The 2025 Artist Studio Tour returns July 26–27, inviting locals and visitors alike to step inside the heart of creativity from 11 am to 5 pm each day. This free, self-guided adventure is your passport to the unexpected: backroad barns turned galleries, lakeside studios, and mountaintop hideaways all open their doors for two days of artistic discovery.
Whether you’re drawn to the swish of a paintbrush, the rhythm of a sewing machine, the gleam of a pottery wheel, or the smell of freshly printed paper, this tour is a joyful showcase of the literary, culinary, visual, musical, dramatic, and dance arts that make Garrett County a living canvas. At each stop, you’ll meet the makers, learn about their craft, and maybe even witness a little magic in motion.
And this year, there’s an extra reason to explore: the Garrett Arts Passport Program! Pick up your passport and collect the Artist Studio Tour stamp from any of the three official stamping stops—or ask for a custom doodle from one of the many artists along the way. The Passport becomes a keepsake from your journey through the arts and cultural events of Garrett County throughout the year. Mark Artist Studio Tour on page 2 of the booklet with whimsical sketches or carefully designed rubber stamps marking the places you’ve been. Collect several stamps at different locations and get a free Artist Designed Embroidered Patch!
On the Artist Studio Tour, visit Equidel Art, where Robert Caron opens his studio to offer a glimpse into the contemplative practice of a master oil painter. Wander to The Loft Shop, home to Sue Arnson’s fluid watercolors and alcohol ink creations, where guest artists Bobby Croft Studios, Evitts Creek Arts, and Reid Cross add clay, silver, and wood to the mix.
At First Light Photography, Sam Housley’s lens captures local beauty, joined by his granddaughter Sophie of Sunny Spot Watercolors and Deep Creek Woods, with fine woodworking. Just down the road, Annie Simcoe at ABPH Art layers handmade paper with stitching in textural mixed media, flanked by the quirky creations of Claymonster Pottery and the vibrant paintings of Jesse Cloud Art.
Joan Chaney stitches warmth and pattern into every piece at Quilts and More, with Barbs Baubles jewelry and Bill Hentosh of Hentosh Photography rounding out the McHenry stop. At Deep Creek Pottery, Lorie and Ron Skidmore invite you into their world of functional ceramics, surrounded by the swirling hues of Crimson Shamrock Fibers and the intricate metalwork and jewelry of Wirestorm Creations.
Over in the forested quiet of Swallow Falls Road, Caroline Blizzard welcomes you to Hawk’s Flight Studio, featuring nature photography and pressed flower art from Rhiannon Dodge of Flowers and Flies and fellow photographer Neal Blizzard of Ruddy Duck Studios. Just down the road, Nate and Kathy Beachler serve up culinary delights and illegible ink’s printmaking. They are joined by digital artist Emily Elmlinger of Dissent Decals with fun stickers and coloring pages. Also joining them is Catherine Peacock with her oils, watercolors, and mixed media paintings, as well as Bud Precht of Vitroux Glass with his stained glass creations.
A Saturday-only special offers a peek into the peaceful retreat of Robert Yonke Art, where watercolor and mixed media paintings draw from the natural world. Gisele Mohler’s vibrant stained glass and mosaics shimmer with color and craftsmanship at Gisele’s Art Glass Creations.
The tour ventures across the state line to Alpine Lake Lodge, where a collective of artists, including Sew Together, Debbie Michael, Ron Miller, Nancy Ensor of Icon Apprentice, and John Wiltison, bring quilting, felting, painting, and photography together under one rustic roof.
No adventure is complete without a Saturday stop at The Gallery Shop & $MART ART Spaces in Oakland, a project of the Garrett County Arts Council and a hub for our arts community. Don’t miss the Garrett County Pride Art Contest Special Exhibit while you’re there! You can also visit The Gallery Shop, Too, a pop-up storefront in Grantsville’s Arts & Entertainment District at Grant’s Mercantile featuring a curated selection of local artwork, including stunning photography by Penny Knobel-Besa, who will be on site!
Every studio, shop, and gallery on the tour is a window into the heart of our Appalachian region—rural, resilient, and endlessly creative. Come ready to wander, wonder, and celebrate the makers who keep the arts alive in Garrett County. Whether you collect art, stories, or just passport doodles, we promise you’ll leave inspired.
You can become a member of the Garrett County Arts Council and support local artists, creative spaces, and community programs like the Artist Studio Tour. Your membership helps ensure that the arts—visual, performing, literary, culinary, and beyond—continue to thrive in our mountain home.
Learn more and join the movement at garrettarts.org.
We’ll see you on the tour, and remember – follow the yellow signs!
Written by The Garrett County Arts Council