by 
Judy Walsh-The Survivor
Encaustic painting
Nearly 40 Oracle artists and artisans have set the weekend of May 4 and 5 for their annual public tour of working studios, historic ranches, and other shared venues in this cool foothills community. New art works and fine crafts —from contemporary to green, functional, whimsical, wearable, and decorative — will be presented for sale at the 17 stops of the tour.
Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on both Saturday and Sunday. All events are free.
Visitors are encouraged to stop first at the Gallery Welcome Center, 1880 American Ave., where they can view representative pieces by each artist and pick up a self-guiding tour map. The map, which lists local restaurants as well, can also be downloaded in advance at the tour website, www.oraclestudiotour.com.
Oracle’s rugged hills, mountain vistas, and oak woodlands have long inspired working artists to create with imaginative diversity. Works for sale will include oil, acrylic, pastel, watercolor, and encaustic paintings; unique silver and gold jewelry with natural stones; wood art, lamps, and painted furniture; metal and garden arts; glass, pottery, ceramic, clay, and papier mache creations; sculpture; photographs and prints; artists’ books and cards; fabric arts and quilting; gourd art, origami, and rammed earth.
Oracle is 35 miles northeast of Tucson on Highway 77 at mile marker 100.
Diana Creighton-Big Boy and Chickie
Oil painting by Diana Creighton from her series of narrative paintings of animals
Val Bembenet-Weed Vase
Old yellow pages recycled into papier mache weed vase
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