North Frontenac Back Roads Studio Tour

Sep 22, 2021

This September, the North Frontenac Back Roads Studio Tour will be going ahead for the 8th consecutive year. Last year the Tour took a chance and went ahead in spite of Covid. The route was a little shorter than usual with artists showing in fewer locations. Only artists who could exhibit in an outdoor space and who felt comfortable doing so participated. It was felt that given where Covid was at the time, and the safety protocols that could be put in place, they would give it a try. They felt that after the almost total shut down of activities during the summer of 2020, people would be very glad to have a safe outdoor activity to join. The gamble paid off, and the 13 participating artistic felt they had one of the most successful tours ever. So they are very excited to be holding their annual show again this year on the weekend of Sept 25/26.

Most of the original participating artists will be back on the tour in 2021. Once again the tour will meander through beautiful North Frontenac with studios located in Snow Road, Ompah, Plevna, Ardoch, and the Cloyne area. Artists learned last year that the public liked locations where more than one artist exhibited, and so are recreating that situation when they can. They are hoping that the lengthy tour along highways 506 and 509 will be quite straightforward to manage for those who want to visit as many artists as possible.

Altogether 25 artists are on the tour, in 13 different locations. Most of the old favourites will be back, and 4 brand new artists have joined the tour. As always, there will be a big variety of art and craft represented, with something of interest to almost anyone. The list of artists and what they do would be too long for this article, but the tour website northfrontenacbackroadsstudiotour.com contains information about all of the artists with photos of their work. Suffice it to say that there are many kinds of painters, as well as workers in wood, fabric, concrete, clay, gemstones, photography, and even sheepmilk cheese.

Once again whatever Covid protocols are in place in Ontario at the time will be honoured, and the tour is in touch with the KFLA health unit to ensure that they will be up to date for this area. It’s hard to know now what protocols will be necessary at the time, but masks will be mandatory, with lots of hand cleaner available. Many artists will continue to exhibit in outdoor spaces, but if the situation does not change, there will also be indoor studios with limited numbers of people allowed in. Artists will not be offering the food snacks that they sometimes have in previous years, but unlike last year there will be food available locally, notably at Back 40 Cheese, North of 7 Restaurant, the Shamrock Bakery. Public washrooms are available throughout the route and their location, as well as the location of all participant artists can be found at northfrontenacbackroadsstudiotour. com.

So on the last weekend of September, Sept 25/26, plan to take a day to go for a spectacular drive at the peak of Autumn beauty in North Frontenac Township, and have a stimulating and fascinating exposure to a group of very interesting North Frontenac Artists and their homes and studios. The tour is open between 10 and 4 both days.