Muskoka Autumn Studio Tour

Jon Partridge live on Breakfast Television

9/14/2018

In honour of our 40th Anniversary, founding Studio Tour member, Jon Partridge paid a visit to the Breakfast Television studio to talk about the history of the Tour and he even brought along his wheel!

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Why I Create.... Laura Carter

7/10/2017

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I believe that everyone is born with some form of creativity but some are born with an abundance of it and, from life's beginning to end, that creativity must be expressed in one way or another.
I was always drawing and painting through my childhood as well as taking music lessons.
We had no art classes in High School in my small town. When the Principal of our school called me into his office at the end of grade 13 and asked me what I planned to do with my future, my first choice was to study architecture, which proved to be impossible because of low math marks and no portfolio.
My second choice was to become an opera singer, a possibly achievable goal. I went on to study vocal performance in University and at the Royal Conservatory in Toronto.
Visual arts took a back seat through the first part of my adult life, though never totally.
I am one of those people for whom life stops in one moment and only a new life, a very different life, is possible in the future.
In my last 30s I was teaching and running a small interior design business.
One sunny summer afternoon all of that and much more came to an end when I ran head on into another car.
A year later, after I was home from hospital and working to recover, two things happened: the first was that I found the world around me unbelievably beautiful. I had missed so much in my busy former life. The other was an urge, a necessity, to recreate my new life in some meaningful way. I turned to an old love. I turned to painting, to watercolours.
First I had to develop technical skills I lacked, but soon I was exhibiting my work and within 4 years had my first show at the Kaspar Gallery in the Yorkville area of Toronto.
I continue, over the 36 years since then to try through painting to express that joy for the beauty I saw and felt back then and continue to see and feel today. That is what inspires me to create.

Update: Laura Carter is not a current member of the Studio Tour, please visit her website to contact her directly.

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Ask the Artist: Stan Tait

9/28/2016

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Name: Stan W Tait
Medium: Fine Sterling Silver Jewellery

How long have you worked in this medium? 42 years.

Were you formally trained or self-taught? Self taught and began my career in Vancouver. Was influenced by the West Coast Native designers.

What do you love about your medium? Creating new designs and the ability to form art out of pure creativity.

What is your least favourite aspect of your medium? Does not apply. I love all aspects.

What do you listen to when you’re working in the studio? For 41 years CBC. Currently various podcasts like This American Life, Wayne Dyer and Invisibilia.

Favourite things to do when you’re not working in the studio? Recording my original music. I have been a working musician for over 50 years.

Favourite artist/craftsperson of all time and why? John Lennon. Pure creativity and insight.

Favourite book? The Prophet.

How long have you lived in Muskoka? 32 years.

Favourite restaurants in Muskoka? Wabora, R & L Pasta and the Thirsty Judge.

Favourite road to drive in Muskoka? Highway 141 to Rosseau.

Favourite place to hike, bike or walk in Muskoka? By the falls near downtown Bracebridge and Huckleberry Rock.

If you weren’t an artist/craftsperson, what would you be instead? Studio musician and poet.

Update: Stan Tait is not a current member of the Studio Tour, please visit his website to contact him directly.

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Ask the Artist: Miranda Britton

9/23/2016

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Name: Miranda Britton
Medium: Jewellery (mostly)

How long have you worked in this medium? 10 years.

Were you formally trained or self-taught? I received a BFA in visual art from Simon Fraser University in Vancouver and then returned to school five years later to study jewellery making at the Haliburton School for the Arts.

What do you love about your medium? As a maker of wearable art, I am always designing with the human body in mind. I really love the intimacy that develops between the wearer and the piece.

What is your least favourite aspect of your medium? The inherent value of my raw materials. Not only are precious metals and gemstones expensive for me to purchase, but they also come loaded with all sorts of references to status and privilege and unethical labour practices. At some point I would love to design a collection created from some type of waste materials, it just hasn't come to me yet...

