Creative, collegial Artisans Studio Tour turns 30 [Video]

For Noah Hughey-Commers, there’s nothing quite like hearing a visitor to his studio describe the simple joy of drinking coffee every morning from one of the Nelson County potter’s wood-fired mugs.

It’s gratifying to see people go home with a creation or two during the annual Artisans Studio Tour, but it’s even sweeter when the buyers come back with stories of heartfelt, personal connections to art that enrich their daily lives.

“I love that interaction,” Hughey-Commers told The Daily Progress.

Forging links between creators and customers and celebrating the bonds built over time has kept artisans and audiences alike returning to the Artisans Studio Tour every year since 1994. The 30th-anniversary tour, set for 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, will give visitors the chance to meet the local people behind the handmade jewelry, pottery, woodwork, fiber arts and leather goods they treasure in a mechanized, mass-produced world.

Visitors have the freedom to create their own tours …