Ampere's STEAM School in Lindsay returns for its second year in September 2025, expanding its classes in science, technology, engineering, art, and math to include children aged five to eight as well as those aged nine to 12. Enrolment opens on September 9, with classes for children aged five to eight on Tuesdays and for those aged nine to 12 on Wednesdays. (Photo: Ampere)
School bells are ringing for children in Kawartha Lakes who are interested in science, technology, engineering, art, and math (STEAM).
Ampere has announced its STEAM School in Lindsay is returning for its second year, expanding to include children aged five to eight as well as those aged nine to 12.
Enrolment kicks off on Tuesday, September 9 for kids aged five to 12 years old to attend the STEAM School, which is hosted in the Kawartha Lakes Makerspace & Skills Hub at 12 Peel Street and runs weekly.
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Ampere is the only STEAM-focused private school in Kawartha Lakes, and offers traditional academics combined with hands-on and play-based STEAM learning aimed at helping students develop essential critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
“We are hoping that this school offers a new way for youth in the community to deeply explore topics that interest them in an environment focused entirely on STEAM,” Ryan Oliver, CEO and founder of Ampere, told kawarthaNOW before the school launched in 2024.
According to a media release, Ampere has adjusted this year’s curriculum to meet the needs of five to eight year olds as well as making other changes.
“Last year’s STEAM school for nine to 12 year olds had overwhelmingly positive feedback, but we also learned a lot,” said Ampere chief operating officer Caitlin Patterson. “This year we are making significant improvements by incorporating more immersive experiences, more guest speakers, and we’ve expanded our curriculum so that we can also cater to younger students between the ages of five to eight.”
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The school offers an inclusive, “culturally responsive environment” where every student is given space to thrive, contribute meaningfully, and feel a sense of belonging in a community designed for and with them, Ampere noted.
“At Ampere, we truly believe that STEAM is for everyone and understand that everyone, including our youngest learners, learns differently,” Patterson said. “By embracing a learner-led approach, and small class sizes, STEAM School educators are able to engage with each student in the most impactful way possible.”
Rather than adhering to rigid schedules and activity plans, learners at STEAM School have some choices in what they do and how they absorb new knowledge and experience, while still engaging in work that aligns with the Ontario curriculum.
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STEAM School offers flexible attendance and enrolment options. Enrolment for single sessions is $65 per day. For those interested in a longer-term commitment, a full session of two months, one day per week, is available for $45 per day.
Drop-off for STEAM School starts at 8:30 a.m. and pick-up is from 3:10 to 3:30 p.m. Kids aged five to eight will be attending on Tuesdays and those aged nine to 12 will take classes on Wednesdays.
To learn more about STEAM School and to enrol, visit steamschools.ca.
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Founded in Pangnirtung in Nunavut and formerly known as the Pinnguaq Association, Ampere has partnered with rural, remote and Indigenous communities for more than a decade to provide access STEAM education and opportunities.
The organization offers programming through its makerspaces in Lindsay, Iqaluit, Nunavut, and New Brunswick, and works directly with community partners, social organizations, governmental funders, and educational institutions across the country.
Ampere applies a “lifecycle approach” to ensure that it’s supporting learners at every age and in every stage of life.
A 46-year-old Marmora and Lake man is facing attempted murder and other charges after allegedly firing shots at a home in Marmora and Lake Township in Hastings County on Wednesday afternoon (August 27).
Just after 1 p.m., a person called police reporting that shots had been fired at the home on High Shore Road near Highway 7, just west of Marmora.
After officers with the Central Hastings Ontario Provincial Police (OPP), OPP Emergency Response Team, and the Canine Unit arrived on the scene, they located a suspect less than an hour later and arrested him without incident. Police say there were no serious injuries as a result of the shooting incident.
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After an investigation that included members of the Central Hastings OPP Crime Unit and Forensic Identification Services, police charged 46-year-old Jason Fluke of Marmora and Lake with attempted murder along with 12 other charges.
The other charges are discharge of a firearm with intent, careless use of a firearm, pointing a firearm, using a firearm while committing an offence, possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose, unauthorized possession of a firearm, careless storage of a firearm, uttering threats to cause death or bodily harm, forcible entry, break and enter, theft under $5,000, and mischief by destroying or damaging property.
The accused man is being held in police custody with a bail hearing scheduled before the Ontario Court of Justice in Belleville on Thursday.
Frank and Anna Maria Buxton retired to Douro 11 years ago to be close to family and have the space to grow their own vegetables. They installed a heat pump in 2023, and are planning a solar installation for this fall. Since they began retrofits, their utility costs have fallen drastically. (Photo: Clara Blakelock / GreenUP)
After living in countries around the world, Frank and Anna Maria Buxton decided to settle in a century home in Douro upon Frank’s retirement 11 years ago. It was a place they could be within easy traveling distance of their family, while having the space to grow their own vegetables.
Each week, GreenUP provides a story related to the environment. This week’s story is by Clara Blakelock, Home Energy Program Manager, GreenUP.
When their propane furnace was on its last legs in 2023, Frank and Anna Maria made the decision to give their home a major upgrade: an all-electric air source heat pump that would provide them with reliable heating, as well as cooling.
