Red Trillium fall tour vibrant

WEST CARLETON – The 49th edition of the Red Trillium Studio Tour (RTST) was a tour of fall colours throughout West Carleton both inside and outside the artists’ studios on the tour.

The popular self-guided tour enjoyed unseasonably beautiful weather all weekend long with fall colours at their peak. The 31 artists on the tour were also at their peak, sharing their one-of-a-kind art and giving demonstrations as nine West Carleton art studios opened their doors for the fall edition of the RTST.

The event runs twice a year, one weekend in spring and one weekend in fall, and has become a popular mainstay in Ward 5 attracting visitors and art lovers from all over Ottawa.

In MacLaren’s Landing, several glass bead artists were set up at Shiny Things artist Roxanne Ward’s studio. Ward makes glass beads and jewelry as does guests Sandra and Kevin Wilson of Murkay Collections. Abstract painter Tamara Campbell was also at that stop.

Both Ward and Kevin were giving demonstrations on bead making.

“That’s the beauty of the studio tour,” Ward told West Carleton Online. “People get to see the artists where they get their inspiration.”

When West Carleton Online visited the studio yesterday (Oct. 20), Kevin was making beads with a small hand torch and other tools.

“After this, they go in to a 900 degree kiln,” Kevin told West Carleton Online. “After a couple of hours, that will cool them down slowly and that will give them their strength.”

West Carleton Online reporter Nonie Smart dropped by Carp’s CSS Building Saturday (Oct. 19) of the tour, where five artists could be found including silver jeweler Rain Kazymerchyk, copperworks’ Hazy DayZ Dragonflies, photographer Jordan Walmsley, painter Cecilia Chan and woodturner John Chamney.

Chan, a painter who came to Toronto from Hong Kong at 12, but now calls Ottawa home, got in to painting when she was encouraged by a counselor to take up a hobby to help deal with depression. She turned it in to a career and the impressionist mostly works with oil paints. Her work often ‘reads’ like a diary, as she captures her journey in paintings including portraits, cityscapes, landscapes, buildings and structures as some of her favourite subjects.

“I paint because it’s important to me to love what I do,” Chan said.

Her landscape paintings are characterized by the use of bright vibrant colours.

Overall, RTST organizers were thrilled with the weekend turnout.

“We want to extend our heartfelt gratitude to everyone who joined us for the Red Trillium Studio Tour,” RTST volunteer organizers released in a statement yesterday (Oct. 20). “Your support for our incredible artists and local talent means the world. Thank you to the 31 talented artists who shared their passion with us. Together, we celebrated creativity, community, and the beauty of art. We can’t wait to see you all again in the spring.”

• With files from reporter Nonie Smart