2023 Ames Artists' Studio Tour
Thank you for joining us in 2023!
See details from the 2023 Studio Tour below!
2023 Ames Artists' Studio Tour Historical Information
Click the following links, or scroll down for more information!
Meet the Artists Studio Tour Maps Studio Tour Headquarters FAQ
See details from the 2023 Studio Tour below!
2023 Ames Artists' Studio Tour Historical Information
Click the following links, or scroll down for more information!
Meet the Artists Studio Tour Maps Studio Tour Headquarters FAQ
Visit our Facebook page and Instagram for additional information, updates, and more photos!
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The 2023 Ames Artists’ Studio Tour, presented by the Ames Community Arts Council, was held on
Saturday, September 30 and Sunday, October 1. During the free, self-guided tour, patrons were able to choose to visit any number of the fourteen (14) participating studios and discover the original art – paintings, furniture, jewelry, ceramics, and more – created by Ames area artists in their studios and workspaces. Patrons were able to visit the artists in any order they pleased and found artist info and an interactive map of locations via this website. |
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314.5 Main Street Studio
314 1/2 Main St, Ames Mixed Media, Printmaking, Installation / Wall-Based Artwork, and Painting. 314.5 Studio features the work of Raluca Iancu, Tibi Chelcea, Tina Rice, and Kim Moss. Each artist works in diverse media and are looking forward to sharing their work with the public. Raluca Iancu’s work explores disaster, memory, and vulnerability through different media, ranging from printmaking and performance, to edible art and printed objects. Raluca questions the way we look at tragedy as well as the way we deal with its aftermath in a contemporary, media driven culture where catastrophes, of all kinds, are trivialized by their frequent appearances across the spectrum of information media. Tibi Chelcea takes elements and processes of traditional art disciplines, such as printmaking and drawing, and combines them with parts and operations of digital technologies. His work demonstrates unexpected correlations between old and new technologies, and issues of consumption, serial design, and automated vs labor-intensive processes. His works have been exhibited throughout the United States (New York, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Iowa, and other states) as well as Mexico, Egypt and Brazil. 314.5 Studio will additionally feature paintings from Tina Rice and the installations and wall-based artwork of Kim Moss. |
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Creative Artists’ Studio of Ames (CASA)
130 S. Sheldon Ave, Suite 101, Ames Clay, Fiber, Encaustics, Metal, Paper, Ink, & Watercolor CASA is a group of artists who work in clay, fiber, encaustics, metal, paper, ink, and watercolor. Mission: To provide space for artists to work, to learn, and to share their expertise with the public. Visit CASA online: sites.google.com/view/creativeartistsofames 
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Ciccotti Art Glass
2306 258th St, Ames (Napier) Glassblowing Art Ciccotti grew up in Southern California, married, and moved to Ames, Iowa. He attended Iowa State University and graduated as an Art and Design major with an emphasis in Art Education. While attending Iowa State, he became part of the glassblowing club, “The Gaffer's Guild.” There he learned the basics of glassblowing. In his own words... I am mostly self-taught as a glassblower. Over the years I have attended workshops around the U.S., learning techniques and honing the skills that fuel my passion for this ancient craft. My current designs have roots in Venetian glass working techniques. The use of a roll up of glass (tocar pierre) allows me to put together designs that can vary from the random composition of a Garden Walk Platter to a very controlled design using cane and murrine. Bright colors and curvilinear forms are the design elements I prefer to work with. I enjoy exploring new color combinations, shapes, and functionality. As my skill level increases so does the complexity of the designs and techniques. Making art is a passion for me. I blow glass because of the rush of seeing an object take shape from a white hot mass to a finished piece. After weeks of planning, sometimes months, the design comes together in a piece within a short period of time. It is intense! My objective is to produce a piece of work that not only is unique but that brings a sense of visual and tactile pleasure. The theme running through my work relates to the natural world—flowers, weather, animals. My intent is not to recreate these things exactly, but to make visual reference to them. These things have a natural beauty to which we can connect. Visit 'Ciccotti Art Glass' online: www.ciccottiartglass.com |
