Edwardsville-Alton Studio Tour
 
Saturday, October 18 and Sunday, October 19, 2008
in Alton, Edwardsville, Collinsville, Glen Carbon, & Highland, Illinois

10 am - 5 pm all days
The event is free and open to the public

ArtEAST was initiated in 1998 by a group of artists as a way to pool their resources and bring attention to the extraordinary artists in the Metro East area of St. Louis. Although, the idea of a studio tour was not new, the response was. In the first year, 37 artists participated in the event. Now in its 8th year, over 200 local artists will interact with the public as they take self guided tours of artist studios, demonstrations, and group exhibitions. The phenomenal success of the event and the increasing number of artists who participate has prompted the organizers to add an additional weekend to the event's schedule.

Mary Pizzini of Edwardsville Acrylic Paint and Sculpture		The Group Show at the Alton Museum of History and Art

The event is coordinated by the participating artists themselves with assistance from the Madison County Arts Council and features a wide range of disciplines including collage, painting, ceramics, photography, printmaking, sculpture, glass, and digital media. Along with the art itself, the venues where the art will be displayed includes buildings with historical or architectural interest as well as local art galleries and shops. Many of the artists personal studios will be open to allow visitors to gain insight in how the artists practice their craft. According to Susan Bostwick, one of the event’s organizers, "Many people consider Madison County to have rural qualities, but the works of the area’s artists challenge any preconceived notion of what might be found. On one hand a viewer might see the passion for the land reflected in the artist’s work, but yet there are many artists who will surprise the viewer with more contemporary, urban, and innovative pieces."

Madison County is home to an exciting, lively, and diverse art scene. Appreciation for the arts begins in the local grade schools and continues with the strong support of the Art Departments at both of the local colleges - Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville and Lewis and Clark Community College. Many of the area’s artists taught or took classes at these institutions. Represented in the ArtEAST event will be nationally recognized artists as well as young emerging artists.

From firing to finished product at the Raku demonstration at Mississippi Mud Pottery in Alton

Self-guided tours begin at the following locations
Maps and other information are included in the brochure that will be available at these sites:

In Alton
The Jacoby Art Center
627 E. Broadway

In Edwardsville
The US Bank
101 N. Main

Handicapped Accessible Locations are
noted in the brochure and in the following listings

Susan Bostwick & Joseph Gruber Ceramics & Photography		Fiber Fusion A Unique Group Exhibit

Learn more about the Edwardsville and Alton areas
including information about other events, attractions, places to eat, shop and stay.

Directions to Alton and Edwardsville

FOR ADDITIONAL DETAILS:
618-462-5222
email: arteasttour01@hotmail.com or mcac@piasanet.com 
Visit the ArtEAST website for maps and additional details.

MISSION STATEMENT
Art EAST is dedicated to showcasing local visual art. Our goal is to encourage creative exchange with the community through direct contact with artists in their studios and accessibility to gallery exhibitions.

Art East is an official program of the Madison County Arts Council 

ArtEAST, a program of The Madison County Arts Council, is sponsored in part by grants from The Illinois Arts Council - a state agency, The Greater Edwardsville Community Foundation, The City of Edwardsville, The Friends of Art - SIUE, and The Volunteer Lawyers and Accountants for the Arts.