ojai studio art tour

Meet more than 70 Ojai artists and visit their home studios in this free tour

Some people enjoy painting by using a photo as a guide.

Not Ojai artist Susan Guy, who must go outside to create her plein air painting.

"It's almost like a spiritual experience for me," said Guy, 52, who is also a full-time psychiatrist. "I just find a place that feels good and go for it."

Guy is one of more than 70 artists participating in a free Ojai studio artist tour starting on Saturday and continuing through Monday. Attendees can visit the artists' home studios located throughout Ojai to view and purchase their work.

Artist Emily Thomas is taking part in her first Ojai artist tour after having gone to the event for the past 10 years of its nearly 40-year history.

"I'm a little nervous but excited to share my work. I think my work right now is focusing on abstract landscapes in the Ojai area: familiar places to people," she said.

Thomas, who will display her work at 519 N. Ventura Ave., said she wants audiences to find calm and peace in her work.

"I really love Ojai and the landscape so much," Thomas, 43, said. Her paintings range from $500 to $3,500.

When attendees register online, they'll receive a digital ticket and a detailed map. Event spokesman Christopher Noxon said it was really important for attendees to register to get the map and look at it before they head out.

"If you just come up and follow the signs, wherever they lead, there are 73 studios that are open and ... more than likely you're going to end up somewhere you're not totally excited about," said Noxon, also an artist.

He recommended people plan their routes and take a couple of days to view everything.

"It's hot sometimes, you're tired ... it's a lot," Noxon, 53, said. "You can figure out how many you're going to make, but don't try to see 30 studios in a day or you'll drop dead."

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Visitors can start the tour at the Ojai Valley Museum, where artwork from every artist participating in the event is displayed. 

"As a first stop, you can see everybody's work and then be like, 'OK, I definitely want to see this guy. Don't need to see this,'" Noxon said.

While the process can be done online, in person makes a difference, he said.

The studio tour is celebrating its 39th year, said Chris Beirne, an artist and board president of the nonprofit behind the event, Ojai Studio Artists.

"I think it's good for people to see that artists are a part of your community. We live and work in this area, and I think that's important," said Beirne, adding the hope is that people also purchase art.

She said about 2,000 people have registered for the tour, but she expects the event will draw at least 3,000.

More things to do: Magic show to raise money for Oxnard, Santa Paula art programs

Guy, who has been a part of the event for about 10 years, said the tour has evolved with newer members. She said organizers used to be "super picky" about the locations, which tended toward fancier digs.

"Now, they're much more open to people who don't necessarily have their own spaces. People are sharing spaces. I think there's a lot of new energy now," Guy said. 

What: Ojai Studio Artists Tour

When: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday through Monday

Where: Start at Ojai Valley Museum, 130 W. Ojai Ave., Ojai; self-guided tour goes to the studios of more than 70 artists in Ojai

Cost:  Free, but visit  www.ojaistudioartists.org  to register and get a detailed map with all the locations

Wes Woods II covers West County for the Ventura County Star. Reach him at [email protected] , 805-437- 0262 or @JournoWes .

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California Festivals

Ojai open studios art tours.

October 7-9, 2023

Ojai Art Center 113 S. Montgomery St. Free, ojaistudioartists.org

Ojai Wine Festival held usually in June, Ojai Storytelling Festival in May, Ojai Word Fest which is a recently added event, and many more events annually.

Events are not guaranteed. It is your responsibility to confirm before going.

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Ojai Studio Artists (OSA) tour set for Oct. 7-9

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Artist Elizabeth White opens her studio as part of this year’s Ojai Studio Artists Tour:

The Ojai Studio Artists (OSA) tour, set for Oct 7-9, features a stunning array of art and the opportunity to explore and immerse yourself in the private spaces where it’s made. This year OSA is celebrating its 40th anniversary, making it the longest-running studio art tour in California.

The Ojai Valley Museum hosts an opening reception on Friday Oct. 6 from 5-7 pm, offering visitors a chance to mingle with artists and help plan their journey over the three-day weekend. Work by all participating artists is featured in the Museum’s current show, “Turning Corners.”

Among the artists included this year are Spark Taylor, whose modern impressionist landscapes vividly capture familiar local scenes and Lucinda Yates, wearable art entrepreneur turned fine artist who turned a pandemic Zoom portrait project into a hugely successful series capturing a multitude of distinct people and personalities.

Work by all participating artists is on view until October 9 at the Ojai Valley Museum in the show “Turning Corners,” offering visitors a chance to get a one-stop overview of the work featured on the tour and begin to plan their personal itinerary.

Chamber On The Mountain, a chamber music concert series celebrates the opening of their Eleventh Season by presenting Project:CSQ – California String Quartet – on Sunday, October 15, 2023, at 3:00 pm in Logan House (located at the Beatrice Wood Center for the Arts in Upper Ojai). Tickets $35.00 at ChamberOnTheMountain.com. Audience members are invited to meet the artists at a lovely outdoor patio reception following the performance.

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Applications for the OSA 2024 Visual Arts Scholarship  closed as of  Wed. April 17, 2024.

Scholarships and Mentoring

From the beginning, the Ojai Studio Artist’s mission has been to create an environment where artists thrive ― professional and student alike — and fulfill the potential of the arts to enrich lives and build community.  In 1993, OSA initiated its youth scholarship program funded by proceeds from the tour tickets, raffle/auction sales, sponsorships, donations and grants.

To date, OSA has given $274,00 in scholarship awards to promising art students at the high school and college levels as part of our art education outreach program in the Ojai Valley. Monies are also used to purchase art books for local libraries, to partner with schools by teaching classes and mentoring students, and to support public art projects and other community art needs.  

Organized by the OSA Scholarship Committee, the focus of this year’s program is open to art students at the Nordhoff High School in the Ojai Valley. We

are able to offer close to $7,000 in awards this year. Working closely with Nordhoff art teachers, the group will ultimately jury students’ work in-person for the first time.  

Also, throughout the 2024 spring semester, OSA artists are offering a number of professional development opportunities with mentorships, classes, field trips and studio visits. The dollar amount received by the scholarship winners will not only help pay for tuition and art supplies, but is a truly meaningful show of encouragement and support. The application process itself is fundamental preparation for fledgling student artists. ​ ​

Students will also be able to assist artists in their studios during the Second Saturday tours (March-July) and the Annual OSA Tour October 12-14. The tours are free for students but we always appreciate donations from tour patrons to our scholarship program.

Meet the 2022 Scholarship Awardees

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