Art lovers hit the road last Saturday at the ninth annual Art Trail hosted by the Vero Beach Art Club, where they learned a little about the mystique behind the creative process of 10 local artists at their studios.
Those making the self-guided trek varied from one extreme to the other, from fellow artists who jumped on the chance to get a peek at other artists’ studios and pick their brains about techniques, lighting and tools, to the contingent of art fans who find even paint-by-number sets to be beyond their grasp. But the eclectic group of voyeurs had one thing in common: a fascination with the ability of others to bring a lump of clay to life or create a new world on a blank canvas.
“It’s fantastic because the public actually gets a chance to go in and look at where an artist creates their work,” said VBAC President Rebecca Van Cordt. “When you purchase a piece of art, it’s nice to have a little bit of the back history and it makes the piece more valuable to the buyer.”
At the studio of assemblage artist Joan Earnhart, whose pieces tell a story in three dimensions, guests saw old pianos and paintings in a whole new light.
A crowd gathered around pastel artist Dawn Miller as she explained her use of pastels to create a place of serenity.
“As an artist, external validation is important,” said Miller. “We get isolated; it’s an individual sport. So being able to share it with the public is great.”
At her studio, Sherry Haaland showed how she wields her pastels to create portraits of people and pets.
George Paxton’s explanation of the foundry process utilized to create figurative sculpture in bronze and terracotta left visitors baffled by how such an intensive process could yield work that captures the wonderful essence of his subjects.
Betsy Kurzinger’s works in digital illustration and mixed media capture the beauty of the world through technology, while just down the street Charlotte Dickinson prefers the use of oils and watercolor.
Dawn Mill’s studio was reflective of her ability to make use of whatever medium best creates the desired outcome, whether it be acrylic, oils or watercolor. Russell Hahn explained the painstaking process he employs to create collages utilizing postage stamps on watercolor.
Potter Peggy Thomas opened up her studio to share the secrets of her stoneware and Raku pottery, which project a celebration of nature with a hint of whimsy. Merana Cadorette, whose home also showcases the works of many other artists, is another who works in various media, including watercolor, acrylics and ceramics.
“We’ve got so many good artists, it’s always hard to choose,” said Deirdre Bugbee, event co-chair with Soozi Schuble, of the difficult task of narrowing participants to just 10.
“The most beneficial aspect is that we make money for scholarships, which benefits children in the community,” added Schuble.
Vero Beach Art Club has fostered an appreciation of art through exhibitions and education for the past 80 years, raising funds through events for scholarships and to support art programs in schools and the recreation department.
