{ Posts Tagged ‘shane norrie’ }

lovely people making lovely things: oxford studio tour

Got any weekend plans?

Might I suggest a road trip?

Deep in the heart of Southwestern Ontario’s bucolic countryside, Oxford County is home to a number of highly-respected artists – both emerging and widely-renowned – and this weekend just happens to be your best opportunity of the year to snatch up some of their original works at the Oxford Studio Tour.

Don’t worry – it’s not a snoozy guided museum tour. Instead, it’s a map of the studios (in and around Woodstock, Ontario – so it’s easy to access by the 401) participating in a county-wide open house that you’re free to explore at your own pace between 9 and 5 on Saturday and Sunday.

Be sure to check out one of my fave ceramic artists, Shane Norrie: an in-demand artisan whose innovative and organic designs have been featured in Style at Home, and on HGTV’s Pure Design. There’s a tangible earthiness to Shane’s pieces, not to mention they’re absolutely fascinating on a textural level.

A peek inside Shane’s studio in Ingersoll, Ontario. In the last few years, Shane’s branched out into stunning original painted artwork as well.

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Love the highly textured, barnacle-like growths on this series of petite ceramic vessels… So pretty!

shane1 lovely people making lovely things: oxford studio tour

A fascinating form – they remind me of curiously stemmed acorns – and a metallic finish elevate these sculptures to “statement piece” status.

shane3 lovely people making lovely things: oxford studio tour

Another artist on my “most-coveted” list – and also a participant of the Oxford Studio Tour – is acclaimed painter Sue Goossens. Sue’s watercolours are positively dreamy representations of southwestern Ontario landscapes, with the occasional well-loved landmark in the mix, and they never fail to instantly transport me back home.

February Ravine, 27″ x 39″

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Winter Ridge, 28″ x 20″

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Winter Puzzle, 20″ x 28″

picture 82 lovely people making lovely things: oxford studio tour(And yes, Sue’s portfolio consists of much more than winter landscapes – I’m just a sucker for the blue-greys in this particular series.)

And of course, there’s the natural beauty of the area that’s sure to inspire. I took these snaps last weekend on the farm – the abundant forsythia is absolutely luminous!

forsythia lovely people making lovely things: oxford studio tour

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lovely people making lovely things: shane norrie

shane lovely people making lovely things: shane norrie

The Christmas before last, a photographer friend gave me a stunning piece of handcrafted pottery from Ingersoll, Ontario-based artist Shane Norrie, whose work I immediately fell for. Since then, you’ve seen Shane’s work in the pages of STYLE AT HOME, and on-screen, with his appearance in Miss Samantha’s smash hit Pure Design on HGTV. There’s a tangible earthiness to Shane’s pieces, not to mention the fact that they’re absolutely fascinating on a textural level. Samantha’s even dubbed his pieces “heirlooms of the future”, and I agree wholeheartedly. Shane’s expanded his repertoire by venturing into mixed media painting, and his work is now available through Canvas Gallery in Toronto, which means there’s more Shane to share. Yay!

Check out Shane’s blog here!

Untitled 24-by-24″ Mixed Media by Shane Norrie

Available at: Canvas Gallery, Toronto, 416-532-5275