By Shelley Widhalm

The Surveyor

Sixteen Berthoud area artists will open their studios or join other artists Aug. 4 for the inaugural Berthoud Open Studios to do some showing and telling.

Photo by Shelley Widhalm – Charlotte Zinc, left, Nicole Jenkins and Lori Ohs, co-founders of the Berthoud Open Studios tour, pose July 2 in front of some of the artwork on display through Aug. 31 at Da Bean Coffee House. The reception for the tour will be Aug. 3 at Da Bean, and the tour will be Aug. 4.

The artists are part of the 12-stop, self-guided tour of home and public studios, print shops and art and antique stores, where artists will invite the public to see their art, hear about their inspirations and methods, and make direct purchases.

“That’s one of the benefits of a studio tour is you’re meeting people directly. There’s not a gallery or store or middle space,” said Charlotte Zinc, a painter and metal artist who co-owns Zink Metal Art with her husband Ben, and a tour participant.

Zinc and Berthoud artists Nicole Jenkins and Lori Ohs founded and organized Berthoud Open Studios as Berthoud’s First Annual Artist Open Studio Tour — studio tours are something seen at other communities along the Front Range, and this will be a first for Berthoud.

“It’s nice we are establishing ours as a way for artists to self-promote,” Zinc said.

The free tour can be conducted by walking or driving to numbered stops of artist studios and work spaces, plus a few public spaces that include the Berthoud Community Library District, where art already is on display year round. The tour will be 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

Da Bean Coffee House, 434 Mountain Ave., will host a reception 6-8 p.m. Aug. 3 for the public to meet the artists and see some of their artwork prior to the tour. The reception is part of the preview show July 2-Aug. 31, where each artist has two pieces on display to present a sample of the work they do. Their work includes paintings, pastels, photography, printmaking, encaustic or wax paintings, sculpture, pottery, dried flowers, stained glass, metal art and jewelry; and it represents landscapes, portraits, animals, figures and modern pieces.

“You can meet the artists all in one place. You might want to see where the artist works and see more of what they have,” said Jenkins, a graphic and jewelry designer and owner of Aer-o Studio in Berthoud.

The reception will give visitors an opportunity to decide the studio and public spaces they want to visit the next day. Visitors can see and ask questions about the artists’ working spaces, processes, mediums, and the equipment and tools they use. They can get a glimpse of their inspirations and what motivates them to do their work and, in some cases, will get to see a demonstration.

“It’s the joy of seeing people’s creative spaces,” Zinc said. “It gives you an eye into people’s processes, and there’s many steps involved in creating all art forms that you get to see.”

The artists will get to meet their patrons and supporters and share their work with them, Zinc said. “We’re creating an opportunity for artists to connect with the community and to have the benefit of meeting their patrons.” Zinc is excited for that opportunity and plans to show her metal work and acrylic paintings.

“It’s a great way to share your work with the community,” Zinc said. “It’s a great bridge amongst the artists that are participating. There is sharing and support that’s happening. … You’re collaborating and educating each other.”

Jenkins is participating in the tour as a way to get motivated to create and share her art. She will show industrial jewelry made out of found objects and is moving into kinetic sculptural and toy-inspired industrial jewelry. “I made art because of this,” Jenkins said.

Ohs, a potter and jewelry artist, owner of Ohs-Art in Berthoud and executive director of the Wildfire Community Arts Center, wanted to show where she does her work in her home studio.

“I want people to come and see where I work,” Ohs said. “I want to share that experience.”

For the show, Ohs created clay pottery totems and steampunk polymer clay jewelry, but she also does acrylic and watercolor paintings and murals.

“I love clay, I love to work with my hands,” Ohs said. “I’ve got to touch it, build it and make it.”

Ohs, Jenkins and Zinc were pleased with the number of artists who signed up to participate in the tour. The tour is sponsored by the Berthoud Arts & Humanities Alliance, the Berthoud Community Library District, Da Bean Coffee House and Aer-o Studio. Maps of the tour stops are available at the library, Da Bean, the Wildfire Community Arts Center and Indigo Sky Trading Co.