It started with Art in the Barn.
Stella Wadsworth and three friends, all artists, held an art show in a barn that had been converted into a gallery, on Wadsworth’s Morris Road property.
It caught the attention of residents, and of other artists. “So many stopped me and said, how do we get in on that?” said Wadsworth.
She and fellow “Bradford Group of Four” artist Maureen Joyce launched the first BWG Studio Art Tour 10 years ago, with the support of the town’s Economic Development office.
The EDO support was not all that surprising. The arts can be an economic driver, Wadsworth noted. “It does help generate economy, and brings people together – and it’s fun to do.”
The original theme was, 'Be a tourist in your own community'. The idea was that local artists would open their studios to the public, on a weekend. Visitors taking the self-directed tour could drop in, talk with the artists, and purchase unique works of art and craftsmanship. It was a great success.
Over the years, there have been changes. The Studio Art Tour has been reaching out to youth, and the focus has shifted from individual studios to group displays in accessible spaces. For the tenth annual Studio Art Tour, 21 artists and artisans will be showing their works in four locales.
Only Echoes in the Attic, the eco-chic company that transforms leftover and waste designer fabrics into ‘upcycled’ eco-friendly handbags and totes, will be opening the doors to its “girl cave” at 22 Gres Court – where co-founders Vicky Gerke and Laura Langevin create their stylish bags.
The other participating artists will be showing their works at the Bradford Public Library & Cultural Centre, BWG Leisure Centre, or Art in the Barn at 291 Morris Rd.
Wadsworth and Joyce will be joined by Kathryn Bury and Angie Horsley, at Art in the Barn – all painters in water colour and acrylics.
At the library, visitors will be able to view and purchase paintings by artists Ingrid Schienke, Marian Leeper, Jim Woods, Jean Tranmer, Mary Espinosa, Sylva Sroujian and Chad Williams, photographs by Safani Bunasekera, and the unique Krystal Energy jewellery of Vicky Topp.
Just across the road, the Leisure Centre will exhibit paintings and prints by Corrine Donnelly, Jim Craigmyle’s haunting photographs, pottery by Kirstin Bindsell, turned wood objects by Bill Burlton, and works by four youth artists.
But after 10 years, it’s time for a reboot and rebranding, Wadsworth said. The tour has received a County of Simcoe grant, and will be retaining a consultant and working with the local arts community to update and improve the tour, “to see how we can make it fresh, a little bit bigger and better.”
Visitors to this year’s Studio Art Tour will also be asked to submit suggestions and ideas, when they enter their ballots for a free draw.
The BWG Studio Art Tour will be taking place Sept. 15 and 16, with venues open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day. Admission is free. For more information, visit the website – or drop by the annual Artists’ Meet and Greet on Monday, August 27, from 7 to 9 p.m. at the BWG Public Library, 425 Holland St. W. The event is an opportunity to preview the artwork, talk with the artists – and discover which work of art the Town has decided to acquire, to add to its collection for public display.
