In Focus: Studios Prepare For Art Leap 2018

“It’s like a giant party. People we haven’t seen for about a year or so come and visit our studio and we get to talk to them,” says Marsha Wolff with WolffWorks Studio in Nevis.

The Park Rapids Lakes Area “Art Leap” is almost a week away. This year, attendees will find everything from live demonstrations and impressive venues, to photography, pottery, painting and everything in between.

“My favorite part of Art Leap is that people who appreciate art come out and that they can maybe be inspired to be creative,” says Stacy Skinness with The Blue Door Gallery in Nevis.

“What I really love are talking to all the people and not necessarily about my artwork, but I love it because people come in and they start to share their photographs with me,” adds Laura Grisamore with Lauralee Photography in Park Rapids.

The Art Leap is meant to take you all over the Park Rapids Lakes Area, from Akeley and Nevis to Menahga and, of course, Park Rapids. There are 22 different stops on the route this year, and even those venues have more artists that are coming into their studios.

“There will be seven artists here, so it’s a variety, and we found that people are very intrigued by that because they can come to one place and they can see woodcarving, they can see pottery, they can glass,” says Bickey Bender, an artist who will be hosting out of her home in Park Rapids this year.

Art Leap is the perfect place to get inspired, and many of the artists say anyone at any age will find something they love.

“Especially young artists should really get out and see this. I mean, they would be amazed at the artists that are in this community and what they are doing,” says Gary Wolff, also with WolffWorks Studio.

Art Leap starts at 10 in the morning on Saturday, September 22^nd. You can take a look at the Art Leap map here.