Some of Boundary County’s most talented artists create their work quietly in studios tucked among the forests, mountains and backroads of North Idaho. For one weekend in September, those doors are opened and the public invited inside. 

The third annual Boundary County Artist Studio Tour will take place Sept. 12-13 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., offering a free, self-guided tour featuring eight artists at five locations throughout the county. 

The annual event gives residents and visitors a chance to experience local art differently, not simply by seeing a finished piece on display, but by visiting the places where the work is imagined and created. 

Those on the tour can meet the artists, learn more about their work and creative processes, and travel through Boundary County at their own pace while visiting the participating studios. 

Now entering its third year, the tour continues to introduce the public to artists creating throughout the county, including some whose work may otherwise rarely be seen outside their own studios. 

Organizers Hannah Sucsy of Teascarlet Fine Art and Tamara Wagner of Wood Thief Art said they have already seen excitement from people who attended previous tours and are looking forward to seeing what this year's artists have created. 

“We have seen excitement from past tour-goers who are looking forward to some new artists added to the list,” Sucsy said. “In fact, four of the artists on this year's tour are new to the game, not new to art though. They are quite accomplished!” 

For those who have made the tour part of their September plans in previous years, there will also be something new to discover from familiar artists. 

“We also have tour-goers who are excited to see new work by familiar artists,” Sucsy said. 

Sucsy and Wagner created the Artist Studio Tour after discovering just how many artists were working throughout Boundary County, often without many opportunities to exhibit their work publicly. 

“We decided to organize the event because we have met so many artists living here who don't exhibit their work very much,” Sucsy said. “There are so many talented and amazing artists, and we are excited to help them share their work with the public.” 

That opportunity to discover artists who may otherwise remain relatively unknown locally has been part of the tour since it began. Rather than bringing all of the artwork together in a single gallery or event space, the studio tour brings visitors directly to the artists. 

The setting allows people to see not only what an artist has created, but also the environment in which the work takes shape. Visitors have an opportunity to talk directly with the artists, hear the stories behind their work, and gain a glimpse into the process that turns an idea into a finished piece. 

The tour also provides an opportunity to purchase work directly from participating artists. 

For Sucsy and Wagner, supporting those artists and helping build connections between them and the community are important parts of the event. 

“We hope to encourage growth in the local artistic community, an increase of awareness to the public for the local creative happenings, and of course sales,” Sucsy said. “We believe that real art made by real humans needs to be in every home.” 

The self-guided format allows visitors to make the weekend their own. There is no required starting point or route, and participants can choose which locations they want to visit and how long they would like to spend at each one. 

That means the journey between studios becomes part of the experience as visitors travel through Boundary County during one of the final weekends of summer. 

A map of this year's five locations, along with information and statements from the eight participating artists, is available at teascarlet.com. 

Sucsy invited residents and visitors to spend the weekend exploring the tour. 

“Spending a lovely September day driving around beautiful Boundary County and discovering beautiful artwork couldn't be a better use of your time,” she said.