Don't ask how, but the Hudson Valley has entered into the age of the community art studio tour. To date this year, we've seen Saugerties do theirs, along with Kingston, Catskill and the Millbrook area of Dutchess County, Shandaken and distant Delaware County; and Woodstock's annual event is planned for this weekend (for more information, log onto http://woodstockchamber.com). Now for the first time, the Rhinebeck/Red Hook area of northern Dutchess will be holding its own "Inaugural 24 Artist Art Studio Views Tour" this weekend, Saturday and Sunday, October 18 and 19, with a special VIP reception for all involved this Friday evening, October 17, at the newly renovated and reopened Rhinecliff Hotel by the river (and train station).

Included in the tour will be artists from not only the two northern Dutchess towns, but also the quaint inland burgs of Milan and Clinton. In addition to oil and watercolor painters, there will be photographers and sculptors, fiber artists and stained glass specialists, sculptors and conceptualists. The list of names includes Molly Ahearn, William T. Ayton, David Borenstein, Doris Cultraro, Mimi Graminski, Betsy Jacaruso, Joanne Klein, Roni Schnadow, James L. Stevenson, Elizabeth Watt and Joel Weisbrod: all professionals, all dedicated and assuredly all involving great studio spaces as well as great art.

Not done one of these tours? In addition to giving one a chance to see (and hopefully buy) great art in home surroundings, almost guaranteeing decent deals on costs, these events are great for anyone with an eye to increasing the inspirational qualities of one's own living and working spaces.

Occurring coincidentally to the 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily tour events this weekend will be the seventh annual "Rhinebeck Plein-Air Paint-Out & Art Auction" for Poughkeepsie-based Barrett Arts Center at the Good Shepherd Church in the center of Rhinebeck, at the corner of Market and Mulberry Streets, on Saturday, October 18. There will be outside painting from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and the auction from 4 to 8 p.m. Visit www.barrettartcenter.org/paintout.html for more. The website link for the tour, featuring maps and full information for "24 Artists" is www.artsnortherndutchess.org. For further information, call (845) 876-3200.