Autumn in The Countr logo with an orange autumn leaf and handwritten-style text

Artist Studio Tour | Artist Alley
Battle of the Brushes | Live Music

Join us September 12-14, 2025

for full days of art and music.

A painting of a tree with red, yellow, orange, and green leaves, with a bright sun or moon shining through the branches.

Friday September 12

  • 6:30PM - 830PM
    MacDougall Park - 50 Craig St, Russell,

    Come celebrate the opening of the 2025 Autumn In The Country Arts Festival. We’ve been working on the festival for a full year and would love to take some time to kick back, relax and sip a custom mocktail or two with you.

    This year we’re unveiling a brand new public art installation that will take over the park for the duration of the festival. Walk around the park to reignite your childhood imagination and sense of play.

    This is your chance for a casual connection with artists and creative minds from across Russell Township

  • 6:30PM - 830PM
    MacDougall Park - 50 Craig St, Russell

    A new temporary public art piece in MacDougall Park and will be on display for the festival weekend.

    The work titled When We Were Small brings the familiar language of childhood into conversation with outdoor adult spaces. Oversized wooden letter blocks—objects typically found in nurseries and playrooms—are reimagined here as monumental sculptures. Scaled up and placed among the trees, they invite visitors to see play not as something confined to early life, but as a lifelong mode of discovery.

    The blocks carry with them a double resonance: they are tools of learning, representing our first attempts at language and expression, and they are also toys, symbols of imagination and creativity.

    The artwork reflects on the many themes presented in Russell’s arts festival Autumn In The Country’s. For example, the Historical Society of Russell’s theme of early settlers brings forward the idea of Russell in it’s infancy, while the Russell Photo Expo’s theme of Up Close and Personal considers shared childhood memories and connections. More importantly, as Autumn In The Country is renewed for it’s third year, it memorializes the idea of a major event in its infancy, yet poised to become larger than life.

    By positioning something intimate and domestic within a shared outdoor space, the work asks how we learn from the environments we inhabit. Just as the forest holds memory and growth, so too do these objects hold traces of our earliest attempts to make sense of the world.

    The installation becomes an open invitation: to pause, to play, and to reflect on the ways language, nature, and imagination shape who we are.

Display of colorful handmade pottery cups and vases set outdoors with trees in the background.

Saturday September 13

  • 10:00AM - 4:00PM
    Public spaces across Russell and Embrun

    Walk, bike or drive along the open studio tour to see live demonstrations of ceramics, painting, and glass. Artists invite you into their spaces, giving visitors a chance to talk about their process, what inspires them, and how they keep their practice alive.

    Special live demonstrations include

    • 10:30AM - Painting by Maureen McAuliff at 64 Heritage Rd

    • 11:30AM - Ceramics by CMS Pottery at 64 Heritage Rd

    • 1:00PM - Stained Glass by Happy Little Penguin at 574 Chartrand St

  • 10:00AM - 4:00PM
    Russell Fairgrounds - 1076 Concession St

    Some of the brightest and best visual artists from across Eastern Ontario are gathered together under one roof for your enjoyment. Complete with hay bales and corn stalks, this is the perfect setting to reignite your love of art and maybe even find the perfect piece for your living room

  • 3:00PM - 8:00PM
    Russell Fairgrounds - 1076 Concession St

    CA and Sonny is an Ottawa-based duo focused on preserving the tradition of Folk music. Using a variety of stringed instruments, C.A. & Sonny sing songs, crack jokes, and tell tales of yesteryear. Their musicality is balanced expertly with their laid back performance, showcasing an enormous repertoire of antiquated melodies and stories, as well as some songs of their own.

  • 10:00PM - 3:00PM
    Russell Fairgrounds - 1076 Concession St

    Step back in time with the Russell Historical Society's Heritage Day. Explore Russell’s history with wagon rides, live music and old-time games.

    Heritage Day will also feature a new art exhibition titled Before Us, With Us.

    What drew Russell’s first settlers here? Was it the fertile soil, the river’s power, or simply the beauty of the land and its wildlife? Choosing a home is both practical and deeply human—rooted in survival, but also in hope.

    This exhibition presents thirteen photo-based artists inspired by Russell Township. From playful animal encounters to sweeping landscapes, their works capture the character of this place. Together, they echo a shared impulse across two centuries: to find connection, belonging, and possibility in the land we call home.

