Each October, Santa Cruz County comes alive with a cultural wave — hundreds of artists open their doors and invite the community into the heart of their creative worlds. This year marks the 40th anniversary of the Open Studios Art Tour, a countywide celebration featuring more than 340 artists working in 22 different mediums, presented by Arts Council Santa Cruz County. From seasoned professionals to emerging voices, Open Studios is an invitation to discover, experience, and connect with the makers who shape the region’s vibrant cultural life.
Exploring redwood forests to coastal bluffs, October weekends unfold as a journey through studios, workshops, and neighborhoods — places where art is born, and where visitors are welcomed inside to meet the makers and take home works of art that speak to them.
South County (Oct 4–5)
The tour begins in South County, where 122 artists open their doors from Watsonville to the yacht harbor. In Soquel, glass artist Biagio Scarpello works in the open air, coaxing fire and breath into molten glass that becomes vessels of color and light — an alchemy that feels equal parts craft and magic. Resting on the coastal bluffs, Coeleen Kiebert’s ocean-view studio and sculpture garden is a world of its own. At 93, she continues to work alongside apprentices, hand-building clay forms and sharing stories of her life’s work.
With a unique and distinctive style, Elijah Pfotenhauer transforms reclaimed wood into paintings and mixed-media work. This year, he’s joined by his mother, fashion designer Paula Pfotenhauer, making their studio a lively cross-current of street art and style.
Other South County highlights include painter Taylor Seamount, whose work is full of bold movement and emotion, and photographer Maria Isabel LeBlanc, who captures the beauty and character of the South County landscape with striking clarity.
North County (Oct 11–12)
The second weekend of Open Studios carries visitors into North County, beginning at the yacht harbor, winding through the City of Santa Cruz, out along the coast, and up into the mountains.
For families or anyone seeking a one-stop experience, the Tannery Arts Center is a perfect place to stop. Fourteen artists, including Arts Council Education Director Sarah Brothers Bot, will be exhibiting in the working art studios, located at the heart of the 8-acre campus.
On the Westside, Jennifer Patton creates mixed-media pieces that blur the line between painting and sculpture, offering fresh ways to see familiar landscapes. The Eckerman family — Michael, Ea, and Rose — bring whimsical, dreamy works to Open Studios. Their shared enclave is a celebration of generational creativity, with three family members exhibiting together. Just beyond, in Davenport, painter and sculptor Dave Gardner opens his coastal studio, where decades of refining his craft unfold like love letters to the place he calls home.
Further up in Bonny Doon, Tessa Hope Hasty draws on both ancestry and environment. Her newest works combine painting, printing, and sewing, layered together like stitched memories. Her studio, set on an old lavender farm near the Moon Rocks, makes the winding road more than worth the drive.
From there, the route leads into the San Lorenzo Valley and the welcoming studio of ceramic artist Honora Bacon, whose hand-painted cups, bowls, and containers bring a playful and charming spirit to everyday life.
All County (Oct 18–19)
On the final weekend, many participating studios across the county open once again — from the Santa Cruz Mountains to Davenport, through the Westside, Midtown, Eastside, and back to Watsonville. It’s the moment to explore widely, return to a favorite, discover creativity at every turn, and experience the unique spaces where artists create.
In La Selva Beach, longtime Open Studios artist Charles Prentiss welcomes visitors with luminous still-life and landscapes, his cheerful palette as inviting as the studio and property itself. In North County, Michael Singer showcases both finely crafted woodwork and striking photography — a place where design and artistry meet seamlessly. Rhia Hurt’s abstract landscape paintings, focusing on color, material, and texture, will soothe your soul.
Across the county, highlights abound: the whimsical characters of Dee Hooker, the bold sculptural experiments of Laamsha Young, and Laura Rice’s welcoming Watsonville studio. Taken together, the countywide weekend is an invitation to discover new perspectives, explore the breadth of creativity across Santa Cruz, and connect with the artists who make this place extraordinary.
Closing
With three weekends to explore, October is one of the most exciting times of the year in Santa Cruz County. Whether you’re a collector, a casual art lover, or simply curious, the Open Studios Art Tour is your chance to discover, experience, and connect. Step inside, stay a while, and take home a piece of the creativity that makes this place extraordinary.
Plan Your Visit & Stay Connected
🗓 Tour Weekends · 10am–5pm
- Oct 4–5 · South County
- Oct 11–12 · North County
- Oct 18–19 · All County
🎨 Preview Exhibits
- Santa Cruz Art League · Sept 26–Oct 19
- Pajaro Valley Arts · Sept 20–Oct 19
📍 Plan Your Visit
- Website: santacruzopenstudios.com
- Printed Guide: Free at Good Times drop-off locations starting mid-September
- App: Santa Cruz County Open Studios available on iTunes & Google Play
✨ Follow & Discover
Stay inspired and up to date with the latest Open Studios highlights:
- Instagram: @artscouncilsc
- Facebook: Arts Council Santa Cruz
- Newsletter: Subscribe here
- Visitor Survey: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdPcax5jje7oxWlt3Ban-l6ghpRwjxMSuBfVTK_u84nmh7MRA/viewform
About Arts Council Santa Cruz County
The Arts Council’s mission is to invest in artists, culture, and the arts. Together, we’re building a stronger Santa Cruz County, where all artists have access to the resources they need to thrive; where a full range of creative expression is accessible to everyone; and the arts are recognized for their essential contributions to a healthy, vibrant, and representative community.
Through grants to artists and arts organizations, arts education programs that serve more than 11,000 youth across Santa Cruz County, and community initiatives such as Open Studios Art Tour, the Tannery Arts Center, and the Watsonville Center for the Arts, we help Santa Cruz County thrive.
Learn more at artscouncilsc.org
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