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Jennifer Drinkwater The What's Good Project 312 1/2 Main St, 2nd Floor, North Suite 201, Ames Painting Jennifer Drinkwater is an assistant professor with a joint appointment between the department of art and visual culture and Iowa State University extension and outreach. She has a B.A. in both studio art and anthropology from Tulane University and earned an M.F.A in painting from East Carolina University. Her paintings have been exhibited nationally in juried and group shows, and she has had solo exhibitions in Iowa, New York, Illinois, Mississippi, Florida, North Carolina, and Washington, DC. Her work has been featured in New American Paintings and Studio Visit magazine. Her personal work and teaching often explore how we bring artwork from the studio into the world, and accordingly, how this work can both build and shape community. During the past few years, she has partnered with communities in Iowa and Mississippi in various community art projects, programming, and theatre productions. She helped to organize a community-wide steamroll printmaking event in Perry, Iowa, created installations in restored prairies in Nebraska, collaborated on public art projects in vacant sites on Iowa main streets, spearheaded a community knit-bombing project, and painted two murals with middle school children on a juke joint in the Mississippi Delta. Visit Jennifer Drinkwater online: www.whatsgoodproject.com |
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Gaffer's Guild
1202 Student Innovation Center 606 Bissell Rd, Iowa State University, Ames Glassblowing The Gaffer's Guild is a student-operated glassblowing studio for hot glass work located at Iowa State University. They're a student club that serves primarily as a teaching studio. Members learn how to make solid as well as hollow (blown) pieces and work collaboratively to build hot-working and cold-working skills. During the Studio Tour, members of the Guild will demonstrate hot glass working by providing continuous demonstrations on both tour dates. The public is welcome to watch and engage by asking questions and taking photos/video. The Guild will provide safety glass for those needing them. Visitors are asked to wear closed-toe shoes if possible. Visit the Gaffer's Guild online: www.gaffer.stuorg.iastate.edu |
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Linda Hardie
Hardie Clay 5847 Arrasmith Trail, Ames Pottery Linda Hardie is a functional potter. Her work is strongly influenced by the variety of colors, shapes, and movement found in seeds, flowers, and leaves. She combines wheel-throwing and hand-building techniques to create very unique coffee mugs, butter dishes, bowls, jars, and much more. All of her pieces have textures juxtaposed with smooth surfaces by using both satin and glossy glazes to enhance these differences. Her studio is handicap accessible and very kid friendly. Hardie's studio tour will feature clay demonstrations on the potter's wheel and with hand-building. Participants will be invited to try their hand on the wheel as well. Both electric and kick wheels are available. Tours of the studio/kiln room and glaze room will also be provided. Visit Linda Hardie online: www.hardieclay.com |
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KHOI Community Radio
622 Douglas Ave, Ames Live and Prerecorded Radio, Music, and Talk Shows Our mission: To welcome all voices of our community, regardless of their perspectives, to freely discuss issues, nourish the spirit, and entertain. We will encourage community members to draw their own conclusions. Our vision: To embody the spirit of Central Iowa while connecting local communities. KHOI will foster local pride and respect between people. We will strengthen and enrich our democratic community life. We will encourage increased communication and understanding. Our goals:
Visit KHOI online: www.khoifm.org |
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Bill Rickard Prairie River Woodworking 328 S Hazel Ave, Ames Green Woodworking & Furniture Woodworker Bill Rickard will be showing his work, including furniture, assembled art, and greenwood carvings, as well as providing demonstrations of traditional greenwood carving, such as for spoons and bowls, using hand tools including axes, adzes, knives, and other carving implements. Visit Prairie Rivers Handcrafts on Facebook: www.facebook.com/prairieriverhandcrafts |
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Kristin M. Roach
