We visited the “White Rock Lake Artists’ Studio
Tour” and had a marvelous time. It was
the 20th year for this event and our first time attending. First impressions were not great. The map that located the participating
studios was printed lavender on white.
Now it was a pretty map but when reduced to fit the web page, it became
nearly impossible to read or follow.
Also, this beautiful little neighborhood is located adjacent to the
Dallas Arboretum and with the parking issues associated with living close to a
popular destination, the signage was foreboding and confusing.
Once you get past these initial hurdles, you are
in for a treat. This is a fantastic
neighborhood of older homes or cottages, lovingly updated and maintained. The studios were to die for and nirvana for
creative persons.
As mentioned before, the studios and creative
spaces were some of the finest we have ever seen. Without exception, we felt a sense of tranquility,
a sense of creativity and most importantly, a sense of joy that translates into
the diverse forms of art created.
The artists in residence, as a group, are
wonderful ambassadors of the creative process.
They delighted in answering questions, demonstrating processes and just
talking art as if we were neighbors “over for a cup of coffee.” As an individual often accused of having, “a
gift of gab,” I was in “hog heaven” talking to the artists, other visitors and
even had a conversation with a cat.
Let’s talk about the cat. Walking the neighborhood, we spotted a home
with two giant dragonflies decorating an exterior wall. In the yard, a black cat was sitting
observing with typical feline bemusement, my machinations to get a camera
angle. When I noticed the cat, I meowed
to it for no other reason than it seemed “the right thing to do.” To my surprise, every time I meowed, the cat
responded in kind.
The AB Rockin Studio specializes in
the mosaics. Here we found mosaics and
glass fusion pieces that were unique and very original. Sissy & Lynn teach and have an open night
class most every Thursday evening. We
plan on stopping by with a bottle of wine plus our own bits & pieces to try
our hand at being creative some future Thursday.
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| Sissy and Lynn: www.rockinartists.com |
Another fun location was the studio of Laurie
McClurg. Laurie specializes in the
creation of cards and assemblage boxes.
Her creations are inventive, nostalgic and beautiful. I enjoyed our conversation about images from
the past being repurposed into art. We
also shared recollections and Mark Twain quotes about living in San Francisco.
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| Laurie McClurg |
All the previous studio visits were within walking
distance of a single parking space. Then
we drove a short distance to our final destination, the Whimsical Metal
Sculpture studio. There are at least
six other studios are within walking distance of this studio. We visited the studio of a print maker and
another of a photographer. We finished
at the Whimsical Metal Sculptures of Cynthia Daniel. Talk about a wonderful space to be
creative…this would be one of the ultimate spots. Cynthia repurposes familiar metal objects
into delightful art pieces.
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| Cynthia M. Daniel: www.cmdaniel.com |
We look forward to next year’s 21st
annual event.
