Summer might soon be coming to an end, but that means we are just weeks away from stunning fall colours and an annual celebration of the vibrant arts community in North Kawartha Township.
The Apsley Autumn Studio Tour is returning for its 33rd year on Saturday, September 19 and Sunday, September 20. From 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., you can step into nine studio spaces across the township to browse work from 27 juried local and visiting artists and get a behind-the-scenes look into their creative process.
“A lot of people will say they can’t wait for the studio tour every year and it’s something they really look forward to,” says Apsley Autumn Studio Tour president and participating artist Britt Olauson.
“Women like to make it an annual girls’ weekend so they can get to the cottage and also go shopping and find all these very unique items that you wouldn’t find in a store in downtown Toronto or wherever else. But we also have a huge support from cottagers and locals.”
From sterling silver jewellery to mosaic glass work to woodworking to carved stone to vibrant acrylic paintings, there’s a wide range of art forms and mediums featured on the tour. Much of these original works are created by artists inspired by the natural beauty of where they live and work.
“Most of the artists on the tour really enjoy getting out into nature and take a lot of inspiration from the flora and fauna of this area and the landscape,” Olauson notes. “Most of us kayak or hike or camp and get out a bit as well as doing our work in the studio. The arts community is really thriving in this area and the tour is a great way to see that work.”
A woodworker herself, Olauson has been a regular participant of the tour and says one of the best parts is getting to connect with visitors who might not otherwise have the chance to step inside the studio.
“Often people don’t even know there’s an artist working in the space until we open up the doors on that weekend,” she says. “People are allowed to come in and check out the space and enjoy all the incredible things that we do every day that they don’t even know about.”
“As an artist, you’re working alone most of the time. I deal with my clients one-on-one, but when I’m actually making in the studio it’s just me. So having the chance to feel that energy of people that are super into what you’re doing is so satisfying, and keeps you going through the year.”
Visitors can plan their tour route by picking up one of the printed maps available at selected businesses across North Kawartha or at the participating studio locations during the weekend.
Alternatively, the map is available through the free Toureka! app, which can be downloaded from the Apple App Store or Google Play. The app offers biographies and art samples for each participating artist so you can curate your weekend with the tour stops you are most excited about. After you’ve selected the artists you wish to visit, the app will curate a route for you which can be accessed even when you’re offline.
“The Toureka! app has been really great for helping people to plan their route and have a preview of the artists involved, so they can figure out which ones they really want to visit if they don’t have time to do it all,” says Olauson.
That includes the four studios on the tour where artists will be not just be showing their work and connecting with visitors, but leading demonstrations that demystify their creative process.
“It definitely gives a better understanding of all the work that’s put into the final pieces that we present during the studio tour or in shows or festivals,” Olauson says. “With glassblowing, for example, it starts from a liquid state and there are so many different steps to getting it to the end result. It helps people appreciate how much work goes into what we’re doing and have a better understanding of how things are made.”
Over its 33 years, Olauson says the Apsley Autumn Studio Tour has not just been instrumental in exposing visitors to the talented artists who work in the region, but in helping artists build their own community.
“Word of mouth gets around and then collaborations start between the artists,” Olauson points out. “Last winter, I had this really nice couple call and ask if I’d be interested in making a custom hanging for a textile piece that they had bought from another artist at the studio tour. Things started happening organically and we ended up working together through the people that come to support us.”
Connections made through the studio tour is how Olauson first met local painter Arne Roosman, who is being honoured during this year’s studio tour. Roosman, who has been a participating artist on the tour for roughly two decades including last year, passed away this past January at the age of 93.
“From the moment I met him, we were great friends,” Olauson says. “He was so inspiring, and such a wonderful spirit and so creative. He was a huge inspiration for anyone that met him, just with his zest for life and his spirit. He was an amazing artist as well on top of all of that, so we’ll miss him but we’re so lucky that we had him in this area and involved in the arts community.”
To further honour the acclaimed artist, the annual award the tour gives to a Grade 8 student from Apsley Public School has been renamed the Arne Roosman Award in Arts. It’s given to a graduating student who shows promise for arts and creativity.
“We think it’s important to support the youth and children in our communities to continue or embrace their creative sides,” Olauson says. “It’s to help foster the creative arts because they don’t have too much art in school these days. We don’t want to lose that so we’re trying to help kids continue to grow creatively.”