“The furnace had been dying for a long time,” explains Frank. “Every winter it would stop working once or twice and we would get it repaired. When we finally decided to replace it, we knew we wanted a heat pump because it was so efficient. We also didn’t have air conditioning in the home, so that was a great addition as well.”
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The couple had GreenUP energy advisor Bryn MaGee perform an energy audit in order to access the incentive program available at the time.
“Bryn was very helpful — really good and thorough,” Frank says. “He showed us where air sealing was needed and I was able to fix the issues myself, mostly just with some cans of spray foam.”
“I had read about blower door tests, but after having it done I would highly recommend it to others. It’s so simple, but you get such valuable information from it that can easily translate to hundreds of dollars in energy savings.”
The Buxtons’ heat pump, installed in 2023, provides both heating and cooling to the home. Air conditioning was an added bonus, as it was something the home never had before. The heat pump is centrally ducted and has been able to operate successfully using the home’s existing ductwork. (Photo: Clara Blakelock / GreenUP)
After installing the heat pump and improving the home’s airtightness by 12 per cent, the couple were able to lower their home’s energy usage by 35 per cent and their greenhouse gas emissions by a staggering 78 per cent — an annual reduction of nearly seven tonnes.
“Our heating cost is about one third of what we used to spend when we were heating with propane,” says Anna Maria. “We also found out where the mice were getting in during the energy audit.”
Frank and Anna Maria have now been heating their home with the heat pump for two winters, and find that the electric backup system rarely if ever needs to turn on.
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Even though they were warned during the installation that their ductwork wasn’t the ideal, they have had no comfort issues. They are planning to install solar panels later this fall to further reduce their utility costs.
The couple has been recommending heat pumps to others since their successful retrofit.
“Some people are confused about them — they think because they’re called ‘heat pumps’ that they don’t also do cooling, but they do,” says Anna Maria. “And really, they have been around for a long time, especially in other parts of the world. My 80-year-old aunt in Italy had one in the 1990s.”
The Buxtons will install a solar array on the roof of their garage in the fall of 2025. With this addition, they will be able to produce almost as much electricity onsite as they use in the home. (Photo: Clara Blakelock / GreenUP)
City of Peterborough residents can learn more about heat pumps at an in-person workshop. GreenUP and EnviroCentre, on behalf of Better Homes Peterborough, will host HVAC specialist Cory Rawn of 123 HVAC at the GreenUP office on Wednesday, September 10 from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m.
Sign up for the Better Homes Peterborough newsletter at betterhomesptbo.ca to be notified of registration details.
Additional workshops on other home energy topics will follow throughout the fall.
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Peterborough County residents can enter to win one of five free EnerGuide assessments from GreenUP (each a $600 value) by filling in the Sustainable and Climate Change Action Survey at engage.ptbocounty.ca/sustainability-and-climate-change-action-plan before it closes on September 1.
Heat pump workshops are also planned for this fall in Peterborough County.
Follow GreenUP on social media @ptbogreenup for details to come.
Peterborough poet Jon Hedderwick during a test shoot for the short film "Enkidu", adapted from his 2023 play of the same name. Hedderwick will also star in the title role of the film, which is based on a character from the ancient poem the Epic of Gilgamesh and will be set in a deep and lightless limestone cave in Ontario. (Supplied photo)
Peterborough poet Jon Hedderwick and a team of independent Peterborough-based filmmakers are creating a short film called Enkidu, adapted from Hedderwick’s play of the same name which itself is based on a character from the world’s oldest surviving piece of literature, and are launching a crowdfunding campaign to cover the costs of shooting the film.
Hedderwick will also perform the title role in Enkidu, which is being co-written and directed by Zachary Barmania, with Ayesha Lye as executive producer and Rob Viscardis as cinematographer. The film’s score will be composed by garbageface (a.k.a. Karol Orzechowski), who also composed and performed the score for the original play.
“This project is deeply personal,” says Hedderwick, who premiered his play at The Theatre on King in downtown Peterborough in January 2023. “It’s a rare gift to perform work so close to my heart, with a team that believes in its vision.”
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The team is launching a campaign on Kickstarter to raise $4,200 to complete principal photography for Enkidu, which will be set in a deep and lightless limestone cave in Ontario.
“The opportunity to film scenes deep underground in a cave setting presents a rare and thrilling challenge,” Viscardis says. “I’m eager to bring light, mood, and atmosphere to an environment that, in its natural state, offers none.”
The $4,200 in funds will be used for a two-day shoot in the cave and a one-day studio shoot, with filming scheduled to take place from October 16 to 18.
“Enkidu” co-writer and actor Jon Hedderwick (with his back to the camera), cinematographer Rob Viscardis, co-writer and director Zachary Barmania, and executive producer and sound technician Ayesha Lye during a test shoot in a deep and lightless limestone cave in Ontario. (Supplied photo)
“I was inspired by the compelling themes, beautiful prose, and potential for a dynamic video adaptation,” Lye says. “We have done rigorous planning to make sure our film is feasible within the cave, including three site visits and a test shoot.”
Enkidu is one of the central figures in the Epic of Gilgamesh, an epic poem written in ancient Mesopotamia between 2100 and 1200 BC and regarded as a foundational work in religion and the tradition of heroic sagas.
