Time for T.O.A.S.T.: The Great Studio Tours
Ten years ago, artists Patrick Weisel and the late Alicia Torres, a gallery owner, organized a studio tour of artists in their building on Franklin Street. That modest beginning gave birth to the Tribeca Open Artist Studio Tour (T.O.A.S.T.)-with over 100 artists and as many as 1,000 visitors over three days.

"The best thing about the artist studio tours is that the average person can go," Weisel said. "They're not intimidating like galleries. You can even bring your children, and not worry if they're too noisy."

TOAST: Left to right: Theresa Greenberg, Judith S. Miller, Regina Silvers, Eileen Herman and C.J. Collins make T.O.A.S.T. happen along with Patrick Weisel (not in photo).

The tours have been a boon for many of the artists. In the first few years of the tours, Weisel said, sales were "few and far between." Now art dealers make the rounds. Artists have been offered shows, sold work and even found patrons.

Balloons will be hung outside the buildings with open studios and maps will be available at all the sites or can be downloaded from toastartwalk.com.

Many of the artists serve refreshments. Artist Eileen Herman recalled one visitor who came every day to her studio last year. "I met him at a New Jersey art tour recently and when he heard my name, he said, 'Oh, you're the one with the great hors d'oeuvres!'"

Studios will be open from 1 to 6 p.m. on April 30, May 1 and May 2.


The Lower Manhattan Cultual Council is also giving studio tours this month. For information call them at 212-219-9401 ext. 304.