For your convenience, below is an alphabetized list of the artists participating in the 2026 Apsley Autumn Studio Tour, complete with their disciplines and tour stop locations, as well as a copy of the tour map.
Alex Anagnostou (Glass Art, Studio D)
Alex Anagnostou is a glass artist who has worked in the visual arts field for over 20 years. Sculpting blown and cast glass combined with metal, much of her work is inspired by how glass has expanded our ability to see on a microscopic and macroscopic level.
Read more about Alex Anagnostou.
Rachel Conlin (Artisan Wool, Studio O)
A lifelong visual artist, Rachel Conlin was introduced to the magic of wool when she farmed sheep. Now a full-time artist, she paints with wool by needle felting and dyeing the fibres.
She uses a combination of an industrial felting machine and a handheld felting machine before finishing all pieces by hand to create one-of-a-kind tapestries and clothing. She hand-dyes her fibre to achieve the perfect blend of colours.
Read more about Rachel Conlin.
Brad Copping (Visual Art and Glass Art, Studio F)
Working from his home on the edge of the Canadian Shield, Brad Copping maintains a successful practice as both a sculptor and a functional glass blower, often traversing the line between. His work examines how we live with each other within physical spaces, and often references water in some form. He will be doing hot glass demonstrations for the tour.
Read more about Brad Copping.
Mary Ellen Gerster (Painting, Studio H)
Mary Ellen Gerster sees the world according to shape, value, and colour, immersing the viewer in her bright and glowing watercolour paintings. Through the layering of transparent colours she creates photo realism in her still life, fruit, flowers and waterscapes. She is inspired and challenged by subjects with strong lights, shadows, shapes, colours and is especially drawn to high contrast and bright colours.
Read more about Mary Ellen Gerster.
David Grieve (Painting, Studio G)
First introduced to oil painting as a child, David Grieve 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.
Read more about David Grieve.
Anja Hertle (Mosaics, Studio G)
Anja Hertle 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.
Read more about Anja Hertle.
Dolores Hopps (Fabric Art, Studio H)
Dolores Hopps’ 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.
Read more about Dolores Hopps.
Lisa Mace (Painting, Studio C)
Lisa Mace is a long-time participant of the Apsley Studio Tour. While you can expect to see elements of her previous techniques, her art has evolved and she is introducing fresh twists, new subjects, and a variety of materials and tools she’s been experimenting with.
Read more about Lisa Mace.
Jillian Messervey (Textiles, Studio F)
Jillian Messervey is a Peterborough-based weaver who is inspired by colours and textures she sees in nature, and who uses natural fibres and traditional patterns to make hard-working and functional pieces that also decorate the home or wearer. Her blankets, scarved, and towels are woven by hand on her antique floor looms.
Read more about Jillian Messervey.
Barbara Miszkiel (Painting, Studio B)
An architect by profession, Barbara Miszkiel traded blueprints for paintbrushes. With an eclectic style, she follows whatever catches her eye: old barns with good bones, quirkily indoor scenes, wildlife that refuses to sit still, and landscapes in every season. Working mostly in acrylics, she layers, scrapes, and experiments until something on the canvas clicks.
Read more about Barbara Miszkiel.
Molly Moldovan (Visual Arts, Studio M)
A visual artist, Molly Moldovan’s primary focus in recent years has been abstraction and, occasionally, conceptual work. Her art tends toward dramatic gesture and emotional colour and sometimes reflects the ever-changing beauty of her surroundings. She is drawn equally to intense colour, texture, and intent.
Read more about Molly Moldovan.
Britt Olauson (Woodworking, Studio C)
Britt Olauson enjoys making custom furniture in an old-school manner using traditional joinery to ensure the object is made to last. She employs traditional woodworking techniques in making her functional designs.
Read more about Britt Olauson.
Tom Parsons (Woodworking, Studio B)
Working out of his studio on Looncall Lake in Kawartha Highlands, woodworker Tom Parsons enjoys working collaboratively with clients who can choose from a wide range of wood species for their projects. From burl bowls and bird’s eye maple end tables to walnut charcuterie boards and live-edge tables, he is always making something.
Read more about Tom Parsons.
Judy Ranieri (Fibre Art, Studio E)
After working for many years in the tech industry, Judy Ranieri retired and began to explore her creative passions. Many of Judy’s projects are inspired by nature and utilize natural fibres, fabric, colour, design, and textures to create one of a kind textile and fabric art pieces.
