Featured Artist: Ona Kingdon

Ona Kingdon is an internationally award winning watercolour artist and will be part of the Studio Tour again this year. We hope you enjoy reading her feature.

Over the last few years people have often said to me "Oh Ona, I wish I could peek inside your creative mind to see how you think of your ideas". Well, be prepared for a wild ride! 

Being an artist is not something I can turn off or walk away from at the end of a work day. Ideas bubble up when I least expect them, usually at the oddest of moments and often in the middle of the night! Events, people, objects, music, the written word, and the natural world around me all inspire me to create. Sometimes one of these things might suddenly connect with another inside my mind and an idea for a painting is born.

I love being able to convey a story, capture feelings or create a sensation of energy with my paintbrush.

 I enjoy tapping into all forms of emotion whether positive or negative. Art has such a wonderful way of encouraging people to challenge their own views, to think about controversial subjects or to remember fun happy times. I want to make people laugh, cry, feel comforted, disturbed, sad, happy, or even angry. It doesn’t have to be the same emotion that I feel when painting the piece either. We each have different experiences in this world and it is these that we tap into when viewing art.

Flight of the Imagination

A good book encourages a young child’s imagination 
to spread its wings and fly free

(Transparent Watercolour)

The idea for a painting begins long before the magical first dab of paint touches the paper. I spend almost as much time planning as I do actually painting; exploring the composition and playing around with different ideas.

Midnight Blues

Maybe you have to know the darkness before you can truly appreciate the light.(Transparent Watercolour)

Colour choice is very important to me and helps me to convey the ‘soul’ of a painting. Every colour, or combination of colours, subconsciously conveys emotion. The strong vibrant reds have such power and energy, blues are more calming. A palette of complimentary colours creates excitement, drama, a more modern contemporary feel and an element of fun in a painting. In contrast an analogous colour palette creates a more loving, calm, inviting, classical feel.

Although I usually have a very clear idea in my mind from the onset what I want to create, the painting journey is full of times when I am unsure of how to proceed, times when I need to stop and think, or times when I make a mistake and have to decide whether to live with it and use it, or to find a way to remove it. Never be afraid of making a mistake. Mistakes are an important part of growth and learning. If you play it safe and stay in your comfort zone you will miss the opportunity to discover and grow as an artist. So take risks and explore. Ask your self questions, Let yourself wonder why, or what if, and enjoy the process.

Watercolour is such a delicate and unforgiving medium but the trials during each painting journey often seem to enhance that feeling of accomplishment at the finish line. It is this journey that I love the most about being an artist.

Accelerando

If you fall behind, don’t give up. Rise up against the odds: Go faster; be stronger and be more determined than ever to succeed.

(Transparent Watercolour)

Ona will be at Covernotes Tea and Coffeee House 10268, Yonge Street in Richmond Hill  (October 15th-16th) for the Studio Tour this year. She hopes to see you there.

Elina Ten at Vancouver's Fashion Week

Love high fashion, but not able to be part of Vancouver or Western Canada Fashion Week? Don't worry! There's good news.  Elina Ten, who was a hit on the runway, will be participating in this year's Studio Tour. In the meantime, you can enjoy these photographs of her amazing designs.

You can learn more about Elina, by visiting her website.

This year, the Studio Tour will take place during the weekend of October 15th and 16th. Like our Facebook Page, for up-to-the minute information and inspiration about our Studio Tour Artists!

Studio Tour Featured Artist - Vera Samarkina

Vera Samarkina, a wonderful new to the studio tour this year shares her artwork and thoughts on her process in this week's post.

Born to an artistic family, I grew up surrounded by watercolors, brushes, stained glass and sculptures, but it wasn't until I started doodling - a passion that brings lines to life in a somewhat meditative process and naturally intertwines into animal and floral images, which are often finished with slight touches of color.

My inspiration comes from nature - vibrant flowers, green valleys, and peaceful lakes fill my canvas. Spending time outdoors with my family always puts me into a creative mode. My absolute favorite place is Algonquin park, where it seems I can stay forever and just paint. I love this feeling of freedom. My creative process is very spontaneous and each piece may take as little as 15 minutes or many weeks. Sometimes I keep painting for days on end, allowing the work to stay in a raw and quite state for weeks. However, whenever the urge appears, even if it is late at night or half way through my house chores, I pull out all my brushes, put up music and set the stage to paint, just as a rock star would, as they are about to perform.

Check out the brochure for Vera's location info, dates and times of the Studio Tour!   

Ona Kingdon - Watercolour artist

Ona Kingdon is an internationally award winning watercolour artist and will be in the front East room at Boynton House, 1300 Elgin Mills Rd on Richmond Green on the 16th, 17th and 18th October for the Studio Tour this year.

