For many artists, solitude comes with the territory. Most retreat into a studio of some sort, pouring over their work free from distraction. For one weekend a year, Saugerties artists defy this isolation, inviting the public to visit their studios.

The Saugerties Artists Studio Tour, organized by Barbara Bravo, strives not only to garner visitors for artists, but also to introduce the community to the talent within.

“This can get a little isolating, working just in a studio,” said Bravo. “That’s one of the nice things about the tour. When you open up the studios and you’re having people come, you all of a sudden have that audience where you can talk about your work, how you do it, why you do it.”

Tour participants can take their pick of the 39 studios on the tour, deciding their own level of involvement. Artists often treat views to demonstrations of their technique and style, along with anecdotes about the inspiration for individual pieces.

For some, the questions and reactions of visitors serve as a reaffirmation that their work is important. Photographer Allen Bryan invites tour-goers to witness what he calls “the magic show.” Allen, who creates digital photography composites, deconstructs photos before visitors’ eyes to demonstrate how different pieces come together to form the compilation. Allen then allows viewers to call the shots as he mixes pieces of different photos to create a new “whole.”

For him, the best part of the tour is hearing people exclaim upon seeing the photos come together. He explains that this is similar to his normal work, in that he is often surprised himself at what he creates.

“I never know what I’m going to come out with,” said Bryan. “I have a general idea, but there is an element of surprise, which makes it exciting. I wake up excited to see what I’m going to create.”

Ze’ev Willy Neumann, a sculptor whose chosen medium is wood, also invites visitors to help in the creation of some pieces. Neumann’s studio features a work-in-progress that he calls an artistic record of his visitors. Each participant in the weekend’s event was invited to have his or her hand painted by Neumann, then adding a handprint to a large collection.

Many ask Bravo how long it takes to create one piece of pottery; and guests are often surprised by the answer. “It takes 38 years,” she said. “It’s a life experience that you bring to what you do. I could sit down and I could whip out a little bowl in maybe five minutes. However, if I gave someone else the lump of clay, how long would it take them to do it, because they don’t have 38 years of experience.”

While most visitors to art galleries are accustomed to admiring the work from a distance, Neumann defies this idea, inviting visitors to touch, spin, sit on, and interact with his displays. He has created a line of sculptures that he calls the “Do Touch” series. Throughout the tour, visitors sat in sculpted chairs, spun various spheres, and marveled at some of the more sensual pieces in the series.

“I want people to touch,” said Neumann. “Art should not be admired from a distance. I want children to come to the studio, to interact with the pieces, and to learn to connect with the art.”