Attending the Ramona Artists Open Studios Tour was more than just an opportunity to talk to local artists and purchase their one-of-a-kind artwork.
For Lisa Barnett and Mindy Waldha, the Ramona Chamber of Commerce event was an adventure.
“It was fun to run into our neighbors and other people,” Barnett said. “It reminds me of how cool Ramona is. The people are just wonderful.”
By the end of the first day of the two-day tour on April 12, the two Ramona residents had visited with eight artists at some of the dozen studios scattered around town. They had purchased artistic cards from watercolor and pen artist Linda Stamets and other cards from artist Michelle Rodriquez, who specializes in a variety of Southwest silver jewelry, pottery, fused glass and acrylic painting.
One of their favorite stops was at Mary Decker’s acrylic painting studio in San Diego Country Estates, they said. They were impressed with a variety of horses Decker had painted in addition to owls, falcons, ornamental Koi, and flowers.
“We are having a fabulous time,” Waldha said at their last stop for the day at artist Lynette Bredow’s watercolor studio.
Bredow took time to share personal stories with all her guests at her studio at 1109 Sixth St. For Waldha and Barnett it was a story of how she made photos of a lion come to life in a series of watercolor paintings. For others, she explained how she was preparing to enter a serene painting of a small fishing boat on the water in winter, titled “First Snow,” in the San Diego Watercolor Society International Exhibition.
The show is set to be held at Liberty Station in October, but the deadline to enter is May 18, she said.
At another stop on the tour, artists Helen Wilson and Tracy Potter had opened their studio at 1140 Main St., Suite 208 with a reception and refreshments.
Potter shared stories about her unique fiber and mixed media art, some of which looked like small quilts.
The Ramona resident has had dual interests in art and teaching. She earned a bachelor’s degree in art education from Western Michigan University in 1980 and a master’s in reading education at San Diego State University in 1990.
After studying art in college, Potter said she married and took a break to raise a family.
“I made bed quilts when my three daughters were little,” she said. “As they grew older I made artistic quilts.”
The applique pictures she creates have unusual and varied themes.
“Now I’m into collaging and taking that image and putting it on fabric to make a quilt,” she said.
While her bed quilts had all been made with a sewing machine, she says she now likes to add hand-quilting elements to incorporate texture with a touch of whimsy. Some of her pieces are on display at 2Create Gallery in Ramona, where she also sells them.
“I mostly make them for my own enjoyment and entertainment,” said Potter, who recently expanded her repertoire with graphite drawings.
At artist Linda Kelly’s acrylics and watercolor studio nearby, Mira Mesa resident Amy Cook ired the paintings of a number of subjects after visiting the Ramona Senior Car Show in Ramona earlier in the day.
“I’m taking in everything Ramona has to offer today,” Cook said while scanning Kelly’s art. “I like seeing all the talent.”
Cook was smitten by Kelly’s prints on cards that depicted flowers, landscapes and animals. She especially liked the cards painted with colorful birds.
“Cards are good, because I send them out to people,” she said. “I end up buying a lot of bird cards because I like birds. I feed the birds in my backyard with hummingbird, oriole and wild bird seed feeders.”
Kelly said she follows her creative spirit and paints on 100-year-old ceiling tins along with canvases, wood, paper and on cupboards. The artist of 35 years also teaches Sip ’n’ Paint classes to adults, couples, groups and leads private parties at her studio at 976 Main St.
“I’ve been participating in the Ramona Artists Open Studios Tours since the beginning,” Kelly said. “I don’t know how many years it’s been going on.”