What do you listen to when you’re working in the studio? Everything. CBC 1 and 2 (depending on the time of day), Bahamas or Plants and Animals when I need to chill, LCD Soundsystem when I've got a long production day and Death from Above when I've got a tight deadline.

Favourite things to do when you’re not working in the studio?
Hang out at home with my kids; eat delicious food, drink delicious drinks and laugh with family and friends; go to concerts with my husband; garden and spend time outside by myself.

Favourite artist / craftsperson of all time and why? Too many to name, but right now, I'm really loving the work of jeweller and artist Amy Tavern. I really connect with her approach to art making, both her process and her final product.

How long have you lived in Muskoka? 38 years minus my university years (which I spent in Vancouver).

Favourite restaurants in Muskoka? So many to choose from, but definitely The Griffin Gastropub for a tasty pub meal and the best selection of tasty beers, Crossroads for its lovely patio and meals made from local ingredients, the verandah at Windermere House for the gorgeous view out over Lake Rosseau, and the Deli Lama for healthy deliciousness.

Favourite road to drive in Muskoka? Highway 141 through the Raymond Valley.

Favourite place to hike, bike or walk in Muskoka? My own property in Windermere.

If you weren’t an artist/craftsperson, what would you be instead? An architect? A gallery/boutique owner? The founder of an arts school? A farmer? I've daydreamed about soooo many different careers!

Visit Miranda's Artist Page to learn more about her work.

('Ask the Artist' is an ongoing Q&A series that provides a little bit of insight into the lives of the members of the Muskoka Autumn Studio Tour)

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Ask the Artist: Catherine O'Mara

9/20/2016

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Name: Catherine O'Mara
Medium: Egg Tempera

How long have you worked in this medium? 17 years.

Were you formally trained or self-taught? Self taught.

What do you love about your medium? The ability to achieve a great depth of colour with thin, transparent layers.

What is your least favourite aspect of your medium? Waiting for it to completely cure (dry).

What do you listen to when you’re working in the studio? Mostly CBC 2 ....also CBC 1, my own cd's ( wide variety).

Favourite things to do when you’re not working in the studio? Gardening and walking.

Favourite artist / craftsperson of all time and why? There are many... Vincent Van Gogh.

Favourite book? I will choose from just the past year... the Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry.

How long have you lived in Muskoka? 51 years.

Favourite restaurants in Muskoka? This is too hard !! My friends' places, Little Place by the Lights, The Norsemen, Three Guys and a Stove.

Favourite road to drive in Muskoka? The Limberlost of course!

Favourite place to hike, bike or walk in Muskoka? Limberlost Wildlife Reserve.

If you weren’t an artist/craftsperson, what would you be instead? A florist or a something to do with gardening ... maybe a landscape architect.

Visit Catherine's Artist Page to learn more about her work.

('Ask the Artist' is an ongoing Q&A series that provides a little bit of insight into the lives of the members of the Muskoka Autumn Studio Tour)

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Ask the Artist: Jennifer Pimentel

9/16/2016

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Name: Jennifer Pimentel
Medium: Pencil drawings

How long have you worked in this medium? 30+ years.

Were you formally trained or self-taught? Self-taught.

What do you love about your medium? Classic, clean & simple.

What is your least favourite aspect of your medium? It's very time consuming.

What do you listen to when you’re working in the studio?Farming & gardening podcasts.

Favourite things to do when you’re not working in the studio? Gardening, time with my partner & my dog at our cabin, hiking, and kayaking.

Favourite artist / craftsperson of all time and why? I like many, no single favourite.

Favourite book? Ishmael by Daniel Quinn, A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry, East of Eden by John Steinbeck.

How long have you lived in Muskoka? 9 years.

Favourite restaurants in Muskoka? Spencer's Tall Trees, Bo's Authentic Thai Cuisine.

Favourite road to drive in Muskoka? Early morning on Highway 35.

