Dalis Davidson bought her first sheep Clarabelle 28 years ago. She didn't realize they would turn out to be a cash cow.

As owner of Dancing Leaf Farm in Barnesville, Davidson hand-dyes some 2,000 pounds of yarn each year to produce everything from brightly colored blankets to clothing.

The former residents of the 80-year-old house at the base of Sugarloaf Mountain had a barn and kept sheep, and Davidson decided to buy one for her children.

"I just thought they would look so nice in the field and eat the grass," she recalls.

While the sheep added a pleasant element to her vista, it also meant work; the animal required regular shearing. As the excess wool accumulated around the farm, Davidson began knitting.

Today, business is so good Davidson relies on nine sheep, as well as supplies from a wholesaler for her material. Her store is one of 12 sites from Middletown to Laytonsville on the Countryside Artisans' Spring Studio Tour on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The tour features artists of various specialties, ranging from the works of Jennifer Hamilton's Dusty Road Pottery in Dickerson to the wines of Sugarloaf Mountain Vineyard.

This is the event's 19th year, and one of three times the Artisans open their doors to the public. Visitors, she says, try to make a day of their trip and some take advantage of exploring the Agricultural Reserve.

"People can come out from the city and really see the animals and see green space and crops growing," she says.

Generally, the craftspeople not only sell their specialized pieces, but also offer other items such as fresh eggs and vegetables. Some artisans will demonstrate their skills.

"It's just not our crafts," Davidson says. "We supplement it with other things from the country."

Davidson says applicants for membership in the Artisans group undergo a review process. Having a separate studio and participating in two of the artisans' three events each year are required. The group tries to include artists with different backgrounds, as well as people who live close to each other so visitors don't have to drive too far.

Fine arts painter Tina Thieme Brown says these standards help ensure customers are offered quality work.

"When [visitors] make that drive, we want to make sure that their routes are laid out well and that it's worth their while," she explains.

Brown's Morningstar Studio, named for its former owner Mary Morningstar, is located in Barnesville. She opened the studio in 2000, a year after she moved from Chevy Chase to her 1824 house. Her painting studio is made of logs from the 1790s and her home is a former Civil War tavern. She created the studio on the site of the cramped potter's barn that once stood there because she needed a larger work space.

"It was so small that I had to go outside the door and stand in my yard to look at paintings," Brown recalls.

A mixed-media artist who regularly depicts nature scenes in her work, Brown first came to the area while working on illustrations for Melanie Choukas-Bradley 2003 book "Sugarloaf: The Mountain's History, Geography and Natural Lore." Their second book together, "An Illustrated Guide to Eastern Woodland Wildflowers and Trees: 350 Plants Observed at Sugarloaf Mountain, Maryland," came out in 2008.

"I worked on this book with Melanie, and I just fell in love with this area," Brown says. "And I asked her,‘If I could talk my husband in to giving up his 20-minute commute to D.C., where would you live out here?'"

During studio visits, Brown says she probably will demonstrate sketching.

Laytonsville's Art of Fire also will provide live presentations.

"When you come out to a glass studio, that's what people want to see," studio manager Todd Hansen says. "They want to see hot glass melting and things like that. The art form sort of lends itself to that sort of thing."

Art of Fire produces house wares such as stemware and vases in various styles.

"We have a lot of different things. We have sort of the West Coast, sort of Chihuly style with big colors and wavy bowls, and then we have some really finely worked Italian-style cane and Venetian pieces," Hansen says. "We really try to run the gamut."

The shop is owned by Foster Holcombe and Henson's mother Theda Hansen. The couple began working under the Art of Fire name 27 years ago. Todd Hansen joined the team 12 years ago with no previous training. He learned the intricacies of the craft through careful observation.

"There are classes at different studios around the country," Henson says. "I learned most of my skill set here and a lot of that work is sort of passed down the old-fashioned way."

Today, with a seven-member staff, Art of Fire is one of the mid-Atlantic region's largest studios and sells regularly to almost 50 galleries.

"To make a piece that's nice enough that someone wants to buy is a nice pat on the back," Hansen says.

Because the Countryside Artisans' Spring Studio Tour is admission free, it's not essential to pat him on the back by taking out your wallet. At the very least, visitors will be able to admire what the Artisans have to offer and get a breath of country air.

tforhecz@gazette.net

The Countryside Artisans' Spring Studio Tour runs from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Sunday at various locations in Montgomery and Frederick counties. Admission is free. Visit www.countrysideartisans.com for a complete list of participants and directions.