Read more about Rudy Ranieri.
Susan Rankin (Glass Art, Studio F)
In her 30-year career as a glass artist, Susan Rankin 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.
Read more about Susan Rankin.
Kathy Robichaud (Stained Glass, Studio H)
Kathy Robichaud 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.
Read more about Kathy Robichaud.
Brenda Rudder (Painting, Studio E)
Brenda Rudder is a wildlife artist who specializes in creating artworks on natural wood. Her pieces are rich in intricate details and vibrant colours, showcasing a deep connection and passion for the natural world. Having experimented with many media over the years, she now solely uses acrylics on reclaimed wood scraps from a local mill.
Read more about Brenda Rudder.
Nina Sampaleanu (Encaustics & Ceramics, Studio D)
Born in Romania, Nina Sampaleanu discovered her passion for art when she moved to Canada and began a career working in mixed media, using wax, wood, metal, paper, and other materials. Her pottery explores themes of destruction and fragility and of strength and materiality.
Read more about Nina Sampaleanu.
Aubre Scott (Pyrography, Studio H)
Aubre Scott (Piping Hot Pyro Studio) is an emerging artist based out of Whitby. She began working with pyrography (wood-burning) in 2021, gaining inspiration from the scenery, landscapes, and wildlife of the local area.
Read more about Aubre Scott.
Catharine Scott (Jewellery, Studio H)
Catharine Scott 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.
Read more about Catharine Scott.
Clare Scott-Taggart aka Rusty Girl (Metal Sculpture, Studio F)
Clare Scott-Taggart (Rusty Girl) has worked in metal for the past 30 years. She maintains a small studio in Thousand Islands where she recently moved and continues to create birdbaths, climbers, and trellises.
Read more about Clare Scott-Taggart.
David Smith (Painting, Studio F)
After a 36-year career as a graphic designer, illustrator, and colour correction artist, David Smith creates landscape painting and does printmaking full time from his home studio in North Kawartha. A leader in the arts, he has had solo exhibitions, sits on exhibition juries, has won awards, and taught painting and general art workshops for adults and teens.
Read more about David Smith.
Judy Sparkes (Pottery, Studio H)
Obsessed with the relationship between great food and handmade pottery, Judy Sparkes believes eating from handmade pots elevates the dining experience. Her work is carefully hand crafted to be enjoyed as everyday art.
Read more about Judy Sparkes.
Marci Swift (Beekeeping, Studio O)
Marci Smith is the “queen bee” behind Swift Acres Apiary & Farm in Apsley, where she and her family offer raw unpasteurized honey products, beeswax candles, and natural body essentials like beeswax lip balm and goat’s milk soap.
Read more about Marci Swift.
Silver Timbers (Sterling Silver Jewellery, Studio C)
From the delicate to the dramatic, Silver Timbers’ jewellery designs are timeless treasures, which will serve as wearable art for years to come.
“I believe that jewellery is an essential element of attire,” the artist states. “Even when I am riding camels in the Moroccan desert, I wear my bracelets. My pieces are designed to be worn 24/7 wherever you are in the world.”
Read more about Silver Timbers.
Glynis Williams (Jewellery, Studio E)
Having created with sterling silver for many years, Glynis Williams finds designing jewellery pieces and the manipulation of metal as both challenging and fun. After heating, bending, hammering, sawing, soldering, and completing the final polishing stage, she turns a one-of-a-kind object into a wearable piece of art.
Read more about Glynis Williams.
Anne Young (Pottery, Studio B)
Anne Young is a guest artist who works just west of Peterborough and has loved clay, glazes, and firing pottery for over 45 years. Her functional high-fired work is easily recognized by the spirited swirled handles, colourful glazes, and bark-like texture on the outside of a lot of pieces. Her non-functional Raku work features horsehair, feathers, and sugar sprinkles.
Read more about Anne Young.
2026 Apsley Autumn Studio Tour Map
2026 Apsley Autumn Studio Tour MapFirst launched in 1994, the Apsley Autumn Studio Tour creates public awareness of the arts by promoting and supporting artists in the community.
For more information on the 2026 Apsley Autumn Studio Tour, visit apsleystudiotour.com. You can also follow the Apsley Autumn Studio Tour on Facebook and Instagram.
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