Stacey Neumiller admits it.

She’s looking forward to the confidence boost.

“It’s always wonderful meeting people who come into your studio,” she said. “It’s one of the greatest joys as an artist.”

This weekend, Neumiller will be one of 24 artists included on the fourth annual Spring Art Studio Tour that will have visitors clambering to 18 different studios to get an up-close, in-depth, in-person and behind-the-scenes look at how some of Whidbey’s artists create topnotch works.

But, don’t worry, Neumiller will keep her head in check and not let all the fawning get to her head.

“Sharing with people who appreciate your work is such a high that it ends up humbling you,” she said.

Neumiller, an oil painter, is one of the founding artists of the spring tour that began four years ago when no art tour stretched up to the north end of the island.

“It pretty much stopped at Coupeville,” said Steve Eelkema, a hand-thrown potter and four-year tour veteran.

The size of the tour has remained relatively the same over the years. The first year saw around 20 artists participating, and while growing the tour is great, organizers say increasing the number of artists on the tour isn’t what they have in mind.

“We’d really like to keep it to a manageable number so people can actually do the whole tour in one weekend,” Neumiller said. “It’s more about letting people know our tour is here. An art event in the spring at a time when there aren’t any art events on the island is a benefit for artists and visitors alike.”

The studios are all located from just north of Oak Harbor to just south of Greenbank.

Artists and their varied media include the hand-thrown pottery of Dan Ishler, willow wall shields of Kathleen Otley, glass sculpture of Katrina Hude, handmade glass beads of Bev McQuary, paper quilling of Marilyn Dessert, oils of Kellley Mohs, pastels of Karen Schroeder, impressionist paintings by James Moore, jewelry of Marcie Johnson, furniture of Gary Leake, hand-embellished treasure boxes of Nikki Farias, gourds of Suzanne Newbold, photography of Chris Saxman,

Native American-inspired works of Gerald Roberts, water colors of Ann Wilson, colored pencil works of Arlene L. Love-Dieckoff, miniature paintings of Marie Vallquist, tryptichs and collages of Mariana Graham, pottery of Robbie Lobell, and the hand-woven rugs and scarves of Camille Noble.

Amongst them are art veterans in their prime and well-known regional artisans. Some of the artists will be familiar as participants in the annual Whidbey Island Open Studio Tour hosted by the Island Arts Council. Others are tour newbies.

For some of the artists, such as Eelkema who owns Penn Cove Pottery in San de Fuca, being in the public eye is nothing new. For others, the spotlight will be a fledgling experience.

“We have some great artists on the tour who don’t show their work on a widespread basis,” Eelkema said. “This is an opportunity to give them exposure and give people the rare chance to see their creative process.”

The tour will also bring art patrons up close with some not-so-familiar tools of the trade.

“Not many people get to see a woodworker in action. People can visit the studio of Gary Leake and see the tools he uses,” Eelkema said. “Marilyn Dessert is a paper quilling artist. You don’t get to see that every day.”

Neumiller is happy that support from groups such as the Coupeville Boys and Girls Club and the Coupeville Festival Association has allowed the tour to remain free.

New to the Spring Art Studio Tour will be a Friday night artists’ reception that will be held at the Coupeville Boys and Girls Club on Main Street.

Neumiller said she is looking forward to this opportunity for art fans to get some one-on-one time with the participating artists.

“It’s nice as an artists to be able to meet people and talk about your work at an informal venue,” she said.

This weekend’s tour will give people a chance to drive

around the island and experience the scenic beauty. And while touring around the island, don’t worry about getting the munchies. Forgo fast food and stop by Coupeville, as this weekend is also the Penn Cove Mussel Fest.

Studio tours are a can’t miss experience, according to Neumiller. And only on Whidbey will people find art and rustic charm that can’t be found in the big city. Neumiller remembers with a laugh one quintessential Whidbey moment. It’s tradition that during the tour Eelkema and Neumiller call around to the different studios to see how the flow of traffic is going.

“One time we called out to Gary Leake’s place to find he had a baby goat on the way,” she said. “OK, you’ve got a goat giving birth and patrons at your studio — I’ll let you go.”

It was a funny situation and one that Neumiller said is a prime example of the charm of rural life that intertwines with these artists.

“People get to see more than just art,” she said.