Meet the Artists Who Help Make the Mad River Valley Special

Vermont Open Studio Weekend invites you inside local studios October 3–4

There’s a reason the Mad River Valley feels like the Mad River Valley.

Our mountains, farms, villages and winding river help define this place. So do the people who bring their imagination, independence and creativity to it. Our artists are essential to that story. They help shape the character of our community, give us new ways to see familiar surroundings and create things that could only come from someone’s own distinctive vision.

This weekend, you have an opportunity to meet some of those people right where that creativity happens.

Vermont Open Studio Weekend takes place Saturday and Sunday, October 3–4, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Organized by the Vermont Crafts Council, the statewide event welcomes visitors into working studios to meet artists, explore their work and learn about their creative processes.

Creativity Is Part of Our Sense of Place

At the Mad River Valley Chamber of Commerce, we talk often about what makes this community special: authenticity, independence, collaboration and a strong connection to place. Our arts community puts those values into practice every day.

Artists are also small business owners, neighbors, teachers and collaborators. Their studios and work enrich the experience of living here and give visitors a deeper connection to the Valley. When you purchase something made locally, you take home a piece with a story—and help someone continue doing the work that adds so much to our community.

Open Studio Weekend makes those connections personal. You can ask how a piece was made, discover what inspired it and see the tools, materials and decisions behind the finished work. Whether you’re a longtime resident or visiting for the weekend, it’s a chance to see the Valley through someone else’s eyes.

Explore the Local Studio Tour

The Mad River Valley stops on Tour Loop 12 offer a wonderful range of work, from pottery and printmaking to folk art and recycled metal sculpture:

• Luke Iannuzzi Pottery — 5711 East Warren Road, Warren
  Discover Luke’s raku artwork and dinnerware, and explore the creativity behind pieces made for both display and everyday use.
• Bette Ann Libby Studio, with guest artist Macy Moulton — 104 Strong Road, Waitsfield
  Explore Bette Ann’s stoneware, mosaics, paintings and banners alongside Macy’s linoleum prints. Two artists working in different media make this a particularly rewarding stop.
• All Things Bright and Beautiful — 27 Bridge Street, Waitsfield
  Visit Gaelic and Bonnie McTigue and discover Gaelic’s wooden folk art, including Christmas ornaments, Santas, cats and dogs.
• Metals and Petals — 27 Bridge Street, Waitsfield
  Meet Troy Kingsbury and see how recycled metal becomes sculpture through imagination, ingenuity and skilled hands.

Make a Day of It

Build a studio visit—or several—into your weekend. Enjoy the fall scenery between stops, have lunch at a local restaurant and leave yourself time for conversation and discovery.

You don’t need to be an art collector to participate. Curiosity is enough. Purchase a piece, ask about a future commission or simply stop in to appreciate the work and meet the person behind it.

Find the tour booklet and planning information through the Vermont Crafts Council, or explore the interactive statewide tour map.

This weekend, step inside a studio and meet some of the people whose creativity helps make the Mad River Valley a place unlike anywhere else.