ELORA – After cancelling last year’s event due to the pandemic, organizers are looking forward to welcoming back the Elora Fergus Studio Tour this weekend.
This year’s annual event will run the weekends of Sept. 25 to 26 and Oct. 2 to 3. Studios will be open from 10am to 5pm.
During open studio weekends, pick up a map at the centre and plan your route.
Take a self-guided tour and meet both established and emerging artists where they live and work, from basements to self-contained studios.
As part of the tour, the Elora Centre for the Arts is currently featuring a sample piece from each of the 32 participating artists in its gallery. All original art on display is available for purchase.
“They can expect wonderful art,” said event organizer Gail Brown. “People have been pent up for a year and a half producing and working on things so there’s really a lot of variety and a range of media and the quality is absolutely excellent.”
Brown said some of the media will include paintings in oil acrylic, water colour, pastels, works with hot glass, stained mosaic pieces, mixed media, fire and weaving, ceramics and wood sculptures.
“We’ve just got such a wide wide range of talent,” she explained.
The tour is free of charge. Visitors will get a chance to meet directly with the artists, and often see work not shown in gallery settings.
Organizers suggest visitors begin the Studio Tour at the Elora Centre for the Arts where they will have access to maps and directions, tours of the heritage building, public washrooms and free parking.
Most of the Elora studios can be visited by foot. Out-of-town studios require a car. Watch for purple and steel sandwich board signs which will clearly mark studio locations.
The event will also include a draw. Be the lucky “tour-ist” to win the Studio Tour Draw $250 prize. Fill out a ballot at one of the studios during the tour for a chance to win.
The winner will be drawn in November and notified by phone. This gift certificate can be redeemed at one or a combination of the studios on this year’s tour.
Masking and social distancing protocols will be in place. There may be added requirements for some studios. Some places may require proof of vaccination. Organizers are asking all visitors respect these requests.
For more information about the Elora Fergus Studio Tour and participating artists, or to view an online map, visit their website https://elorafergusstudiotour.com.