Favourite place to hike, bike or walk in Muskoka? Hard to beat early mornings in Algonquin Park, but also Limberlost Wildlife Reserve is pretty spectacular.

If you weren’t an artist/craftsperson, what would you be instead? An organic farmer.

Update: Jennifer is not a current member of the Studio Tour. Please visit her website to contact her directly.

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Ask the Artist: Mary-Ruth Newell

9/12/2016

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Name: M-R Newell
Medium: Wood-fired Stoneware

How long have you worked in this medium? About 20 years.

Were you formally trained or self-taught? Mostly self taught but had the really good fortune of taking a few courses from exceptional teachers.... (glaze technology, for example, which is insanely important to the functional potter).

What do you love about your medium? I love that I can take a lump of clay throw it into a form. Fire it, and serve food to my family and friends in it the next day. The turnover can be a matter of a couple of days... highly rewarding... almost visceral satisfaction.

What is your least favourite aspect of your medium? I think most potters would smile and say glazing is their least favourite aspect.

What do you listen to when you’re working in the studio? I have been a devoted, some say rabid, fan of Rush since I was a teenager... with over 40 years of music to chose from, there is always something to listen to that suits your mood.

Favourite things to do when you’re not working in the studio? I love to bake and cook, hang out with my husband and dogs. I walk, bike, kayak, read and drink copious amounts of coffee. I'm also learning to spin my dog's hair into wool - he's a samoyed and the hair is quite wool-like.

Favourite artist / craftsperson of all time and why? Hmmm... well obviously every guy in Rush... but my favourite potter is John Leach... a third generation British potter.

Favourite book? Nothing I have read has ever surpassed my love of To Kill A Mockingbird.

How long have you lived in Muskoka? I've lived in Muskoka all of my life, save when I went to university.

Favourite restaurants in Muskoka? We don't eat out much... we're vegan.

Favourite road to drive in Muskoka? Highway 141 from Utterson to Rosseau.

Favourite place to hike, bike or walk in Muskoka? Stephenson Road 8. We walk from our house around to number 8 a few times a day. With our dogs we see a wetland full of herons, moose, bitterns, deer, ducks, hawks. We've seen northern lights dancing over the pond, full moons, a lunar eclipse... oh and some mosquitoes and deer flies... if you live in muskoka you know the drill!

If you weren’t an artist/craftsperson, what would you be instead? Tough question. I have so many interests... maybe a baker or a chef in my own vegan restaurant.

Visit Mary-Ruth's Artist Page to learn more about her work.

('Ask the Artist' is an ongoing Q&A series that provides a little bit of insight into the lives of the members of the Muskoka Autumn Studio Tour)

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Ask the Artist: Jim Carter

9/7/2016

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Name: Jim Carter
Medium: Wood/Iron

How long have you worked in this medium? I have worked in wood for 12 years.

Were you formally trained or self-taught? I was self taught.

What do you love about your medium? The best part of working with wood is that we get to enjoy the outdoors when milling the wood.

What is your least favourite aspect of your medium? The least favourite is the heavy lifting.

What do you listen to when you’re working in the studio? I listen to 70s rock and country.

Favourite things to do when you’re not working in the studio? My favourite thing to do is camping and travelling.

Favourite artist / craftsperson of all time? My favourite artist is Samuel Yellin, he was a master blacksmith and metal designer. 1885-1940.

Favourite book? My favourite books are usually on history.

How long have you lived in Muskoka? I have lived in Muskoka for 44 years.

Favourite restaurant in Muskoka? Wabora in Bracebridge.

Favourite road to drive in Muskoka? All of them.

Favourite place to hike, bike or walk in Muskoka? I like to hike around High Falls in Bracebridge.

If you weren’t an artist/craftsperson, what would you be instead? I would have worked for Natural Resources or in forestry.

Update: Jim is not a current member of the Studio Tour. Please visit his website to contact him directly.

