The Back Roads of
Brown County, 2007

Driving Tour of Artists’ and Craftsmen’s Studios
October 1-31, 2007

Artists are often thought of as very solitary people…the painter in a garret with his easel at the north window; the potter hunched over the turning wheel, shaping the clay; the weaver ensconced behind the massive loom, turning yarn into yard goods. But the artisans at the dozen studios on the Back Roads of Brown County driving tour are glad to have visitors. They will show you around their studios, tell you about the work they do, and maybe even offer you a cup of tea.

The Back Roads Tour, a longer and more casual version of the Studio and Garden Tour in June, is a chance to see the lovely terrain of Brown County in October while making culture stops along the way. Would you like to know how a potter gets a set of cups to match? There are six potters on the tour and they probably all have different methods. Ever wonder how a painter manages to capture the essence of a particular scene? There are four oil and watercolorists on the tour you could ask. Plus two woodworkers, a basket maker, a stained glass artist, a photographer and a weaver. Most studios will be in production mode during the tour as the artists make their signature products for the holiday season.

Participants in this year’s tour are:

Shelley C. Frederick – watercolors, oils and ceramic sculptures;

Chris Gustin – hand-woven “recycled rugs” and clothing;

Joe and Peggy Henderson – sculptural clocks, furniture and
accessories, baskets, gourds;

Amanda Mathis – folk art and Americana painting;

Anne Ryan Miller – stained glass with metal overlay;

Cheri Platter – floral porcelain pottery and stoneware sculptures;

Judy Prichard – functional and decorative terra cotta;

Greg Schatz – functional pottery;

Larry Spears – pottery;

Kyle Spears – photography;

Story, IN, Gallery – Jewelry, glass, silk, paintings from five artists;

R. Thomas Tedrowe – Wood furniture and decorative objects;

J.A. Burst – original watercolors (being shown at Tedrowe studio);

Mindy Weddle – Stoneware and porcelain pottery.

Maps are available at area businesses and lodging, the Brown County Visitors Center, The House at Stonehead, or at any of the participating studios.

The tour website is <www.BrownCountyStudioTour.com> and features brief bios and examples of the artists’ work.

The tour runs from October 1 to 31. Hours for each studio are posted on the website and in the brochure. For further information, contact the Brown County Visitors Center at (812) 988-7303 or (800) 213-8719.