Shoreline Arts Trail 2013

Banana Break by Stuart Alan Lerner-Found Object Sculptor

 Return Trip #1-Oil Painting by Molly McDonald

Follow the yellow brick road…or at least the yellow Open Studio signs for the 12th annual Shoreline Arts Trail Open Studios Weekend.  You may not run into a wizard or munchkins but you are guaranteed to meet some very interesting and creative folks along the way.  The creation of art is often a very solitary experience but this coming weekend will provide visitors with the opportunity to witness these creative processes first-hand.  Whether it is a ceramist throwing a pot, a weaver working on a loom, a painter capturing a scene, a sculptor working with found objects, or jeweler designing a one-of-a-kind piece of wearable art, visitors and residents can spend Saturday, November 23 and Sunday, November 24 getting up close and personal with more than 40 artists.

Shoreline Arts Trail was first launched in 2002 to help promote artists working in the Shoreline towns of Branford, Guilford and Madison as well as providing visitors a chance to do some early holiday shopping by purchasing unique, handmade and local arts and crafts.  We all face the challenge of gift shopping for relatives and friends who seem to have everything.  But now, you can not only find something 'outside of the box' but also support local artisans at the same time.  The Shoreline Arts Trail will take you through the marshes and hills, into old barns and professional studios.  So many of these artists get their inspiration from their surroundings and the beautiful Connecticut towns in which they live and work.

This year’s arts trail features 47 working artists including potters, painters, photographers, goldsmiths, sculptors, while others work in cut paper, glass, fiber, prints and mixed media.  So, for certain, there is something for everyone.  Several artists will be located at the Guilford Art Center, a good starting point, where one can also get trail maps to the studios in the tri-town area.  It is a family-friendly outing and you can download the Family Activities brochure to make it a learning and fun experience for the whole family.  For the Shoreline Arts Trail map and guide click here.

Enjoy!