Created by the gods to stop the Urak king Gilgamesh from oppressing his people, Enkidu embodies the wild or natural world and is depicted as being part man and part bull. After the sacred prostitute Shamhat tames Enkidu, he travels to Uruk to challenge Gilgamesh to a contest of strength. While Gilgamesh wins, the two become friends and later kill the Bull of Heaven, after which the gods sentence Enkidu to death and kill him.
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In Hedderwick’s original play, the once mighty Enkidu is trapped in the subterranean afterlife of ancient Sumer. He lingers between worlds, tethered to the past by failing memories and unable or unwilling to let go. If he can remember — if he can assemble the dream house and complete the ritual — perhaps the gods will send him a good dream and show him the way back to his life with Gilgamesh.
According to a media release, the film adaptation of Hedderwick’s play will be “a psychological fantasy horror” that “explores mental illness, grief, identity, and sexuality through stylized visuals and haunting sound design.”
“Enkidu’s memories come to life around him through highly stylized imagery,” says Barmania. “It will be simple, but large scale.”
“Enkidu” co-writer and actor Jon Hedderwick during a test shoot in a deep and lightless limestone cave in Ontario. Hedderwick and a team of independent Peterborough-based filmmakers are launching a Kickstarter to raise funds to shoot the film in a cave and in studio. (Supplied photo)
“Enkidu becomes a call to reimagine our relationship with the Earth,” reads the media release. “By weaving ancient wisdom into a cinematic narrative, the film offers a powerfully emotional entry point into environmental awareness, sexuality, and mental health; inspiring viewers to be guided in their search for balance and understanding by things that are bigger, deeper and older than we are.”
“The all-or-nothing campaign offers unique, locally crafted perks — handwritten postcards from set, stickers, premiere invitations, a custom hoodie, and handcrafted model Dreamhouses made by Hedderwick himself,” according to the release.
Venture13, Northumberland County's Innovation and Entrepreneurship Centre, was launched in 2018. Facilities include the VentureZone Co-working Space, the Venture13 MakeLab, as well as the offices of anchor organizations making up the V13 Board of Partners. (Photo: Venture13 / Facebook)
Business owners and entrepreneurs in Cobourg can tap into tools and resources this fall aimed at helping them and their companies succeed.
The Town of Cobourg’s economic development department and Venture13 Innovation and Entrepreneurship Centre have unveiled a lineup of programs, seminars and workshops, which kick off with the first session on Wednesday, September 3 at Venture13 in Cobourg.
According to a media release, the series will benefit aspiring entrepreneurs, business professionals, and anyone seeking to elevate their business by equipping them with the tools they need to succeed in today’s rapidly evolving business landscape.
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Daniel Van Kampen, Cobourg’s manager of economic development, shared his thoughts on the series of offerings for the business community.
“This fall’s programming features a range of sessions designed to provide existing businesses with practical resources and tools to strengthen resiliency, including the Protect Yourself Series, Funding Forum, and Business Accelerate Series,” Van Kampen told kawarthaNOW.
“These initiatives directly align with the town’s economic development strategy, approved by council in 2023, which emphasizes key priorities such as supporting downtown vitality, strengthening existing businesses, workforce development, investment readiness, and fostering entrepreneurship and innovation. All our programming is built around advancing these priorities.”
He said the department is also excited to present two “fireside chats” this season.
“These discussions will provide valuable insights and encourage meaningful dialogue within the business community,” Van Kampen added.
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Below is the rundown by date of the various events, all of which take place at Venture13 at 739 D’Arcy Street in Cobourg.
Protect Yourself Series – Intellectual Property
Wednesday, September 3, noon to 1:30 p.m.
The Protect Yourself Series addresses common operating and legal issues, equipping participants with the knowledge to navigate these complexities and protect their business interests. Presented by Smart + Biggar principal Tony Orsi, the Intellectual Property session is designed to empower creators, entrepreneurs, and innovators by exploring explore how to identify, protect, and leverage IP assets, from trademarks and patents to copyrights and trade secrets.
Business Accelerate Series – Sales Funnel Management
Wednesday, September 10, noon to 1:30 p.m.
Presented by local digital media strategist Erin Law of the Story Unlocked, Sales Funnel Management will dive deep into the art of creating a tailored sales funnel that resonates with local customers. From attracting new leads to converting them into repeat buyers, this session will provide attendees with practical tools and strategies to boost their sales and grow their local business.
Protect Yourself Series – Cybersecurity
Wednesday, October 1, noon to 1:30 p.m.
The Protect Yourself Series addresses common operating and legal issues, equipping participants with the knowledge to navigate these complexities and protect their business interests. Presented by Iceberg Cyber founder and CEO Michael Bakaic, the Cybersecurity session will lay out the practical steps people can take to secure their digital life, including having strong passwords, keeping computers up to date, and being savvy about phishing emails.
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Cobourg Growth and Development Symposium
Thursday, October 2, 8:30 to 11 a.m.
The annual growth and development symposium will provide a development update over the past year and a discussion among development professionals about leading urban growth and development trends.
Fireside Chat Series – AI in the Hospitality Industry
Thursday, October 2, 5:30 to 7 p.m.
