The Value of Studio Tours
122 • 5/18/2026
In the 1970s, I was living on an island off the Washington coast, when the population was around 1,800. It was a vibrant community and a definite tourist attraction.
I worked in an art gallery that specialized in regional artwork. One of the things I did was offer in-home art shows. I would ask one of the more prominent collectors on the island if they would host a show in their home, in exchange for two pieces of art from the show. They jumped at the opportunity. The shows we did were very successful and often exceeded sales expectations.
Moving quite a bit forward I have discovered, based on a bit of research, that a similar offering is gaining traction and popularity. There are more than a dozen studio tours just in the Albuquerque area, along with many dozens more scattered around New Mexico.
Over this past Mother’s Day, I helped a photographer friend, Allen Bourne, with his studio tour, in Placitas (NM). This is a small regional town just north of Albuquerque, with a population of just over 4,500 (2026). The average artist participation for the tour is around 50-80 studios.
This was my second year at his studio, and we had very nice weather, but what had begun as a slow day, quickly accelerated into a very busy day. The results for the weekend were very good, and I was told this was his best year, in the more than 5 years of hosting this event.
Studio tours are special in that the artist has a chance to talk to collectors, first-time buyers and prospective “newbies.” As in the beginning of this essay, people are eager to support artists when they can meet them on a personal basis and have a meaningful discussion about the artist’s work. That connection can often lead to one or more purchases, over time.
In my research, I discovered there are 4 main benefits of in-home studio tours:
1. Building Authentic Connections
A studio visit is more than showing your workspace; it’s about opening the “inner sanctum” of creativity to dialogue and discovery. Visitors gain insight into your process, tools, and inspirations, which can foster trust and a personal connection.
2. Expanding Your Audience and Network
Regular studio visits—whether open to the public, invite-only, or targeted to collectors—help you reach new people and build relationships. These connections can lead to exhibitions, collaborations, and sales.
3. Enhancing Artistic Visibility and Credibility
By showing your work in progress, behind-the-scenes materials, and your creative environment, you humanize your brand and make your art more relatable.
4. Generating Opportunities
Studio tours can serve as a platform for showcasing new or exclusive pieces, offering special sales, or hosting live demonstrations. For image makers, this can be a way to evaluate new concepts, gather feedback, and refine your work before wider release.
In short, studio tours are a strategic tool for image makers to connect authentically, expand their network, and create memorable experiences that can drive both personal and professional growth.
If you have studio tours in your area, let me know how (if) they work for you. I am serious about this and would appreciate your input. This will be the basis for a broader essay on this subject.
Please pass this along to others of like mind. We do need to spread the positivity around! Know that I will be working hard to make the starter better with each issue. It will come into your inbox at 8am, each Monday morning. Comments are always welcomed! Enjoy!
“Luck flows through people and travels by conversation. The people you talk to determine the opportunities you find.
Keep talking to the same people, keep finding the same opportunities. Start talking to new people, start finding new opportunities.
If you want different luck, start walking into different rooms.” James Clear
10 Reasons Why Creativity is Important In Our Everyday Lives: “Creativity engages the mind in a unique way and has the power to enrich various aspects of life in a so many positive ways. It fosters innovative problem-solving, enhances communication, encourages adaptability, and strengthens connections.
Cultivating creativity is life enhancing and a great tool for success and fulfillment in so many areas, making it a valuable skill to nurture and incorporate into our daily routines. Keep reading to find our 10 reasons why discovering your creative potential will have a positive impact on your well being and life satisfaction.” ©Pinot+Picasso
I Still Have No Idea: We spend so much of life hoping that one day we’ll finally know exactly what we’re doing. That we’ll arrive at some clear, tidy answer. But perhaps part of being human is learning to live gently inside the not knowing. There are seasons when life asks us to look honestly at ourselves, at the patterns we’ve repeated, the stories we’ve carried, and the places where we’ve become a little too lost in our own world. It can be uncomfortable work, but it can also open the door to new perspective, at any age. Maybe wisdom is not about having all the answers. Maybe it is simply about staying open, paying attention, and asking how best to use the time we have. For ourselves, for each other, and for the small part we each play in the bigger whole. ©Reflections | (ed. I am on my third viewing of this very timely video.)
Shadow & Light Magazine Archives: Ralf Drier, Ocean Mood—“The “Ocean Mood” photography project explores in depth the psychological impact of the sea and the emotional response that the sight of the seemingly endless horizon evokes in the viewer. Whilst the project essentially encompasses the entire spectrum of maritime impressions, the artistic focus is deliberately on the quiet, melancholic and at times oppressive facets of the coastal landscape. It is less about the classic holiday idyll and more about portraying the ocean as a place of isolation and a mighty, untameable force of nature.” (Each photographer featured in this section has been published in Shadow & Light Magazine.) Image/text ©Ralf Drier
Poetics | David Whyte: Well, you know how I feel about this enigmatic poet. For me, he is right up there with Mary Oliver, Billy Collins and Jane Hirshfield.
Sweet Darkness
When your eyes are tired
the world is tired also.
When your vision has gone,
no part of the world can find you.
Time to go into the dark
where the night has eyes
to recognize its own.
There you can be sure
you are not beyond love.
The dark will be your home
tonight.
The night will give you a horizon
further than you can see.
You must learn one thing.
The world was made to be free in.
Give up all the other worlds
except the one to which you belong.
Sometimes it takes darkness and the sweet
confinement of your aloneness
to learn
anything or anyone
that does not bring you alive
is too small for you.
©David Whyte
Thanks for the likes, Elisabeth! I trust you are enjoying Marrakesh!
Thank you so much, Daryl. I agree about David's poem. sometimes, as you might know, people get mired in toxic or lesser relationships and don't know how to move on.