Eighth Annual McKinney Art Studio Tour (MAST): A look at local studios

Art lovers and collectors are invited to the 8th Annual McKinney Art Studio Tour (MAST) on November 12 and 13 for a free event.

MAST is a free, self-guided art studio tour providing a self-paced, behind-the- scenes look at artists, their work spaces, and their creative processes. Hands-on demonstrations by over 60 artists span a wide range of media including pottery, wood-turning, painting, printmaking, millinery, glass, fiber art and much more. Original art will be for sale and commissions are available from many artists.

An online silent auction will be held during the tour, featuring pieces donated by every participating artist on the tour. The auction pieces will be available for viewing at the Heard-Craig Center for the Arts near the historic McKinney square, a central location to many galleries and studios.

The tour began in 2009 when, McKinney Art House owner Sona Knox and a handful of local artist friends created the tour to connect McKinney-area artists with the DFW Metroplex community. MAST has grown exponentially since then and this year for the first time is funded in part by a grant from the McKinney Community Development Corporation.

8th Annual MAST

When:

• Saturday, November 12 | 10 a.m.–6 p.m.
• Sunday, November 13 | noon–5 p.m.

Where: near downtown McKinney, 111 N Tennessee St., McKinney, Texas 75069

Cost: Free and open to the public

More: See mckinneyartstudiotour.com for more details.

Visitors are encouraged to tour one or both days to see and purchase original works of art. Demonstrations and explanations of a variety of art forms and techniques will be ongoing throughout the tour, such as:

– Pottery made from large slabs of clay, turned on wheels or slab-rolled, then kiln- or raku-fired;

– Custom millinery techniques using vintage wood hat blocks and supple wool or fine straw;

– Unique wood vessels hand-turned on a lathe using local felled trees;

– A variety of painting techniques using watercolors, oils, pastels, alcohol inks, and acrylics;

– Whimsical papier-mâché, handmade paper, and glass art;

– Much more from dozens of local award-winning artists.

In 2015, over 900 attendees toured MAST locations in both east and west McKinney during the tour weekend. Maps are provided at many locations on the tour, and an online map is posted on the tour website.