44 artists to showcase their work at this weekend’s Summer Studio Tour

Published 1:30 am Monday, August 3, 2026

The 26th annual Summer Studio Tour on Bainbridge Island takes place Aug. 7-9, and 44 artists will be on hand showcasing their work in five local artists’ studios with original, hand-crafted art.

Each artist goes through a jury process, as the tour looks for artwork that reflects the “hand and spirit of the artist.” Some of the artists on the tour have been involved for 25 years or more, and continually challenge themselves to create new work, new styles, and occasionally completely different mediums, a news release says.

This year’s event features many new artists, including Keeley Behling. She works with repurposed vintage silverware. “I create sculptural jewelry and garden art that celebrates history, recycling and craftsmanship — giving life after the table. Through hammer-forming, stamping, cutting, and welding, I reshape reclaimed materials into intricate, functional designs, each piece carrying subtle traces of its former life.”

Another new artist, Pamela Ruhl, makes textiles with traditional loom techniques, weaving colors and textures found in nature. “This medium speaks to me because it embodies sustainability, storytelling, and reinvention. By transforming discarded objects into meaningful, lasting pieces, my work invites a reconsideration of value. What do we keep, what we discard, and what it can become. Each piece is a continuation of a story; crafted to be worn, displayed, and passed on.”

A new mixed media artist, Steve Portteus, combines a unique set of elements into his creations. Each piece incorporates pottery, resin, wood, and much more. “I have focused most of my professional art career on creating works that represent the landscapes, seascapes, and details of the natural beauty of the Pacific Northwest.” His designs are usually NW scenes that can include water and fog in a 3-D wall landscape. Some of his pieces include dozens of tiny ceramic balls, and even toothpicks as tiny trees. And he finishes each original with a weathered barn or cedar fence wood for the frame.

The tour welcomes a new studio this year, in a very central location at the tip of Eagle Harbor. Ethan Currier, known for his large-scale stone sculptures, will have his spacious property and outdoor workspace open with many works in progress. His stone sculptures are all over the U.S. and beyond. “I have been creating thought-provoking, whimsical sculptures out of stone since 2001. My work draws from the boundless beauty of our organic surroundings and celebrates the movement, playfulness and energy of the human spirit and nature.”

The five studios on the tour start with: #1, The Boathouse, across from the Senior Center on the Eagle Harbor waterfront; #2, Ethan Currier’s “Sticks and Stones Farm,” at the end of Wyatt Way – the very tip of Eagle Harbor; #3, Danna Watson’s “Dancing Spirit Studio” on Fletcher Bay Road; #4, Barbara Weissman’s studio close to Rolling Bay just off of Valley Road; and #5, Sophie Frieda’s studio just before the Rolling Bay shops, one block down Hyla Avenue.

The Studio Tour is a free self-guided tour, where patrons can get original hand-crafted art directly from the artist. The studios are open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday.

For photos of each artist’s work and bios, along with a map of the studios and downloadable artist/studio lists, go to: www.bistudiotour.com. Brochures can be found at regional stores or mailed by request. For more information, call tour manager Dinah Satterwhite at 206-842-0504.