The third annual Northside Open Studios Tour at Corvallis will take place on April 26 and 27, between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. 

This free, open studio tour will feature more than 30 local artists in 17 locations, with two studios hosting over 15 youth artists. “It gives a reason to get outside and celebrate spring, celebrate people who make art,” said artist Avie Meadows, one of the event’s founders.

Many different types of art will be on display and available for sale, and each artist can decide to donate a percentage of their sale during the event to Goodfoot Farm, the Everybody Eats program and the Vina Moses Center. 

Last year, they were able to raise about $3,500 for Vina Moses, an organization that provides household goods, free clothing, food and financial aid to low-income residents of Benton County. 

As Meadows said, “it takes a village to make the world a better place.”

Gallery • 11 Photos

Arianna Melissas

A ladybug sits half-painted on Meadow's worktable on March 14, 2025. Meadows stated that a piece this size takes at least a couple of hours of hands-on work.

The event is designed to be walkable and bikeable, and the location of each studio can be found on this map. 

The more commonly known South Town Art Walk has been happening for over a decade and also occurs yearly, and Meadows wanted to do something similar for artists of the north side of Corvallis. 

In addition to Meadows, three other artists from the north side of Corvallis are responsible for creating the event: Jennifer Lommers, Pam Thompson and Shannon Finley. 

Lommers expressed gratitude for the community of other artists the event has brought her.

“It’s been a lovely network to be part of, and I think it encapsulates what this whole thing is about,” Lommers said. “Just making strong bonds with other people and supporting each other and being there for each other, so that’s another favorite part to it.”

The tour promises to be dynamic and diverse, with many different types of art on display including: ceramics, woodworking, dried floral design, acrylic painting, glass and fiber, embroidery, watercolor, jewelry, weaving, glass mosaic, book arts, fused glass, knitting, art journals, silk painting, stained glass, crochet, drawing, digital art and more.

Ute Vergin has been participating in NOST since its first year and has been creating ceramics for about five years. 

“Creating art is a really peaceful thing … when I sit at the wheel, the world around me kind of disappears, and my mind goes quiet. And that’s a nice thing to have,” Vergin said.  

Thompson has been a jeweler for about 30 years and has been organizing art camps for kids for a long time. This year, she will have 13 kids presenting their art at her studio for NOST. 

For her, like others, NOST is an opportunity to bring people together. She shared that this year, to her, it feels more important than ever to feel connected to her neighbors and to her community because of how scary the world is.

“I love making art and I also love community and making it with people,” said Sabra Comins, who creates book art and eco-printing and is going to be a part of NOST for the first time this year. 

For its founders and its participating artists, NOST is more about bringing the community together than selling art.

“I really strongly believe that we as humans are better when we can actually be in person talking to each other,” said Meadows. 

Lommers shared that she hopes the event can also “inspire people within the community to maybe create their own art.”