Though polished, there’s something undeniably cold about the classic art gallery — those with asylum-white walls and air-conditioned rooms so chilly you feel as if you might freeze. Don’t get me wrong, not all galleries are like this; places such as the Louvre in Paris or the Met in New York have quite the opposite effect. But the best experience of all? Seeing an artist’s work in their own personal space.
During the annual Mesa Artists Studio Tour — a free, self-guided event that takes place November 8-9 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. — you can do just that. For two days, visitors can step into eight homes and studios of Mesa-residing artists. The tour offers a rare opportunity not only to see their work but to purchase it.
It’s a tradition that Mesa artists have practiced for 21 years, though much has changed since its inception. In the early days, visitors had to rely on their brochure to find each house, which, as photographer Helena Day Breese notes, included “very detailed instructions on how to find the address because we didn’t have any GPS.” Now, GPS is widely available, making it easy to find each artist’s home along this year’s five-mile route, which is accessible by car, bike, or even on foot.