Open to the public, the Fireside Chat Series is focused on local business and community development, providing an intimate and welcoming space for learning, discussion, and networking, with food and drinks provided. AI in the Hospitality Industry will explore how artificial intelligence is shaping the dining and service industries and how local businesses are adapting to these changes.
STEM Education Program – PA Day STEM Camp
Friday, October 24, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m
Youth aged 11 to 14 will dive into the world of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) through fun and engaging activities designed to spark curiosity and creativity, including coding challenges, robotics, engineering experiments, and interactive science demos.
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Fireside Chat Series – The Spirit of Small Businesses
Thursday, November 6, 5:30 to 7 p.m.
Open to the public, the Fireside Chat Series is focused on local business and community development, providing an intimate and welcoming space for learning, discussion, and networking, with food and drinks provided. The Spirit of Small Businesses session will highlight the important role that small businesses, independent artisans, and home-based entrepreneurs play during the holiday season, with attendees invited to share stories, ideas, and inspiration and to connect with others who care about keeping the spirit of local alive during the busiest time of year.
Funding Forum: Rural Opportunities – Round 3
Thursday, November 13, 9 to 10:30 a.m.
Presented in partnership with the Northumberland Manufacturers Association, this funding forum features expert panellists Laurie Caouette, economic and business advisor at the Ministry of Rural Affairs, and Randy Lawrence, senior relationship manager at Farm Credit Canada, who will share insights on securing business funding, with a focus on crafting compelling funding applications.
Business Accelerate Series – Digital Storytelling
Wednesday, December 3, noon to 1:30 p.m
Presented by local digital media strategist Erin Law of the Story Unlocked, this interactive workshop will break down the power of digital storytelling and how local businesses can use it to captivate, convert, and retain customers. Attendees will learn how to craft a compelling brand story, apply it across their website and social media channels, and use proven storytelling techniques to boost engagement and sales.
In addition to the above sessions, The Business Blend is a monthly discussion where small business owners and entrepreneurs can share their experiences and learn from others in a structured format. Sessions take place Thursday mornings from 9 to 10 a.m. on September 4, October 9, November 6, and December 4.
The Lakefield ReStore is located at 3001 Lakefield Road in Selwyn Township. (Photo: Google Maps)
Only 14 months after it opened, the Lakefield ReStore will be closing in the fall.
Habitat for Humanity Peterborough & Kawartha Region (Habitat PKR) announced on Wednesday (August 27) that the store at 3001 Lakefield Road in Selwyn Township will close at the end of the day on Tuesday, September 30.
“Like many local businesses, the Lakefield ReStore has faced challenges over the past year that have made continuing operations unsustainable,” reads an email from Habitat PKR. “While we are deeply saddened by this closure, it is a necessary step to ensure that Habitat PKR can continue to focus on our core mission of building safe and affordable housing for local families. ”
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Habitat ReStores are non-profit home improvement and building supply stores that accept and resell quality new and gently used building materials, furniture, appliances, and home décor items. Shopping, donating, and volunteering at ReStores supports Habitat PKR’s affordable homeownership projects and the environment by diverting items from landfills.
The Lakefield ReStore, which officially opened on July 24 last year in the former Overstock Liquidation building, replaced the ReStore at 550 Braidwood Avenue in Peterborough that Habitat PKR closed in June 2024 after it was unable to renew its lease.
According to Habitat PKR, a storewide closure sale will begin after the Labour Day weekend on Tuesday (September 2) and the Lakefield ReStore will stop accepting donations after Saturday, September 6.
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Also on September 6, a special yard sale will take place at both the Lakefield ReStore and the Peterborough ReStore at 300 Milroy Drive with “great discounts on home décor items to help move stock.”
“We want to sincerely thank every person who has shopped, donated, and volunteered at the Lakefield ReStore,” Habitat PKR’s email reads. “Your support has been instrumental in furthering our mission of affordable housing in the Peterborough & Kawartha Region.”
The organization notes that its two remaining locations — the Peterborough ReStore at 300 Milroy Drive and the Lindsay ReStore at 55 Angeline Street North in Lindsay — remain open to accept donations and for shopping, and that the closure of the Lakefield ReStore will not affect its affordable housing programs.
Just before the Labour Day long weekend, total fire bans have been lifted in some areas of the greater Kawarthas region.
On Wednesday (August 27), both the City of Kawartha Lakes and Northumberland County announced that open-air burn bans are no longer in place, effective immediately, due to significant rainfall in some areas, cooler temperatures, and more rain in the forecast.
This means that campfires, fire pits, outdoor fireplaces, charcoal-burning barbeques, and fireworks are again permitted in Kawartha Lakes and Northumberland County, subject to any regular municipal restrictions.
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In Kawartha Lakes, the burn hazard index remains at high, with elevated fire risks from large amounts of storm debris from the spring ice storm and localized precipitation.
“Lifting the ban does not mean the risk has passed,” said Kawartha Lakes Fire Chief Terry Jones in a media release.
“There’s still plenty of dry, combustible material on the ground from spring storm damage, and rainfall has been uneven across our communities. If you choose to burn or use fireworks, do so responsibly — keep it small, keep water close by, and never leave a fire unattended. If it’s too windy, don’t burn.”
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Northumberland County is reminding residents to follow their local municipal open-air burning by-laws and to always use extreme caution when performing open air burns.