138 Main St, Ames Interdisciplinary Works Kristin Roach is an artist, naturalist, and apothecary owner. Trained in painting with a history in craft & fibers, she takes an interdisciplinary approach to her work. Kristin uses scientific data and cast-off materials to create drawings, paintings, and immersive installations about her backyard ecology. Kristin is best known for her monochromatic paintings of migratory birds on junk mail. Her art and zines are internationally exhibited and collected and her book, Mend it Better, has been published worldwide. Visit Kristin M. Roach online: www.kristinmroach.com |
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Duane Shinn
4807 Idaho Circle, Ames Painting - oil, watercolors, & acrylics Duane Shinn’s interest in art began at an early age. Recognition came early. When graduating from the University of Idaho, with a minor in fine arts, Shinn had multiple faculty members essentially tell him, “Never get too far from painting.” Shinn started to make painting his number one activity in 2015, setting up his studio and going to work on a daily basis. Thus far, Shinn estimates that 50 of his paintings are “wallhangers” in 35 different cities across the country, noting that he has not pursued “Fame and Fortune,” but rather “Fun and Friends,” making for a fun journey. Visit Duane Shinn online: www.rduaneshinn.com |
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Melissa Stenstrom Melissa Stenstrom Fine Jewelry 507 Main St, Suite 1, Ames Jewelry – silver, gold, gemstones, & pearls Melissa Stenstrom Fine Jewelry is a creative endeavor headed up by Melissa Stenstrom with the help of her amazing family. Melissa studied art including jewelry making while at Iowa State University, but has attributed much of her knowledge to experience. Always up for a new challenge and new skills to master, Melissa is always studying and looking for the next jewelry adventure. "I make jewelry using silver, gold, gemstones, and pearls. I like working with a range of techniques such as anticlastic raising, forging, fabricating, casting, and engraving. I like to keep my work dynamic, so I look for new challenges and try to develop new skill sets. In addition, my own ideas, I also make custom work for a clientele interested in unique, personalized jewelry. Often, I work with recycled elements to make their pieces, such as metals or gemstones." Visit Melissa Stenstrom Jewelry online: www.melissastenstrom.com |
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Sean Thornton
3010 Green Hills Dr., Ames Painting SATURDAY ONLY Sean Thornton is a traditionally trained painter who moved to Ames in 2022. Coming from an artistic family, Sean grew up making art amongst artists. He likes images that are funny, dark, satirical, and maybe a bit ambiguous. Sean believes art is for everyone and should be fun and accessible, stating that he gets as much joy from an image on a t-shirt as he does from a painting in a museum. He also believes there’s no better place to see art than in the studio of the artist who created it! Visit Sean Thornton online: www.instagram.com/Seanthorntonart |
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Barbara Walton Holy Dog Studio 312 Main St, Ames Mixed Media / Painting Barbara Walton grew up one block away from the Mississippi River in Davenport, Iowa. She is the youngest of 5 children and the first-born U.S. citizen of a German immigrant family. She does not recall a time when art was not a part of her life. Having dropped out of school after her first attempt at college to vagabond around Europe, it was later when she received a BFA (1991) and an MA (1993) from Iowa State University and an MFA from Drake University (1996). Mainly a painter, in 2002, she began experimenting with encaustic painting. Her work has been exhibited widely in juried national and international venues as well as solo and invitational exhibits. In 2011, she applied for and received an Iowa Arts Council Major Grant. Walton is an Associate Professor who has been teaching drawing and painting in the College of Design at Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa since 1993. Visit Barbara Walton online: www.barbaraewalton.com |
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Valerie Williams
Daily Dish Pottery 5847 Arrasmith Trail, Ames Pottery Valerie specializes in bowls that are functional and light, graceful and very usable. She never liked stoneware - too heavy, and she didn't like the scratchy feeling of the fork on the matte glazes. So when Valerie started throwing clay, she knew she wanted thin walls on her pots and a very smooth glaze. But Valerie found an affinity for stoneware. She loves the malleability of the clay and the communication she feels with the material when she’s throwing. Valerie’s dishes are practical, because they are made the way she uses them. Her glazes are smooth to the touch, and the bowl, mug, and plate sizes are just right for serving, and for your snacks and meals. And they are pretty, because your eyes should be just as pleased as your fingers. Visit Valerie Williams online: www.dailydishpottery.com |
