Login | Register

Bus tour makes treasure hunting easy
Friday July 18 2008 By Nelia Raposo, Staff Writer Art lovers won’t have to worry about getting lost on country roads in search of Hockley Valley area treasures.
All they’ll have to do is get on a luxury bus and relax as the driver takes them to three studios featuring 22 artists involved with this year’s Hidden Treasures Bus Tour, Sept. 27 and 28. This is the second year this tour is being offered.
“I’ve had a number of people tell me what a great idea this is. Especially in Dufferin where there are a lot of dead end roads,” Iris Casey, from Stonedragon Studio, said, adding that with high prices of gas doing it this way makes sense.
“We wanted to create something for our customers that would be fun, easy and give them the opportunity to discover and purchase the many treasures our region has to offer,” she said.
Participants also get to eat culinary creations from local restaurants offering things like fruit kabobs, quiche, cheeses and desserts as they visit each studio.
The tour begins and ends at Mono Community Centre located at 754483 Mono Centre Rd. (Dufferin Road 8) at 2nd Line, which is about 15 minutes northeast of Orangeville.
Each of the three locations will feature artists whose original work includes paintings, woodturnings, sculpture, jewelry, pottery, textile art, photography, mosaics and glass creations — all available for purchase. While many of the artists are from Dufferin County, guest artists will also be there from places like Fergus, Elora and Alliston.
“The artists will all be present and you will have the opportunity to meet them and discuss their work in a relaxed atmosphere, as well as enjoy parts of the homes and gardens of the host studios,” Casey said.
The first stop, Creative Works Studio, is nestled in mature gardens and woods.
Welcoming art patrons will be Arnold DeGraaff, Jim Lorriman, Ron Pitts, Lesley McInally and Pat Burns-Wendland. There will be oil paintings, woodturnings, nature photography, “touch of celtic” pottery and beautiful, woven garments to view.
The second stop is Casey’s Stonedragon Studio, surrounded by a canopy of maples and gardens. Here, people will meet artists: Iris Casey, Jane Richmond, Yvonne DeViller, Naomi Assenheim, Mary Lazier and Bev De Jong. This treasure-trove of artworks includes wire-wrapped birds, oil painting and markings, pottery, mosaics, handcrafted jewelry, stained glass creations and metal sculptures and fountains. Enjoy a glass of wine with lunch at this stop.
The final stop is Mono Community Centre. This building has been home to many art exhibits and is close to the trails in spectacular Mono Cliffs Provincial Park. Tucked away in the midst of the Niagara Escarpment, the limestone outcroppings and fall colours will be visible. Artist there include: Rosemary Molesworth, Judi Gunter, Marg Peter, Jo Walterson, Ellen Cameron, Pete Herlihy, Sharon Wadsworth-Smith, Barb Hilts, Gary Heskth, Roslyn Levin and Kathryn Thomson. Here the treasures include pottery, oil paintings, photography, fabric art, and felted dolls. Dessert will be served with tea at this stop.
The cost is $45, per person, per day.  There are three departure times:  9:45 a.m. to 2 p.m., 10:45 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. or noon to 4:30 p.m. There are 240 seats available.

North Peel Media Group Newspapers: The Brampton Guardian Caledon Enterprise Independent & Free Press Orangeville Banner