Reflections on our Home and Art: Artists of the Apsley Studio Tour Part 2

by Clare Scott-Taggart, 2025

The annual Apsley Studio Tour is a remarkable celebration of the creativity that is found among those living in the North Kawarthas. Thirty artists, working in a wide range of mediums, are present in seven studio locations to chat about and explain their work and inspiration. Using materials ranging from hand-spun wool to ceramics to live glass-blowing, the tour is sure to engage and inspire.

One of the younger members of the tour is Aubre Scott, who practices the art of pyrography. “I love to work with Pyrography (wood burning) because it is so unique and is a very captivating way to create artwork. It is more of an uncommon form of art and is very time consuming, which is perfect because I really like to be patient with what I produce,” says Aubre. “It also feels like a very natural and local way to create art by combining the use of wood from around the North Kawartha Region. The scenery and landscapes are so spectacular and at the same time, home to thousands of species which allow me to create artworks that connect with both the audience and myself.” When Aubre isn’t creating her intricate artwork, she is busy bagpiping at a competitive level throughout Ontario. You may even catch her performing at some highland games!

Discussing her artistic process, stained glass artist Joeann Pearson reflects that “the world needs the imperfection and nuances that happen when people are hands on. When one creates something, anything, it taps into that part of you that requires you to ponder, reflect, problem solve, to learn as you go, and focus intently in the moment.” Jo seeks to make art that will be passed down through generations. “The thought that once I’m gone some families in the North Kawarthas will have a stained glass mosaic on their wall, still being enjoyed in their special place where they come to connect with nature and de-stress, inspires me to create lasting pieces that will add my little mark to the many who came before me.”

Another artist on the tour, Brad Copping, finds inspiration in the “deep silence one can discover here, an absence of the intrusions of the ‘man-made’ world. In that silence you can find the language of the natural world, and remember that we are not separate from that world but just another element.” When Brad is creating a piece, “there is an incredible moment when your ideas and means of expression come together. This feeling, however fleeting, is emotionally powerful. It is part of a belief that our lives and the things we make can have some meaning in the larger world, and that we are able in some small way to effect change upon that world.

One of the materials Brad works with is hot glass, explaining that “when glass is gathered from the furnace on the end of a blowpipe it is so hot that it emanates a yellowish-orange light even though the glass is colourless and transparent.” Pure magic! Brad will be demonstrating the art of glass-blowing throughout the tour weekend.

This is but a small representation of the artists who can be found on the Apsley Studio Tour. Please join us on September 20th and 21st, 2025, from 10 am to 5 pm. For more information about these artists please click on their links.  For information on all our artists please visit the Artist Page on our website or download the mobile Toureka! app where you will find all you need to plan and navigate your tour.