Tour of the Arts in the Seeley-Swan and Blackfoot Valleys coming Oct. 10 & 11

Alpine Artisans' popular Tour of the Arts returns for its 17th year with one new studio, three new galleries and the Blackfoot Pathways International Sculpture Park joining the dazzling mix of more than 25 artists at work in their studios, galleries and museums scattered throughout the Seeley Lake and the Blackfoot Valleys.

Held October 10-11 to capture the height of the colorful yellow and golden Western Larch, the Tour will also kick off Friday afternoon with two water color workshops at the Tamaracks Resort in Seeley Lake.

This free, self-guided tour leads you to two galleries and a studio in Seeley Lake, a studio in Woodworth Meadows near Ovando, two artists at the Brand Bar Museum in Ovando and five artists at the new Heritage House in Lincoln.

Demonstrations of artwork will be provided by artists at the majority of the sites. Demonstrations include wood carving, watercolor painting, ceramics, oil painting, weaving, wooden bowls and jewelry.

Two new Seeley Lake galleries have joined the tour: Gallery 83 will feature demonstrations of water color painting by Kris Gullikson and pine needle weaving by Patti Chamberlin. At Handmade in Seeley Lake, Carrie Darrah will offer instruction in acid etching and Paula Smith will be demonstrating sublimation. Scott Thompson, a successful wood carver and oil painter with a second studio in Alaska, will be demonstrating chain saw wood carving at 2 p.m. each day at his Seeley Lake studio. William Katz will also demonstrate his wood carving at the Grizzly Claw Trading Co. in Seeley Lake.

Jerry and Martha Swanson offer a fascinating look into their unique techniques for making their wooden bowls and vases mid-way between Seeley and Ovando in beautiful Woodworth Meadows. Jeweler Angela Williams and award-winning oil painter Diane Whitehead are featured at the Brand Bar Museum in Ovando.

Two new sites are on the east side of Lincoln: Heritage House and the incredible Blackfoot Pathways International Sculpture Garden.

Five artists are collaborating at Heritage House. Here, a spirit of creating will be featured as rocks and metals are meshed together by Sally Bogaert, whimsical clay creatures appear as Trudy Skari skillfully lends her hands, woolen delights spin artistically by Tammy Jordan, flowing of paint lyrically appears from Lisa Gibson and Gwendolyn Hendricks, a felting artist, makes magic with wool and a needle.

The Tour kicks off Friday afternoon with two Uncorked and Creative outdoor watercolor workshops taught by Kris Gullikson. Pre-Register at https://www.alpineartisans.org/art-workshops. $40 per person, all materials provided.

Tour brochures are available at the Grizzly Claw Trading Company in Seeley Lake, Mission Mountains Mercantile in Condon, the Stray Bullet in Ovando and on-line at http://www.alpineartisans.org. Contact Jenny for questions at 406-754-0034,