Artists & Artisans
The Ottawa Valley is an artist's playground. Check out the links below for possible day trips or shopping plans!
- A. Y. Jackson Trail - documents the travels and painting sites of this very famous Canadian artist in the 1950s and 1960s. It follows old Highway 17 west of Ottawa to Renfrew, then winds along back roads through a number of small towns and ends at Algonquin Park.
- Madawaska Valley Studio Tours - established in the mid 1990s by a small group of artists and crafts people who were seeking a way to increase the profile of their art practices and support themselves financially. Since then, it has grown to a full tour spanning from Combermere on the west end to Eganville in the east. The tour now features over 30 craft and fine artists annually and runs twice a year in the summer and fall.
- Ottawa Valley Artists League - a group of local artists who work in a wide range of mediums. What they have in common is their love of all things artistic and their decision to live and work in the Ottawa Valley. They represent a wide range of styles and an eclectic choice of mediums ranging from traditional oil on canvas to non-traditional jewelry.
- Pembroke Heritage Murals - celebrates the area's rich character and heritage through large-scale paintings on an ever-increasing number of the city's downtown walls, colourfully portraying a bygone era for the enjoyment of today's generation.
- Studio Dreamshare - a public art gallery with monthly exhibitions and a regional meeting place for artists and creative people in the community to share ideas, collaborate on projects and inspire one another. They provide studio space and professional development workshops for artists as well as accessible dynamic programming for youth in an inspiring and exceptional learning environment. Located in Pembroke.
- Taste of the Valley (Renfew County) - celebrates local food, products, art and culture. Various Taste of the Valley events introduce people to a variety of picturesque rural communities within the County of Renfrew for a sample of what is proudly produced in the Ottawa Valley.
- Valley Artisans' Co-op - established in 1987, it remains one of the finest gift and souvenir shops in the Valley.
- Wild Women Artists - Wild Women - Joyce Burkholder, Kathy Haycock and Linda Sorensen - are three unique painters who share a spirit of adventure and an attraction to wild places. Together they trek into the backcountry of eastern Ontario and Algonquin Park to immerse themselves in the landscape and bring back paintings of the wilderness they love.
