features a curated collection of paintings ranging from ethereal angels to vibrant poppies.
The artist says she paints what feels most intrinsic to her, describing her artwork as “an extension of my soul.”
She hopes viewers will engage with her art on a personal level. “I want the viewer to get inside themselves and look at the art, and bring their emotions and their feelings to the piece,” she says.
For Rappaport-Weiland, connecting with people is the most meaningful part of the tour. “What makes the experience is the people who are involved and how you touch those people. The people that touch you during this tour are the people you’re supposed to interact with.”
Similarly, naturally-dyed textiles artist Matuk notices when “people’s eyes light up” as they watch her transform onion skins and avocado pits into perfect shades of color and place them on different fabrics.
Artists like Rappaport-Weiland and Matuk not only form bonds with the people who visit their studios, but also with each other.
“We artists have all become great friends,” says Tyler, who finds himself reconnecting with fellow artists year after year. “And we have people who come back every year, to see the art, find out about my latest pastel workshops, or just to catch up.”
One of the ways he hopes to inspire other artists is by reminding them that “they don’t have to paint Morro Rock for their whole career. There’s a wealth of painting opportunities here, with the ocean, the mountains, the cattle ranches and most of all the people!”
Like Tyler, other Open Studios artists bring intention to their work, each piece reflecting a motivation that goes beyond the social side of the event.
When drawing mandalas, Crowley finds the center and “continues drawing outwardly, while drawing inwardly,” in both a creative and a meditative practice. Using her 32 years as an aerobic dance choreographer, she counts in rhythm with each line, a habitual practice that helps her symmetry.
Whether as a therapeutic outlet or a form of expression, every artist connects to their process in a unique way, and each year the Open Studios Art Tour, presented by SLO County Arts, offers locals and visitors a unique way to experience those connections.
The tour is free, and catalogs listing artists by name and medium are available online or at Studios on the Park in Paso Robles, Art Center Morro Bay, Art Central in San Luis Obispo, or The Gallery in Arroyo Grande.