MADAWASKA VALLEY – The 23rd annual Madawaska Valley Studio Tour was held on October 4 and 5 this year and drew quite a crowd.
This is the second studio tour of the year, as the inaugural Summer Studio Tour was held in July. The fall tour, being more established, has been known to generate a lot of interest as it arrives each year.
Kathy Haycock’s studio just outside of Eganville was certainly hopping early on Saturday morning as guests were coming and going all day long.
Haycock hosted guest artist Carol Grant, a potter and sculptor recently returned from a residency in China last fall, made possible through an Ontario Arts Council grant.
“I wanted to get out of my comfort zone,” explained Grant. “I went to the original porcelain city.”
The techniques and styles Grant was displaying on the tour were a departure from her usual work, developed over 12 years after her initial studies in math and science.
“I took a course and I was hooked,” said Grant. “Right now I’m concentrating on my sculptures…it’s a continuous journey of exploring.”
Though Haycock is continuing with work of her own, this marks her final studio tour.
“I’m trying different things,” she said, explaining that the timing of the tours made it difficult to get out to paint gorgeous fall colours.
“Here it is, the colours are past,” she added. “A painter has to binge.”
Get your October 8, 2014 edition of The Valley Gazette to read more of this story.