  • 4:30PM - 6:30PM
    Russell Fairgrounds - 1076 Concession St

    Watch professional and amateur artists go head to head, putting their creative skills to the test. Artists are given a prompt and a small amount of time to create something magical. Winners are voted on by the audience, and artworks are auctioned off after.

    Live music, food and bar!

  • 10:AM - 4:00PM
    Russell Fairgrounds - 1076 Concession St

    The Photo Expo is a free open call to photographers to submit images taken with Russell Township limits. 4 Winners will be chosen by an independent jury, printed on panels, exhibited outdoors for up to 5 years, and be awarded the appropriate CARFAC fee. Honourable mentions will receive a small prize package. All submissions will be printed and exhibited during the Autumn in the Country Arts Festival.

    Join us for the unveiling of the 2025 winners at 12:30PM

Close-up of a person's hand using a thin paintbrush to paint black strokes on a canvas, with a wooden table visible at the top of the image.

Sunday September 14

  • 1:00PM - 3:00PM
    MacDougall Park - 50 Craig St

    To wrap up the festival, a painting meetup is scheduled for Sunday September 15th. Bring your brushes, canvases, and paints and join professional artists in an open air painting meetup in MacDougall park. Get inspired by the fall landscape, birds chirping, and public art.

Download the brochure with the full schedule

Get Involved

Are you an artist interested in showing at the Artist’s Alley? Fill out the form below and send it to russellautumninthecountry@gmail.com.

Questions? Ask us anytime!

We also love volunteer help. Send inquiries to the same email, and we’ll find a place for you.

Application Form

2025 Artist Studio Tour

Map of Russell, showing streets and location pins.
Map showing streets in a small town, including Notre Dame Street, Promenade Street, and Blair Street, with markers on three locations near the East Castor River.

Bike, drive or walk along Russell and Embrun’s side streets and trails to meet artists in their studios demonstrating their craft. From pottery to painting to live music and more, this is your chance to see the magic in action, and learn a little bit about different artistic techniques. This is a self-guided tour to complete at your own pace.

Keep an eye out for the sign posts along the way to help guide you.

Click here the online map

Saturday September 13

10AM - 430PM

Visit public and private spaces to meet the artists, see their work and watch how they create. Learn a little bit more about the participating artists in this section.

Close-up of a ceramic bowl with a glazed, speckled, earthy-toned exterior and a smooth inner surface, set against a plain white background.

CMS Pottery

Christina Stapper looks for the balance between fine art and function in small batch pottery and unique touches that enhance your home and life.

Live Demonstration at 11:30AM

A watercolor painting of an eye with black iris and pupil, surrounded by intricate geometric and organic patterns, with leafy branches around.

Val’s Art

Watercolour artist Valérie Major finds inspiration from living, feeling, nature and her family.

Painting of a blue-toned girl with closed eyes, surrounded by pink, purple, and orange hues, with three orange and yellow dragonflies nearby.

Maureen McAuliff

A self-taught artist who finds joy in transforming heartfelt emotions into vibrant expressions on canvas

Live Demonstration at 10:30AM

Close-up of a watercolor painting featuring various butterflies with colorful wings, surrounded by green foliage and flowers.

Leslie Chandler

Leslie Chandler is a freelance visual artist whose artwork ranges from photo-realistic to abstract contemporary and contemporary impressionism. All of it best expresses her experience outdoors in Canada’s great natural beauty. 

A painting of an orange pear with a brown stem on a green and gray background.

Alain Bilodeau

Alain Bilodeau is an artist and educator who uses his practice to learn, explore and create. Alain is showing his work at the Russell Township Library

Painting of a coastal landscape showing red rocky cliffs, green grass at the top, and the ocean with gentle waves along the sandy shore.

Hidden Daisy Fine Art Studio

As a classically trained artist, Carly’s practice and inspiration stems from her desire to capture beauty through art.

A Highland cow lying in a grassy field with a cloudy sky in the background.

Russell Photo Expo

See an exhibition of over one hundred photographs by incredibly talented photographers. Find out which 4 images won top marks and vote for your favourite..

A garden ornament that resembles a snake coiled around a circular metal frame, mounted on a stake in a garden with purple flowers and green bushes.

Bent Out of Shape

Frank Schmohl creates unique metal, wood and stone artworks designed for your home and garden.

Colorful glass art pieces displayed on a table, with warm string lights and a dark background.

