Washougal art studio tour set for Mother’s Day weekend

Celebrate Mother’s Day weekend with artful flair at the Washougal Studio Artists Tour, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. May 8 and 9.

“We are excited to safely invite visitors back into our studios and outdoor display areas for this year’s event,” said Shirley Bishop, Washougal Studio Artists Tour co-coordinator and artist whose fused glass works will be featured on the tour. “Last year we held a virtual tour and promoted our artists online. It just wasn’t the same. The art experience is so much richer when a patron can visit an artist’s studio. They are able to see where the magic of creating art happens and learn about both the art and the artists.”

While this is an in-person event, visitors should keep the artists and each other safe by wearing masks and maintaining distance. See the map for the self-guided tour at www.washougalstudioartists.org.

Although there are only eight stops, the tour will feature a total of 15 artists — some familiar faces from previous tours along with new artists — selling artworks in a variety of media, including ceramics and clay works, mixed media pieces, handwoven rugs, acrylic, watercolor and oil paintings, jewelry, metalwork and woodwork. Information about individual artists and previews of their works can be found online along with the map.

For folks who get hungry on the tour, the Runaway Kitchen food truck will be at stop No. 4 on the map, 814 S.E. 357th Ave., selling prepared meals, beverages and snacks.

This is the Washougal Studio Artists Tour’s fourth year, and art-loving visitors are expected from the local community as well as visitors from Portland and the Columbia River Gorge area.

“We are delighted that many people taking the tour are discovering Washougal for the very first time and they really enjoy the tour route that winds along the scenic Washougal River and through the Washougal foothills,” Bishop said. “It’s nearly as beautiful as the art!”