Lingering with Aquila. (Photo by Cathy McCay)
Peonies – Lifecycles and Marigolds on display.
Open Studio: Siskiyou County X Days
On October 26, I opened the doors of my home studio in Weed for Siskiyou County X Days, the Siskiyou County Arts Council’s ten-day celebration of open studios and art across the county.
My studio is also where I live. The paintings hang in the rooms where I meditate, eat, and rest, so opening the studio means opening my home. I used drop cloths as tablecloths, the easel stayed where it stands, and for one afternoon the house filled with art lovers, neighbors and fellow creators.
From one to five, there was a steady trickle of people the whole afternoon, about thirty in all. My friend Cathy drove over from Montague, about forty minutes away, and spent the day with me as support and a helping hand.
The studio on display with a mixed media work in progress on the easle.
Talking materials by the easel. (Photo by Cathy McCay)
Among artists
Many of the visitors were local artists, and the conversation kept circling back to materials. Most of the questions were about the water-soluble wax paint I use on wood panel: what it is, how it handles, how it builds that soft, luminous surface.
People wanted to know most about how the paint feels to work with, if I need to use heat (I do – I use a heat gun to melt the wax crystals in the paint to seal a layer when I’m done working on it,) and where can they get some to try.
There is something nourishing about talking shop with people who also spend their days creating. I came away feeling part of a creative community I’m only beginning to know.
Studio guest book, where people recorded their names and comments.
Limited edition prints on display.
Neighbors, organizers, and a guest book
I also got to meet new neighbors, along with the people from the Siskiyou County Arts Council who planned X Days. One neighbor Alana, kindly arrived with a bouquet of lovely flowers for the event, such a sweet welcome. Patty Hood, the event photographer, spent a good while photographing the work and the afternoon with great care. I can’t wait to see the moments she captured.
People came and stayed. They took their time with the work, asked good questions, and enjoyed the snacks (after all, an open studio is a marathon, and we have to keep our energy up). Many took home the folded art cards I’d made for the event.
I received so many sweet notes in my studio guest book, and several chose to stay in touch through my newsletter. If that’s you, welcome. I’m so glad you’re here.
Flowers from Alana.
Folded gift cards, with images of various paintings.
The studio, ready for visitors. (Photo by Cathy McCay)
What drew people in
It’s always revealing to watch where people pause.
Marigolds and the peony paintings held many people the longest, the white peonies of Peonies (Albedo) glowing above the mantel in the afternoon light. Precious, my newest work on paper, a Chat Noir dahlia in deep wine and violet with touches of 24k gold, drew those who love rich, magnetic color.
The LUX print of Heart of the Mountain was another favorite. Seeing the gold leaf catch the light in person is a different experience from seeing it on a screen.
Pieces from the Faces of the Mountain collection on display.
Twilight, Artist Proof with a golden thread. One of a kind.
A golden thread
One piece sparked a conversation I didn’t expect.
I had set out an Artist Proof print of Twilight with a single vertical thread of gold descending through the night sky toward the mountain. It was a test. I’d been considering adding that line to the original painting and wanted to live with it for a while first.
A few people were drawn straight to it. Some saw a comet, others a shooting star. It was a joy to hear what each person saw in that one line of gold.
In the end, I decided not to add it to the original. Twilight lives in a quiet, peripheral space, the kind of seeing that happens at the edge of vision as day turns to night. The line pulled the eye to one point and changed that stillness. So the golden thread stays with the Artist Proof, a single variation of its own.
Twilight with golden thread is a one of a kind artist’s proof $800 available upon inquiry.
Sharing the story of Precious. (Photo by Cathy McCay)
Precious, mixed media and 24k gold on cotton rag paper.
After hours
Once I closed the studio for the evening, Cathy and I set out to visit the other X Days events nearby. It was wonderful to see what others are creating and to connect more deeply with the creative community here.
Thank you, Siskiyou County X Days
Thank you to everyone who made the drive, asked questions, and lingered. Thank you to Cathy for being there from start to finish, to Patty Hood for her photographs, and to the Siskiyou County Arts Council for X Days, which brings so many studios, galleries, and makers into the light each fall.
If you missed the open studio, the paintings and limited edition prints are on my website, and I’m always glad to hear from you. If you’d ever like to visit, see the work and learn more about my creative process, please drop me a line. Studio visits are available by appointment.
© Yohanna Jessup