Moncton's annual Studio Tour will allow the public to get an inside look at how local artists do what they do

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by Susanne MacDonald
This Week Staff

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Have you ever wondered how artists go about creating their works of art?

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From noon to 5 p.m. on Nov. 1 and 2, 20 artists and galleries in Moncton will open their doors to give the public a chance to visit their studios, view their work, and learn about their artistic technique.

"This annual event provides the community with a rare opportunity to see first hand the fantastic work of local artists," says Paulette Thériault, Moncton City councillor and chair of the Cultural Affairs and Heritage Committee.

"It is our hope that events like this will introduce people to the dozens of galleries in Moncton offering a variety of exhibits, that are well worth visiting, not just on this occasion, but year-round."

The Art Studio Tours are open to both amateur and professional artists and artisans.

The purpose of the tours aim to provide valuable exposure to local artists and raise the profile of arts in the community, all while allowing the public to learn more about local artists and the creation process.

Nicholas Frenette, an emerging artist who will welcome people to his home at 29 Morewood Crescent, creates paintings that he describes as a combination of surrealism and fantasy, with themes of mythology and fantasy.

"I think people who participate in the tour will be a lot more aware of how I go about my work," he says. "I'll be working on a painting while people visit me. This will give more exposure to my work."

In addition to opening their doors, some participating galleries will also be offering unique and free programming to the public.

Charlaine Gauthier's studio at the Crowne Plaza, Heron Bay La Terrasse, and Sandstones Gallery are three tour stops that will put on an interactive art contest for those who will be taking in the Art Studio Tours.

"The public will have a chance to be creative," says Charlaine. "I'll have a canvas set up and they can actually add something to the painting. Everyone's name will go into a draw and the winner will receive this 'group' painting."

While participants can follow this self-guided tour in the order of their choice, Heron Bay La Terrasse and Sandstones Gallery have offered to act as central or starting points for the tour.

Staff will be on-hand at these locations to distribute Art Studio Tours brochures and offer art appreciation guidance to the public.

The City of Moncton originally initiated the studio tour as a promotional opportunity to support for artists who didn't necessarily have the means to rent studio space.

The idea was to open up their individual home studios to the public, in an "open house" format, and the City would take care of promoting the event.

All kinds of studios have come on board - whether in artists' home studios or within a larger centre, like the Aberdeen Cultural Centre.

Galleries are also part of the tour and some offer interesting programming (contests, refreshments, guidance on how to appreciate art, 'meet the artist' sessions).

Some of the individual artists also hold demonstrations and create while the public is visiting, and explain their creative process and techniques.

Information and tour maps are available at Moncton City Hall, 655 Main Street (open Monday to Friday, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.), and on the City's web site: www.moncton.ca. Simply scroll down the main page to Studio Tours.