Studio tour draws record numbers
Posted By Lori Penner
Posted 4 months ago
The weather was great, and so was the hospitality.
Twenty-three artists from six communities across the region, including Miami, opened their homes, their workshops and their lofts to visitors during the annual Pembina Valley Artists Studio Tour.
The two-day event (Sept. 12 & 13) drew tourists from across Manitoba, with many even making the trek across the border to check out the diverse talent of their neighbours to the north.
“I haven’t heard back from all of the artists yet, but right now it looks like our numbers were about double what they were last year,” said Monica Friesen, administrative director of the Pembina Hills Arts Centre in Morden.
BUS TOURS
Friesen said there were some bus tours from Winnipeg that came down to take in as many of the venues as they could.
“People were very intrigued and delighted to be able to talk to the artists personally. They asked a lot of questions, not just about the art pieces, but also about the communities,” she said. “This is also a great way to get to know local culture.”
She added that spreading the event over two days gave visitors plenty of time to tour each studio.
“There were other events happening in the area that weekend as well, but this was such an open, flexible event that it didn’t interfere at all.”
Friesen said they had plenty of good feedback about the well-planned map and clear signage which made finding the venues a breeze.
Three regional artists, Greg Dimler, Ben Fehr and Lloyd Letkeman chose Buhler Hall as their place to meet visitors and display their work.
“It’s kind of neat,” said Dimler, whose unique blend of painting and photography drew much attention. “People can just come in and take their time. Someone actually called it an art crawl.”
Four ladies from Hallock, North Dakota spent all of Saturday taking in about half of the venues.
Standing in the barn loft where Neubergthal artist Margruite Krahn does her work, they praised the event, saying it was a wonderful way to spend a weekend.
“We really enjoyed the vast variety of textures and techniques, and it’s very interesting to get a thorough explanation from each artist,” said Jane Larter.
Artist Jill Ferris filled the main floor of her Altona home with her paintings and batik pieces.
“This event gives us a much wider audience, and it’s also a good way for us to network with other artists for ideas. People are always so surprised when they come out here and see the incredible amount of talent we have in our area,” she said.
