CAMPBELL, CA--(Marketwired - Mar 25, 2015) - South Bay, Peninsula and coastal artists will open their studios to the public during the annual Silicon Valley Open Studios (SVOS) the first three weekends in May. Now in its 29^th year, this annual event lets visitors experience a wide variety of art in the artists' own studios.

More than 380 artists will participate. The artists work in a variety of visual media including painting, fiber arts, printmaking, mixed media, jewelry, photography, sculpture and ceramics. The art (except for photographs and prints) is one-of-a-kind.

"This event grows more popular every year because visitors enjoy talking with the artists, seeing a lot of their work at one time and, in some cases, seeing the artists at work, all in the comfort of the artists' studios," said Mel Thomsen, executive director of SVOS. "The event also provides a great opportunity to cost-effectively begin an art collection."

In addition to showcasing established talent, SVOS attracts many emerging and first-time artists. "Many of Silicon Valley's finest gallery owners and museum curators attend the event, looking for new talent," he said.

Dates and Locations

Reservations are not required for the free event. Artists in different cities from Burlingame to Gilroy and the coastal communities will open their studios between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. according to this schedule:

Weekend One (May 2-3): Northern Area

Atherton, Belmont, Burlingame, East Palo Alto, Hillsborough, Los Altos, Menlo Park, Palo Alto, Portola Valley, Redwood City, San Carlos, and San Mateo.

Weekend Two (May 9-10): Central Area

Los Altos, Los Altos Hills, Mountain View, Palo Alto, Santa Clara, Stanford, and Sunnyvale.

Weekend Three (May 16-17): Southern Area and Pacific Coast
Campbell, Cupertino, Gilroy, Los Gatos, Morgan Hill, San Jose, Saratoga and (for the first time) El Granada, Half Moon Bay, Montara, and Moss Beach.

For a complete list of locations, artists and contact information visit www.svos.org. A digital copy of the directory with listings and maps to the artists' studios is available here. Hard copies of the directory are available at about 480 locations throughout the Bay Area including many libraries. To find a location near you, go to www.svos.org and click on "Find a Directory." To see samples of a given artist's work, click on "Find an Artist" and click on the artist's name.

About Silicon Valley Open Studios (SVOS)

Silicon Valley Open Studios (SVOS), a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization, has been connecting art enthusiasts with local art and artists in Silicon Valley for 29 years. SVOS is one of the oldest, largest and most popular art events in the greater San Francisco Bay Area. One of its goals is to act as an incubator for new and emerging artists. In addition to its open studio activities, SVOS works with schools throughout the Peninsula and South Bay to increase exposure for the art their students create. For more information, go to www.svos.org.

Image Available: http://www2.marketwire.com/mw/frame_mw?attachid=2789015