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Find the Studios - Interactive Map
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Find assistance, info, & more @ the Studio Tour Headquarters:
Little Woods: Herbs & Teas
136 Main St, Ames Got a question? Feeling a little lost? Just need a break? Please stop by our Studio Tour host and headquarters, Little Woods: Herbs & Teas. An artisan tea and spice shop, Little Woods is located in the heart of downtown Ames. Their tea and spice blends are a fusion of the co-owners passion for herbs & teas. Founded in 2013 by husband-wife team Kristin M Roach and Jason Shaw, Little Woods Herbal has grown from a small online botanical seller and farmer’s market stand to a brick and mortar apothecary style tea & spice shop. Throughout the Studio Tour, Little Woods staff and Arts Council volunteers will be ready to answer your questions and lend a helping hand. Visit 'Little Woods: Herbs & Teas' online: www.littlewoodsherbal.com |
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Studio Tour Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)*
Where is the Ames Artists' Studio Tour? How does this work?
The Studio Tour is does not have a single location--instead there are participating studios throughout the Ames area. You provide your own transportation, use the map, and visit one or all the studios during the open hours. Take a peek at the life of an artist!
How much does it cost to visit the studios?
You are invited to make the rounds to as many studios as you like--all for free! Artists will have their work available for purchase, so you can take home a little bit of the Studio Tour.
What will I see on the Studio Tour?
Have you ever wondered how a ceramicist throws pottery on a wheel or how a hand blown vase is made? The artists of the Studio Tour are inviting you behind the scenes to experience live demonstrations, ask questions, and see how the work is done. Ask the artists about where they get their inspiration, how they learned their craft, what they love about their work, what frustrates them, what their average day looks like, what they do when they can't seem to create and so on.
Are children welcome?
This is a family friendly event and a wonderful opportunity for children to learn. Please remember these are working studios -- children must be closely supervised at all times and parents/guardians are responsible for their children's behavior.
Are the studios handicap accessible?
Unfortunately, many studios are in buildings with stairs. Handicap accessible locations are noted with a symbol on the map and
in the listed studio descriptions.
Other questions?
Please feel free to email us at [email protected] or jump over to the contact page. We can't wait to see you on the Studio Tour!
The Studio Tour is does not have a single location--instead there are participating studios throughout the Ames area. You provide your own transportation, use the map, and visit one or all the studios during the open hours. Take a peek at the life of an artist!
How much does it cost to visit the studios?
You are invited to make the rounds to as many studios as you like--all for free! Artists will have their work available for purchase, so you can take home a little bit of the Studio Tour.
What will I see on the Studio Tour?
Have you ever wondered how a ceramicist throws pottery on a wheel or how a hand blown vase is made? The artists of the Studio Tour are inviting you behind the scenes to experience live demonstrations, ask questions, and see how the work is done. Ask the artists about where they get their inspiration, how they learned their craft, what they love about their work, what frustrates them, what their average day looks like, what they do when they can't seem to create and so on.
Are children welcome?
This is a family friendly event and a wonderful opportunity for children to learn. Please remember these are working studios -- children must be closely supervised at all times and parents/guardians are responsible for their children's behavior.
Are the studios handicap accessible?
Unfortunately, many studios are in buildings with stairs. Handicap accessible locations are noted with a symbol on the map and
in the listed studio descriptions.
Other questions?
Please feel free to email us at [email protected] or jump over to the contact page. We can't wait to see you on the Studio Tour!
