Inglenook Studio is owned and managed by Irene Kidd-McCuaig.

Irene Kidd-McCuaig

Irene is a Northwestern Ontario artist. The landscape and atmosphere of the area inspire both her writing and her visual art.

She is a retired teacher who studied art at Cambrian College in Sudbury and OAC in Toronto. She has also attended painting workshops in Italy, France, the U.S., the U.K., Toronto and Winnipeg. Painting vacations have always been a favourite holiday getaway. For many years, she offered classes and workshops in Kenora through Inglenook Studio. Her art exhibit, “Here Be Dragons” was well-received at the Muse Art Gallery in Kenora. One piece, “In Ancient Tongue” won second place in the Artists’ Network international competition in 2022 and won the People’s Choice Award at the Thunder Bay Art Gallery the following year.

Irene has attended writing workshops offered through the University of Toronto and Laurentian University in Sudbury. She placed second in two competitions offered through NOWW (Northwestern Ontario Writers Workshop) and placed first in a CBC Superior North Flash Fiction competition. She is a member of the Kenora Writers’ Group, NOWW, and participates in a Sunday afternoon writers’ group where inspiration abounds. Her first published piece is a collection of quirky short stories called ‘Unfettered” available through Friesen Press, local Kenora retailers, and the Inglenook online store.

“It is very satisfying to meet new characters and bring their worlds to life, even though they stubbornly insist on going their own way in spite of my attempts to have them conform to my plot outline.”