Self-Guided Art Tour
Oahu boasts art studios and artists a-plenty, but there’s no easy compilation of the locations, let alone one-on-one time with the artists … until now. Former Hawaii resident, Waikiki gallery owner and photo collage artist Carolyn Quan is bringing a concept used across the Mainland — one she’s already tried on Maui the past few years — to Oahu Dec. 4-14.
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Visual artists of every level are participating, with 36 interested artists being highlighted during this introductory art extravaganza called Oahu Open Studios. An intro day, Dec. 4, from 6 to 9 p.m., will gather a majority of the featured artists at Ward Warehouse conference room, where they will display samples of their art. The public is invited to browse for free, chat with the artists, enjoy live entertainment and pick up a guidebook that will give them all the information they need for two weekends of art immersion.
Cut a line down the middle of Oahu, from Kaena Point to Makapuu Point, and Weekend 1, Dec. 6-7, will be all about the artists on the Western side of the island. They will have their studios open and ready for visitors. The guidebook will help you plan your day with pertinent information, from bios on the artists to medium used, maps and item price range.
“Artists will prepare by positioning signs and arrows directing people to their shows,” says Quan. “Some artists will do live demonstrations, serve refreshments and some may even have live entertainment. Both the printed guidebook and the online artist directories will indicate what each artist is offering.”
The self-guided tour will continue into a second weekend, Dec. 13-14, with art studios on the East Oahu hemisphere opening their doors. Artists who don’t have a studio, including Quan herself, will display their works downtown at Alakea Corporate Tower. This will be Quan’s first Oahu show since moving to San Francisco six years ago, where the award-winning artist first learned about Open Studios.
“My goal is 100 artists every year,” says Quan. “I want as many artists as possible taking the opportunity to show and sell their art during OOS. Many artists who return year after year gain a following from the event. Often, Open Studios is the only show that some of the artists do annually.”
Quan notes that she’s excited about invigorating Hawaii’s art scene because these islands have been integral in vitalizing her artistic lifeblood:
“Some of the most inspired and precious times of my creative life were experienced while living in Hawaii.”
Stemming from that place of passion for Hawaii as an artist’s muse, she’s hosting this unique opportunity for folks to go into artists’ studios and experience their creative process firsthand.
the TICKET stub
OAHU OPEN STUDIOS
When: Dec. 4-14
Where: Ward Warehouse and studios throughout Oahu
More Info: oahuopenstudios.com
