CITY FOCUS:Inside look at artists’ lives

Much more than a travel excursion, the 16th annual Art Studio Tour sponsored by the Sawdust Art Festival last Saturday offered visitors the chance to glimpse into artists’ lives and hearts, and learn some of their secrets.

Flower painter Christie Repasy shared a recent coup — the high-profile visitor who unexpectedly entered her storefront on Valentine’s Day this year.

Repasy was in the back of the shop, she said with eyes twinkling, when she was told by an employee to go up front and meet them.

As it wasn’t standard protocol to do so, Repasy said she took her time cleaning her hands before entering the storefront.

When she stepped in, she was shocked to find a black-clad Barbra Streisand, her husband James Brolin and their entourage.

The group had been in town antique shopping, and Repasy’s shop had caught Streisand’s eye while they were in the area.

Streisand told Repasy that she had 1,200 roses in her garden, and began taking pictures and showing Repasy fabrics for the home she was in the process of decorating.

“It was like dealing with a real customer,” Repasy recalled.

Streisand bought three pieces of art as well as other décor, and asked if Repasy would consider painting a room at the home. Repasy said she would consider it.

Two weeks later, Streisand left a voice mail for Repasy, and the latter found herself on a tour of Streisand’s estate. Streisand showed her a room in which she planned to house her costumes from “Funny Girl” — it was the room she wanted her to paint.

“She was gracious and very hospitable,” Repasy recalled. She said that the home reflected the best of everything.

“She has taste, and her leverage to obtain whatever she wants is incredible,” Repasy said.

But upon arriving back at home, Repasy evaluated her commitments and “graciously declined” Streisand’s request. She said it took several people to help her craft the letter.

“It just wasn’t a good time in my life,” Repasy said.

Her dedication to the Sawdust meant more to her.

Down the street, visitors learned about the burgeoning partnership of glass artist Gavin Heath and leather craftswoman Stacy Schubert.

Heath and Schubert have begun a new enterprise that is much larger than their merged talents; the Sawdust pair is now engaged, with a future little artist on the way.

Schubert’s signature leather purses are now decorated with Heath’s art glass, and they share studio space in the canyon.

During the studio tour, visitors began the day with a morning reception, then boarded docent-staffed motor coaches for their expeditions around town. An evening reception was held back at the Sawdust grounds.

Each motor coach stop usually left a visitor in the vicinity of several studios.

Painter Scott Moore’s studio warranted a special side trip on its own; a special motor coach excursion linked him to the main line.

Moore, the recipient of many awards over the past 30 years, is known for his dual-scale paintings, which typically depict the 1950s and 1960s using vintage props and advertisements.

His originals sell for tens of thousands of dollars, but he has an avid fan base that purchases prints of his works — which only cost in the hundreds.

During his studio tour, Moore showed visitors “Ice Cream Man,” a work in progress for this year’s Sawdust.

Moore culls eBay for toys, dishes and other products that he can use in his work.

For “Ice Cream Man,” which depicts children purchasing ice cream in front of a vintage house, Moore searched the website for Popsicle wrappers and the perfect toy ice cream truck.

For the background, Moore took a photograph of a Long Beach bungalow, blew it up to large-scale proportions and painstakingly transferred its lines onto the canvas.

Another image he staged of children and the ice cream man will be painted in front of the bungalow.

Moore said the piece gives homage to his childhood ice cream man, Herbie. He divulges such tidbits on his website, where he posts regular updates on his projects so faraway visitors can follow along.

Behind his canvas rose an army of vintage Bakelite dishes, cocoa tins, kitschy salt and pepper shakers, and Woman’s Day-style advertisements — the tools of Moore’s trade.

When he was told that he was speaking to a group of graphic designers, he tailored his discussion to suit their knowledge and interests.

Moore wasn’t reticent about sharing his art “secrets” to the group. Indeed, he believes that there are no secrets — only undemonstrative artists.

“It’s all been done before; maybe you just have a better way to explain it,” he said.

Nadine Nordstrom’s studio is tucked away in the corner of a verdant garden, which she has cultivated to attract butterflies.

With the smell of citrus wafting in through the open door, Nordstrom explained to visitors how she uses found objects like mesh onion sacks to create unique textures on her pieces.

The property’s garage houses her kiln and several drying racks.

Nordstrom explained how the pottery is cast and decorated while standing alongside an immaculately arranged garden-tool hanging system.

“Some artists clean up before the studio tour, but I think she’s naturally like that,” joked Sawdust spokesperson Rebecca Meekma.