| Sep 21, 2016


Not every studio tour boasts a range of materials like the Back Roads Studio Tour. In addition to painting, jewellery and woodworking, Back Roads offers cheese, concrete, and recycled seat belts as well.

It's all part of an eclectic mix of artists and artisans who can be found at 13 studios in North Frontenac Township this weekend, Saturday & Sunday, Sept. 24 & 25.

The fall colours are just starting along the scenic and winding roads that link the studios, and the locations are all worth a visit.

Members of the tour include Tuscany Concrete by Design of Fernleigh. A husband and wife team, Ted and Sherry Oosterlaken of Fernleigh will be showing the decorated concrete furniture that has won them fans and customers throughout Ontario over the last few years. This is their second year on the Back Roads tour and they will be joined by new North Frontenac residents Kirk Shabot and Laura Stewart of L.S. Designs, the makers of custom fire rings and home decor signs.

Over at Buckshot Lake Road, Richard Emery starts his work with a chainsaw, and then sands and seals 1 inch slices of wood to make forest frames. His wife Debbie is a well known quilter who created the 150th anniversary quilt for Frontenac County last year. They will be joined by Betty Hunter, who does just about everything that can be done with fabric.

At Studio K, Gabriella Klassen combines realism and mystery in finely rendered acrylic paintings.

Meanwhile, in downtown Plevna there are three studios, that of mixed media artist Marlene Leeson, the jewelry of Free Spirit Creations and the photography of Michelle Ross, and the paintings of Katie Ohlke at Stone Ridge Art Studio.

While in Plevna, stop by Good Stuff Bakery, which will be open all weekend. Over on Lothlorien Road near Ompah are the studios of the very fine painter Linda Rush, and long established woodworker Pete Bunnett, whose recent work focusses on the 'live edge', the cambium layer just inside the bark of a tree, which he uses to make stunning tables, benches and stands.

Down the road in Ardoch is Red Dragon Studio and Gift Shop, featuring the paintings and stained glass work of Cathy Owen. She will be joined this year by Wendy Clement, also a painter, who is a mosaic artist as well. Their work has been influenced by the vistas and wildlife at Malcolm Lake, where they live.

A must-see studio every year is Silent Valley Alpaca at the former community of Donaldson, a working Alpaca farm with a range of Alpaca products including yarns and garments.

The village of Snow Road has developed as a unique artisan corner. Mariclaro is an internationally nown producer of beautiful, sturdy hand bags and accessories made out of entirely recycled materials.

Nearby Back Forty Cheese is a farm and sheep's cheese factory that produces four well known cheeses that are increasingly popular in the Ottawa and Kingston markets. They produce specialty cheeses as well. Back Forty is also the studio of Jenna Rose, screen-printed designs on natural fabrics that sell across Ontario. Back Forty will have its patio open and food and drinks will be served all weekend. Once you are in Snow Road, head over to Fred Fowler's studio as well. Fred has been a dedicated painter for years, specializing in visionary landscape oil paintings.

One thing to keep in mind while driving the tour this year is the closure of Road 509 between River Road and Plevna. Fortunately there are no studios on that stretch, but to get from Ompah to Plevna motorists need to take River Road to Ardoch Road.

(Note - the paper version of this article mistakenly inlcuded the wording "pre-cambrium" in place of "cambium" when describing the work of Pete Bunnett)

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