News

Campaspe Artists Studio Trail opens doors to art

By Jaci Hicken

May 5, 2026

Rochester artist Sonya Else had more than 90 people through her home studio as part of the Campaspe Artists Studio Trail. Photo by JORDAN TOWNROW

The Campaspe Artists Studio Trail offered art lovers the opportunity to step inside the creative spaces of local artists throughout Campaspe Shire.

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The event, which ran from May 1 to 3, provided a distinctive experience, allowing visitors to interact directly with artists, watch them at work and learn about their creative methods.

Campaspe Artists Studio Trail organiser Dey Alexander said there were 27 artists across 14 venues in eight towns taking part.

“We think there were in excess of 200 people who explored the studios over the weekend, with numbers comparable to 2025,” she said.

“The places with multiple artists had more visitors than the single artist studio, but Sonya (Else) in Rochester did well, because Rochester did a fantastic job of promoting it. They are a really switched-on community.”

She noted that many of the smaller studios had fewer numbers, which she attributed to poor weather on Sunday and concerns about fuel supplies; however, Rochester artist Sonya Else had over 90 people through her home gallery over the weekend.

“This year, I think there was only one lot (from Melbourne) visit my studio,” Dey said.

“We think the number of people travelling greater distances was down, but the local numbers were probably up a bit.”

The Campaspe Artists Studio Trail in Campaspe Shire allowed art enthusiasts to visit local artists’ creative spaces from May 1 to 3, including at the Factory 20A Echuca. Here, Wendy, Don and Sopha McKenzie and Kris Tito enjoy the opportunity to interact. Photo by JORDAN TOWNROW

She observed that most artists reported visitors were highly engaged and wanted to understand the creative process.

“Most artists said that the people who came were really engaged and wanted to talk about the work,” Dey said.

“(They) wanted to be shown how the work was created.”

Dey, who creates abstract watercolours and collages, had visitors requesting workshops after seeing her unique pigment-making process.

“I showed them how I make pigments, that is the colours,” she said.

“They’re powdered colours that you can then use to make paint.

“People were really interested in that process and asked me if I would run some workshops on the whole process, so where to collect the pigments, because they’re all earth pigments from around Rushworth forest.”

Dey emphasised the event’s informal atmosphere, which distinguished it from traditional gallery exhibitions.

“What they (the visitors) really enjoyed was the informality of the event, that they could actually go into working studios and see how people make things and have discussions and ask questions,” she said.

“That was the whole philosophy behind it, to make it less formal, to demystify the whole artist landscape, so that people can engage more.”