Riding the WAVE
A journey into the creative heART of the Interlake
by Leigh Patterson
In 2026, the WAVE Interlake Artists’ Studio Tour celebrated 25 years of connecting people to the creative souls that make up the region’s vibrant art scene. Two weekends each summer, over 20 artists along the west shore of Lake Winnipeg open their studios to visitors to explore and learn about their processes. Many artists draw their inspiration from the lake and its unique natural landscapes, but the mediums they use to express their art is rich and varied.
A friend and I enjoyed a taste of this popular art tour during a half-day drive during the September long weekend. We started at the southernmost stop on the tour, at Oak Hammock Pottery, where Alan Lacovetsky creates ceramic pots, sculpture and beautiful and functional pieces using an old foot-powered wheel and a massive wood burning kiln. Carbon from the wood ash imbues pottery glaze with distinctive patterns and colours, making each of Lacovetsky’s pieces true works of art.
From there, we drove north past freshly harvested fields of grain, hay and seed to the Village of Dunnottar to visit photographer Stephanie Sutton and visual artist Rosemary Miguez. Sutton’s Darkroom Studio is a showcase of her vivid photos, many taken of the lake with the Village’s iconic piers as a focal point. “My purpose has been to bring to people what they can’t see,” says Sutton. Miguez, of Butterfly Womyn Productions, loves to explore the interplay of light and texture within her acrylic and sand paintings, using sand collected locally and during her extensive travels.
Leaving Dunnottar, we drove along the picturesque lakeside Gimli Road to Winnipeg Beach, where Heather Dawson of Glass by Heather showed us her fused glass pieces using clay molds of plants and flowers, some from her own gardens. We loved the Monarch butterfly earrings she was modelling. Dawson told us she is excited about the possibilities of glass – from colour to texture and luminosity that keeps her learning about glass as an art form.
Just a few blocks away we came to End of the Road Studio to see the hand-carved wood bowls and sculptures by Gary Foidart. Self-taught, Foidart explained that “every piece tells a story.” He harvests and carves maple burls and incorporates epoxy to create his one-of-a-kind works.
We wound up our afternoon with a special visit to Helma Rogge Rehders of H. RogueRaiders Studio Gallery, who was the original visionary behind the WAVE tour. Tucked into a grove of trees, Rehders’ home and studio are filled with her energetic paintings: art that evokes both imagination and contemplation.
If you’re looking to enjoy an easy day trip to enjoy some made-in-Manitoba art, sightseeing and good conversations, we highly recommend the WAVE!
Mark your calendar for the 2027 WAVE Interlake Artists’ Studio Tour.
The 2027 WAVE tours are scheduled for June 12 and 13 and September 4 and 5. Artist studio locations are clustered mainly in the Village of Dunnottar, Winnipeg Beach, Sandy Hook, Gimli and Arborg.
It’s easy to plan your trip using their app, website and free printed guides available at most local Interlake businesses.
