About

The Winding Roads Art Tour, with headquarters in Viroqua, Wisconsin, is an invitation to meet with artists in their studios.​ Treat yourself to a weekend of creativity and inspiration on this self-guided tour through the beauty of the Driftless landscape.  

As you wind your way through the springtime rolling hills you will discover a diversity of artistic expression, meeting artists in their homes and creative workplaces along the way.  

Take this opportunity to view and purchase artwork with an understanding of the people, process and story behind its creation.

History of the Winding Roads Art Tour

The picturesque landscapes of the Driftless Area in southwest Wisconsin have long served as a wellspring of inspiration for artists across various mediums. From offering captivating scenery for photography and plein-air painting to providing abundant opportunities for artistic expression, this region is truly a haven for creativity. Here, artists craft works using native woods, shear sheep to produce wool for their looms, and even personally harvest wood for pottery kilns, with many establishing homesteads equipped with dedicated art studios. In the early 2000s, a collective of artists from the Driftless Area came together to form the Winding Roads Art Tour, a loosely organized studio tour.

Designed as a self-guided journey, this tour invited visitors to traverse the scenic back roads of our region every weekend throughout the summer, exploring art studios along the way. It was a captivating opportunity for art enthusiasts to uncover the diverse talents residing in the Driftless Area. However, as the extensive schedule proved challenging to sustain, the tour eventually came to a halt. In the autumn of 2015, a fresh wave of artists, led by local potter Maureen Karlstad, sought to reignite the concept, securing permission from the original group to utilize the same name. Opting to streamline the tour to a single weekend each year—now scheduled for the weekend following Memorial Day—the revitalized event took shape.

Many participating artists are affiliated with VIVA Gallery, a cooperative art space in downtown Viroqua that also serves as the tour’s information hub. Over the past nine years, a dedicated group of artists and supporters have generously volunteered their time to shape the tour into what it is today. The inaugural tour in 2016 proved to be a resounding success, and by 2018, it boasted 20 studio stops featuring the works of 32 artists, supported by numerous local sponsors.

The tour has since become a cherished tradition, eagerly anticipated by both artists and art enthusiasts as a delightful way to herald the arrival of summer. We eagerly anticipate this year’s tour and the opportunity to celebrate the rich artistic tapestry of our community once again!