Backroads Studio Tour draws steady stream of patrons

Craig Bakay | Sep 29, 2021

Holding a studio tour and exhibition during a pandemic has become old hat for the Backroads Studio Tour.

For the second straight year, the 25 artist/artisans opened up 13 venues that drew a steady line of people looking to get out of the house on the last weekend in September.

“We’ve had two or three cars here all the time,” said Betty Hunter at EJH Creations. “Many of the artists usually do summer craft shows . . . we still keep making things and we need to sell some to get it out of our house.

“Customers and vendors have asked for a safe environment outdoors and in a way, it’s actually been better during the pandemic.

“People enjoy getting out.”

This has been painter Linda Rush’s second time joining Hunter.

“I changed locations last year,” she said. “I was at my own studio on River Road but this is an outdoor safe location.

“We’re very happy people could get out.”

Rush’s own work has changed a bit during this past pandemic year. She’s started producing portraits, albeit as part of her landscape works. But the chiaroscuro and deep light/dark contrasts are still there.

“I think I’ve always been interested in portraits so it was time,” she said. “And we don’t go in for pastel colours.

“I think the harsh way of life causes us to see things more vividly here in the North Country.”

Hunter and Rush were joined by rookie Liz Jackson, who was presenting her non-thematic acrylic depictions of cottage life and people in public for the first time.

“When I finished Grade 13, I had to choose between art school and nursing school,” she said. “I got chicken and chose nursing.

“But I’ve always taken life drawing and classes so when I got a health scare, I decided it was time to do what I wanted.”

Her lakeside scenes are presented in a naïve style, but rendered expertly. She seems to have a gift for composition and her most interesting work is how she revisits the same scene with a slightly different perspective, cropping in and/or zooming out.

“I paint what I know and I live on a lake,” she said.

While most of the venues were outdoors, there was one that was not. Clar-Mill Hall hosted three vendors and at one point, it looked like the covid passport thing was going to make its debut in North Frontenac there. But painter Brian Bailey said they checked with the Health Unit and since this was a retail operation, the proof of vaccination was necessary. They still took names for contact tracing, had plenty of hand sanitizer available, everybody wore masks and, to accommodate social distancing, there were only three vendors in a space that has in the past held many more.

“We don’t have a studio setup to deal with covid,” said Leane Bailey. “But we can’t really set up outside because pastels don’t do well with rain.

“But it’s been really good.”

“I like being inside because I can leave things out overnight,” said Trina Gorr of Grindstone Pottery. “People seem to be enjoying being out for a little adventure and I sell enough to support my pottery habit.”

“I do have a studio but it still needs stairs to get to it,” said Marion Farrell of MarZeeDotes (her nickname as a child) Designs. “So it’s good to come here.

“You know people are smiling behind the masks and this is a good way to meet people.”

And although it wasn’t officially part of the tour, the annual St. Killian’s Church chilli and bake sale was totally sold out before the 1 p.m. close.