Known as an unusual small art town in America, the city will be showcasing some of its more prominent artists at the Eureka Artist Studio tour from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Nov. 1 and 2.
Meeting the artists where they create is an unusual opportunity that allows visitors to go behind the scenes and see where artists work and how they create.
Artist’s studios are intriguing – for example, Lorna Trigg and Craig Hirsch have a studio built into the hillside that looks like a magical cave; Larry Mansker’s studio-home is a work of art in itself designed and created by Mansker.
The Studio Tour was organized this year by Mansker and Jim Nelson. In previous years, Mansker said he has had about 200 people visit during the tours.
“They were interesting, charming and nice people,” Mansker said. “It was a heck of a lot of fun. There are galleries downtown for people who wouldn’t drive out for a studio tour. So, people who come for the tours are very enthusiastic. They are interested in how the artist works and the lifestyle of an artist. I always appreciate it when I go to an artist’s studio that is really involved. I do lots of different things, so I have a large studio to accommodate all the different tools I have.”
Mansker said the first year of the tour about six years ago was the best year as far as attendance with a lot of locals coming out. This year they are hoping for a big crowd with publicity done by Nelson on the radio, flyers and posters being handed out all around town, and an article to run in the Arkansas Democrat Gazette drawing the event to the attention of many people in the Fayetteville-Rogers-Bentonville corridor.
All 13 artist studios are located either in Eureka Springs are within five miles of Basin Park. The following artists are welcoming the public for the Studio Tour:
Denise Ryan, deniseryanart.com, 19 Elk St.
Eleanor Lux, 18 White Street
Mary Springer, 1 Prospect
Phyllis Plumley, etsy.com/shop/PhyllisPlumleyArt, 164 North Main.
J.A. Nelson, 83 Look Circle.
Stephen R. Feilbach, www.stephenrfeilbach.com, 44 Kingshighway
Steve Beacham, 65 Spring St., lower level
Jody Stephenson and Ron Lutz, studio62.biz/, 335 W. Van Buren
Julie Kahn Valentine, 79 1/2 Spring St.
Lorna and Craig Hirsch, fireomearth.com, 872 Mill Hollow Rd.
Larry Mansker, www.LarryMansker.com, 711 Mill Hollow Rd.
Diana Harvey, 312 County Road 309.
Doug Stowe, www.dougstowe.com, 412 Sandrock Rd.