Thank you Deb Kirk

Former tour member Deb Kirk shared her thoughts about the tour. Deb moved away from the area and we wish her great success..... we mis her enthusiasm

WOW!  having been a member of the Stouffville Studio Tour for years, I was always busy on the weekend of the tour - at my own studio.  Never had a chance to get out and see others' work.  Well, today I did and oh my, do we have some talented artists here in Stouffville.  The pictures on the brochure and website are just a little tiny tease of the works you'll see at each studio.  Absolutely gorgeous colours at Colin Whitebread's as well as at Sandra Cole Burke's.  Wonderful silver at new artist Monica Gennaro's place.  If you have any chance at all - get out on Sunday and see at least some of the studios.  Definitely worth the drive.

Deb Kirk

14th Annual Stouffville Studio Tour

Signs in place, 

check, 

Studios ready, 

check

Work displayed

check 

We are all ready to meet you

14th Annual Stouffville Studio Tour 

October 18th &19th

Maps available at all of our locations, sponsors or downloaded here

Hope to see you 

Three Generations

On our tour again this year are three generations of one family........ At Diana Bullock's location along with her work in mixed media, Sumi-e [Japanese ink painting]  you will find watercolours by Grace MacPherson, her mother and multi media work by her daughter Allison.

This is the link to the article in  Good Life magazine from earlier this year. Grace turned 90 this past summer, still paints and has many new pieces.

Diana has been also very busy with several different media types

And Allison's work has taken a striking new direction 

Something lurks

Their Studio location is #15 on this years tour. Stop by and say hello!

One Horse Farm ...... Studio #2

We seem to have a habit of adding an artist a year, if this keeps up One Horse Farm Studio will need to move to bigger space as we're now almost at maximum capacity! 

Joan (acrylic and watercolour), Bill (oil and acrylic) and Carin (totems, masks, glass flamework) are happy to welcome Petra Watson-Morton this year. Her mixed media Celtic art is truly amazing! 

"Playing with Fire" 

A Studio Tour first, One Horse Farm Studio will be opening the doors to the glass studio this year which will be open and fully operating. The oft asked questions, "what's in there" "how did you get that into the glass" will finally be answered as guests can view first hand how Borosilicate glass is taken from raw form to finished work in a torch firing at approximately 2000 degrees. A range of techniques will be demonstrated and all questions are welcome.

Studio # 2 on this years tour.  Four artists at one stop.

Wendy LaValle

Artist Wendy LaValles landscapes become more abstracted with the use of colour and interesting perspectives.  

From here series GHRE, this painting is 30 x 30, Encaustic on panel.

GHRE, 20 x 20, Encaustic on Panel

Wendy os # 4 on this years tour.

Colin Whitebread

From Colin

Here are 2 new finished works. And several in messy studio that are in progress and will be ready for Tour. Go to our Facebook page to see the studio spaces.

I will have 22 plus new works, with lots of new creative techniques.

Colin is Studio #10 on this years Tour.

Ray McNeice new painting

Anyone who lives in Stouffville will tell you there is an "interesting" store downtown. This wonderful new painting says is all.

Blight 

Ray, Margaret, Marie and James are at Studio #17 on this years tour. Make sure to stop by and see this painting.

James Wilkes

Photographer James Wilkes has recently returned from Nova Scotia, where he spent the summer working on an organic farm and road-tripping around the province in search of humpback whales, tidal rivers, and dilapidated houses. 

Check out his latest work at Studio #17, along with fellow artists Ray McNeice, Margaret Grandison and Marie Messina.

Check this out

Make sure to head on over to our Facebook page and see pictures of our artists studios.
SST Facebook Studio spaces

Like our page if you haven't already to keep up with all of our posts year round.

Less than a week to the tour. Get your map on this blog and plan your day. We are all busy getting ready to meet you!

Jane McLellan

This is Jane's second year on the tour.

Here are some of her new work. Visit her website for more examples of her painted glass designs.
http://shiverglassdesigns.com/

Visit Jane at Studio #14 on this years tour.

Margaret Grandison's House Series

If you look at Margaret's paintings you will see a pattern.  Her new work is a series of houses. They are lovely and whimsical. Here is the latest painting

Memories of Springtime

Margaret, Ray, Marie and James are at Studio # 17

One Horse Farm Studio

"The week before the tour is a busy one at One Horse Farm Studio. Jet insists her paddock be tidy for our visitors, she is doing her best to help"

Visit Carin Bacher at Studio # 2 on this years tour. At her location are guest artists Bill Brennan, Joan Humphrey and Petra Watson-Morton 

Plein Air

Husband and wife team Ray McNeice and Margaret Grandison enjoy painting outside or plein air.

As part of Cultural Days in Stouffville there was a call for artists to take to the streets of town and paint.

Here is Ray's painting ..... The corner of Main Street and Edward

And Margaret's ..... The corner of Main and Edward

It is alway interesting to see how different artists treat a similar subject. 

Make sure to stop by their Studio #17 on this years tour and see these paintings. Also at this location is James Wilkes and Marie Messina

Tour artists supporting the arts

"The Arts" always seem to be struggling for funding, recognition and support.

The Stouffville Studio Tour artists not only produce wonderful work but many of them are strong advocates for the arts. They "live" the artistic life and support arts in many different ways.

