Artists open studios to the public Artists open studios to the public (May 12, 2004)

Artists from Menlo Park, Portola Valley and Woodside are among 460 painters, sculptors, photographers, ceramists and others who will open their studios to the public Saturday and Sunday, May 15 and 16, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The weekend is part of Silicon Valley Open Studios 2004, which involves artists from South San Francisco to Santa Cruz who open their studios to the public for three weekends in May. Visitors can meet the artists in their work spaces, talk with them about their work, and purchase art directly from the studio.

Printed tour guides that include maps and samples of artists' work will be available at the studios or can be picked up at Pacific Art League, 688 Ramona St. in Palo Alto.

Pixie Couch of Menlo Park will have an open studio on Saturday and Sunday, May 15 and 16, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., at 1004 Almanor Ave. in Menlo Park. A potter for 30 years, she sells her ceramics locally and teaches ceramics at the Palo Alto Art Center. She specializes in porcelain pieces and uses low-fire techniques, including raku.

Diana Jaye, Carolyn Hofstetter, Cynthia DeBenedetti, Marilyn Powell and Barbara Wright will exhibit their paintings at the home of Diana Jaye, 550 Menlo Oaks Drive, Menlo Park, on May 15 and 16 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, call Ms. Jaye, 322-0148.

Three Menlo Park artists, Melinda Cootsona, Deborah Gordon and m.e. foster, will have their work on display in a garden setting at 621 Arbor Road, Menlo Park, May 15 and 16, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Ms. Cootsona is known for her "California palette" in colors inspired by the Northern California landscape. Her new works include landscapes, still-lifes and abstracts. She will demonstrate oil painting at 1 p.m. each day.

Deborah Gordon specializes in mosaics. She recycles broken pottery, mirrors and found objects and crafts them into garden art, tables and fountains. An artist who spells her name in all lower-case letters -- m.e. foster -- will preview her most recent series of etchings, along with several new pastel pieces.

For more information on Silicon Valley open studios, call 408-411-8802 or go to www.svopenstudios.org.

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