Arts and Entertainment

Meet the artists in‑person: Caledon Studio Tour to feature 18 locations

October 2, 2025   ·   0 Comments

By Constance Scrafield

Many of you may remember the early days, some years ago, of the Fall Arts Festival and “Studio Tours” at this time of year. You would pile into your vehicles and hit the paved and gravel roads for the chance to meet artists in their own spaces, with their tools and props picturesquely poised on tables and easels.

These were heady times, but perhaps the annual efforts of both artists were still isolated from the galleries and fellow artists, as well as the arts patrons still making the journeys to enjoy the thrill of meeting artists in situ, waned a little, and a more collaborative solution was settled: bringing it all under one roof. While they were different roofs for a few years, the festival finally came home to the Headwaters Arts Fall Festival Art Show and Sale in the Headwaters Arts Gallery at the Alton Mill Arts Centre in Alton.

This year, a blended Studio Tour comes with scheduling options for meeting artists in their own studios at home and doing the tour at the Alton Mill over this weekend.

Caledon, as host of its fourth Caledon Studio Tour, put out a call, well before the festival, for artists who are still happy for people to come visit them. A number answered back to say, “Yes, welcome.” They are all within Caledon, and a couple are situated very close to the Mill.

As a result, the studio tour this weekend is actually a two-prong arrangement. The entirely self-guided tour is partially within the Alton Mill itself. A tour of 18 studios spans across Caledon and within the upper level of the Alton Mill. In every case, artists will be in attendance, happy to share their stories, talk about their art, and where it might lead them.

Paul Morin’s Studio is a short walk on Main Street from the Mill.

The festival is part of Ontario’s Culture Days, with events going on across the province.

The wide scope of mediums the artists use to express how they see the world is impressive. They range from the Celtic designs and the marvels of CJ Shelton’s visions to the encaustic treatment for a painting by Karen Brown.

Kayla Jackson loves to work outside for her plein air paintings, and there are wheel-thrown porcelain pottery pieces created by Debra Gibbs.

Mary Scattergood takes us back to simpler times, and we thank her for her charming acrylic Folk Art. With many more to visit, there are so many singular chances to purchase a work of art that you love from the artist themselves.

In a world of framed prints hanging on our walls, we do not often say or hear it said, “That’s an original. I met the artist and bought this piece at the studio.”

Within this year’s 29th Annual Headwaters Arts Fall Festival Juried Art Show and Sale, two awards were won by artist Andie Trépanier. She is among the artists one may visit in her own studio. Daughter of the famous artist Cory Trepanier, Andie, may be following him, but most specifically, she is being herself, as her father insisted.

Any excuse to visit the heritage Alton Mill and the property is a good one, for the ambience of the mill with the enthusiasm of the artists creates an energy that is truly wonderful.

The Caledon Studio Tour is on from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. over this weekend, Saturday, Oct. 4, and Sunday, Oct. 5.

For all the artists’ names and addresses, who are inviting visitors to their home studios and more information, go to www.caledon.ca/culturedays and click Culture-Days-Studio-Tour-Brochure.

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