Art lovers usually only see the finished product hanging on the wall of a gallery. But those intrigued about how those pieces are brought to life need only thank the Fine Arts Society of Milton (FASM) for satisfying their creative curiosity.
On Sept. 28 and 29, FASM’s Studio Tour is returning to showcase the spaces artists work in.
The two-day celebration will run from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days. During that time, participants will have the opportunity to get a close look at artists’ studios in Milton, Halton Hills, Guelph, Hamilton, Campbellville, Eden Mills, Rockwood and Kilbride.
This year, 38 artists are participating in the doors open-style self-guided glimpse at the work of creatives.
“We kind of bunch people up into certain locations, but the majority have their own studios and they may do some demonstrations and such,” said FASM's Anne-Ellice Pascoe.
In speaking about the diverse talents of its members, FASM president Diana Tuszynski said, “when one thinks of an arts organization, one primarily thinks of painters. But FASM is unique in that it welcomes all forms of media.”
She added: “We have, people doing metal work like Doris Treleaven with Metalscape. We have potters, we have jewellery artists, we have wood sculptors and we have a luthier. We've got a number of different types of medium that wouldn't be at a regular arts organization.”
Barb Tate (oil painting), Jason Panda (photography) and Nargis Naqvi (mixed media and resin) are just some of the artists in Milton. Limehouse’s Doris Treleaven will be accompanied by fellow Halton Hills creators like Pauline Gladstone and Bruce Cochrane, as well as others.
“You can, at your leisure, decide which studios you want to go to. It'd be lovely if everyone went and visited all of them. But you may decide that you want to search all the potteries,” Tuszynski said.
Both she and Pascoe will be showing their creations as well in their own studios. The president works with acrylic, oil and cold wax. Pasco is a stained glass artist who, she says, came out of her shell during COVID and pursued the medium.
FASM was founded in 1997 when 32 artists came together to form a collective. Since then, the organization has grown to about 125 members. Just two years after its formation, FASM began its studio tours.
Earlier this year, they hosted a show called Colour Me Red to celebrate Valentine’s Day. That was followed in May by From Heart to Hand, an exhibition that helped art lovers welcome spring.
“I got a lot of encouragement from the members for my work. And it gives me a little bit of a validation that, ‘yeah, I'm doing something and it looks good and other people will like it,” Pascoe said in speaking about the ethos of FASM.
Tuszynski added by saying that FASM is “a very welcoming environment” that creates a space for “a huge cultural spectrum. We have members who might be called neurodiverse.”
Anyone interested in getting an in-depth look at the artistic process can consult an interactive map on FASM’s website to find participating studios. They can also download the smartphone app Toureka! for more information.
To learn more about the Fine Arts Society of Milton and everything they do, visit FASM.ca.