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“Spartanburg Open Doors – Studio Tour” is the long-awaited “open studio” weekend event that will showcase the local artists of Spartanburg County in their working studio spaces.

This event is free and open to the public. Participating artists will have their studios open from 10am to 5pm on Saturday, April 22, 2023, and from 12-5pm on Sunday, April 23, 2023.

The Artists Collective Spartanburg will host a preview exhibit of all juried participating artists in the Solomon Gallery during the months of March and April, 2023.

Participating Mayfair Art Studios Creatives

Nancy Corbin

Nancy spends her time in her studio at Mayfair Art Studios preparing for upcoming exhibits. Watercolor, pastel, and collage are essential in her process. Small works on paper often lead to larger works in acrylic. Color and figurative abstraction in layered compositions are responses to current events and historical ties.

Mary Lou Hightower

Watercolor patchwork is my unique process where I have built the background surface of my artwork through the layering colors and incorporating textural materials to enhance the surface quality. This process involves sewing through the paper, adding buttons and opening areas to reveal hidden images underneath. Using the traditional of quilting, I have coined the term “watercolor patchwork” to celebrate the legacy of the quilts and my love for watercolor media. This gives my work a grid like appearance.

The idea of watercolor patchwork came from my interest in folk arts and quilting process. I have always had a special fascination with quilts because of my grandmother, Emma Swartz. She was an avid quilter and sewed patches every day until her death at age 95. Watercolor patchwork is also special tribute to her and my parents, Ralph and Grace Swartz.

Kris Neely

I serve as Professor of Art at Spartanburg Methodist College. My studio at Mayfair is a place were I can embrace experimentation as an essential part of my daily practice. I am guided by my intuition in much of my work. I am best known for my images called Guardians, angelic forms usually painted on found wood. I consider my time painting these images to be a manual act of contemplative prayer.

Michelle Pierce

Michelle sees a canvas as a physical space for conversation. Starting with an anchor shape, Michelle then ‘listens’ for a new shape to suggest itself; then answers with color or marks. As the dialog builds, one can look through transparent layers for hidden meanings or moments of connection. There seems to be incoming energy and voice in the marks. The image is then like a transcript of listening, maybe insight, and possibly joy:)

Learn more about the Open Doors Studio Tour at opendoorstudios.art