VALERIE WALDEN A 'VISITING ARTIST' AT SMITH ROAD STUDIOS
DURING EAST AUSTIN STUDIO TOUR
-- November 22-23 Event Expecting Big Turnout --
Austin, TX, November 12, 2008 – Valerie Walden will cross over I-35 from her Austin Art Space
Gallery in north central Austin to become a 'Visiting Artist' on the east side of town during the two-day
East Austin Studio Tour (EAST) . Ms. Walden and many of her paintings will be present at Smith
Road Studios, located at 1406 Smith Road.
Now in it's seventh year, the EAST event has become a staple of the Austin arts community for
patrons and artisans of all kinds. Locations of galleries and studios are extensively mapped and
clustered so patrons can walk among several at once. Many of the studios are open to the public only
during this event. Over the course of a weekend, visitors have the opportunity to view the works of over
200 artists at 150 studios and galleries. The event is open from 10:00am to 5:00pm, on Saturday and
Sunday.
Ms. Walden commented, "This must be the highest concentration of artists in Austin. The energy is
incredible. I'm delighted that Smith Road Studios invited me in to join the festivities. I expect a lot of
new people to see my work." Ms. Walden will be on hand both days to discuss her work and she will be
presenting oils as well as new pastels from her Wenmoh Ranch Study series.
Attendance is free, thanks to broad support from local sponsors, the Texas Commission on the Arts
and the National Endowment of the Arts. A detailed map and listing of participating artists is available
at www.eastaustinstudiotour.com. Printed Tour Guides are available at Austin Art Space and various
locations around downtown and the east side.
# # #
About Valerie Walden
Valerie Walden developed her talent with inspiration and guidance from artists and instructors at the
Austin Museum of Art, University of Texas, Leslie DeMille of the Scottsdale Artists’ School, and
renowned plein air artists Scott Christensen of Idaho and Bob Rohm of Texas . She works primarily in
pastels and oils. Her work draws heavily upon her interpretations and impressions of nature. She is a
member of the Austin Visual Arts Association, the Waterloo Watercolor Group, Austin Pastel
Society, the Southwest Pastel Society and Plein Air Austin. Some of her paintings and more detail
may be found at www.waldenart.com.
About East Austin Studio Tour -- E.A.S.T.
Now in it's seventh year, the East Austin Studio Tour is sponsored by Big Medium, a local non-profit
organization that supports all visual arts. The project is funded and supported in part by the City of
Austin through the Cultural Arts Division and by a grant from the Texas Commission on the Arts and an
award from the National Endowment of the Arts. These remarkable artists comprise a wide range of
disciplines, bound only by the common desire to work within a few square miles east of I-35, an area that
has established itself as one of the centers of visual art in Austin, Texas. For a complete listing of
artists and a detailed map go to www.eastaustinstudiotour.com.
About Smith Road Studios
Smith Road Studios is a collection of professional artisans that specialize in many different media.
There are musicians, sculptors, woodworkers, mosaic, concrete artisans and metal artisans creating a
very fun vibe in the art community. More information at 1406 Smith Rd Ste E & F, 512-293-4178, or e-
mail flatfork@austin.rr.com.
About Austin Art Space Gallery & Studios
Expanding from the heart of the former Artspoken Gallery emerged Austin Art Space Gallery &
Studios: a cooperative space for established and emerging artists to create, collaborate and present
their work. Operating as an artists’ co-op, the gallery features work by the nine artists-in-residence and
is also available for rental for public and private exhibits and receptions. Austin Art Space is located at
7739 North Cross Drive, Suite Q, in a free-standing shopping center behind North Cross Mall. The
public gallery is open Friday 11am – 6pm, and Saturday 11am – 6pm, or by appointment. The working
studios are open Monday through Friday whenever artists are on the premises. More information at www.
austinartspace.com, austinartspacegallery@gmail.com or 512.771.2868.
| © Copyright Valerie Walden 2008. All rights reserved.. |
News Archives