Studio tour to include debut of new puzzle art

A new family business will show its wares during the Vashon Island Visual Artists’ studio tour.

A new family business, Heart House Puzzles, will offer its whimsical wooden jigsaw puzzles and ornaments during Vashon Island Visual Artists’ upcoming holiday studio tour.

The business, run by parents Giles and Susan Frith and their daughters Sailor and Piper Frith, launched in October at the Vashon Farmers Market. Now, the family is excited to show its wares for the first time on the tour, sharing a studio stop with April Dalinis Pottery.

Sailor created the art for the family’s first puzzle — in the shape of Vashon and Maury Islands and adorned with colorful totems and icons of island life. Susan, the family’s watercolor artist, is responsible for the company’s sea-shell, beach-themed and Washington State-shaped holiday ornaments. Giles is in charge of the process of laser-cutting the puzzles and creating their shape design. The family’s youngest daughter, Piper, has inspired the family to strive for high environmental standards, insisting on no plastic packaging for their products.

Find out more about the company’s artwork at hearthousepuzzles.com.

The family’s artwork is but one example of the bounty to be found at VIVA’s Holiday Studio Tour, set to place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Friday and Saturday, December 7, 8 and 14, 15.

This year, the artist roster for the tour has grown to its largest ever, with more than 100 artists showing at 40 locations.

The tour will kick off with a holiday preview party from 6 to 9 p.m. Friday, Dec. 6, at Waterworks Studio, 7012 S.W. 240th Street, where work by 22 artists will be on display. Detailed tour maps are available at island businesses, online at vivaartists.com and on the group’s Facebook page.