The 2023 Red Dot Art Studio Tour returns to Silver City once again during Labor Day weekend. The studio tour begins the 25th anniversary year of the Silver City Art Association. Starting with a celebration of the participating studio artists 5-7 p.m. is a Friday night reception spectacular of art, food and music at the studio tour headquarters, Light Art Space, in the Flash Gallery space.
This year’s self-guided tour features 23 studio members who are opening their private work studios to the public. Hours are 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday. A comprehensive brochure nan be found at the opening reception or on brochure racks located around Silver City businesses, galleries and at the Silver City Visitor Center. Brochures will be available all weekend at Light Art Space. The Studio brochure is also available on the SCAA website, www.silvercityart.com.
The brochure offers two maps suggesting two routes for visiting the studios. If your time permits spend one day for each tour route. Map A travels to eight studios near Silver City on a beautiful road trip from Mimbres, to Hanover, Bayard, Arenas Valley and Wind Canyon. Map B continues the studio tour through historic Downtown Silver City and surrounding streets. Each artist studio is numbered. Use the Red Dot numbers and find the number location on the respective map and follow the written directions provided to get you exactly where you want to go.
Three new studio artists have joined the tour this year for the first time: Susan Mach, Marcia Tinker and Bryan Hyde.
A relatively new artist in town, and new this year to the studio tour Mach moved to Silver City two years ago after teaching art and ceramics in Southern California for 30 years. She creates functional and sculptural work using both hand building and wheel techniques. Her studio will be open over the tour weekend and also on Monday, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
“I’m so fortunate to be able to have my first real studio, which means it’s spacious enough to hold my materials and tools and turn around in. I enjoy watching visitors look through my workspace and asking questions,” she said.
Marcia Tinker and Bryan Hyde share “Tinker’s Hyde-Away Studio.” Moving to Silver City five years ago their first art project was to renovate a 140-year-old adobe. The last project just completed has been their cozy studio. Bryan comes from an advertising design career and now entertains himself and others with his imaginative photo illustrations.
“My work takes the form of prints, notecards and art shirts,” Hyde said. “After 40-plus years in the advertising business my digital art is somewhat therapy.”
Tinker has a BFA in Photography from SUNY New Paltz and has worked as a creative use consultant for Polaroid, sold photo supplies to government agencies and was a visual merchandise manager for Macy’s. Her photographic work includes hand colored silver prints, image transfers and fabric photo images. Currently her primary body of work is re-Imagined fashions which she creates from vintage and used clothing, fabrics and trims.
“I grew up in a creative family,” she said. “I thought everyone had a darkroom in their basement and sewing was a way of expression. I now incorporate a variety of art forms which also include collage, fiber art, mixed media, found objects and of course garden art.”
SCAA is made up of independent artists, studios, galleries and a new category this year is “friends.” Originally the Studios and Galleries held a combined event in October. For more info on all of SCAA’s events pick up a RED DOT Art guide or visit the website www.silvercityart.com.
