Rains Can't Dampen Arroyo's Artistic Spirit

A trio of ink sketches lay atop a work bench in Tina Gulotta-Miler's home studio on Sunday afternoon--each artistic seedlings that will later sprout into complete works.

Typically, these types of experiments are hidden hidden from the public by artists who prefer to keep private the often intensely personal processes of creation.

However, during , Gulotta-Miller and more than a hundred other artists from Northeast Los Angeles opened both their studios and their creative processes to the public.

Charles Miller, Gulotta-Miller's husband, explained that the sketches provided a window into his wife's particular approach to creation.

"I think the biggest part of her process is to start with something that isn't so precious," he said. "Not spending a lot of time or energy into what she puts into it, because she's still working her ideas up. Rather than trying to make something really high end and polished."

As Gulotta-Miller refines her ideas, she'll refines her methods as well--moving from ink, to thick water colors until finally using a full palette to create the final work.

She explained that she didn't have a show specifically prepared for the event--her studio was out of commission during a recent home restoration--so instead she opted to display the first small steps she's taken in an exhibit that focuses on ideas of extincton and precariousness.

One completed work, for example, shows a Chumash woman holding a passenger pigeon--drawing parallels between an extinct animal and an icreasingly distant culture.

"There's a lot of precariousness in our society, especially in regards to who owns and posseses our social and cultural rights," Gulotta-Miller said, referring to her current artistic inspiration. "Could those rights be taken away from us? That's a concern for me."

Gulotta-Miller said about 40 people made stops at her cozy home studio in Garvanza between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m.--a modest crowd she was more than willing to welcome.

At the Audubon Center at Debs Park, a handful of artists who ventured out of their studios displayed their works for sale.

Among them was assemblage/collage artist Ruth DeNicola--who's collaborative show, Peripheral Vision, with printmaker Cinde Hart opens at MorYork Gallery on Dec. 10, 2011.

DeNicola said that, for her, visits/sales were down about a third this year due to the rain, but she had still seen more than her far share of art lovers on Sunday.

"There were plenty of people in soaked slickers coming in to see me," she said.

As in previous years, the Lummis Home and Gardens on 200 E. Ave. 43 served as ground zero for the tour. A fire crackled in the arroyo stone fireplace as the sounds of "Singing in the Rain" emanated from a performer's accordion. Despite the rains--which kept most from touring the historic gardens--this year's overall turnout was in line with previous year's Abeyta said.

"About 600 people or so, with more than 100 participating artists," she said.

This year, Abeyta said, the four shuttle buses which took attendees to select stops around the tour were more popular than ever, due to the rain.

Abeyta said with Northeast L.A.'s diverse arts scene and historic homes, attendees had no shortage of motivations to take the tour.

"There are some people who get on the tour for just the architectural component, and there are others who get on the tour just to see how people live," Abeyta said. "Obviously, the majority of people want to have a connection and visit artists in their actual working space."