The Pembina Valley Studio Tour introduced people from across the region to more than 30 different artists and their work this past weekend.

Studios in 15 communities across southwestern Manitoba, from Somerset to Emerson, were opened for the public to explore. One family in Chortitz displayed their paintings--the work of three generations of artists: Agatha Zacharias and her daughter Barb Penner, and her daughter Danielle Penner.

Barb Penner, her mother, Agatha Zacharias, and her daughter, Danielle Penner collected their paintings to create one large display for people to see during the Pembina Valley Studio Tour last weekend

"Mom's been doing it for roughly 30 years," said Barb Penner about her mother, Zacharias.

"I've been [painting] for 15 or 16 years, and Danielle has been getting into the last two years."

Penner said that painting was her chosen medium because it was stress relieving and therapeutic.

"I feel at peace when I paint," she said. "It's just something I've always done as a child too." Penner added that painting helps her release her emotions onto a canvas.

The three women had over 40 paintings on display Saturday morning, and Penner said it took a long time to create so many pieces to show the public.

In Morden, 12 studios were available on the tour, one of them was Margie Hildebrand who's on staff at the Pembina Hills Art Gallery.

Hildebrand is a sculptor and painter. Her clay sculptures are often small fairy houses which she'll organize with special planters into a fantasy scene. Her paintings are mostly of Morden and the surrounding area.

"I love Morden," said Hildebrand, "I like to paint pictures that show the beauty of Morden."

She thought the studio tour was an excellent way to show people where local artists do their work, adding, she didn't put too much time into cleaning up her work space so visitors get a better sense of her artistic process.

An example of the planters Margie Hildebrand arranges with her pottery. She calls this one a "fantasy castle".