Jaffrey Civic Center will host “Artists Around Monadnock: Two Tours,” an exhibition of the arts by local artists and artisans who reside and work in the Monadnock region, May 4 through June 15.

Exhibiting artists, who will participate in two open art studio tours over Columbus Day/Indigenous Peoples weekend this year, are members of the Monadnock Art/ Friends of the Dublin Art Colony Open Studio Art Tour and the Fall Foliage Art Studio Tour.

An artists reception is scheduled for Thursday, May 9, from 5 to 7 p.m. and is open to the public. Refreshments will be provided. The exhibit will be available for viewing during open hours at the Jaffrey Civic Center, located at 40 Main Street in Jaffrey, on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from noon to 5 p.m. and on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The exhibition will showcase two-dimensional and three-dimensional art, including painting, sculpture, ceramics, glass, jewelry, wearable art, furniture and decorative arts. Artworks will be installed throughout the Jaffrey Civic Center building in all galleries and display cases.

In 1995, the Friends of the Dublin Art Colony was organized by a small group of artists to pay tribute to turn-of-the-century artist members of the Dublin Art Colony. Artists from Dublin and towns surrounding Dublin were invited to open their studios and participate in the 1995 inaugural tour, which took place in early October. In 2007, the name of the organization was changed to Monadnock Art/Friends of the Dublin Art Colony. Also known as Monadnock Art, this organization has grown to several hundred members and has annually conducted an open studio art tour showcasing member-artists in 65 studios throughout Dublin, Hancock, Harrisville, Jaffrey, Marlborough, Peterborough and Sharon. 

In 2008, the Fall Foliage Art Studio Tour was founded to organize an open studio tour of 25 artists in towns surrounding the seven towns of the Monadnock Art Open Studios Tour. Artists from Keene, Swanzey, Nelson/Munsonville, Stoddard, Richmond, New Ipswich, Temple and Rindge have participated in this tour and opened their studios.

Both tours are scheduled to take place Oct. 12 to 14. Brochures with maps, available on websites and at local businesses, allow for self-guided tours. As they stop at the open studios on tour, people are invited to learn about creative methods and styles, ask questions and purchase an original work to take home. 

For information on Monadnock Art Open Studio Tour, visit monadnockart.org. For information on the Fall Foliage Art Studio Tour, visit fallfoliageartstudiotour.com.