Visit www.artistsofthelimberlost.ca

Artists of the Limberlost, a group of eight artists and craftspeople with studios along Limberlost Road (Muskoka Rd. 8) near Huntsville, has launched a website to promote its annual Open Studio Weekend in August.

Huntsville web designer Steve Spencer of Webmastermind worked with the members to create the site.

The new website features work by all the members, as well as by this year’s 14 guest artists. Browsers can read articles about the artists, see their work, and contact the artists directly.

“We’re really excited about the Artists of the Limberlost weekend, and the website lets us communicate more easily with the public. We hope it will encourage more art lovers to come on the tour after they’ve had a taste of what we have to offer,” said artisan and website team member Sharon Stock Feren.

The Artists of the Limberlost group is comprised of Brenda Wainman Goulet, sculpture, Brian Markham, wood turning, Catherine O’Mara, egg tempera painting, Jeff Miller, oil and acrylic painting, Jerry Friedman, driftwood sculpture, Linda Smith, traditional decorative painting, Stock Feren, photography, painting and mosaic, and Susan Higgins, fused and stained glass.

New guests this year are metal sculptors Matt and Wayne Church of Severn Bridge, jewelry maker Vicki Sharp from Port Carling, fibre artist Sherrie Peddie from Huntsville, and two local cottagers; watercolour painter Bob McLean, and Mary Dyer, who makes hand-coloured note cards.

“We have a mix of local artists as well as guests from other parts of the province. It truly is a showcase of diverse work. Our guests create everything from abstract paintings to painted furniture, to pottery and metal sculpture,” said Higgins.

“Some don’t show anywhere else in Muskoka, while others are from the local area. It’s a fun weekend for everybody.”

While the public can visit individual studios of the Artists of the Limberlost by appointment throughout the season, they are invited on Open Studio Weekend to not only see and purchase art and crafts, but also to experience the working environments and learn about the processes involved in each medium.

“On last year’s tour it was wonderful to see how many visitors were interested in seeing how we turn wood, make a glass bowl, or learn what egg tempera painting is,” said Markham. “Meeting the makers in their working environment seems to give people a deeper appreciation for the finished product.”

The public can visit www.artistsofthelimberlost.ca for a preview of what they’ll see at the Artists of the Limberlost Open Studio Weekend, which takes place on Aug. 16 and 17.

Limberlost Road runs north from Hwy. 60 east of Huntsville. The eight studio locations are tucked into the forest and overlooking quiet lakes in this scenic corner of Muskoka. There is no charge for the self-guided tour, which will run from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. each day.