Hudson artists open studios

BY HOLLIE WATSON

This weekend a group of Hudson and area artists will open the doors to their studios, providing a rare glimpse of where their inspiration begins.

Participants in the fourth annual Hudson and Region Studio Tour will have an opportunity “to meet with the artists in their own milieu, discuss what they do, and see works-in-progress and finished pieces,” said John Gilbert, an accomplished wood carver who specializes in birds of prey.

“The tour is unique — the only one of its kind in the entire region. We had over 300 visitors last year,” said Gilbert, who is one of 18 local artists and artisans featured.

Participants will see a wide cross-section of artworks, including Maritime paintings and etchings by Daniel Gautier, and abstract works by Denise Paquette, who has transformed the aviary on her St. Lazare property into a private gallery. Visitors will also learn something of the intricate art of jewelry design by Joanne Olson, and see woodblock printing by Suzanne Reid of Rigaud.

Pottery, ceramics, papermaking, as well as unusual sculpted wooden telescopes by Norman Fuller, are among other creations by the many talented artists who are being showcased on the 2007 tour.

Shernyia Vininsky Krause is a painter and stained glass artist who is taking part for the third time.

“The tour takes some of the mystique out of artists, and it also gives us added exposure and a chance to sell our works,” said the Hudson resident, whose paintings have garnered a series of awards in recent years.

“I’m a very experimental artist. My style is semi-abstract, and I work in acrylic, watercolour, ink, and other media,” said Vininsky Krause, a member of the Hudson and Lakeshore Artist Associations.

Her paintings often have an equestrian theme.

“My studio is above the stable where I keep my horses.”

She will also hold a draw for one of her works and will offer refreshments.

The Sept. 29 and 30 studio tour — which is free — will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. both days. Visitors are invited to go at their own pace, and can pick up maps/tickets at several locations in Hudson and the surrounding area, as well as at Dix Milles Villages on Lakeshore Road in Pointe Claire Village. For more information, and a

complete list of locations for tickets, visit www.studiotourhudsonandregion.org.