‘Tis the season to think about the season

Put aside your sunscreen and your Yeti cooler and your portable fan for a moment and think instead about the holidays.

Yeah, we said it. The holidays.

They’ll be here before you know it. And for Knoxville area makers, they're the prime opportunity to identify new customers and sell lots of merchandise.

Dogwood Arts would like to help you capitalize on the holiday season by inviting you to participate in Art DeTour on November 3. Participating artists and makers open their studios to the public for the day and interact with their visitors, offering demonstrations and insights into their creative processes.

This will be the 10th year Dogwood Arts has hosted Art DeTour. Initially it was held in April along with Dogwood’s other activities, but more recently it moved to the pre-holidays season.

“We have so many things going on in April, we couldn’t give this program as much light as it deserves,” says Dogwood Arts Executive Director Sherry Jenkins. “It’s a great opportunity to see spaces that aren’t open all the time and to expand knowledge of the makers that are out there.”

Kate Creason, Dogwood Arts’ program manager, says about two dozen artists and makers have participated in previous years. It’s open to artists who work in all kinds of media, including sculpture, photography, metal, wood, glass and paint.

Here are some good reasons to participate this year:

Artists participating in Art DeTour will be featured in a preview party at Dogwood Arts on November 2 for First Friday.
Dogwood Arts will include the participating artists in its gallery exhibition for the month of November.
You don’t need to set up a tent or haul your pieces anywhere. Customers will come to you.
“I think one of the reasons people love art festivals is because the public gets to talk and get to know artists. This is an opportunity for artists to have a similar experience, except we bring the people to them,” says Jenkins. “It can be very powerful to get to know someone and fall in love with their work. Makers may find art lovers who are inspired by what they do and become lifelong supporters.”
It's only $35 to participate! The entry fee helps to promote Art DeTours. Home Federal sponsors Art DeTours so the public can participate free of charge.

Here are more details you’ll need to know:

Deadline to apply to participate in Art DeTour is September 10. Apply here.
Dogwood Arts will notify you if you have been accepted by September 13.
Criteria for being accepted includes quality of work and variety of media represented, ability to comfortably host 25 to 30 visitors, along with available parking, accessibility and location. Previous participants have opened everything from home studios to warehouse spaces for the day.
Studios will need to be open from 9 am to 5 pm on November 3.
Participants must be located in Knoxville, Maryville, Alcoa or Oak Ridge.
Need more info? Contact Kate Creason at 865.637.4561 or email kcreason@dogwoodarts.com