Artists across the Pembina Valley are inviting the public into their studios Sept. 13 and 14 for the 21st annual Pembina Valley Studio Tour. The two-day event offers a rare chance to meet creators in their workspaces, see what inspires them, and explore the region’s fall colours along the way.
A total of 24 venues in Altona, Carman, Crystal City, Darlingford, La Rivière, Miami, Morden, Notre Dame de Lourdes, Pilot Mound and Winkler will feature artists working in a wide range of media.
“The tour is an opportunity for people to see artists in their own spaces and what inspires them to create art,” said tour chairperson Margie Hildebrand. “Over the years, we have continued to morph into something more exciting, and this year is no exception.”
The free, self-guided event runs from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 13, and from noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 14.
“Artists have an opportunity to feel they are a part of something bigger,” Hildebrand added. “It is important that both the artists and the visitors have something to be excited about as they explore the beauty of the Pembina Valley—especially in the fall with the changing colours.”
In Carman, five artists are featured. Three will display their work at the Golden Prairie Arts Council (GPAC), 38 Centre Avenue W., while the others will welcome visitors into their studios.
Among them is garment creator and designer Lois Van Koughnet, who incorporates geometric patterns into her fashion pieces.
A retired costume maker, Van Koughnet said she wanted to continue producing clothing with the skills she honed in her career. For the studio tour, she has designed, cut and sewn each piece herself, all showcasing geometric inspiration.
“I have a particular fascination with the geometry and mathematics of making patterns and how they transform into 3D shapes,” she said. “I just love how fabric meets the human body and how we can use lines and shapes to proportion the design.”
Van Koughnet said she finds hexagons and triangles most appealing, describing them as fluid shapes. Much of her work is inspired by sacred geometry—patterns and shapes found in the natural world.
“I have created this seed of life within the world of geometry and it eventually became natural to express the shapes in those proportions,” she said.
Before retirement, Van Koughnet worked in Toronto cutting fabric for productions such as Anne with an E, See with Jason Momoa, and Mamma Mia. She said she thrived in the ever-changing world of theatre, film and television, and her passion continues.
“Clothing is a form of self-expression, and I invite people to embrace and appreciate it as an art form,” she said. “More people need to see clothing design as an art, and I would love to continue exploring its dynamics.”
Tour brochures with maps and artist biographies are available online at www.pembinavalleystudiotour.com and in print at host venues.
Hildebrand encourages visitors to chart their own path through the two-day event.
“Branch out and explore the Pembina Valley,” she said. “There is so much to see, and the artists cannot wait to have you stop by.”