Haliburton County lifted its fire ban effective August 28, 2025. Outdoor nighttime burning is once again permitted between 7 p.m. and 7 a.m. in the townships of Algonquin Highlands, Minden Hills, Highlands East. and Dysart et al. Daytime burning between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. is prohibited until October 31.
As for Peterborough County, Cavan Monaghan Township lifted its burn ban last Wednesday (August 20), with campfires permitted between the hours of 7 p.m. and 6 a.m.
On Tuesday (August 26), Selwyn Township lifted its burn ban to allow campfires, outdoor fireplaces, fire pits, and chimineas; however, waste and brush burning and agricultural burns remain prohibited.
As of the date and time of this story, the remaining six municipalities in Peterborough County have fire bans in place, with a county-wide fire ban also continuing in Haliburton County. As for the City of Peterborough, open-air burning is never permitted with the city’s boundaries.
"Wild Wagi" by David Grieve, one of the 33 artists participating in the 32nd annual Apsley Autumn Studio Tour on September 20 and 21, 2025. With a summer studio on Jack Lake, Grieve has a distinct painting style using thick swatches of oil paint on canvas to create images inspired by Ontario landscapes. During the tour, he will be at Studio G, located at 17 Fire Route 52A in Apsley, with mosaicist Anja Hertle. (Photo: David Grieve / Instagram)
For more than three decades, the Apsley Autumn Studio Tour in North Kawartha has not only given locals and visitors the chance to get an inside look at the vibrant and diverse works of art that are inspired by the region — and the studios they are created in — but it has also been a vehicle for building a creative community.
“Apsley’s spent a lot of time and energy being a happening place for cottagers and a hub for so many lakes,” says Sue Rankin, the treasurer of the volunteer-run tour and a participating artist. “With the Jack Lake Film Festival and the Creekside Music Festival, it’s really coming along, and it all started with the Apsley Autumn Studio Tour bringing people in and getting the support of the community.”
Featuring 33 artists across 12 studios, the free self-guided tour is returning for its 32nd year from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m on Saturday, September 20 and Sunday, September 21 — just as the fall foliage is turning to stunning yellows, reds, and oranges.
Returning to the 2025 Apsley Autumn Studio Tour on September 20 and 21, Jennifer Gordon is a self-taught artist who paints in her studios on Chandos Lake and in Panama. She takes inspiration from the natural beauty of the Canadian landscapes, using vibrant colour, and soft, bold brush strokes. During the self-guided tour, she will be located at Studio J on 638 Paw Road in Apsley. (Photo: Jennifer Gordon / Instagram)
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“Most of the artists are inspired by nature and their surroundings in some way,” Rankin says. “There’s just so much to draw from and, if we’re lucky, the colour is just peaking. It’s a great time to spend the weekend going from studio to studio in Apsley and the surrounding area.”
Though the fall colours make for a scenic backdrop, it’s not the main reason visitors plan their annual getaways and cottage trips around the weekend of the Apsley Autumn Studio Tour. From blown glass to mosaics with whimsical materials to honey products made on buzzing apiary in Coe Hill, there is a vast range of exceptional artwork that makes the fall studio tour a highly anticipated event every September.
“As a juried exhibition, the calibre of the work is very high and people are very excited to see what’s going on,” Rankin says. “Being a cottage event, you’d be hard-pressed to go to any studio and be the only one there. People focus in on that weekend — it’s a girls’ weekend, or a family weekend. It’s fun for everyone.”
As he does every year, glass artist Brad Copping will be one of the artists on the 2025 Apsley Autumn Studio Tour holding live demonstrations to give visitors a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the glass art. Throughout the weekend from September 20 to 21, he will be working out of Studio F, located at 645 Jack Lake Road in Apsley, where David Smith, Susan Rankin, Jillian Messervey, and Rusty Girl will also have artwork on display and for sale. (Photo: Paul Thomas)
While a printed map with all tour stops is available online or can be picked up at local businesses, it is also available through the free Toureka! app, which can be downloaded from the Apple App Store or Google Play and accessed even when you’re offline. With a bio and art samples for each participating artist, the app lets you find those you are most interested in visiting so you can curate your own route for the weekend.
Along with artists like Rankin who have been on the tour for decades and others who have returned after time away, there are four new artists on the tour this year, including glass artist Alex Anagnostou and encaustic and ceramicist Nina Sampaleanu, who will both be stationed at Studio D on Jack Lake. Also new is jewellery maker Glynis Williams, who can be found at Studio E, and potter Anne Young who is joining Tom Parsons at Studio B, his woodworking studio in Kawartha Highlands Provincial Park.
During the Apsley Autumn Studio Tour, visitors will be immersed into each artist’s world not only by seeing their studio, but by seeing demonstrations of the artistic processes that go into creating the original artworks.
One of 33 artists participating in the 2025 Apsley Autumn Studio Tour on September 20 and 21, Judy Sparkes is a ceramicist whose work is inspired by the community and nature around her and the joy that comes from sharing good food. She believes that handmade pottery can elevate the dining experience. Alongside Kathy Robichaud, Aubre Scott, Catharine Scott, Dolores Hopps, and Mary Ellen Gerster, she will be at Studio H during the tour, located at 2229 Balmer Road in Apsley. (Photo: Judy Sparkes / Instagram)
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For Rankin, some of the joy of the weekend comes from seeing the amazement as visitors to Jack Lake Road studio (Studio F on the tour) watch fellow glass artist Brad Copping demonstrate glass blowing.
