WCAX.COM Local Vermont News, Weather and Sports-Foliage and art in the Upper Valley

This weekend is a big weekend for leaf peepers to take to the road in search of bright colors, and the Vermont North by Hand artists and crafters would like to be a part of that. They are hosting a tour of open studios in the Upper Valley on Saturday and Sunday.

It's a rainy soggy day today, but the artists in the Upper Valley are hoping for better weather this weekend. Ricker Winsor is one of 20 artists who will be opening his doors to the public this weekend. He specializes in oil paintings of Vermont landscapes.

"It's landscape painting, it's done outside on the spot, I set my easle up there and it's expressionist painting because I take liberties with color and form for reasons of feeling. I just actually respond to the day and what I'm seeing and do that in kind of an emotional way."

Just down the street, Susan Bradford designs sheepskin clothing. There are several studios in the Bradford area, but if you travel through the Vermont foliage to Topsham, you will find 8 more studios with everything from etchings to house wares and wearables.

There are also several dirt roads in the area, perfect for foliage viewing.

Another branch of the route takes you to Cookeville. Bruce Murrays ceramic art and functional pottery studio is along the way.

"It's also a way for people to get to know you. To sort of break down the wall between the artist and the rest of the community, so they get to know a little more about us in a non commercial way. It doesn't have to be commercial. They don't have to buy anything, they can just come out and see what we're doing."

And it is a great way to get to know the artists in the community. We thoroughly enjoyed our foliage and art tour even in todays downpour. I can only imagine how much fun it will be in better weather this weekend.