Arts council to present open studio event

Sugar Loaf — The Orange County Arts Council will present Orange County Open Studio Weekend on Saturday, Oct. 16 and Sunday, Oct. 17 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. A preview reception will be held at the Seligmann Homestead, located at 23 White Oak Drive in Sugar Loaf, on Friday, Oct. 8, from 5 to 8 p.m. The show will remain open throughout the weekend, which is also the Sugar Loaf Fall Festival, and through the following open studio weekend. During this free, county-wide event Orange County artists and craftspeople open their studios to the public for the sale and demonstration of their work. The council produces this event to educate the public about the skill and processes that go into the production of craft and art work, and to offer an opportunity for the community to support and explore local arts in Orange County. Visitors will tour throughout the county learning how art works are created while experiencing the environments where the artistry and handicrafts are conceived. Activities abound over the weekend with Eric Stein installing a large steel sculpture in downtown Port Jervis on the corner of Front and Pike Streets, The Town of Deerpark Museum hosting the River Valley Arts Group and the Carriage House Arts Studio featuring a live model. Plus, check out the animation of “8 Hats High” in Middletown. Using the Orange County North Studio Tour Map, visitors are directed to each participating studio location. These self-guided tour maps will be available throughout the county in galleries, local lodging businesses and tourist information centers, and can also be found at www.ocartscouncil.org. For more information, visit www.ocartscouncil.org or call 469-9168.