[Photo Gallery] Granby Artists Association's 10th Annual Open Studio Tour

For my money, the coolest thing about the Granby Artists Association's 10th annual Open Studio Tour isn't the various pieces - many of which, by the way, are spectacular.

No, what drew me in were the 27 artists' stories and backgrounds, which vary from those who have committed their lives to their work to those who have only recently discovered their talent and are starting a second or, perhaps, third career.

I spent Saturday afternoon traveling from location to location, meeting as many artists, and viewing as much of their work, as possible. 

The accompanying gallery doesn't do justice to the event, which features artists specializing in media ranging from the traditional (i.e. paints and photography) - to the less conventional (calligraphy, cartooning and furniture making).

The good news is that the Open Studio Tour is a two-day event, so people still have a chance to check out the variety and breadth of artistic talent in the area.

"It's a wonderful idea," said Farmington resident Emily Perretta, who was traveling the area with several friends. "We're going to stop at all that we possibly can. It's God's country up here."

The following artists are featuring their work:

Joanne Vallee Brunelle • Tim Carlson • Kristen Cormier • Avis Cherichetti • Dorothy Dumond • Laura Eden • Lori Catlin Garcia • Susan Hackett • Paul Hahn • Claudia Karimi • Suzanne Roz Magoon • Sally Sargent Markey • Mollie Megaffin • Gary Melnysyn Fran Miller • Debby Reelitz • Matt Ryan • Frank Sabatini • Robin Sidwell • Bill Simpson • Kate Snyder • Dick Sonderegger Susan Strauss • Wendy van Welie • Jana Volpe • John Walker • Linda Yurasevecz

For more information, including a map that points out the locations of all the artists, check out the Granby Artists Association's website.