Last weekend, I had the privilege of participating in the Guelph Studio Tour for the very first time, and I truly didn’t know what to expect. It turned out to be a weekend full of wonderful surprises, new connections, and some heartfelt moments with familiar faces.
I displayed my artwork not only in my studio but also in my kitchen, creating a warm and welcoming atmosphere for visitors. I presented a large collection of floral pieces created with various types of pastel, including soft pastel, oil pastel, and wax, as well as oil paintings. In addition to the flowers, I also showcased several landscapes, done in both oil and soft pastel.
If you heard music behind the scenes - it is some entertainment for visitors :) - my daughter played piano.
For some visitors, it was a new experience to see drawings created with these types of pastels, as they had never heard of them before. They asked questions about the differences, techniques, and quality of pastels. I explained that pastels are made from pure pigments and that with proper framing—using glass and avoiding direct sunlight—pastel artworks can last forever.
A special part of the tour was the display of artwork by my 12-year-old daughter, who has been my student since she was just 2 or 3 years old. She proudly showed her work as an example of what can be achieved in my art classes. Usually, my students take their creations home, so I don’t have many examples, but my daughter’s pieces are a wonderful reflection of growing art skills over time. Many visitors were curious about her work and spent time looking at it carefully, offering her kind and supportive words, which really encouraged her.
She also convinced me to display some of my drawings on wood, which I’ve only recently begun experimenting with, using colored pencils and wax pastels. I hadn’t planned to show these pieces, much less sell them, but the positive feedback from visitors has inspired me to further explore the techniques and possibilities of this medium.
Over the weekend, I welcomed around 50 visitors into my studio, many of whom traveled from Guelph, Toronto, Kitchener, Stratford, and Erin. What made it extra special was that among them were both English—and Russian-speaking guests, which allowed for some really meaningful conversations in both languages.
One of the highlights of the tour was the stories people shared. Every visitor had a unique connection to art, whether it was a personal story or a memory sparked by one of my pieces. I also had the joy of meeting some of my students, who came to support me and, to my delight, even purchased some of my artwork!
It was an incredibly humbling experience to see my work resonate with so many people.
I’m excited to share not only a couple of finished artworks that found new homes during the tour but also a behind-the-scenes look at how I created them:
This is finished soft pastel work done on professional and archival sanded paper - Winter Guelph Lake:
There's one more piece I'd like to share, as I captured its creation in a timelapse video. You can watch the entire process unfold in the video below:
This is the inspiration photo that I took in our neighborhood and the finished sketch done on black paper with oil pastel. I hope it will be a bright addition to Toronto's home of a person who purchased it:
Thank you to everyone who visited and made my first Guelph Studio Tour such a memorable experience!
I appreciate every single moment of both days last weekend.
You can see some photos taken by Guelph Today reporter Richard Vivian here.
I will participate next year and I hope to see familiar faces and meet new people again on the weekend after Thanksgiving - October 18 and 19, 2025!
As we move closer to the holidays, I’m thrilled to announce that I’ll be hosting an End of Year Art Sale in November, perfect for those looking to gift original art this holiday season. Keep an eye out for details—this will be a wonderful opportunity to explore my collection of flower and landscape pieces in pastel, oil, and mixed media and also original and printed cards!
So far you can explore my art shop and send me a message anytime if you have questions or want to book an appointment to visit my studio!
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