Did you know

• one of members is Chair of the Board of Directors of Stouffville's local public gallery, The Latcham Gallery 
• another one is also on the same Board
• one member worked for two summers during university at the gallery 
• one member and her husband financially supported an exhibition at the gallery 
• many members volunteer for various events at the gallery 
• many members donate their work to fundraising efforts at the gallery 
• one of our members is a docent at the Ontario Art Gallery 
• many members are on governing boards of various art organizations 
• many of our member share their expertise through teaching at various locations and organizations 
• several members pursue interests in other disciplines including dance and music 

This is only a very small fraction of the diversity of our members.
Engage in a conversation with our members during the tour. We are happy to speak with you about the arts. 

Lis Simpson ..... Busy lady!

Lis Simpson is a very busy lady! She participates in several studio tours and sales, her work is very popular and she must constantly replenish her supply of original jewellery and glass work

Out of disaster come new creations.  Lis’ thoughts on recent kiln projects:

"These “lacy light” tea lights look great!  I’ll make some more."

After slumping a newly made red tea light over a mold in the kiln:

“Oh, no!  This tea light has turned into a disaster!  The “tendrils” are sticking to the mold and bending inward.  I’ll fire it differently again in the kiln.  There’s room for this small pyramid, too.”

After this firing the red “tendrils” of the tea light ran onto the pyramid.  Another disaster!  She cut the two objects apart.  Look at these unusual creations – something totally new and fresh!

Make sure to stop by and see Lis Simpson at Studio # 13; Sandra Cole Burke is her host artist.

Maria Szente-Bodor

Another new artist to introduce you to Maria Szente-Bodor
Maria is a potter

Here are some pictures of her work

Marie shares ...... Two decades later still the most exited moment is when I open my kiln after glaze firing

Visit Maria at Studio #5 on this years Tour. She is a guest artist at Monica Gennaro's studio. 

Gregory Varano

Time to introduce another new Tour member. 

Gregory Varano is an award-winning photographer who resides in Stouffville, Ontario Canada. Varano has worked for many English and Italian publications in both Canada and Italy. His audience know him for his classic black and white style and photojournalistic approach. Varano has won acclaim for his cinematic “ film noir” style.

                        
                         Trees & the Dirt Road 19^th Ave “Markham Ontario”

The photograph taken of this wonderful setting off 19^th Ave just east of HWY 48 in Markham. This is a digital photograph taken with a Leica M8

24mm Summicron lens. Printed on Platine photo rag paper with an Epson 3800 printer.

                        Dimensions,  19.4”x 15.4 inches approx.

                         Unity Of Their Spirit

The photograph is a depiction of the spirit and hope of woman from all seven continents uniting. Febuary 2013

This is an analogue  4x5 inch film photograph. Baryta based paper, Epson 3800 printer. Painting on back of model is metalic pigment make up.

Dimensions 19.2 X  15.2 inches.

These two of recent photographs have been accepted into the Uxbridge Celebration of the Arts - Juried Art Show. This exhibition runs from September 23 to September 27 

Visit Greg at Studio #21 on this years Tour. 

Ed Keith

Ed is one of our potters He has been a favourite on the Tour for many years. 

Recently he did some firing in downtown Toronto and at his home in Ballantrae. 

More information about Raku pottery from Wikipedia is here 

Here are some recent photos of recent Raku events. 

Some from the verandah of the Gardiner Museum and the others of some of my students from Cedar Ridge doing their firing in sunny Ballantrae.

Thank you Ed for sharing these pictures with us. 

Ed is Studio #7 on this years Tour. 

Monica Gennaro

Introducing another of our new Tour members..........

Monica Gennaro. Monica is a goldsmith working in gold and silver. 

She shares with us this story of a few days ago. 

Today it was wire pulling and twisting day. I had to reduce the wire from 2.00 mm to 1.5 and 1.00 mm thickness. I do it with a draw plate and draw thongs. 

This morning I did not pay attention for a second, and by grabbing the end of wire to short, it rock and I fell back on the floor. 

Considering that it was thick wire, I had to pull with lots of strength, wire had broken and with full force smacked myself to the floor. It did hurt a lot.

A picture of the draw plate and the draw thong

Monica is Studio 5 on this years Tour. Also this location has the pottery of Marie Szente-Bodon. 

A must see on this years Tour!

Ann Rosa

Our new member Ann Rosa shares her work with us.  

During a recent trip to the Yukon, Ann had the feeling the unspoiled wilderness was home to magical mermaids. This is the beginning of a mermaid wall sculpture. When completed it will measure 40" x 20" which  is why Ann is working in stages. It may even be complete by the tour!

This Aboriginal Chief is an example of many of Ann's works; it was created and sculpted in stages and took the better part of a year to complete. Inspiration for her art comes from dreams, therefore she feels the need to literally build from the dream and make it into a tangible form.  

Ann's creation of wall sculptures derived from a desire to create sculpture that can be displayed easily. Ann also paint in acrylic, watercolour and encaustic; each mediums yields a very different result.  

Ann has recently opened a gallery, PondeRosa Art Gallery, in her home that is available for viewing by appointment. Website is www.ponderosagallery.com and to set-up an appointment please call 416-788-9332.

"I'm really excited to participate in this years Stouffville Studio Tour and am looking forward to meeting all the guests who come to see my art work and studio."

Ann is Studio 3 on this year's tour.