The 24th annual Summer Studio Tour on Bainbridge Island takes place Aug. 9-11, as 47 artists will be showcasing their work in six local studios with original, hand-crafted art.

It is a free self-guided tour, where patrons can get art directly from the artist, a news release states. The studios are open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday.

Artists will be in their booths, sharing the stories behind their work, and sometimes explaining their special techniques and crafts. Since each artist must be juried, the artwork is high quality and original, and the tour looks for artwork that reflects the “hand and spirit of the artist,” per the release.

Some of the artists have been involved for 25 years or more, and continually challenge themselves to create new work, new styles and sometimes they explore completely different mediums.

This summer brought out a collection of new artists, including Bryce Bennett from Poulsbo. He uses a palette knife to paint medium- to large-scale oil paintings, often creating birch tree forests. “One path that I explore in my artwork is the concept of ordered color. My approach is based upon a simple concept of Harmony and Variety (Order and Chaos if you will). To begin a piece, I establish a harmonious palette and then introduce tonal variety to the point that seems to fit the subject matter, hopefully arriving at a dynamic piece with many layers of color that communicate with and define one another.”

Also new to the tour is Cat Bodnyk, a ceramic artist with plants and animal themes in her work. They are conveyed in natural, colorful palettes and bold shapes that reflect her background in woodcut printmaking.

Tim Davis is also new, a photographer focusing on landscapes and wildlife inspired by the Pacific Northwest.

Also, Michael McKell specializes in woodworking, with super unique creations, using wood that was harvested with sustainable forestry practices, per the release.

The six studios on the tour are: Theresa Killgore’s “Peaceful Spring Designs Studio” next to Lynwood Center; Danna Watson’s “Dancing Spirit Studio” on Fletcher Bay Road; Barbara Weissman’s studio close to Rolling Bay just off of Valley Road; Elizabeth VanDuine’s studio on Hyla Avenue just before the Rolling Bay shops; Sophie Frieda’s studio just one house past the VanDuine studio; and Lost Forest Ceramics, a pinch to the left on Sunrise Drive from Valley Road.

For photos of each artist’s work and bios, along with a map of the studios and event details, go to bistudiotour.com.

A photo of a Washington State Ferry by Tim Davis.