As I mentioned in an earlier blog, Ojai Artists Tour, my husband and I had made plans to attend the 2014 Ojai Studio Artists Tour — what a great weekend and display of talent, varied personalities and artistic mediums! We even stumbled upon some llamas, pets of one of the artists.

The Ojai Studio Artists Tour is a yearly weekend event that should be put on your “to do” list. For one thing, you get to visit Ojai with its numerous spas and its downtown home-made ice cream store AND you get to discover new artists. Our favorite three were:

1. Patrish Kuebler — She started painting only about 11 years ago when her husband retired and they moved up to Ojai. Originally a registered nurse, she has found another calling in painting. Her mediums of choice are pastels and encaustic. I am hoping to own one of her pieces one day. She primarily does landscapes but is branching out to paintings of the cosmos using her encaustic medium and now even some animal pastels. Take a look at these sheep, precious!

2. Joseph Sohm — He has traveled to all 50 states and captured a “mosaic portrait of America in a macro view” (as he describes it) behind the lens of his camera. His coffee table book entitled Visions of America beautifully encapsulates windows of time across America that are beautiful and moving to observe. Here is a sample of his work, wow!

3. Soni Wright — She was the only non-representational artist on the tour we found. Her work challenges the imagination and pulls different emotions out of the viewer each time you look, even the same piece! Her goal is to make people want to touch her work. Take a look at one of her artistic visions.

This tour usually happens on Columbus Day weekend. Mark it down for next year, you’ll be in for some fun!