By Barbara Arnstein
The Chautauqua–Lake Erie Art Trail returns this Labor Day weekend on Saturday, September 5th, and Sunday, September 6th, from 10am-5pm each day. The self-guided driving tour offers visitors a unique opportunity to browse handcrafted artwork, including paintings, jewelry and more. Plus, they can meet the artists who created it, in their studios, at galleries and special hub locations, and have the chance to ask them about their inspiration and the techniques they use. Marcia Merrins, President of the North Shore Arts Alliance (NSAA), the organization behind the Trail, commented, “Chautauqua County is home to seasoned professionals, skilled artisans and talented craftspeople who draw inspiration from the natural beauty that surrounds them. Our thriving arts events are well attended, and also make a significant contribution to the local economy.”
“My Busti studio, surrounded by nature and filled with light, is where I create vibrant, layered works that combine abstract landscapes with collage, vintage ephemera and unexpected elements. I’m grateful for every commission, exhibition, friendship and new opportunity that continues to make this artistic journey so rewarding.” said Art Trail Artist Nancy Nixon Ensign. Another Trail artist, Janet Mandel, commented, “I am looking forward so much to this year’s Art Trail. I have a number of new works, as well as some originals and many reproductions of my older pieces. I’m out in the countryside, surrounded by the quiet of nature, and an occasional meadowlark. kestrel or red-tailed hawk.”
The Art Trail has become an important contributor to regional tourism and the local economy. It attracts visitors from New York State, Pennsylvania and beyond, and in 2025, attendance increased 20 percent. It stretches across a wide geographic area, with participating artists from Jamestown to Sherman, and Kennedy to Fredonia.
The NSAA has now introduced an Art Trail Passport, available at every Art Trail location. Visitors collect stamps as they travel from stop to stop, and completed passports can be entered into a drawing for gift certificates, redeemable for artwork from participating artists. Visitors who have partially completed passports from the Memorial Day Art Trail can bring them to the Labor Day weekend event.
This year marks the largest Art Trail yet, with 16 stops featuring 36 artists. The interactive online map, also available in print, includes locations, artist profiles, images and links to artists’ websites. QR-code access makes it easy for visitors to find information.
The hubs and participating locations include:
Fredonia: Thomas Annear and Tom Janik at Thomas Annear Art Studio; Waldo Latimer at Walter Latimer Art Studio; and Marcia Merrins, Ronnie Lafferty, Larissa McConnell and June Burns at Kniti Griti Works Studio; and Sandra Maggio at Sandra Maggio Studio
Portland: Patrick Stokes, Seri Beeson, Sarah Brown, Brian Millspaw, and Karen Taverna at 21 Brix Winery.
Lily Dale: D’Arsie Mae, and Gaia Woolf-Nightinall at Sacred Grounds Coffee House
Westfield: Audrey Kay Dowling, David Gregor, Myriam Mayshark, Tim Sivertsen at Portage Hill Art Gallery.