The Nine Painters of the 2024 Apsley Studio Tour

By Carolyn Jongeward

The 2024 Apsley Autumn Studio Tour—coming up on the third weekend of September—will showcase the work of 30 participating artists in 11 locations throughout the Apsley area. The scope of artistic creation has attracted tour-goers for over 30 years. Visitors meet and chat with the artists and discover exciting work in a wide range of materials and processes: ceramics, fibre art, glass art, jewelry, mosaics, metalwork, painting, printmaking, pyrography, woodwork.

This article highlights the work of nine artists who will be showing their paintings during this year’s Apsley Studio Tour, each reflecting a unique artistic approach for expressing their inspiration and passion: Mary Ellen Gerster, Andrew Gregg, David Grieve, Carolyn Jongeward, Barbara Miszkiel, Molly Moldovan, Arne Roosman, Brenda Rudder, David Smith. Here’s a glimpse into the creative life of these painters.

Mary Ellen Gerster loves the lively colour, fluidity, and transparency of watercolour for expressing her unique style of painting on paper. Through layering transparent colours, she creates photorealism in waterscapes and still life paintings of fruit and flowers. The layering of glazes of transparent colours transmits light, allowing for high contrast and bright colour. Working with fine brushes or large wash brushes, she can create finely detailed work or loose and fluid reflections and shadows. Mary Ellen lives and works in Lindsay, Ontario.

For Andrew Gregg, landscape painting or drawing deepens his appreciation of everything he sees in his environment. He feels a part of the endless rock, water, and forest of the Canadian Shield. He loves working with ink: which, when diluted, is atmospheric or, undiluted, provides endless possibilities for drawing, particularly when using twigs and experimental implements. His childhood was in rural Australia, and since retirement he lives six months in Melbourne and six months at Rathbun Lake in Kawartha Highlands Provincial Park.

David Grieve has been painting since childhood and has developed a distinctive style for creating images inspired by the Ontario landscape. He achieves unique effects by using a trowel or other unique tools to apply thick swaths of oil paint on canvas. Sometimes he’ll remove large sections of oil paint before it dries, resulting in unpredictable textures and also a hint of what was there before. David lives in Brantford, Ontario, and spends summers at the cottage on Jack Lake, where his paintings are inspired by the landscape, especially during early morning canoeing.

Carolyn Jongeward’s abstract art reflects an intuitive approach to painting, and her love of colour, form and pattern in nature. Some paintings are gestural expressions of vibrant colour, others convey intricate geometric patterns. She’s drawn by the scope of colour mixing, transparency and mark-making possible with acrylics. Her longtime work as tapestry weaver is evident in her paintings: some have a textile-like surface, others involve a woven structure. A lifelong cottager at Chandos Lake, she now lives and works there year round.

Barbara (Basia) Miszkiel experiences painting as a conversation on canvas. She loves the flexibility of acrylics and is inspired to convey the beauty of rural Ontario, including the range of texture and colour in landscapes and old buildings. In her landscapes she uses a range of brushstrokes and palette knife techniques to evoke texture and a sense of time. She also paints live subjects and tries to capture their uniqueness. Formerly an architect with an national and international career, Barbara lives in Toronto and at the cottage in North Kawartha.

For Molly Moldovan, the foundation of every painting is the landscape: the lake, forest and uninterrupted skyscape. Her inspiration from natural phenomena includes fall colours, northern lights, a colourful sunset, lunar eclipse, thunderstorm or a certain quality of light. Her approach is imaginative abstraction—near-landscapes and weather-scapes—driven by the tumultuous politics of our time. She has lived and worked in North Kawartha since graduating from OCA(D) with honours in fine art drawing and painting.

As Arne Roosman says, his parents were accomplished artists, so he grew up with a paintbrush in hand. During travels, especially to Sweden, Italy and Estonia, Arne captured his impressions in sketchbooks, as inspiration for later paintings on canvas. His art is also about what he observes in his own backyard—the seasons and wildlife. After painting with oils for many years, he now primarily uses acrylics. He chooses the highest quality materials available for his pens, charcoal sticks, watercolour pens and paints, brushes, paper and canvas. Arne lives in Apsley, Ontario.

Since childhood, Brenda Rudder has been drawing and painting animals. Her early years vacationing at Jack Lake ignited her love for nature and wildlife. She’s now a pet and wildlife artist, specializing in creating artwork on natural wood. She uses acrylics on reclaimed wood. Each piece of wood—already a work of art by nature—provides inspiration and the perfect canvas to express her love of nature. Her pieces are rich in detail and vibrant colour, revealing her passion for the beautiful colours and textures of the natural world.

For David Smith, the rhythm, colour and quality of light in the landscape has always been a source of inspiration for his work. He creates paintings in watercolour, acrylic or oil, appreciating the variety of expression he can achieve with different materials: washes and gradations with watercolour; graphic and colour qualities with acrylic; texture and colour blending with oil. Following a career in advertising, graphic design and colour retouching, he applies this knowledge to painting and printmaking. David lives in Apsley, Ontario.

