Studio Art Trail
From suburban garages to backyard studios, fine art to the unexpected, the Toowoomba Studio Art Trail offers a rare glimpse into the spaces and stories of local artists.
01/09/25
Photography: Helios Agency & courtesy Tmba Studio Art Trail
Words: Sam Kirby
Every piece of art begins somewhere - a quiet studio, a kitchen table, a converted garage - places most of us will never see. Rooms that smell of turpentine and hum with radios, scattered with fabric scraps, coffee cups gone cold, and sketches taped haphazardly to any available wall space.
Places that hold the mess, the chaos, the making - the real beginnings of creativity.
It’s where the magic happens.
And once a year, for just a few weekends, those doors swing open, and we’re invited not only to see the art, but the lives and spaces that shape it.
‘That’ was the motivation for local artists Jeanne Cotter and Cindy MacDonald, who in 2023 launched the Toowoomba Studio Art Trail.
“It was about creating this platform for local artists to share their creative practices, inviting the community, the public and those interested in the process in, behind the scenes,” explains Jeanne.
“We realised there wasn’t any local way for Toowoomba artists to do that, and so we decided, well, instead of waiting for someone else to do it, why don’t we just do it?”, they continued .
"Last year alone, saw thousands of visitors over the month", Cindy adds.
Now in its third year, the Art Trail invites visitors into 14 home studios every weekend in September. Step inside and you’ll not only find art hanging on walls or perched on plinths, but also the workbenches, tools and half-finished pieces that tell the real story of making. It’s a chance to meet artists where they create, to ask questions, to see their process, and - maybe best of all - to walk away with something that still has the warmth of their hands on it.
The trail itself is wonderfully manageable: every studio sits within the Toowoomba city radius, meaning you can comfortably explore several in a single day without the sense of marathon driving. Pair it with a morning coffee, a Carnival garden stop, or a long lunch, and you’ve got yourself a pretty perfect September weekend plan.
As for the artists? Each brings a different lens and a different story.
From Roslyn Hartwig’s detailed watercolour miniatures, and Mary Deutscher’s ceramics - her much-loved tiny ducks are a favourite you may have also spotted at Harold’s Finishing Touches. Elise Heather brings a mix of realistic sculpture and fascinating textile art, while Leisa and Serge Rossignol showcase delicate, slow stitching with vintage fabrics and lace, paired with Serge’s handcrafted timber garden pieces. There’s fine art, there’s quirky, there’s kitsch, and there’s the unexpected.
“Did you know ‘carroting’ was a historic felt-making process that involved the use of Mercury, and that many artisans suffered Mercury poisoning as a result? Or that Leonardo Da Vinci was ambidextrous?”
Add to that expressive landscapes, mixed media abstractions, porcelain, oil portraits, printmaking, book arts - even wire and encaustic works - and you’ll realise quickly that this isn’t just an “art trail.” It’s a survey of what creativity looks like in Toowoomba.
What sets this experience apart, though, beyond appreciation of the art itself, is hearing the stories of the artists who made it. There is a quote that says that “every great artwork is simply a little piece of its creator”, and it’s hard not to recognise this as they work and as they share their inspirations, their techniques, and in hearing them talk with passion about their chosen mediums.
It would be a challenge to drive away from this experience without feeling just a little wowed by the talent and creativity of these artists, or without at least a dozen fun facts to casually drop into conversation at your next dinner party.
Fair warning, though, it’s likely to inspire at least a few new hobbies. . . and if you’re anything like us, a two-hour Google deep-dive into the world of textile-art and felting.
The Toowoomba Studio Art Trail is open every weekend in September. Entry is free, and maps are available online (or grab a brochure from the Toowoomba Information Centre and local galleries to plan your route).
toowoombastudioarttrail.com.au | @toowoomba_studio_art_trail
