Among the array of autumn colours, travelling between visits with artists, one will find a wonderful medley of creations on the annual Images Thanksgiving Studio Tour.
The annual event began Friday and runs until Monday, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Most of the stops are in Oro-Medonte, with some also in Orillia.
From paintings and photography to pottery and woodworking, from the wild world of encaustic art to jewelry and glass sculptures, there are many treasures to find.
At Dave Beckett’s Studio, his son, Todd — who moved in about three months ago after his father died — reminisced of past Thanksgivings spent there.
He and his wife, Heather, would prepare dinner and be waiting for Dave to return from the gallery.
“He always had an open door,” Heather said with a smile.
The couple noted the many paintings in the studio and beyond, explaining one in particular is the last original piece that had prints made.
On the other hand, they have four prints remaining and don’t know who owns the original of a red canoe that sits on a still lake.
They point to the very canoe Beckett painted, stored in the back of the property. This excited one tour participant, Deborah Moore, who saw another red canoe painting and needed it for her home.
Moore is new to the area and happy to have been given a recommendation to enjoy the Images Than ksgiving Studio Tour this weekend.
Farther down Horseshoe Valley Road, the works of Heather Kerslake and Xavier Fernandes are on display. Kerslake enjoys exploring “the many ways of doing things,” she said of her art.
Pieces like These Guys can be viewed from any angle to see a different face. Many people touring the studios return every year, though some bring with them friends who have joined them for the first time.
A couple came from Toronto to visit friends for the weekend, noting that since doing so, this is their second visit to the Images Thanksgiving Studio tour and they enjoy it.
Fernandes’s woodworking attracts young and old; the handcrafted spin tops are a hit with the children and will last a lifetime of play.
At Vettä Nordic Spa are Francy Forte and “Peter the Potter” (Michalski), as he introduced himself to the many people who have visited them.
Forte’s unique encaustic artworks demand working with molten substance applied to wood, “not canvas,” she noted.
“It has a mind of its own,” so being flexible in what she sets out to create is required.
Many visitors ask Michalski if he names his creations, like the gnarled tree-trunk guises, but he said they don’t require names until they find a home with someone.
The tour includes a number of artists who show their work together, like the trio on Fairway Court. Jan Novak, Tamara Scarce and Debra Shelswell show photography and mixed-media creations along with their fun-filled greeting.
“Welcome to the outdoor-indoor gallery,” Novak said as more people arrived at the studio.
More information about the tour, including a map of the numerous stops, can be found here.