The 2024 Apsley Studio Tour takes place on Saturday and Sunday, September 21 and 22, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.. For more information on the tour, the artists, a downloadable map and the link to our handy Toureka app, please visit the app page on our website.

The Apsley Studio Tour Group thanks everyone who came out to visit our studios on the 16th and 17th of September! It was a fabulous weekend to tour North Kawartha and meet the artists who help make our community a vibrant place to live.  The Group also thanks all of our sponsors who continue to support what we do.

A special thanks to the Township of North Kawartha and especially the Library which hosted our free draw for a beautiful work by the very talented Aubre Scott.  The draw was conducted on October 3 by Kim Tucker and Linda Fierheller.  The winner of the draw, Colleen Tedford, was presented with the pyrographic work by the artist on the Saturday of Thanksgiving Weekend. Congratulations to Colleen and thank you to everyone who entered.

We look forward to seeing you all again next year for the 31st annual Apsley Studio Tour, September 21-22, 2024.

We are celebrating 30 years!

The Apsley Studio Tour is renowned for the quality of the artists participating each year. This years tour includes 11 studio locations presenting 30 artists and artisans whose work encompasses a wide spectrum of disciplines.

ENTER OUR FREE DRAW to this piece of pyrographic art by new member Aubry Scott valued at $300.  The work is on display at the Apsley Branch of the North Kawartha Public Library until the close of this year’s tour.

Entry slips are available at the front desk of the Apsley branch of the library.

The North Kawartha Library is pleased to recognize and support the 30th year of the Apsley Autumn Studio Tour.

The Apsley Autumn Studio Tour would like to acknowledge the Township of North Kawartha for its support over the 30 years.

The Apsley Studio Tour Group strongly believes in creating public awareness of the Arts, promoting and supporting the artists in our community. In order to support that mission statement the group provides an annual award to student graduating from the Apsley Central Public School

This year the award was given to local student and budding young artist Lily Leslie.

Lily had been encouraged by her parents from a young age in her interest in art and creating art and Lily shows her talent for art through her paintings, expressing a sensitive appreciation of nature.

From all the members of the Apsley Studio Tour – Congratulations Lily! And all the best in the move to high school!

Written by Frances Timbers – 2023

Artists, artisans, and writers all imagine that ideal space to ply their crafts, whether it be a third-floor garret or an expansive glass studio overlooking the ocean. However, the reality is often quite different. When I was a professional weaver, my “studio” space was what a normal person would have used as a living room in my tiny log house in Apsley. No avoiding work to be done when the loom confronts you constantly! Then I put weaving on hold for awhile to pursue a PhD, and the loom went into storage.

After the completion of my degree, I found the time to once again pursue my creative interests. I studied jewellery making at the Haliburton School of Fine Arts and set up another type of studio space. At the time, I was spending four to six months in a little house in Panama. So I packed up all my shiny, new jewellery equipment in a suitcase and took it south. I created a tiny workspace on a ledge that was already in place under the living room window. But other than soldering, most of my jewellery making took place in the back patio area. Then life changed once again and I transported my (now rusty from tropical humidity) equipment into my son’s unheated garage in Peterborough. Another tiny, minimal space served the basic requirements.

Fast forward to September 2022. My long time dream of a “real” studio space finally came to fruition. My son and I built a 12 foot by 8 foot “shed” in the backyard of my Peterborough home. No insulation or electricity yet, but so far I have managed with a propane heater and a battery-powered light.

The moral of the story is that when the creative urge is strong in a person, perseverance is all it takes to find your place!!

Written by Anja Hertle. 2023

Commissions are a favourite part my mosaic work. I love to create truly personal pieces of art meaningful to my clients and if possible incorporating china or pottery that has been in their family for years. My process involves a sketch of the desired image and upon client approval I begin the mosaic process of cutting recycled china, pottery, tile and stained glass using tile nippers.  The tiny pieces plus findings like beads and buttons, get glued onto a substrate and then the entire piece is grouted. Each commission has a special place in my heart and I try to fully align my work with the client’s vision.

Generally my mosaics are finished art pieces ready to hang on a wall but these latest commissions were incorporated right into the design of their kitchens. Making sure the thickness of the mosaic plus it’s substrate and the accompanying backsplash tile were compatible, the grout colour the right choice and fitting the mosaic into the tile pattern in a pleasing manner were all challenges. Luckily my recent clients worked with really good tile contractors who were up to the challenge.

Sometimes clients entrust me with their grandma’s china or in one case even great-great-grandma’s, Including a tiny silver spoon! Of course I also dig through my vast collection of broken bits to find the colours, textures and patterns that complement each design.

Luckily family and friends and even visitors to the Apsley Studio Tour keep supplying me with lots of resources. But some colours are hard to find! How many of you have pink or orange dishes? Keep me in mind when you break that polka dotted mug and if you have a special project,I’m excited to tackle my next challenge!