By Ewa Chwojko-Srawley
Can AI make something with a soul?
That question seemed to follow everyone around the Tour this year. In a world of mass production—and AI-generated images—there is something appealing about hand-made art. Someone created it, touched it, struggled with it and… loved it.
Karen and Alex visited Barb Banfield’s pottery studio with that idea in mind.
“We’re looking for anything handmade,” they said. Karen bought a painting, a sculpture and pottery. “Each piece is a part of the artist’s soul,” she said.
The artists were having a busy weekend. In a day, up to 200 people could pass through a studio.
“I love that so many people are interested in the arts,” said Banfield.
For many visitors, the Tour is as much about conversation as it is about art. Banfield says guests are curious about the person behind the work. Fellow potters come looking for advice.
Kristan Webster, a newcomer to the tour, also found visitors curious about how her work was made. She was eager to defend handmade art in the age of AI. “I enjoy experimenting because there are so many ways to express yourself,” she said.
Her studio offered plenty of unique choices, from encaustic and felting to photography and printmaking.
Diana, Vergine, and Angela agreed with her. “Real art comes from feeling, experience and creativity. There’s something special about owning a one-of-a-kind piece made by hand, not a machine.”
With a degree in photography, Webster wants to take her art beyond the camera; but photography is often the starting point for her work.
“I have several friends who are on the tour, and they encouraged me to show my art,” she said. “One of them is artist J. J. Martin, who introduced me to printmaking. I love trying new things.”
Bonnie Lemaire used to tour the studios as a visitor. This year, she decided to see what it was like on the other side of the door. An award-winning author and illustrator, Lemaire creates whimsical, story-filled work with plenty of humour and silliness, using everything from traditional drawing and painting to digital media.
She says, “Living in Georgina makes me happy, and that happiness finds its way onto the page and canvas.” Her art has a playful side, and it’s hard not to smile when you see it.
Christine Rooks was visiting the tour for the third year. She went home with prints, jewellery, and—her favourite find—cards by Jennifer Zsolt featuring horses. “I love horses, and I love her art,” she said.
Rooks also loves the chance to meet artists where they work. “It’s wonderful to see artists in their studios, chat with them and support them.”
Perhaps that’s what the Studio Tour does best: it turns art on the wall into a conversation with the person who made it. A machine can make the picture. The artist gives it a soul.
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- Community gathers to listen, learn and raise the Chippewas’ flag - October 2, 2026
- Art With a Soul: A Weekend on the Georgina Studio Tour - September 30, 2026
