More than a decade ago, a simple flyer at the Gardiner Public Library set in motion what would become one of Ulster County’s most cherished cultural traditions: the Gardiner Open Studio Tour (GOST). Local painter, Marsha Massih, remembers noticing the invitation for artists to meet and explore the idea of launching a studio tour. She was one of nine artists who gathered for that meeting, and from that conversation, an annual event began.

Twelve years later, the tour has evolved into a well-attended celebration of creativity, exhibiting 23 artists across 16 studio locations. Held each spring, this year’s tour will take place on May 3 and 4 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., welcoming visitors to step inside the working spaces of Gardiner’s artists; studios not usually open to the public. For Massih, the distinction between a studio and a storefront is central to GOST’s uniqueness. “We’re not selling in a retail space,” she says. “We’re inviting people into where the work is created. It’s a glimpse behind the curtain.”

Community values have deeply rooted the event. Artists must reside in Gardiner or nearby, and studios are the heart of the experience. Each participating artist must apply with work samples to ensure the event maintains high professional quality; however, the tone of the event is far from exclusive. The tour is meant to be open and welcoming. Massih believes that breaking down the perceived distance between artist and audience is one of the most rewarding parts of the experience. “We want people to know we’re approachable. You don’t have to know how to ‘talk art’ to enjoy it or even to own it.”

As both a participant and former planning committee lead, Massih has witnessed GOST blossom over the years, not just in attendance, but in the camaraderie among the artists themselves. “I never expected to make so many close friendships with other local artists,” she says. “That sense of connection, of celebrating each other’s work and sharing space, is such a gift.”

Her own studio, which she shares with her husband, a fellow painter, is filled with dry pigments, fresh oil paint, and canvases. When visitors walk in, they’re often surprised by the rawness of the process and being surrounded by what the art maker does. “People love seeing the materials we use—the powdered pigments, the canvases we build ourselves,” she says. “It shows how much goes into a finished piece.”

A few years ago, during one of the GOST weekends, a visitor explored Massih’s studio. Like many guests, she browsed and signed the visitor’s book before leaving. Several months later, the same woman contacted Massih and identified herself as an assistant art director for the Hulu series Only Murders in the Building. She remembered Massih’s work and returned to her studio to take photos to share with her production team. What happened next was the kind of serendipitous moment artists only dream of.

A painting titled Bartender’s Choice was selected to appear in the apartment of Meryl Streep’s character in Season 3 of the show. “I had to keep it a secret for months,” Massih says. “Even when the season started airing, I wasn’t sure the painting would actually make it on screen.” But in Episode 5, Martin Short’s character entered the apartment, and her painting was illuminated above the door. “I screamed,” she says. “I called my daughters in a frenzy. It was so surreal.”

Massih’s involvement in the show sparked a wave of media interest. Her alma mater, Georgetown University, featured her in a profile, and she noticed growing interest in her work. But beyond professional recognition, it was the simple happiness of seeing her work in that context that stuck with her. “Having a photo of Meryl Streep and Martin Short standing beneath my painting? That was the moment. That was the coolest thing.”

The story of Bartender’s Choice reflects Massih’s growing interest in moody, atmospheric interior scenes, bar settings filled with reflective surfaces and shadowy lighting. “Bars are like mini theatres,” she says. “There’s a kind of quiet drama in them. I love that ambiguity, the mystery of it.”

When the assistant art director returned for the second visit, she initially gravitated toward Massih’s Red Room series. But the production team was creating a space that felt soft and safe. She was told that the red was too intense for what they were looking for. Massih scrambled to find non-red pieces that might suit the mood. In the end, Bartender’s Choice, which is much more muted, thoughtful, and subtly striking, fit the vision perfectly.

While that kind of exposure is rare, Massih sees GOST as the reason the opportunity ever came her way. “That’s what’s so magical about opening your door,” she says. “You never know who’s going to walk through it.”

Organizing GOST involves logistics that are as complex as any artistic process. From securing local sponsorships to coordinating social media campaigns and ensuring brochures and signage are distributed across the region, it’s a labor of love shared by a small planning committee. “There are about six of us who take on the lion’s share of the work,” Massih says. “It’s a lot of coordination, but we’ve learned how to make it run smoothly year after year.”

Even though the event happens just once annually, its impact stretches far beyond one weekend. Massih says visitors often return each year, bringing friends or finally making time to see what they’ve heard about for years. Many go on to take classes with GOST artists, commission work, or simply develop a greater appreciation for the creative life happening in their own neighborhoods.

The atmosphere that GOST creates is one where art feels personal and tangible. “I love when people realize they can afford original art,” she says.

“That they can talk to the artist directly, ask questions, connect. It’s about breaking down barriers and showing that art is for everyone, right here in our community.” It’s about transforming perception, she explains. Art isn’t always about million-dollar galleries or cryptic conversations. Sometimes, it’s just about finding something that speaks to you, in a room full of oil paint and canvases, in a studio not far from home.

For Massih, that’s the heart of the tour: giving people the chance to see how art lives, how it’s made, and how it can become part of their own story. “We’re not behind a curtain,” she says. “We’re right here. We’re real, and we’re ready to welcome you in.”

To learn more about the 2025 Gardiner Open Studio Tour, view participating artists, and plan your visit, go to www.gardineropenstudiotour.com.