Key Points
- The Ithaca Art Trail kicked off this weekend and will continue this upcoming weekend as well.
- The Art Trail is a way for artists to showcase their work while also making connections with community members.
- Art Trail travelers are able to experience artists’ work spaces and learn about their craft.
“Unlike musicians or theater people visual artists tend to work in isolation, so the Art Trail is a great way for artists to interact with people,” says Robin Schwartz, the program director at the Community Arts Partnership and one of the event organizers.
The Art Trail is a program that collaborates with local artists in the area to open their studios on the same days and time for people to travel around and see where and how artists work. It’s popular among local community members and draws people from outside of the community as well.
About 20 years ago the Art Trail was originally started by four artists. But after two years the artists came to the Community Arts Partnership to take over and create a program out of it.
“Our goal for artists is to get more exposure for their work and introducing many people as possible to the spectacular artists in this area,” Schwartz says.
The Artists on the Trail
For gourd sculptor Graham Ottoson, the Art Trail drives a lot of traffic to her studio.
Ottoson uses dried gourds to create lamps, ornaments, boxes and masks. She grows the gourds outside of her studio as well as prepares them to be sculpted.
Her unique artwork draws people to see how she is able to create intricate designs into what once was a plant. Ottoson was always creating as a child and would never shy away from doing things differently.
“I would say that I ran into gourd quite randomly,” Ottoson said. “I was attracted to the shape and how easy it was to work with them, especially when making lamps, which is my favorite thing to make.”
Ottoson and the other artists create a bond with those who travel along the Art Trail.
Barbara Mink, who is an abstract painter, says that her most rewarding experiences are when high school students come to her studio and ask interesting questions. She’s able to connect with them as aspiring visual artists.
“My motto is that my life is short so you better get working… I wanted to prove to myself that, without going to art school, that I could create art. And now I am doing it and really enjoying it as well.” -Barbara Mink, Abstract Artist
Muralist and painter Mary Beth Ihnken also connects with people by talking about her art. Ihnken will work with young students and paint large visual diagrams to help students learn in different subjects like science.
“I think that art is just so important because you can learn so much from it,” said Ihnken.
Schwartz hears a lot of positive experiences from high school students while on the art trail. She says that it’s important for young aspiring artists to see other artists making a living and figuring out how they may someday be able to do the same thing.
“You’re not just seeing a pile of work,” Schwartz said. “But seeing how the artist is creating a life for themselves.”
