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While many of us may be reluctant to say goodbye to summer, there’s a lot to look forward to in autumn — including, for art lovers, the Apsley Autumn Studio Tour.
The annual free, self-guided tour is returning for its 29th year in 2022, running from 10 am to 5 pm. on Saturday, September 17th and Sunday, September 18th.
This year’s tour features 29 Ontario artists and artisans in 12 studio locations in the Apsley area in North Kawartha Township, midway between Peterborough and Bancroft, with one studio location in nearby Coe Hill in Wollaston Township.
The Apsley Autumn Studio Tour is renowned for the quality of the artists working in a variety of disciplines, including painting, jewellery, glass art, sculpture, fabric art, pottery, felting, and metalwork.
Not only will you be able to view new work created specifically for the tour, but you’ll have the opportunity to meet the artists in person as well as purchase their works.
The studio tour includes artists who live in the area as well as visiting guest artists. New artists are also admitted to the studio tour every year, through a juried process.
New artists on this year’s tour include Cobourg painter Stephen Gillberry, Coe Hill painter Anita Murphy, and Selwyn visual artist Kelly O’Neill.
Many of the 12 studios on the tour are tucked away in scenic locations, made even more beautiful with the emerging fall colours.
To help you discover all the artists and their studios, the Apsley Autumn Studio Tour introduced a new app last year, created by local software developer Brad Carson. This year, the Apsley Autumn Studio Tour is part of Carson’s free Toureka! app, which you can download from the Apple App Store or Google Play. You can also download a tour map.
You can take a day trip and stop in at one of the local eateries in the area for refreshments (including Woody’s in Apsley, Border Town Market & Cafe and The Grape & Wedge in Glen Alda, and The Barn Chefs in Coe Hil), or make it a studio tour weekend by staying at local accommodations such as the Burleigh Falls Inn or Viamede Resort.
For your convenience, here’s a summary in alphabetical order of the artists and artisans participating in the 2022 Apsley Autumn Studio Tour, including their disciplines and the studios where you can find them, as well as a link to the studio tour map.
Rachel has introduced her artisan soaps to compliment the unique wools she’s been recognized for. She began experimenting with herbs from the garden and wild plants from her farm and woodland, blending them into the wholesome soaps. Rachel says creating artisan soaps along with novel wools is not only a manifestation of nature and colour, but also celebrates the charm of farm life.
Read more about Rachel Conlin.
Working from his home on the edge of the Canadian Shield, Brad maintains a successful practice as both a sculptor and a functional glass blower, often traversing the line between.
Read more about Brad Copping.
Jacques is a self-taught woodworker who uses only wood from dead or fallen trees. Gnarls, insect holes, and spalted wood are his materials of choice. He is always ready for a creative challenge of any size.
Read more about Jacques Deslauriers.
Valerie has been sewing for over 40 years starting with clothing for herself and her family, which eventually grew into a children’s clothing home business in Calgary. After moving to Saudi Arabia in 2000, she brought her seamstress skills into the practice of machine quilting. Valerie enjoys the mathematical aspects of quilting. She has grown to also love the practice of free motion quilting.
Since 2005, Valarie and her husband Ted have spent the bulk of her summers at Chandos Lake in Apsley. Valarie and Ted repatriated to their log home on Chandos Lake in 2015.
Read more about Valerie Foster.
Mary Ellen Gerster sees the world according to shape, value, and colour, immersing the viewer in her bright and glowing watercolour paintings. Through the layering of transparent colours she creates photo realism in her still life, fruit, flowers and waterscapes. She is inspired and challenged by subjects with strong lights, shadows, shapes, colours and is especially drawn to high contrast and bright colours.
Read more about Mary Ellen Gerster.
A new guest artist at the Apsley Autumn Studio Tour this year, Stephen is an accomplished artist who has spent the past 30-plus years developing his own unique style of painting. He has experimented with colour and texture in an effort to capture the beauty and spirituality of natural elements. Currently living and working in Cobourg, Stephen studied at the Ontario College of Art and Wilfrid Laurier University and his work is widely shown and well represented in galleries and corporate collections.
Read more about Stephen Gillberry.
First introduced to oil painting as a child, David has been painting ever since and has developed a unique distinctive style. He uses a multi-layered technique, applying thick swaths of oil paint to create images inspired by the Ontario landscape.
Read more about David Grieve.
Anja works with broken china, pottery, porcelain figurines, and tile to give these elements a second life in her whimsical mosaic art pieces. She also incorporates forks, beads, buttons, bottle caps, and typewriter keys.
Read more about Anja Hertle.
Dolores’ work includes quilts, using imported fabrics from England and Japan, as well as wall hangings, runners, and smaller items. Many of her pieces have wool felting incorporated into the quilting, as well as beads, silk, and quite a number of other interesting embellishments.
Read more about Dolores Hopps.
A member of Kawartha Potters Guild and Spirit of the Hills Art Association, Melanie enjoys creating personalized pottery, particularly clocks. She enjoys making one-off pieces and is currently experimenting with raku and smoke fire techniques.