Artist Alley

Artist Alley is your one stop shop for handmade one of a kind creations that include painting, jewelry, polymer clay, beadwork and sculpture. Incredible talent located throughout our township all under one roof. .

Decorative stained glass flower with blue petals and a yellow center, resting on a metallic surface.

Happy Little Penguin

Maria Daly is a Canadian + Armenian stained glass artist interested in pop cultural and

Live Demonstration at 1:00PM

A horse-drawn carriage with a green canopy carrying several passengers, including two older men, as it travels down a street with cars and trees in the background.

Russell Historical Society

Learn about Russell’s first settlers, take a ride on a horse drawn carriage, and see a new art exhibition that explores our connection to the past.

A painting of a tall, leafy tree with a broad trunk and spreading branches, set against a sky with shades of blue and purple, with flowers visible on the grassy ground in the foreground.

Stephanie Wellman

Stephanie is a graduate of the Photography Institute and she is a Signature Member and a Master Pastelist of Pastel Artists of Canada.

A painting of the Northern Lights illuminating the night sky over a body of water, with a small canoe on rocky shore in the foreground, and a silhouette of a forest in the background.

Various Artists

A curated exhibition of several artists that’s not to be missed

Colorful quilled paper art of a pug dog with a multicolored background.

Le Conseil des arts Prescott Russell Arts Council (CAPRAC)

Discover and join a community of artists from across Eastern Ontario. Artists in attendance. Several artists will be on display and in attendance at Russell Township city hall.

Entrance of MacDougall Park with a sign, greenery, trees, flower bed, and a small bridge in the background.

Public Art at MacDougall Park

A large public art installation will be installed all weekend. Reignite your sense of childhood wonder and imagination while walking through the trees.

Opening Reception
Friday September 12 at 6:30PM

Outdoor art exhibit with colorful landscape paintings on easels, illuminated by string lights at sunset, with people browsing and a band performing in the background.

2025 Battle of the Brushes

Saturday September 13
4:30PM - 6:30PM
Russell Fairgrounds - 1076 Concession St

Watch professional and amateur artists go head to head, putting their creative skills to the test. Artists are given a prompt and a small amount of time to create something magical. Winners are voted on by the audience, and artworks are auctioned off after.

Live music, food and bar!

Close-up of a hand holding a paintbrush, painting black lines on a canvas. The canvas is propped up on a small wooden easel, with sunlight illuminating the scene.
A woman with blonde hair tied back, wearing a white jacket, sits in front of an easel painting a landscape. She is outdoors surrounded by green foliage and other artwork displayed on a wooden lattice.

Live Music by CA & Sonny

CA & Sonny is an Ottawa-based duo focused on preserving the tradition of Folk music. Using a variety of stringed instruments, C.A. & Sonny sing songs, crack jokes, and tell tales of yesteryear.

Open Air painting meetup

The best thing to do with inspiration is create. Bring your brushes, canvases and paints and join us in MacDougall Park on Sunday September 14 from 1:00PM - 3:00PM

Illustration of two people riding a vintage airplane with a large sign that reads 'E.A. Scoony' in red letters. Below, there is a pink stamp that says 'West Coast TOUR' with a date of August 2025. The background has a textured, patchy design.

Upcoming Events

Friday October 3rd
Russell Fairgrounds
7:00 pm

Festival of Small Halls presents Chantal Kreviazuk

Chantal Kreviazuk made her critically acclaimed full-length debut, “Under These Rocks and Stones,” in 1997. Since then, the Winnipeg-born and internationally celebrated 3x JUNO Award and Grammy-winning singer-songwriter and musician, classically trained pianist, actress, movie producer, philanthropist, humanitarian and proud wife and mother of three has recorded 10 albums, including a live album, a holiday album and a collaboration with her husband and Our Lady Peace front man Raine Maida. A prolific songwriter, Kreviazuk has written global smashes for the likes of Drake, Gwen Stefani, Pitbull, Christina Aguilera, Britney Spears, Carrie Underwood, Avril Lavigne, Shakira, Kelly Clarkson and Kendrick Lamar. Equally committed to helping those in need, Kreviazuk was awarded the Order of Canada in 2014 along with Maida, for their efforts to raise awareness and support for human and animal rights, mental health, education and the environment. Kreviazuk has been an ambassador to War Child for more than two decades and one of the organization’s founding artists.

Black and white portrait of a woman with wavy hair, wearing a white blazer, against a dark background.
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