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Ask the artist: Elizabeth Johnson

8/31/2016

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Name: Elizabeth Johnson
Medium: Painting - oils, watercolours, acrylics

How long have you worked in this medium? 35 years.

Were you formally trained or self-taught? I studied art at the University of Guelph and Haliburton School of the Arts and with various Canadian and American painters. Most of my learning was through books and by just painting.

What do you love about your medium? The tactile nature of the medium. the expressiveness of the brush stroke, the blending of the colours, the design pattern of the values. I love getting out in nature and taking the time to really look and observe nature. It's a meditative kind of art, best executed in silence and solitude. There's a real euphoria I get when I hang my work on the wall and step back to assess it and see that it truly captures the mood of the scene and is beautiful. I love meeting my clients, too.

What is your least favourite aspect of your medium? Painting is a solitary occupation. Sometimes it can get a bit lonely. You have to be your own motivator and your own sales person. The hardest part for me is the marketing of my work.

What do you listen to when you’re working in the studio? Silence, sometimes classical music and sometimes CBC radio.

Favourite things to do when you’re not working in the studio? Since I am largely a plein air painter, I don't work a lot in the studio. Outside of painting, I take care of my big family - I cook, help run the family businesses, garden and hike. I love going on hiking holidays. I also have a little cabin that I love to escape to.

Favourite artist / craftsperson of all time and why? Hard question. The Beaver Hall Group, ( Kathleen Morris, Anne Savage) are my heroes. Not only were they wonderful painters, and hard workers, they were the first group of Canadian women whose art was taken seriously and not considered just a hobby.

Favourite book? 101 Famous Poems, Jane Eyre, Lord of the Rings.

How long have you lived in Muskoka? 27 years.

Favourite restaurant in Muskoka? My daughter's wood-fired pizzeria, Pizza on Earth.

Favourite road to drive in Muskoka? Hwy 35 from Dorset to Carvarvon.

Favourite place to hike, bike or walk in Muskoka? The trails at the old Leslie Frost Centre in Dorset.

If you weren’t an artist/craftsperson, what would you be instead? Can't imagine being anything other than a painter! But, if I had to choose a second best, I'd be a writer.

Update: Elizabeth is not a current member of the Studio Tour, please visit her website to contact her directly.

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Ask the Artist: Pam Carnochan

8/26/2016

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Name: Pam Carnochan
Medium: Watercolour with Wool

How long have you worked in this medium? Approximately nine years.

Were you formally trained or self-taught? I was self taught, this art form just came to me one night while playing around with my dyed wool.

What do you love about your medium? I love the flexibility and the intuitive nature of this way of painting using wool.

What is your least favourite aspect of your medium? Shearing the sheep!!! They hate having their hair cut.

What do you listen to when you’re working in the studio? Music of all forms and sometimes comedy podcasts.

Favourite things to do when you’re not working in the studio? Gardening, biking and hiking and just being outside.

Favourite artist / craftsperson of all time and why? Tom Thompson, because he broke the rules and just explored the world through his paintings. He has challenged us to be adventurous in art expression as well.

Favourite book? OHHHH that is too hard - there are many - but Best Laid Plans is a good laugh.

How long have you lived in Muskoka? 23 years.

Favourite restaurant in Muskoka? That Little Place by the Lights.

Favourite road to drive in Muskoka? Hwy 60. It never gets old.

Favourite place to hike, bike or walk in Muskoka? Algonquin Park for all three (plus swimming, skiing and paddling).

If you weren’t an artist/craftsperson, what would you be instead? I’m also a B&B owner, and love doing that as well, but I don’t think we are ever just one thing, as many of us are also parents, and that job doesn’t show up on the resume.

Visit Pam's Artist Page to learn more about her work.

('Ask the Artist' is an ongoing Q&A series that provides a little bit of insight into the lives of the members of the Muskoka Autumn Studio Tour)