If you’ve been to an arts and crafts festival anywhere within 100 miles of Bainbridge Island in the last 30 years, you’ve probably seen the whimsical creations of artist Danna Watson. From “Friendly Frogs” to “Fairies from Grandma’s Meadow,” her art dolls have enthralled festival-goers and won fans wherever she takes them.

Watson is one of 41 artists who will showcase their talents at the Bainbridge Island Studio Tour Aug. 11, 12 and 13 at six studios across the island. There is no charge for the self-guided tour. Studio artists donate 1 percent of the proceeds from all art they sell to a local arts-related organization. This year, the designated recipient is the Arts Apprenticeship Program, sponsored by the Bainbridge Island Arts Education Community Consortium.

This is the 22nd year of the studio tour, and the sixth year it has been held in the summer as well as winter.

Tour organizer Sally Noedel said they are working to keep up the quality of art for which the tour is famous.

“We’re really working on promoting the artistic excellence of the tour,” she said.

Watson is an artist who has maintained her artistic excellence for three decades, creating an endless stream of cheerful art dolls in her home-based Dancing Spirit Studio, on Fletcher Bay Road.

It’s a safe bet that Watson has created thousands of the dolls, and each one is an original. She does every part of the process by hand.

She starts with a basic wire armature, usually with simple bamboo arms and legs, then adds a head made out of stuffed muslin, coated with as many as 15 layers of paint to create a hard surface and happy face. The clothing reflects Watson’s early career in theater and her love of costume-type materials. Her creatures are adorned with tapestry pants and brocade shirts, edged with lace, tassels and sequins. Many of them are topped off with hats made from silk flower leaves.

It’s that creativity that catches the eye of customers, and makes her work stand out from the rest.

It’s hard to imagine that one person could be so endlessly creative, but Watson said she doesn’t feel solely responsible for her creations.

“It’s not from me — it’s through me,” she said. “It comes when it comes.”

Watson sells her dolls at about a dozen arts and crafts fairs each year, as well as in the Northwest gift shop at SeaTac airport. After creating the dolls in the solitude of her studio in a woodland oasis, she said she relishes the interaction with customers.

“I really enjoy seeing who buys them. They’re so excited. They’ll come back and tell me about who they gave it to, and I feel like I’ve made a contribution to the world. I’ve made someone happy.”

Watson has participated in the Bainbridge Island Studio tour for 20 years. This year she will feature two lines of her dolls, the Party Animals and Fairies from Grandma’s Meadow. Stop by for a free smile.

The tour also features music at many of the studios. The lineup at press time was still under construction, but included artists such as Rachel Harrington, Ranger Sciacca and Susan Welch and Billy Forrester.

The Bainbridge Island Summer Studio Tour takes place 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily, Aug. 11, 12 and 13. Brochures with studio descriptions, addresses and a map can be found at the Bainbridge Island Chamber of Commerce, 590 Winslow Way E, Bainbridge Island Arts and Humanities Council, 221 Winslow Way W, Suite 201 and online at www.bistudiotour.com.

Studios and artists on the tour:

§ Oho Design Studio, 259 Ferncliff Ave. NE: Gayle Bair, functional art in clay; Anne Briggs, silver and copper work; Connie Castellano, fine jewelry; Hollie Clark, fleece clothing and accessories; Salavador Ramirez, sculpture; Christine Townsend, natural-fiber quilts and textiles; Nancy Travis, jewelry; and Michelle Van Berkom, watercolors, prints and cards.

§ Dancing Spirit Studio, 7021 Fletcher Bay Rd.: Danna Watson, original art dolls; Laurie A. Lyall, custom designs in precious metals; Nicole Ringgold, painted wood furniture; Darcy Thompson, home and garden mosaics; Marti Stave, hand-dyed and painted silk scarves and cloth; and Sydni Sterling, paintings of water gardens and koi.

§ Fenwick Arts Studio, Bainbridge Business Park, 7861 NE Day Rd.: Thomas and Deb Fenwick, photography; Sophie Freida, vivid landscapes and exotic plant paintings; Dorothy Skea, artistic clothing; Shari Walker-Hutchinson, NW paintings; and Howard Todd, woodworking.

§ Elizabeth Gadbois Studio, 13398 Manzanita Rd. NE: Elizabeth Gadbois, photography; Suzanne Arkless, art jewelry; Lynn Fass, natural bath and bodycare products; Heidi Jack, porcelain and silver jewelry; Victoria Harrison, NW landscape paintings; Su Olsen, eclectic jewelry; and Morgan and Anne Seeley, blown art glass.

§ Mesolini Glass Studio, 13291 Madison Ave. NE: Gregg Messmer and Diane Bonciolini, art glass; Paula Gill, handcarved terracotta tiles; Lynne Hollister, fiber and textile arts; Robyn Krutch, jewelry; Dinah Satterwhite, handcolored photographs; Linda Spearman, floral and landscape watercolors; and Haden Starbuck, jewelry.

§ Cecil Ross Studio, 12851 Madison Ave. NE: Cecil Ross, functional and fine art woodworking; Brian Berman, stone sculpture; Diana Cronin, playful porcelain; Michael and Donna Day, ceramic tiles; Loyes Drury, stained glass and lampwork jewelry; Mary Edwards, semi-precious jewelry; Raquel Stanek, Italian mosaic glass; and Naomi Strom-Avila, collages inspired by nature.