By Cali Bagby

Christa Malay and Corwin Martin started the annual Lopez Artist Tour event in 1996. Over the years the tour, on Labor Day weekend, has grown from 15 studios and 20 artists in 2003 to 30 studio and 46 artists last year.

This year, the tour is managed by the Lopez Artist Guild and Dennis Ryan has taken over as the coordinator for the tour. He has been researching other tours across the country, and he has found that visitors like the event because they can make a connection to the artist and learn about how their art is made. Artists say by talking to visitors it gives them ideas or reinforces their belief in their work.

“Everyone is growing,” said Ryan about the tours. “It’s an opportunity for people who are not artists to see what that part of the community is up to and hear them. And the artist has to articulate what they are doing and interact with people … it’s pretty special.”

Ryan, a former professor, who taught architecture at the University of Washington, also said he enjoys finding out the process that artists take in creating their work.

Another new addition to this year’s tour is the official tour website, www.lopezsudiotour.org.

Ryan said the best part of this online feature is that all the information will be there forever, and it helps place the tour in front of different eyes.

Artists will register for the first time online and be able to feature a photo of their artwork and a link to their own website. The deadline for registration for the tour is May 5. Ryan hopes to have the brochure out by June.

Other features on the website include the tour brochure, which can be downloaded and printed off, and a Google map, making it easy for visitors to see where each studio is located. There are also guidelines on the web for artists wanting to participate.

Ryan wants to make sure artists know that they don’t have to be Lopez Artist Guild members. Any artist that lives on Lopez, full-time or part-time, is eligible to take part in the tour.

Cost is $100 per artist.

“I want to encourage artists to step up and become part of this event,”  said Ryan.

For more info, visit www.lopezsudiotour.org.