The Bonny Doon Studio Tour was started in 2010, inspired by Kim Sterling and Linda Levy, along with a host of Bonny Doon Artists. Many of the artists participate in Santa Cruz County's Open Studios Tour, presented by the Art Council Santa Cruz County. This event happens in the month of October, and has around 300 artists each year. As Bonny Doon is a bit of a trek from central Santa Cruz, and rainfall amounts are twice as abundant as downtown Santa Cruz, the number of visitors to our area was diminishing. Kim and Linda worked to make Bonny Doon an arts destination, and present the studio tour during the last weekend in July, a much better time weatherwise to visit the Doon.
Since that time, we have encouraged our local artists, numbering from 25 - 30 participants, to engage our visitors in their artform. Most artists provide demonstrations on how they create their works, what inspires them, and many provide "hands-on" experiences, as well as a wonderful selection of their finished fine art.
2020, which would have been our 10th year (time to celebrate!) was heavily impacted by the Covid 19 epidemic, and the event was cancelled. In August of that same year, many of our artists in Bonny Doon were devastated by the CZU fire which destroyed over 800 homes in our area. "Rising Up from the Ashes"
2021 gave us a respite from the Covid isolation, and 25 artists opened their studios to the public for visitors, who turned out in droves. Since then, we have continued to offer this unique event while maintaining masking and social distancing requirements as necessary.
For more information about the Bonny Doon Studio Tour, please contact: Mariana Timmer - claychalet.timmer@gmail.com