The South Coast has a number of self-guided studio tour options to punctuate summer weekends. The artist organized “South Coast Artists’ 19th Annual Open Studio Tour” happens on July 16 and 17 and again on August 20 and 21 from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. and includes over 30 artists in Westport, Dartmouth, Little Compton and Tiverton. The number of artists involved makes this arguably the largest open studio tour in the region and encompasses South Coast towns in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. “The Art Drive” on August 5through 7 and running from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. is limited to Dartmouth and Westport and is a curated event.

The idea of these open studio tours is for audiences to have the pleasure of a summer road trip, intermittently stopping to see art. Presented at each location will often be the equivalent of a one-person show. I particularly like that a self-guided tour can be a great alternative to gallery openings for anyone with lingering pandemic concerns. Seeing art and artists in the environments where they create is interesting. These particular tours allow folks to enjoy South Coast scenery and speak with artists about their subject matter, specifically, the thinking and emotions behind their artwork.

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