After skipping the 2020 tour due to the pandemic, the Madawaska Valley Studio Tour is back for 2021.
The Tour will happen July 16th to 18th and October 1st to 3rd. Each day, visitors can pop in at various artists’ studios from 10 am until 5 pm.
Sigrid Geddes, Spokesperson for the Tour and owner of Sigrid Natural Skin Care in Wilno, says last year was the first time the tour was cancelled in 28 years. Because of this, the artists are really excited to do this again as things move back to normal. As an artisan, Geddes says the exchange you have with your customers is a big part of your life, and it’s great to have that back.
19 artists across the region are part of the tour. Aside from painters and sculptures, there will be a variety of other artisans participating in the tour, like glass smiths, basket weavers, toymakers, metalsmiths and jewel smiths, as well as artisans dealing in pottery, skincare, bee products, and knives. Artists hail from Combermere, Barry’s Bay, Wilno, Killaloe, Eganville, Pikwakanagan and Quadeville. A full list can be found on the Madawaska Studio Tour Website.
Geddes says on top of that, the Tour has a new and improved brochure. As well as the map showing where each artist you can visit is located, there is also a new “Along the Way” section. This section serves as a way to find special places around the area for tourists to visit. Geddes says it’s an excellent way to plan a day trip in the area. The brochure can be found in stores across the region.
When the event comes, visitors will only need to follow the red maple leaf signs that will be scattered throughout the area. Geddes says many studios will have live demonstrations of how they make their art during the studio tour dates, and it’s a great way to get close to many local artists.