What makes handmade artistry so special? How exactly are those pots and sculptures and furniture pieces made? Dawn Soltysiak, a potter at Khnemu Studio in Fennville and an organizer for the 2026 Blue Coast Artists tour, says there is something about the artist’s touch that factory-made simply can’t duplicate. Artists from South Haven to Saugatuck are opening their studios to the public on October 3rd and 4th, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., to show you what they do and how they do it.
“It’s the 37th year,” says Soltysiak. “A group of a couple artists who decided to have an open house on the same weekend, and it’s grown into this annual art event that is really a pretty cool experience. It’s located between Saugatuck and South Haven, and you can do the entire tour in one day.”
The tour opens studio doors to a variety of artists, Soltysiak says. Potters, like herself, working out of Khnemu Studio just outside of Fennville, along with painters, woodworkers, sculptors, glass blowers, and more. All will have their work for sale.
“At my studio, we will unload the wood kiln,” she says. “We fire the wood kiln the weekend before. It’s like potters’ Christmas. We open it up, and there’s four and five hundred pieces we are taking out. We get to see them for the first time. It’s a pretty exciting time for us, and it’s fun to see the visitors also experience this.”
All of the artists will offer a demonstration of how they create their work, in whatever medium. Ten artists will be available during the free event. To view the map of the tour, visit the map here. For more information, visit the tour site here.
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