Getting ready for the Tour

Marie Messina is very busy these days .

"I’m working hard getting my pots ready for a glaze firing.
As usual so much to do only 2 months to go!!!!"

Make sure to see the finished works of art at studio #17 on this years Tour.

Strawberries As Art - Lis Simpson

Since Stouffville's annual Strawberry Festival is in full swing this is the perfect time to share some of the ways that the delicious strawberry can inspire art!

Below, jewellery maker and Studio Tour artist Lis Simpson explains how she was able to create a replica strawberry from glass!

Last summer I made a glass strawberry in class.... 

Take a fresh strawberry and put it stem down into clay:

Coat it with a release resin and build a plastic cylinder around it to create a mold:

Add plaster; when plaster is set, remove the plastic cylinder and fire the mold, burning out the strawberry.  Fill the mold with glass frit, and fire again.  

When cooled, break the mold away from the glass strawberry.  Voila!

Thanks Lis! 

Robin Rees

Studio Tour artist Robin Rees shares some photos of her new work. We are very pleased that Robin is back on the Tour after her sabbatical. 

Here are some photos of a piece I have just finished for a client. The first photo is the finished piece in copper wire, it is then treated with liver of sulphur to change it to a very ugly black.  The piece is then selectively polished to highlight the warm colour of the copper.

Potential future Tour member

Marie Messina shares some pictures of her teaching a new generation pottery. Looks like they were having fun ...... maybe a new Tour member in a few years?

Art Times 3

Studio Tour artists Grace MacPherson, Diana Bullock and Allison Bullock were the subject of a recent article in Good Life Magazine York Region Edition. For the complete magazine please visit here  and scroll down to the York Region edition at the bottom of the page.

Here is the article

All credits to Good Life Magazine

Picture of artists by Mary Cook 

Images of art (c) the artists