“People love the demonstrations, and glassblowing is magical when you see it happening,” Rankin says. “Brad tells you exactly what’s going on, and then there’s that little bit of magic when the cup is done. It looks cold, like you could grab it, but then when you drop a piece of newspaper in, it bursts into flames. It’s really exciting to watch.”
By opening their studios up to visitors, Rankin says, the artists are able to make a personal connection with those who appreciate their artwork.
“It’s really great to be able to educate, because when people understand where the inspiration comes from and when they know the process and how much of each artist actually goes into the work, all of a sudden there’s a connection,” says Rankin. “When you purchase something, you feel like you’re taking home a piece of that artist.”
“Day’s End” by Barbara Miszkiel, one of the 33 artists participating in the 2025 Apsley Autumn Studio Tour. Alongside work by Tom Parsons and Anne Young, Miszkiel’s paintings will be on display and for sale at Studio B at 329 Fire Route 57 in Apsley during the 32nd annual self-guided tour, which takes place on September 20 and 21. (Photo: Barbara Miszkiel / Instagram)
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Rankin also enjoys connecting with visitors so she can give them extra details about her glass art — that her cups won’t lose their colour in the dishwasher, for example.
“It’s great having that opportunity because, when we send our work to galleries, we don’t get to have that interaction,” she says. “I think that connection to people seeing or buying your art is really important.”
As an artist who has participated in the Apsley Autumn Studio Tour for decades, Rankin has come to know a lot of the local cottagers, with some returning to her studio every September, but she’s also always excited to see new faces and share the beauty of the region and its art with them.
“There was a couple from New York City staying in Bancroft and when they came to the studio tour, they were completely blown away by the quality of the work and the variety of work,” she says. “They were amazed that this was happening, and that it happens every year, so that’s always really exciting to hear.”
Celtic earrings by Silver Timbers, one of the 33 artists participating in the 32nd annual Apsley Autumn Studio Tour on September 20 and 21, 2025. The sterling silver jewellery artist believes art is an essential element of attire and her pieces are designed to be worn at all times and for all occasions. During the self-guided tour, she will be based at Studio C, at 296 Burleigh Street in Apsley where Britt Olauson, Arne Roosman, and Lisa Mace will also be displaying their work. (Photo: Silver Timbers / Instagram)
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While the tour continues to attract more visitors every year, with around 400 people visiting Studio F alone throughout the weekend, it also serves an important role in supporting the arts community in Apsley and North Kawartha.
Not only do many of the participating artists lead art programs at local schools and the public library, but the Apsley Autumn Studio Tour annually grants an art award to one Grade 8 student from Apsley Public School who shows creative promise.
“It’s really nice to see how the community has started to really embrace more involvement in the arts,” Rankin says. “We really try to foster arts in the community, and that’s part of our mandate even beyond the weekend.”
For your convenience, below is an alphabetized list of the artists participating in the 2025 Apsley Studio Tour, complete with their disciplines and tour stop locations.
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.
Raising sheep introduced Rachel Conlin to creating with wool from hand-spinning and dyeing their fibres to felting. Completely self-taught, Rachel makes unique and wearable accessories from nature’s materials and all wool creations are made from sustainable and renewable wool fibre. This year, Rachel can be found at her new studio location on Finnegan’s Lake, just outside Coe Hill.
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.
Jacques Deslauriers is a self-taught woodworker who uses only wood from dead or fallen trees. Gnarls, insect holes, and spalted wood are his materials of choice. He is always ready for a creative challenge of any size.
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.
Returning to the tour, Jennifer Gordon is a self-taught artist who enjoys painting in her studios on Chandos Lake and in Panama. She is inspired by the natural beauty of the Canadian landscape at her 90-year-old log family cottage of four generations and uses vibrant colour and soft, bold brush strokes.
While retired art teacher Andrew Gregg has made art since his childhood in rural Australia and has been featured in local exhibitions, he mostly paints for pleasure while spending the summers on Rathbun Lake in Kawartha Highlands Provincial Park.
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.
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.
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.
After a brief absence, Lisa Mace is returning as 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.
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.
After a successful career both nationally and internationally in architecture, Barbara Miszkiel has returned to her original interest in fine arts, painting primarily in acrylics. Although Barbara has created new buildings most of her career, in painting she is drawn to old buildings, live subjects, and landscapes.
Molly Moldovan is a visual artist whose primary focus in recent years has been abstraction, though her repertoire has also embraced more conceptual work including multifaceted installations. She is drawn to intense colour, texture, and intent.
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.
Kelly O’Neill is a multidisciplinary visual artist who enjoys the immediacy of dry materials in her drawing practice, and engages with found objects, natural materials, video, assemblage, and textile practices to create three-dimensional forms and installations. The Selwyn-based artist studied sculpture and installation at Toronto’s OCAD University and Her work has been shown in galleries in Ontario, Quebec, and British Columbia.
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.
