For the first time since the Covid-19 pandemic began, the RiverArts Studio Tour will take place for two days, Nov. 5-6, from 11 a.m.-6 p.m. The tour showcases more than 80 artists from Ardsley, Dobbs Ferry, Hastings, Irvington, Sleepy Hollow, and Tarrytown in their place of work.
On view will be a range of visual arts, including painting, sculpture, ceramics, fiber optics, photography, and mixed media. Each artist will be present to discuss how they work, or the creative process in general. “Plus, we have 10 to 15 artists who are participating for the first time,” said artist Kit Demirdelen, who is co-producing the event with Gabrielle Burger.
Since 1993, the Studio Tour was a fixture on RiverArts’ spring calendar of events. The pandemic changed all that, starting with the shutdown in March 2020. In 2021, the Tour took place in October. The fall date proved fortuitous for many of the artists who participated, according to RiverArts representatives.
“After Covid, we were all so eager to get back to normal in 2021 that we didn’t want to wait until 2022 to resume the tour. Autumn is such a beautiful time of year in the Rivertowns and a lot of outsiders are driving up this way to see the leaves,” Demirdelen said.
Demirdelen has been a member of RiverArts since she moved to Hastings 12 years ago and credits the organization for introducing her to the Rivertowns arts community. She works in felt and wool, and also conducts workshops at the Hudson River Museum in Yonkers. Berger, her tour co-producer, is a painter and former resident of Tarrytown who now lives in Beacon.
Demirdelen, along with RiverArts executive director Josh Suniewick, said that a number of artists who showed their artwork on the 2021 tour reported an increase in sales with the move to October.
“October is close to the holidays… people are in a shopping mood,” Suniewick said. “The important thing about this year is that we have the two days, which gives visitors an opportunity to see something they like, think about it, and come back on Sunday to make the purchase. Our artists are really happy about this.”
Demirdelen understands why some of the artists were not enthusiastic about the change, adding, “We want to satisfy all our artists and are open to feedback, but, right now, the move to October feels good.”
An interactive Google map showing the location of all studios can be found and downloaded by visiting www.RiverArtsStudioTour.com. Attendees are encouraged to RSVP and register for the tour so they can download a badge to their phone, ensuring easy entry at every studio they visit. Suniewick said that pre-registration also helps RiverArts maintain an accurate record of visitors — an important statistic when the organization is applying for grants.
Chloe Sikirica, a resident of Hastings who will open her studio to show her encaustic photographs, likes the move to October — and especially the return of the second day.
“This is huge. And I think this time of year is somehow cozier for people when they visit a studio,” she said. “RiverArts is such a wonderful organization, and they do a fabulous job in maintaining a sense of community for the artists who live here.”
Studio Tour admission is free, however, as a not-for-profit organization, RiverArts accepts donations on their website, riverarts.org.
Cover image: Jen Moore Smith, Marisa Gonzales Silverstein, and Alison Marra at the Collective Art Space (Studio 318F), which they share with Alison Cimmet and Raine Gifford at 145 Palisade Street in Dobbs Ferry. TIM LAMORTE/RIVERTOWNS ENTERPRISE
