“Creativity is a wild mind and a disciplined eye” – Dorothy Parker

Two weekends ago I had the good fortune to take my Vagabond Adventures north to The Muskoka Autumn Studio Tour. I was amazed by how beautiful the setting is for this annual event. Could it be that creativity is enhanced by your surroundings? Perhaps! I do think Dorothy Parker is right, creativity IS a great mix of a wild mind and disciplined eye! In fact, researcher Scott Barry Kaufman writes in his book Wired to Create: Unraveling the Mysteries of the Creative Mind, that creative minds are, well, messy. In the best way possible. In her recent book Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear, writer Elizabeth Gilbert refers to creativity as magic. She writes

“When I refer to magic here, I mean it literally. Like in the Hogwarts sense. I am referring to the supernatural, the mystical, the inexplicable, the surreal, the divine, the transcendent, the otherworldly. Because the truth is, I believe that creativity is a force of enchantment, not entirely human in its origins.”

I kept these ideas of creativity in mind when I got the chance to visit two studios on the Muskoka Autumn Studio Tour, Mark Kulas, Painter, and Marni Martin, Fibre Artist. While in the Huntsville area I also stopped by the studio of Karen Gray, Potter.

My first stop on the tour was Mark Kulas. Mark’s studio is perched on Bella Lake, about 20 minutes northeast of Huntsville. It is an idyllic location! On this day the autumn leaves were just turning and so I had to stop on a number of occasions to take some photos…naturally!

Mark is an acrylic painter and soapstone sculptor who finds inspiration in the natural world around him. I enjoyed visiting his studio perched on the edge of the Canadian Shield looking out over a stunning blue Muskoka lake. Mark shared with me that his “day job” as a graphic designer helps him create as he often works with graph paper and a light table to sketch his paintings first. That’s the best part about the studio tour…you get to see artists in their element and you can catch a glimpse at their creative process first hand! You can find Mark’s paintings on his website between now and the next tour when you should visit in person!

My second stop on the tour was Fibre Artist, Marni Martin. I actually work with Marni’s Sister-in-law Sandra, and have visited Marni on the tour before. Her work is simply stunning!

Marni’s hand-woven tapestries, scarves and wraps evoke the vibrant colours of the Muskoka region. She literally weaves her environment into every piece she makes. Take a closer look at the photo above. You will see one of her tapestries above the fireplace. It is a quintessential Muskoka vista brought to life. I think some of Elizabeth Gilbert’s “big magic” is at play here!

I especially loved visiting Marni as she and her family are gracious hosts and her light-filled studio echoes the warm welcome you receive when you visit. You can find Marni’s gorgeous works here.

On the road back into Huntsville I dropped in to The Potter’s Studio and Gallery to visit Potter, Karen Gray. If you couldn’t tell by my photos, I adore vibrant colours and Karen’s work, as well as her sister Jane’s paintings of the local area, literally made my heart sing. In my years living in British Columbia I started collecting pottery so Karen’s studio was a must-visit. Karen was hard at work on a beautiful bowl when I entered her charming cottage. Again, the vibrant fall Muskoka colours are keenly represented in every piece and painting.

I was amazed how the stunning local environment was not only reflected in all the works I was lucky to see and experience, but also played a part in creating a magical space for creativity to flourish. I would highly recommend the Muskoka Autumn Studio Tour. You do not have to be creatively inclined to enjoy watching artists at work, but it may just inspire you to tap into the maker hidden inside!