Joeann Pearson has been making non-traditional stained glass mosaics for 25 years. Her style is to make mosaics that use deliberately shaped, hand-cut larger pieces that are sometimes hand painted which are usually only used in the making of windows. She has always sought out nature spots to indulge in present moment awareness, and feels nature guides her work. After decades of visiting the family cottage on Chandos, she now resides full time on a small rural homestead in Apsley.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.”
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.
New to the tour this year, 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.
First 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 2024 Apsley Autumn Studio Tour, visit apsleystudiotour.com. You can also follow the Apsley Autumn Studio Tour on Facebook and Instagram.
Find the Apsley Autumn Studio Tour on the Toureka! app or download the tour map and watch for the black-and-white studio tour signs that mark each studio location. (Photo courtesy of Apsley Autumn Studio Tour)
This branded editorial was created in partnership with the Apsley Autumn Studio Tour. If your organization or business is interested in a branded editorial, contact us.
Matthew and Kristin Morgan and her husband Matthew are the owners of The Eyrie, a birds of prey facility near Apsley in North Kawartha Township that provides educational outreach and hosts demonstrations at their facility with the aim of providing interactions with raptors that inspire conservation. This past winter, the couple was flooded with support from the local community after they lost buildings due to weather and many of their raptors were poisoned. (Photo courtesy of The Eyrie)
For five years, The Eyrie has educated the public about raptors and the importance of conservation and, when the birds of prey centre near Apsley faced devastating losses this past winter, the community stepped up to give back and show them some much-needed support.
Located in the Township of North Kawartha, one of eight townships in Peterborough County, The Eyrie — which is named after the term for a raptor’s nest — has a mission to inspire conservation through meaningful education.
Husband-and-wife team Matthew and Kristin Morgan opened the facility in 2020 after spending many years training raptors and studying eco-tourism. The facility currently has 25 birds, including many born over the past few months, including species of hawks, owls, eagles, and falcons.
The Morgans host up-close, free-flight demonstrations both onsite at their facility and by touring to festivals, schools, campgrounds, fairs, and other events and venues. They also host photography sessions to give participants the opportunity to photograph the raptors in a natural setting, and provide commercial pest control services by using their raptors and dog to control nuisance animals like gulls and geese.
Seasonally, The Eyrie also hosts “owl prowls” where they take visitors out on their property in search of wild owls. All of this is offered with the hope that The Eyrie can give people an appreciation for raptors, their important role in the natural world, and how human activity can affect their survival.
“When people have a connection to something, they feel more strongly about it and they want to be more involved, learn more about it, and they become more aware as to what’s going on,” says Matthew. “We try to give people a connection to not just the raptors, but to all the wildlife that make up the really incredible place that is Canada and North America.”
Just days after losing a building due to heavy snowfall this past winter, The Eyrie in North Kawartha suffered a break-in in which unknown persons poisoned several of their raptors. While they were successful in nursing most of the birds back to health, The Eyrie was unable to save the live of their Eurasian eagle-owl named Echo. (Photo courtesy of The Eyrie)
Some of the many local organizations and businesses for which The Eyrie has hosted demonstrations this summer include Camp Kawartha, Viamede Resort, the Peterborough Public Library, the Municipality of Hastings County, Emily Provincial Park, and the Lakefield Fair.
To run their business, The Eyrie relies on services and products from local businesses including Apsley Home Hardware and Kemp’s Garage in Apsley, as well as Apsley Outdoor Power Equipment & Rentals which, according to Matthew, was instrumental in supporting the community during the spring ice storm and power outages.
The Eyrie has once again begun to host on-site demonstrations, following a devastating winter that made it necessary to restrict public access to their property.
During a major snow storm, one of the buildings collapsed and damaged equipment. Only about a week later, unknown persons entered the facility and caused harm to the raptors, with many of them falling ill with symptoms pointing to toxin ingestion. The Eyrie spent a lot of time and resources caring and healing the birds, though they were unable to do so for their Eurasian eagle-owl named Echo, who tragically lost his life.
As the Morgans navigated the loss and additional challenges — including damage to another building, the weathering area, during the spring ice storm — The Eyrie received support from regional wildlife reserves and rehabilitation centres. Most recently, Bowmanville’s Soper Creek Wildlife Rescue donated food for the raptors.
“That support definitely helps in a time when we were feeling a little bit isolated,” Matthew says. “We’re a pretty small community but we do a good job of keeping each other supported.”
The Local Advantage in Peterborough County is a branded editorial feature series about locally owned independent businesses in Peterborough County, created in partnership with Peterborough County’s Economic Development & Tourism Division.
As part of its response to the impact of U.S. tariffs, Peterborough County is showcasing the many unique businesses located in the county, both by sharing their stories of success and how they support both residents and other businesses in their communities.
Whether by shopping at local businesses, dining at local restaurants, staying at local accommodation, or enjoying local experiences, residents and visitors can enhance the economic resilience of Peterborough County during these challenging times and help establish a sustainable foundation for the future.
For more information about economic development and tourism in Peterborough County, visit www.ptbocounty.ca/ecdev and The Kawarthas Tourism at thekawarthas.ca.
