Flame artist Chuck Burton uses heat, physics and his own creative spark to shape long, pencil-thin rods of glass into jewelry.

Burton stands in front of a torch manipulating the molten glass into glossy beads, pendants and delicate figurines. His hands are constantly moving, fingers fluttering close to an open flame.

Getting burned is part of the job, but working with fire is part of the allure. A tattoo of flames and Arabic words encircles his forearm. Translated, it reads, "He plays with fire."

"My wife said I needed a warning label," Burton said.

Burton is one of 66 artists exhibiting work at the Scott County Art Crawl this weekend. He will demonstrate his artistry at his home studio in Savage.

"Sales go up when I demonstrate. People feel connected to the artwork," he explained.

This is the suburban crawl's second year, and organizers have already expanded it to two days -- Friday evening and Saturday. They estimate that more than 1,000 people attended the self-guided studio tour and sale last year.

"It's surprising how many talented artists live and work in Scott County," said art crawl Chairwoman Denise Baerg. "It was a real eye-opener to see how many artists there were."

Unlike more consolidated art crawls in Minneapolis and St. Paul, the Scott County Art Crawl traverses Savage, Prior Lake, Shakopee and Jordan. Art patrons are invited to tour about two dozen locations including the Crofut Winery, the Minnesota Harvest Apple Orchard, the Scott County Historical Society, local galleries and businesses, and private studios. Some locations will host bands and entertainment and have additional items for sale, Baerg said.

"In St. Paul and Minneapolis, they're in big warehouse buildings. This one, you have to go out and interact with the community," explained Jo Storey, who helped organize the crawl and owns Savage Art Studios & Gallery.

The crawl's locale may have a decidedly small-town feel, but expect the same quality and sophistication as you'd find in the big city, Storey said.

'Every bit eclectic'

"It will be every bit eclectic. You will see abstract, representational, sculpture," Storey promised.

Artist Patricia Kness will open her painting studio at the Savage Art Studios & Gallery for the crawl. She's also showing some of her work at the Minnesota Harvest Apple Orchard.

Kness, who paints with oils and watercolors, displays a mix of landscapes, still lifes and portraits in her studio. One wall is covered with oil portraits of fellow Savage residents. On another she displays a large watercolor of a cowgirl on horseback. The cowgirl's blonde ponytail whips behind her as she races around a barrel.

"The whole thing is about movement. In all of my water colors, even the still lifes, I like to get a sense of motion," Kness said.

Kness, who has painted for 50 years, said it's thrilling to see her own community awakening to the local arts scene.

"I love it," she said. "The big thing is to get people to understand that there are artists right here."

Last year, Jean Berry attended the Scott County Art Crawl with a group of girlfriends. This year, the Blaine resident will show her expressionist abstract oil paintings.

"This is my first art crawl," Berry said. Her paintings feature everyday scenes -- a dog with a bone, a man playing a guitar, a couple dancing -- but in vibrant color.

"It's about joy and love and the human condition when you strip away the fear," said Berry, explaining her inspiration. "It's about everything that pulls us together as human beings."

Shannon Prather is a Roseville freelance writer.