The Bainbridge Island Winter Studio Tour is announcing an online, virtual experience this year, connecting visitors with regional artists in new and innovative ways.

The event technically takes place throughout December, but the website is already up and ready for visitors. Celebrating 36 years of the Bainbridge Island Studio Tour, this new website will showcase this year’s winter artists.

Artists in the Winter Tour include many familiar faces, along with some new additions. Robert Niclas Jr. is a new artist who works with wood. He hand-crafts full-sized canoes, violins, furniture and more. Having lived in the Middle East, Europe, Scandinavia and traveled in the Far East, his inspiration from the sculptures, art and woodwork transfers to his work.

Another new artist, Gigi Godfrey, paints with oil and gouache. “My artwork seems to be an expression of my inner feelings ranging from contemplation to whimsy to just pure joy. I am drawn to subjects displaying some sort of rhythm —whether in the way the light patterns form, the shapes link together, or the weaving of color harmony.” Check out her paintings, where she uses brushes, palette knives and scrapers to work interesting textures into the final design, and as she puts it, “push boundaries.”

Specially selected artwork is for sale from nearly 40 artists on the Spotlight page, with unique offerings. The Gift page has items in categories “Under $50” and “Under $100.” Other ideas, such as jewelry, pottery, art prints, photography, cards, mini paintings and much more are on the menu.

This winter there is a Featured Artist page on the website with artist interviews, videos and behind-the-scenes photos of the artists in their studios, hard at work, showing their raw materials and so forth. Each week a new artist will be featured.

Tour manager Dinah Satterwhite said: “It has been so wonderful creating the new website and working with the artists to collect their interviews and videos. There’s nothing like a tour of someone’s studio, and hearing them talk about their passion – seeing their tools, their inspirations, it inspires me to be a better artist.”

Another addition to the website is a gallery of Customer Photos. The Tour collected photos from customers showing the art that they have in their homes and offices, and jewelry and pottery that they own. Satterwhite said, “It was very interesting to see the different color combinations of wall art and wall colors that people have in their homes, for example.” Customers can send in their own photos of Tour art (details on the website).

A “News and Events” calendar is available, with listings of Tour artists’ activities. It includes other shows that they are involved in, teaching gigs, demonstrations, gallery shows and activities, etc.

Fans of the Studio Tour will want to look at the “Shop” where t-shirts can be purchased with the Tour heart logo on it. And a special design with artwork by five Tour artists is offered in black. The design includes a combination of colors and art, using an animal theme with a koi block print by Yoshiko Yamamoto, and a horse painting by Danna Tartaglia, among others.

Tour postcards with listings of the artists and photos are available in regional shops. They can also be found at Bainbridge Island Chamber of Commerce, or call to request one by mail. For more information contact Satterwhite at 206-842-0504.