How I became part of the Over the Mountain Studio Tour

About the Over the Mountain Studio Tour

“Over thirty years ago a community of artists in the eastern panhandle of West Virginia decided to allow guests in their studios one weekend a year to share, not only their work, but their life as artists. The studio tour was born from this idea of connection and community in 1989. It is the oldest studio tour in West Virginia. Amazingly there are still members of the original founding artists participating 34 years later.”

This is my story joining the Over the Mountain Studio Tour:

Last year, I was invited to visit the Over the Mountain Studio Tour. I had never heard of it before, but when my friend and neighbor told me about it, it sounded like a perfect weekend adventure—visiting artists in their studios and seeing their creations. Of course, I had to go. And I loved every moment of it. During the tour, I spoke with one of the artists, asking how people became part of the group. She explained that it was a juried process, and as I left that day, a small thought planted itself in my mind: Could I possibly join the group next year?

Months went by, and in January, the applications opened. I decided to give it a try, but nothing seemed to work—neither my computer nor my phone would let me submit the form. I even emailed, but received no response. Still, the idea of joining the Studio Tour stayed with me, always lingering in the back of my mind. Then one day, while working part-time at the fabric store, a chance encounter changed everything. A woman came in, and after chatting about a variety of things, the conversation somehow led to the Studio Tour. Now, looking back, it feels like there was a purpose behind every moment. Earlier that year, I had been helping a young girl make a newspaper dress, and it turned out this woman knew her. She said, "You're helping with the newspaper dress!" When I confirmed, she mentioned that a similar dress had been on display at one of the studios during last year's tour. That's when I shared that I had tried to apply but had run into issues.

The woman smiled and said, "I'm in charge of the Over the Mountain Studio Tour!" I was surprised—what were the chances? From that moment on, things started to fall into place. She contacted someone, who then reached out to me to set up an appointment to present my work for the juried process.

I presented my work to six jurors at the fabric store, the place where I had first met Anne, the woman in charge. I was nervous and equally excited as they asked me questions and examined my pieces. A few days later, I received another call, this time asking me to present my work again—this time in my studio, with only three of the jurors. I was thrilled and welcomed them into my space, where we had a great conversation about my work and my creative journey.

At the end of the visit, they told me I had been accepted into the group! I was overjoyed—a new adventure had begun for me, and I couldn't wait to be part of the Studio Tour that had inspired me so much just a few months earlier.

Find below links that will take you to learn about the different artists in the Over the Mountain Studio Tour and also the link with a map to see all the stops.

I am looking forward to receiving visitors in my home!