Otherwise Studios

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Elora, ON
Otherwise Studios

Otherwise Studios is an inclusive space for art making and community building, where artists and cre

03/21/2026

Join us for crit night Monday, March 23, 6:30-8:30 p.m. at Otherwise!

Bring your works in progress, or finished pieces, or just come to chat about other people’s art! This event is completely free - register at https://otherwisestudios.com/products/march-2026-crit-night

10/30/2025

Excited to share a new printmaking workshop series I’ve been dreaming up for literally years now ♥️

The new Proof + Process series is all about taking it easy, making time for creativity in our lives, and learning some printmaking skills.

Starting with a 5-week workshop series this November, join me in workshops on monoprinting, gelli plate printmaking, collagraphy, linoblock, and hybrid printmaking. 🤗

Join all 5 workshops with a package deal, or register for just one (or two) workshop(s) on its own if joining all 5 is a barrier. This series just went out in the Otherwise newsletter and now only has 3 group spots left, and limited single-workshop spots so if you’re interested in joining - don’t wait⏳

Coming soon: this will roll out in multiple sets! More will be coming for February, and as part of the series, I hope to do some pop-up printmaking in different accessible locations. Stay tuned ♥️

Link in bio to learn more and register. 💫

10/22/2025

What’s everyone looking at? Oh that’s right! Crit Night is BACK! 🎉

Happening again at the , all local artists are welcome to bring their works in progress or finished works for feedback from the community. Bring your art, or just come to be part of the conversation.

Facilitated by local artist , and typically alternating venues between and , this monthly event will be specially hosted at the for the month of October! This was an amazing space for our June crit night and we can’t wait to be back.

🗓️ October 27
⏰ 6:30 - 8:30 p.m.
📍 Art Gallery of Guelph

Link in bio to register - all are welcome!

07/05/2025

Some photos from my time last month at the happiest place on earth, Supportive Arts at .arts! I’m always so excited to step into this classroom - the care that the group shares for each other is evident and the creativity is endless!

We learned about positive and negative space, pattern making, and water lifts, and then we danced and sang it all out with Rich Hyrtzak of 🎵

Thank you Steph as always for supporting in your magical ways, and Judy for including me at .arts. Both of your wings wrap so far and lovingly around everyone you meet 🧚‍♀️🐦

06/20/2025

The next crit night is coming up quick! Happening this Monday, June 23, this one is special. Why?

📍 It will be hosted at the , nestled in the inspiring community summer exhibition, “155,578”
🖼️ We’ll have special guest, Erin Szikora, Curator of Contemporary Art at the AGG join us so you can have a chance to get feedback on your work from a professional curator and AGG’s newest team member!
🗣️ If you don’t have art to bring, but you’re a local artist wanting to get inspired and meet others, there’s an option on the registration to just join in on the conversation.
☀️ It’s the last monthly crit night before we take a summer break! After this, we’ll be back at it in September.

As always, you can bring finished works, works in progress, or just ideas and concepts for art projects you’re envisioning and get feedback from your local peers.

Light refreshments will be available. Register for free through the link in bio. 🤩

06/07/2025

One week from today! Join me in celebrating Otherwise’s 6th birthday on June 14, Open House style 🥳

Drop by any time between 1 - 4 p.m. for this free event and enjoy a crafting corner, some tasty snacks, a little free library material, and some collaborative community activities, or just come to hang out and chat!

Link in bio to RSVP ♥️🎂🎈

06/05/2025

We’re so excited to be hosting this month’s crit night at the Art Gallery of Guelph! 🥳

Nestled within the space of the community exhibition, 155,578 (curated by and ), we invite local painters, sculptors, printmakers, textile artists, and other local artists to engage in a critical dialogue about each other’s work. Artists are encouraged to bring an in-progress or complete artwork to share with the group.

If you don’t have an artwork that you’d like to bring in for feedback, you’re welcome to join just to chat about other people’s artwork and connect with local artists.

This event is free to attend. Light refreshments will be provided. Space is limited - RSVP through the link in bio today!

This is the last crit night of the summer so if you’ve been thinking about joining a past crit, there’s no better time! ⏰

06/04/2025

What an amazing 5 weeks the A2A:Collaborative Printmaking project has been - and we’re only part way through!

Co-facilitated with and myself, this project has taken a group of artists through the steps of monoprinting, linoblock, and screenprinting, while also giving them space in open studios to work on their favourite method of printmaking and develop their practice.

Artists worked on their own prints and created works collaboratively - all of which is culminating in a group exhibition and a small book.

Stay tuned for more information but for now, enjoy this small slice of the past 5 studio sessions which took place at and !

Thanks to all the amazing support workers who helped out the artists and to for supporting throughout!

This project was generously funded by the Pay It Forward Arts Fund, administered through and the Activating Community Arts Grant administered through

05/27/2025

Join me June 14 for Otherwise’s 6th birthday open house ♥️🎈

This casual, drop-in style afternoon is a chance for us to celebrate the past 6 years, co-craft together, and of course, enjoy some good snacks 🤗

Check out the little free material library where you can take & leave a crafting material, take advantage of the crafting corner, take part in some collaborative community activities, and join in on the fun! 🧶🎨✂️

RSVP for free at https://otherwisestudios.com/products/otherwise-6-birthday ☀️

05/25/2025

Did you know you can be a print member at Otherwise?

Print members get full access to the print shop and can book the shop to use the printing press, prep prints, or plan the next printmaking project!

Visit https://otherwisestudios.com/pages/print-memberships for details and to join our community of printers 🌟

05/19/2025

Learning the basic skills and techniques of embroidery 🤝 using those skills to create fun abstract compositions.

The abstract embroidery class at .arts was a super engaged group of individuals, and many of them had never even tried embroidery before diving into the world of abstract textile art! I loved their willingness to experiment and try combining different stitches to see what results they could get. 🪡

My next class at .arts is May 29, 6-9 p.m. where we’ll use rules & guidelines to break our own boundaries in painting 🎨 Sound interesting? Link in bio for more information.

Address

75 Melville Street
Elora, ON
N0B 1S0

Website

https://otherwisestudios.com/

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Our Story

Otherwise is a studio, classroom, stage, gallery space, and anything you may need it to be! We believe that a city is defined by its community, and we are committed to contributing to Guelph’s already vibrant art community in a meaningful and unique way. Otherwise is a space open to artists and creatives for collaborating, teaching, innovating, and mess-making. If you have dreams of hosting your own event or workshop in our space, we’ll work with you to make it happen!

Otherwise Studios was created by Abby Nowakowski and Ahmri Vandeborne who together make the artist collaborative, AHMRI + ABBY.

We first met in a painting class at the University of Guelph, and having barely known each other at the time, decided to collaborate on a large-scale installation titled Double Take which launched our practice as a collaborative team. Our work challenges the viewer to renegotiate and rethink their surroundings. By using motifs and marks found in existing sites, we invite viewers to slow down their process of looking and notice details in everyday life that are often dismissed or ignored.

Ever since we started collaborating with each other, we have been constantly searching for opportunities to work with the amazing community of Guelph Ontario. Having lived in Guelph for several years, we know how special it is here and we wanted to contribute to the community in a meaningful way.