The annual Corrales Art Studio Tour is an annual eclectic showcase of local talent and creativity, and one of the largest studio tours in the state.
The Corrales Society of Artists (CSA) is gearing up for the 26th annual Corrales Art Studio Tour (CAST), scheduled from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on May 4 and 5. This year, the event will take place in 36 locations throughout Corrales, including galleries and home studios and feature 87 artists.
The tour is sponsored by Corrales MainStreet and is scheduled for the second week of ¡Viva Corrales!, the month-long celebration of Corrales.
In addition to the main tour, there will be a special Preview Gallery reception from 6 to 9 p.m. on Thursday, May 2 and from 1 to 4 p.m. on Friday, May 3 at the historic Old San Ysidro Church at 966 Old Church Road.
The Preview Gallery will showcase one piece of art from each artist participating in CAST. This will serve as a helpful planner for visitors, allowing them to grab a CAST catalog to decide in advance which artists or venues they would like to explore during the tour.
“There are certainly more artists than people are going to be able to visit so they have to be selective,†said Rex Funk, a Corrales woodworker artist. “Even if you’re going for the whole two days, you could spend maybe 15 minutes at each venue.â€
Correlaños can choose to visit their favorite artists or explore the diverse array of artists on the tour, including but not limited to photographers, potters, painters, woodworkers, jewelers, and more.
“I just think it’s a really good opportunity for serious art collectors and people who just want to come out and see art,†said Beth Waldron-Yuhas, director of CAST and Vice president of CSA. “We are selling our art but we’re also interested in talking to people about what we do and maybe inspiring young people too.â€
Founded in 2007, the CSA functions as a nonprofit and new members go through a juried selection process.
According to Waldron-Yuhas, the CSA is trying to implement mentoring opportunities to try to appeal to younger artists who are maybe in the first stage of their careers.
To be one of the 87 artists on the tour, they must be CSA members and have access to a venue where they can showcase their artwork. This venue could include galleries, home studios, or spaces provided by hosts.
Funk and Waldron-Yuhas are both talented artists showcasing their work on the tour. Funk is a woodworker, while Waldron-Yuhas specializes in photography and painting.
Funk, a retired science teacher, also made significant contributions as the first superintendent of Albuquerque’s Open Space Division in the 1980s. He played a pivotal role in acquiring the Elena Gallegos area and establishing the Rio Grande Valley State Park.
Funk’s passion for woodworking blossomed under the guidance of his father, a skilled gunsmith who crafted gunstocks from exotic woods. His work focuses on creating turnings, boxes, sculptures, and furniture for art shows and commissions. With a biology background, much of his inspiration comes from nature.
“I get a lot of inspiration from (the Bosque), I have probably about two quarts of blood in the basket in terms of what I’ve put into preserving and saving it,†he said.
Waldron-Yuhas on the other hand is a painter and photographer, she originally went to an art school for sculpture but eventually went on to get her PhD in Geology.
Like Funk, she draws inspiration from nature but also finds creative fuel in mythical creatures like unicorns.
“I’m an 80s kid and I had one of those trapper keepers with all the sparkly clouds and unicorns,†she said. “I’m working on a Pegasus and my inner 8-year-old is just screaming.â€
Both artists say they are looking forward to a large turnout from Correlaños and visiting art enthusiasts. They are eager to engage in conversations about art, share their creative process, and ideally, make sales during the event.
When to go and how to get there
Throughout Corrales, see the map. Preview Gallery: 6 to 9 p.m., Thursday, May 2 and 1 to 4 p.m., Friday, May 3 at the Historic Corrales San Ysidro Church, 966 Old Church Road. Studio Tour: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday and Sunday, May 4 to 5 Admission is free.
