The AVA Center for the Arts is now open.
Fridays and Saturdays, Noon to 4:00pm
And by appointment: astoriavisualarts@gmail.com

Click here for PARTICIPATING ARTISTS and their Virtual Studio Tour

View all Virtual Tours on the AVA YouTube Channel

Astoria is a splendid place to live, in large part because of the abundance of artists that are drawn to this dynamic rural town. The 10th annual Astoria Open Studios Tour highlights a number of those artists, and although the event will not take place in the traditional self-guided tour due to the pandemic, artists will still open their studio doors to the general public virtually through videos that will be available on Astoria Visual Arts’ website beginning July 25. Artists will also be featured in a large group exhibit at Astoria Visual Arts July 11 through August 2. 

“I like to see the silver lining whenever possible,” says Astoria Visual Arts’ Executive Director, Annie Eskelin. “Taking the tour online is not the best way to experience an artist's studio, but it is something AVA can do to continue to support artists amid these strange times. The video format allows artists a chance to be openly reflective about their work and, for many, to come out of their shells. The online feature also has attracted a number of artists that would not participate in a typical open studios tour. During a normal tour, which typically features up to 50 artists, I have not heard of anyone making it to all the studios over the weekend, now they can— in roughly under an hour.” 

Each artist will be featured in a short video, roughly 2-3 minutes each, which documents a moment in time in an artist’s life in 2020. Some talk openly about their art practice, what inspires them and where they want to go with their art in the future, Some have produced their own artistic video expression. Twenty professional and emerging artists are featured and just like the normal tour, everyone, all ages, can enjoy this free public production, getting to meet the makers and see a close-up view of their techniques and media. 

The AOST exhibit opens at AVA on July 11 from 12:00 – 8:00pm during Second Saturday Art Walk and will be open Fridays and Saturdays from 12:00 – 4:00pm through August 2. Visitors can also request an appointment to see the show by emailing astoriavisualarts@gmail.com.

The Astoria Open Studios Tour is sponsored by the City of Astoria.  
Some of the artists featured in the group exhibit at the
AVA Center for the Arts.
Previously in the AVA Center for the Arts:
January 2019 : Teresa Robinett
February 2019 : Ceramics Invitational
​March 2019 : Anne Greenwood Rioseco
April 2019 : ​Clatsop County High School Art Show
​​May 2019 : Print Portfolio Show
June 2019 : Renee Rowe and Audrey Long
July 2019 : Astoria Open Studios Tour artists
August 2019 : Ruth Lantz, Jill Mulholland, Shelby Silver
September 2019: "Fugitive": Jesse Jones, Jessica Schleif, Dawn Stetzel
October 2019 : "Emerging": Current and former resident artists
November 2019: "The Edge" : Marie Powell, Betsy Nelson, Kirsten Horning, Kristin Shauck, Penny Treat, Anna Lee Larimore
December 2019: "Two Point Perspective" : Denise Monaghan, John Willis
January 2020: "Northwestern Songs of the Americas" : Tim Janchar
February 2020: "Creatures of the Deep: Gyotaku" by Duncan Berry; and "Ecological Rehabilitation Through Art," by Shelby Silver
March-June 2020: "Ground Level," works by artists who serve as AVA docents
April 2020: "Pandemic," a virtual show of  pandemic-inspired art by local and regional artists
May-June 2020: "Clatsop County High School Art Students" juried exhibit