Silicon Valley Open Studios Connects Local Artists And Art Lovers

South Bay, Peninsula and coastal artists will open their studios to the public during Silicon Valley Open Studios (SVOS) the first three weekends in May (May 5-6, 12-13 and 19-20). This free, annual event lets visitors mingle with artists in their own workspaces.

More than 375 artists in over 160 locations will display their art. The artists work in a variety of visual media including painting, fiber arts, printmaking, mixed media, jewelry, photography, sculpture and ceramics. The art (except for photographs and prints) is one-of-a-kind.

"SVOS is the opposite of mass production," said Mel Thomsen, executive director of SVOS. "This event gives art enthusiasts the opportunity to see a wide variety of unique art that might not be available in other settings."

Besides showcasing established talent, SVOS attracts many emerging artists. "Many museum and gallery curators come to SVOS, looking for new talent," Thomsen continued.

SVOS occurs over three consecutive weekends, each focusing on a different area. Specifically, artists in 28 cities from Burlingame to Morgan Hill and along the coast will open their studios between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. according to the following schedule:

Weekend 1 (May 5-6): Northern Area: Belmont, Burlingame, East Palo Alto, Hillsborough, Los Altos, Los Altos Hills, Menlo Park, Palo Alto, Portola Valley, Redwood City, San Carlos, San Mateo, Stanford, and Woodside

Weekend 2 (May 12-13): Central Area: East Palo Alto, Los Altos, Los Altos Hills, Mountain View, Palo Alto, Santa Clara, Stanford and Sunnyvale.

Weekend 3 (May 19-20): Southern Area and Pacific Coast: Campbell, Cupertino, El Granada, Gilroy, Half Moon Bay, Los Gatos, Milpitas, Miramar, Montara, Morgan Hill, Moss Beach, Pacifica, San Jose and Saratoga.

For a complete list of locations, artists and contact information visit www.svos.org. A digital copy of the directory with listings and maps to the artists' studios is available at https://svos.org/downloads/current_directory.pdf. Hard copies of the directory are available at about 450 locations throughout the Bay Area, including many libraries, shopping centers, and community centers. To find a location near you, go to www.svos.org and click on "Find a Directory."

To find the artists exhibiting in given city, go to www.svos.org, click on "Find an Artist" and search by city. To see samples of an artist's work, click on "Find an Artist" and fill in the box under "Select an Artist by Name."

About Silicon Valley Open Studios (SVOS)

Silicon Valley Open Studios (SVOS), a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization, has been connecting art enthusiasts with local art and artists in Silicon Valley for 32 years. SVOS is one of the oldest, largest and most popular art events in the greater San Francisco Bay Area. One of its goals is to act as an incubator for new and emerging artists. In addition to its open studio activities, SVOS works with schools throughout the Peninsula and South Bay to increase exposure for the art their students create. For more information, go to www.svos.org.

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