HopArts 9th season Saturday and Sunday

Nice fall weather ideal for annual arts and crafts tour
By Will Collette

For the 9th year, the HopArts Trail will kick off tomorrow. It's a really brilliant idea to assemble a tour featuring local artists primarily in Richmond and Hopkinton, but with a little touch of Charlestown with the inclusion of several stops in Carolina.

You'll need to check out the HopArts website, download the map and pick your targets among the 15 stops and 32 featured artists. Bring money, checks or credit cards because you will see things you want to buy.

Fine weaving by Jan Doyle at the
Octagon House in Carolina

While the Trail begins officially in Hope Valley, you can make up your own route. Since Cathy and I are coming up from Charlestown, we always begin in Carolina. It helps to have a GPS to find some of the stops that are a bit out of the way.

Some stops, like #3, the Centerville Mill, and #8, Shaw Pottery, feature several artists at the one stop whose work is done in a variety of media - pottery, painting, art glass, wood, fabric, etc.

But don't pass up the stops with just one artist. I always like visiting Rick Devlin's crazy little workshop to see what fantastic creatures he has made (for example, see left, above).

There's a new stop on the tour, #4 Thompson's Flowers and Antiques, which will be featuring the photography of Alexsandra Eva.

With a weekend weather forecast of fine weather and our fall foliage just about at its peak, HopArts is just the ticket.

Remember: thanks to Rep. Donna Walsh, there is no sales tax on original artworks by Rhode Island artists.

I wish Charlestown did something like this, or figured out a way to link up with HopArts to promote Charlestown artisans.

From their website:

On October 18th and 19th,  from 10 AM to 5 PM, HopArts will once again open the trail to a diverse group of local artists and artisans who are happy to show their work, demonstrate their craft and display their surroundings.

Art glass by Daniel Read

This year there will be 32 artists showing in approximately 15 studios and homes.  These artists are award winning, recognized and  accomplished. Their work spans a variety of mediums, from oil, wood and metal sculpture, photography, jewelry, glass, ceramic, textile or fabric art. Many of the artists are returning because they enjoy the chance to meet the public and the association with the other participating artists whose quality of  work is impressive.

The Trail begins in the town of Hope Valley. Exit 2 or 3 off Route #95.  Brochure and map are available online or at many of  the local businesses. The website and the brochure provides a map to  guide you to each of the artist’s location, and to tell you about each artist and their work. You may also download a pdf file of the current Trail map. [Right click or Option click on this link.]