If you take a look at this year’s Images Thanksgiving Studio Tour, you’ll find a wonderful array of award-winning painters, potters, photographers, sculptors, woodturners, jewellers and mixed media artists – 30 artists in total, who will be showcasing their work at 20 different stops. Together, they will make the 40th anniversary 2023 Images Thanksgiving Studio Tour an event not to be missed.
With so many choices, it can be a challenge to figure out where to start and how to visit as many stops as possible over the four-day event. This year, our regional tourism organization has come to the rescue, with its “Ultimate Guide to the Images Studio Tour.” Orillia & Lake Country Tourism has broken down the tour into five easy-to-follow routes, each featuring artists in their studios or at pop-up galleries.
The Images Studio Tour takes place October 6 to 9 from 10 am to 5 pm daily, so you have lots of time to explore some or all of the routes suggested. Whether you choose the Orillia, Severn, Horseshoe Valley Road, Old Barrie Road or Lake Simcoe route, you will discover exceptional art, as well as other attractions to help you make the most of your Thanksgiving outing. As you explore the expansive farmland and canopied back roads of Severn, the Sunshine City, rolling hills of Oro-Medonte, rural vistas of Old Barrie Road, or the shores of Lake Simcoe, you will quickly discover why so many artists call this area of Simcoe County home.
And, as been discovered during past Images Studio Tours, the routes can be followed by vehicle or by bicycle. If you’re planning a bike tour to experience the area’s beautiful fall colours, why not incorporate art into your adventure? To follow the Lake Simcoe route, you can take advantage of the Oro-Medonte rail trail as well as the Ridge Road cycling route. The Severn route includes a side trip into Coldwater, a popular stop for cyclists. And if you want hills, there are many options. Check the Cycle Simcoe website for tips and route details.
To get ready for your self-guided tour, whether by car or bike, you can download a map from the Images Studio Tour website in either a digital version or to print out. In addition, each artist will have hard copies of the tour map, complete with directions and artist descriptions. You can also pick up this printed map and guide from the Peter Street Fine Arts Gallery & Studio in Orillia in advance of the tour.
Don’t miss this opportunity to support and encourage local artists, while enjoying a colourful fall outing. For details about the artists and studio locations, visit the Images Tour website and Orillia & Lake Country Tourism.