This summer, Apsley real estate agent Tania Rightmyer set out to complete a self-imposed challenge to stand-up paddleboard along the entire perimeter of Chandos Lake, one of the largest lakes in the region, to see every cottage from the water's view. Over the course of eight days, 15 hours, and more than 70 kilometres, she met with many neighbours, saw wildlife, and raised awareness about how clean the lake is. (Photo via Tania Rightmyer / Facebook)
If you were on Chandos Lake this summer and noticed a woman dressed in pink paddleboarding by your cottage, you weren’t the only one. In fact, over the course of eight days and 15 hours this summer, Tania Rightmyer paddled past every property on the North Kawartha lake.
On Sunday (August 24), Rightmyer paddled to her own dock where her two daughters stood with champagne, and danced to music by P!nk to celebrate the completion of her self-imposed challenge to stand-up paddleboard the lake’s entire perimeter and every island with a cottage.
With many neighbours cheering her on along the way, she racked up a total 72.57 kilometres on the water to complete the challenge.
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“For me, it’s about the sense of community, but I also love to set a challenge for myself and make sure I get it done,” she says. “I’ve always been a water girl and I’ve done every water sport, but ever since paddleboarding came in, I just loved it as soon as I started doing it.”
Someone who loves to keep her “brain and body busy,” Rightmyer sets a New Year’s goal — not a resolution — for herself to complete every year, like doing the CN Tower Edge Walk or learning to speak Spanish. This year, her goal was to see every cottage on the lake from the water’s view.
“This (year’s goal) was big in the sense that it brought the community together,” she says. “A big part was I wanted to bring awareness to how incredibly clean our lake is and that everybody works hard at caring for it, and that’s very important to everybody that’s a cottager on Chandos.”
Tania Rightmyer used the Strava app to track her distance and time for the eight days and 15 hours over the summer when she travelled more than 70 kilometres around the shoreline of Chandos Lake on her stand-up paddleboard. She began her journey on June 8 and wrapped it up on August 24, 2025. (Graphics via Tania Rightmyer / Facebook)
A real estate agent with BALL Real Estate Inc. Brokerage in Apsley, Rightmyer was born and raised in Peterborough but has been been visiting the lake since she was seven years old and began visiting the cottage her parents built in 1977. Now, she resides at the property as much as she can from May through October.
Paddling early in the mornings, Rightmyer set out on her paddleboarding challenge for the first time on June 8, leaving her property on the south side of the narrows, heading southwest into West Bay.
She tracked her mileage and time through the Strava app and wore her favourite colour, pink, so she would be recognized by cottagers and seen by her two daughters who chauffeured her to each day’s starting and end points.
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“I didn’t want to rush because I would chat with people that I knew at their docks for a bit, so on the first day, I had to readjust my mindset that’s it’s not about how fast I go,” Rightmyer says.
“It’s about just being here and enjoying every minute of it and living in the moment of it. I get in a hypnotic state where I just get on a roll, and I get into the groove where life is pure bliss. I keep going and before I knew it, three hours were done.”
In stints of two to three hours each day that she paddled, Rightmyer achieved her goal of seeing all the roughly 1,200 cottages on the lake, which is one of the largest in the area.
According to Tanya Rightmyer, Chandos Lake is in her family’s blood as she has been going there since she was seven years old. She says one of the highlights of completing her self-imposed challenge to stand-up paddleboard around the North Kawartha lake was doing so with her adult daughters, who dropped her off and picked her up during each leg of the journey. (Photo via Tania Rightmyer / Facebook)
“I’d see little unique things on people’s properties, like signs that are special to them,” she says.
“(I saw) really cute original old cottages, which would be over 100 years old, to places that are now being rebuilt into modern cottages. It was just a really cool blend of the uniqueness of each property, and everybody has pride in the property they own — you can just see it. Everybody loves their spot on the lake.”
But the cottages weren’t the only things Rightmyer was excited to be seeing along the journey.
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“I saw lots of wildlife like loons, (great) blue herons, and turtles,” she says. “It was pretty sweet — almost brings tears to your eyes, just watching nature in its own element.”
Because she posted her challenge in regional Facebook groups and the story spread quickly around the community, she was being recognized and cheered on for doing the challenge, even when she wasn’t paddling but out in the community.
She even started a competition, urging viewers to post photos of her paddling for a chance to win a $50 Shantilly’s Place marina gift card.
Tanya Rightmyer jumps off her stand-up paddleboard on August 24, 2025 to celebrate completing her personal challenge of paddling along the entire shoreline and around each island with a cottage on it on Chandos Lake. It was an opportunity to chat with cottagers on the lake, see wildlife, and raise awareness about how clean the lake is. (Photo via Tania Rightmyer / Facebook)
“People would open up their windows and it’d be early morning, so you could tell they’re having breakfast, and they would yell because they were excited for me,” Rightmyer says. “Everybody was so lovely, and I wish I had been able to stop at everybody’s dock that offered a chat — but I would never have gotten it done.”
In addition to encouragement from her neighbours, Rightmyer says she couldn’t have done the challenge without the help from her two daughters, Taylor and Kennedy Daly.
“It’s nice as a mom to be a role model for your kids, even when they’re adult kids, so to see them cheering me on and smiling when I came in — that was the highlight,” she says. “I always say Chandos Lake is in our blood.”
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