A work by Apsley painter David Smith, one of the 27 artists and artisans participating in the Apsley Autumn Studio Tour on September 19 and 20, 2020. After a career in advertising, graphic design, and colour retouching, Smith now paints fulltime in watercolour, acrylic, and oil. (Photo courtesy of Apsley Autumn Studio Tour)
With art galleries closed for much of the COVID-19 pandemic, artists have been unable to show their work for months and art lovers have been equally deprived of indulging their passion.
So it’s great news that the Apsley Autumn Studio Tour is going ahead for 2020 — but with the proper pandemic precautions in place, including requiring physical distancing and face coverings.
This is the 27th year of the renowned annual tour, which takes place from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, September 19th and Sunday, September 20th.
A triptych by mosaic artist Anja Hertle, one of the 27 artists and artisans participating in the 2020 Apsley Autumn Studio Tour. She works with broken china, pottery, porcelain figurines, and tile to give these elements a second life in her whimsical mosaic art pieces. (Photo courtesy of Apsley Autumn Studio Tour)
The free self-guided tour features 27 artists in 13 studios across North Kawartha Township in Peterborough County, with an additional studio located in nearby Wollaston Township in Hastings County.
Every year, new artists apply for Apsley Autumn Studio Tour and are admitted through a juried process. Many live in the area, while others are guest artists.
This year’s participants again cover the gamut of the visual arts, including painting, jewellery, glass art, mosaics, woodworking, sculpture, fabric and fibre art, pottery, photography, and metalwork. As well as seeing their work, the tour provides you with the opportunity to meet welcoming artists in person.
Jewellery by artist Frances Timbers, one of the 27 artists and artisans participating in the 2020 Apsley Autumn Studio Tour. From the delicate to the dramatic, her jewellery designs are timeless treasures, which will serve as wearable art for years to come. (Photo courtesy of Apsley Autumn Studio Tour)
All you need to participate is a vehicle and the tour map (see below). You can make a day trip (there are local eateries in the area where you can stop for refreshments) or make a weekend of it 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 2020 Apsley Autumn Studio Tour, including their disciplines and the studios where you can find them (watch for the black-and-white studio tour signs that mark each studio location, which are listed on the map below).
Brendan Cane (Photography, Studio B)
Brendan has many hobbies, but has the most to show for — and is most passionate about — the art of landscape photography.
An emerging artist, Megan has participated in various group shows in Peterborough, and has had several pieces auctioned off by the Art Gallery of Peterborough, as well as having a painting in their inaugural triennial exhibition.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Expressive colour and evocative themes of nature are Susan’s hallmarks. She layers crushed and sheet glasses, sometimes with metal inclusions, and then kiln fires them. Susan strives to create engaging imagery in plates, bowls, and freestanding glass art.
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.
A member of Kawartha Potters Guild and Spirit of the Hills Art Association, Melanie enjoys creating personalised pottery, particularly clocks. She enjoys making one-off pieces and is currently experimenting with raku and smoke fire techniques.
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.
Carolyn Jongeward (Painting and Woven Tapestry, Studio A)
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Download the Apsley Autumn Studio Tour map and watch for the black-and-white studio tour signs that mark each studio location. (Photo courtesy of Apsley Autumn Studio Tour)
First launched in 1994, the Apsley Studio Tour not only creates public awareness of the arts by promoting and supporting artists in the community, but it supports young artists as well. The tour sponsors the Arts Award at Apsley Central Public School (last year’s recipient was Mason Harris).
For more information on the 2020 Apsley Autumn Studio Tour, visit apsleystudiotour.com. You can also follow the Apsley Autumn Studio Tour on Facebook and Instagram.
This story was created in partnership with the Apsley Autumn Studio Tour.
LONDON (AP) — With a few daubs of a paintbrush, the Brontë sisters have got their dots back.
More than eight decades after it was installed, a memorial to the three 19th-century sibling novelists in London’s Westminster Abbey was amended Thursday to restore the diaereses – the two dots over the e in their surname.
The dots — which indicate that the name is pronounced “brontay” rather than “bront” — were omitted when the stone tablet commemorating Charlotte, Emily and Anne was erected in the abbey’s Poets’ Corner in October 1939, just after the outbreak of World War II.
They were restored after Brontë historian Sharon Wright, editor of the Brontë Society Gazette, raised the issue with Dean of Westminster David Hoyle. The abbey asked its stonemason to tap in the dots and its conservator to paint them.
“There’s no paper record for anyone complaining about this or mentioning this, so I just wanted to put it right, really,” Wright said. “These three Yorkshire women deserve their place here, but they also deserve to have their name spelled correctly.”
It’s believed the writers’ Irish father Patrick changed the spelling of his surname from Brunty or Prunty when he went to university in England.
Raised on the wild Yorkshire moors, all three sisters died before they were 40, leaving enduring novels including Charlotte’s “Jane Eyre,” Emily’s “Wuthering Heights” and Anne’s “The Tenant of Wildfell Hall.”
Rebecca Yorke, director of the Brontë Society, welcomed the restoration.
“As the Brontës and their work are loved and respected all over the world, it’s entirely appropriate that their name is spelled correctly on their memorial,” she said.
