The Creative Countryside Route

Start your day at Tom Ashbourne Studio & Gallery, where the experience begins with scale, texture, and landscape. Set slightly off the main route, this is the kind of stop that feels worth seeking out. Ashbourne’s stone and multimedia sculptures are best experienced in person, where light, material, and movement shift as you walk through the space. Take your time here. The work invites a slower pace and sets the tone for the rest of the day.

Next, make your way to Mad Dog Gallery, tucked inside a renovated century barn near East Lake and just outside Sandbanks. The setting feels distinctly County: relaxed, scenic, and a little unexpected. Inside, rotating exhibitions showcase work by local artists across a range of mediums, from painting and ceramics to textiles and mixed media. Spend some time wandering through the space, then step outside and take in the surrounding gardens before continuing on. It is the kind of stop that encourages you to slow down and stay awhile.

From there, make your way to Oeno Gallery at Huff Estates Winery, about 15 to 20 minutes away. This is your anchor stop. Spend time in the sculpture garden, then head inside the gallery. If you are planning a pause, this is the place to grab a glass of wine and settle in.

Once you arrive in this area, the rest of your stops are just minutes apart.

Next, head to ANDARA Gallery. This is a more personal visit where you have the chance to meet the artists and spend time in a light-filled space that invites you to stay a little longer. During the summer season, visitors can also experience VORTEX, an immersive collaboration between art, music, and local wine culture featuring paired works, soundtrack integration, and interactive tap-to-play technology connecting artwork to music and tasting experiences across ANDARA Gallery and participating wineries.

Finish the day at J. Douglas Thompson Fine Paintings, just a few minutes away. This final stop is quieter and more reflective, a place to slow down before heading out. Thompson’s acrylic work explores how light moves through water, from shifting clouds to waves and mist, capturing both the energy of the landscape and a more personal, contemplative tone.

If you are not quite ready for the day to end, finish in Picton at County Creative. Part gallery, part pottery painting studio, the space blends curated Canadian artwork with hands-on creative experiences in a way that feels approachable, social, and easy to settle into. Browse work by artists from across the country, then stay a little longer to paint, create, or simply unwind after a full day on the Arts Trail.

Pottery painting is available daily on a drop-in basis, making it an easy spontaneous stop after a day spent exploring galleries and studios. Throughout the summer, themed workshops and creative events add an extra layer of energy to the space, offering playful experiences that feel more about gathering, making, and slowing down together. It is a lighter, more relaxed ending to the route and an easy transition into an evening in town.