Read more about Melanie Edson Horner.
Carolyn’s artwork includes hand-woven tapestry, acrylic painting, block printing, fabric painting, and painting on birch bark. As a tapestry artist, Carolyn has exhibited in Canada, United States, and England. Her paintings reflect her understanding of textile structures, her eye for colour, and her ongoing interest in geometry and pattern in art and nature.
Read more about Carolyn Jongeward.
Vivienne is a contemporary artist based in Toronto whose work is very much influenced by natural forms. She creates highly distinctive jewellery using both traditional and non-traditional materials.
Read more about Vivienne Jones.
Living in rural Apsley, Lisa paints the world around her. Jack pines, full maples, wild flowers, and rural homes, Lisa paints what is found outside her front door.
Read more about Lisa Mace.
After a successful career both nationally and internationally in architecture, Barbara Miszkiel has returned to her original interest in fine arts, painting primarily in acrylics. Although Barbara has created new buildings most of her career, in painting she is drawn to old buildings, live subjects and landscapes.
Read more about Barbara Miszkiel.
The starting point for all of Molly’s work is the pristine landscape that surrounds her: the lake, forest, and uninterrupted skyscape are the foundation of every piece she paints. A visual artist whose primary focus is abstraction, she works primarily in acrylic and mixed media.
Read more about Molly Moldovan.
A new guest artist at the Apsley Autumn Studio Tour this year, Anita’s works of art are about emotion. Despite having spent her life in rural settings near Bancroft, her work is inspired by the interaction between people and nature rather than the wilderness itself. A member of the Canada Council for the Arts, Anita studied at the Toronto School of Art and has work in private collections across the world.
Read more about Anita Murphy.
Britt designs functional furniture and other objects in wood, and her designs are often playful or interactive.
Read more about Britt Olauson.
A new guest artist at the Apsley Autumn Studio Tour this year, Kelly is a multidisciplinary visual artist who enjoys the immediacy of dry materials in her drawing practice, and engages with found objects, natural materials, video, assemblage, and textile practices to create three-dimensional forms and installations. The Selwyn-based artist studied sculpture and installation at Toronto’s OCAD University and Her work has been shown in galleries in Ontario, Quebec, and British Columbia.
Read more about Kelly O’Neill.
Tom’s work exemplifies both rustic and contemporary styles, and is greatly influenced by the natural forms of wood.
Read more about Tom Parsons.
Applying multiple patterns in a range of colours on clay, Cathy creates one-of-a-kind functional pieces of art or a whimsical collectible. New animal-themed mugs, piggy banks, and horse figurines add to the collection among a continuation of animated forms of snowmen, gnomes, Santas, and assorted critters.
Read more about Cathy Pennaertz.
After working for many years in the tech industry, Judy Ranieri retired and began to explore her creative passions. Many of Judy’s projects are inspired by nature and utilize natural fibres, fabric, colour, design, and textures to create one of a kind textile and fabric art pieces.
Read more about Rudy Ranieri.
In her 30-year career as a glass artist, Susan has drawn inspiration from the landscape in which she lives. An avid gardener, she continues to explore the idea of garden through her vessel and sculptural works and is well known for her vibrant floral vessels.
Read more about Susan Rankin.
Kathy has been a stained glass artist for over 25 years, using traditional techniques to produce stained glass art. Concentrating on the copper foil method, Kathy looks to nature for inspiration.
Read more about Kathy Robichaud.
Arne revisits his sketch book and paints his canvas with his travels to Sweden, Italy, and Estonia, and life’s inspirations in tow.
Read more about Arne Roosman.
Catharine is a self-taught artisan who is inspired by the natural beauty of coloured gem stones, the ability to form and create meaningful pieces of art through wire working, and her own creative style of stringing that can be worn at any time of the day with any style of fashion.
Read more about Catharine Scott.
Clare owns Rusty Girl metalwork studio in Toronto, where she designs and makes railings, furniture, arbours, limited-run production pieces for the garden, and sculpture.
Read more about Clare Scott-Taggart.
David is inspired to create new works in watercolour, acrylic, and oil by the surrounding landscape. Painting full time following a career in advertising, graphic design, and colour retouching, he applies this knowledge and skill into his paintings.
Read more about David Smith.
Obsessed with the relationship between great food and handmade pottery, Judy believes eating from handmade pots elevates the dining experience. Her work is carefully hand crafted to be enjoyed as everyday art.
Read more about Judy Sparkes.
From the delicate to the dramatic, Frances’ jewellery designs are timeless treasures, which will serve as wearable art for years to come.
Read more about Frances Timbers.
You can also download a printable version of the map.
First launched in 1994, the Apsley Autumn Studio Tour creates public awareness of the arts by promoting and supporting artists in the community.
For more information on the 2022 Apsley Autumn Studio Tour, visit apsleystudiotour.com. You can also follow the Apsley Autumn Studio Tour on Facebook and Instagram.
This branded editorial was created in partnership with the Apsley Autumn Studio Tour. If your business or organization is interested in a branded editorial, contact us.
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