Annual 2-day Tour of the Arts begins October 14.

Tour some of western Montana's most amazing artist studios while driving through the explosive fall color of our region's Tamaracks during the 22nd annual Tour of the Arts. Alpine Artisans offers this self-guided artist studio tour on October 14-15. Saturday hours are 10-5 pm, and Sunday from noon to 5 pm. This free tour stretches from Condon through Seeley Lake to Ovando and Lincoln, Montana. The tour features 10 studios and galleries and over 20 artists showing and demonstrating their work including jewelry, woodworking, copper bowls, photography, watercolor, acrylic, rock lamps, sculpture and the internationally famous Blackfoot Pathways International Sculpture Park. The map is available on http://www.alpineartisans.org, and road signs direct you from the main roads.

Starting from the north in Condon, Montana on Highway 83, the tour begins at the Swan Valley Historical Museum in Condon featuring four artists showing jewelry, mixed media, stained glass and watercolor. Driving south, the tour leads you to two individual studios in the Swan Valley. Down Glacier Creek Road, Swan Valley Copper will have live demonstrations of copper bowl creation at Swan Valley Copper, and at the end of Guest Ranch Road you'll find outstanding photography at the John Mercer's Swan Valley Images studio, with breathtaking views of the area. In Seeley Lake, a local wood carver will be demonstrating at the Grizzly Claw Trading Co, and four artists will be showing at the Seeley Lake Community Foundation Building featuring watercolor, rock lamps, sea glass artwork and acrylics. Two of the artists will be demonstrating painting throughout the weekend.

Driving toward Ovando, the 36-year old Swanwoods studio in Woodworth Meadows gives a thorough tour of their hands-on process of making wooden bowls. Three artists at the Brand Bar Museum in Ovando include a nationally-recognized painter, a local jeweler and a Blackfoot Valley woodworker and lamp maker. Three artists and demonstrations are featured at Annie Allen Art Studio east of Lincoln, and a large selection of art is available at the 406 Mercantile Gallery in Lincoln. Finally, the Tour includes the incredible Blackfoot Pathways International Sculpture Garden in Lincoln, featuring several new outdoor sculptures.

Maps and more information at https://www.alpineartisans.org/tour-of-the-arts or email [email protected]. Questions? Call Jenny at 406-754-0034