Ona loves being able to create a story or capture feeling through her art….  

“Every blank piece of paper I use feels full of hope and promise. Sometimes I am inspired by music I hear or a phrase or lyrics from a song and this sparks ideas. Other times it’s as simple as a feeling or emotion that inspires me. 

 Although I usually have a very clear idea in my mind from the onset what I want to create, the painting journey is full of times when I am unsure of how to proceed, times when I need to stop and think, or times when I make a mistake and have to decide whether to live with it and use it or to find a way to remove it.”

 From initial reference photo to the finished framed painting, this composite photo outlines the journey of the creation of Ona’s painting ‘Heart Strings’

“ As a fellow watercolourist said to me recently: Watercolour is such a delicate and unforgiving medium but the trials during each painting journey often seem to enhance that feeling of accomplishment at the finish line.... It’s this journey that I love the most.” 

  We wondered if Ona had a favourite painting that she had created…

 “There are a couple that I am attached to for sentimental reasons (usually those of my children) but generally my favourite changes with each painting I do because what I love most is the process of creation. There is nothing quite like taking an idea only I can clearly see in my mind and capturing the essence of it on paper so that others can share in the emotions or story attached to it.”

 In this photo Ona is painting the watercolour ‘Sugar sugar’ watched by one of the hummingbirds as she carefully paints each note of the song in the background.

During this year’s Studio Tour Ona will have many of her music series watercolours for us to see. She says:

 “I love how you can be having such a dismal day, you hear a piece of music and it can uplift you. Equally it can calm or energize you too, so in my music series I set about finding ways to capture visually the many different ways music touches us. For example, in Sognando I wanted to capture that almost dream like feeling when music transports you to another dimension" 
 

Both Zayn and Sarah, the musicians in the photos above will be playing live at Boynton House during this years Studio Tour. Several of Sarah’s fellow musicians from the Richmond Hill Philharmonic Orchestra will also be joining her. It promises to be a great event.

 "I am really excited that some of the musicians that helped inspire my paintings are going to be with me on the Friday evening and Saturday and Sunday afternoon of the Studio Tour playing live music for us all. They are also bringing some of their musician friends so not only will my visitors be able to see the art but also hear some of the music that inspired me to create it.”

Check out the brochure for location info, dates and times of the Studio Tour!  

Karen Pasieka - Polymer Clay Artist

This week, Karen Pasieka is sharing her inspiration and how one of her most beloved pieces was formed.

When I had made my first ranunculus flower brooch, I noticed that I had accidentally created a simple cane with the offcut.

I never discard any clay, and I saw an opportunity with these byproduct canes to make simple, graphic flowers when left in miniature.  For Pick Me! II, I filled a wide band of the polymer clay tile (which is a sheet of clay that I created, blended from soft teal blue to white to simulate the sky) with a cluster of these varied cane slices.  I create my composition by first placing in the flowers, then painstakingly fill in the stems from each and every flower head!

The final product is baked and then mounted in a shadow box frame.

Sometimes my inspiration comes from what I see in nature, and other times simply by the vibrant colours from my bins of clay.  When I'm working well and frequently, the designs and compositions run through my head and I simply cannot wait to get to creating them.  Very rarely do I ever sketch before I create.

I have always been a creative soul, and have been crafting and making art of various forms from various media since I was a little girl...polymer clay is the one that I always return to...I think it's the tactile nature of the medium that love so much!

Looking forward to sharing more of my work and inspiration with you during the Studio Tour! Check out the brochure for location info, dates and times!

Wendy Emery: Glass Artist

Wendy Emery is a glass artist who will be showing her work at her own studio at this years' studio tour on October 17th and 18th! Wendy wanted to share with us all the fun she has with glass...

As a child I was told to be wary of glass, I heard things like,  "Be careful it's glass!" or "Don't touch it you'll break it!" I guess I was a rebel, because I didn't listen. Now I play with glass all day long. I think it's because glass really fascinates me. I am intrigued by what happens when I break, cut, smash, grind, shape and sometimes polish my pieces of glass.

My favorite however, is when the glass is heated to extreme temperatures (sometimes over 1500 degrees F), and I am able to manipulate the glass, making it stretch, and watching it bend curl, and twist.

I love that glass has a liquid quality in it's solid state, and that not only depth but so many different textures can be achieved when fusing glass. 

So glad I was a rebel!!! Can't wait to see you during the tour! Check out my location details in the brochure.

Meet the Artists at Covernotes

On Thursday September 17th, between 5pm and 8:30, come and meet Richmond Hill Studio Tour Artists, have a delicious cup of tea. Please join us and see some of the lovely work they have hanging, and hang with some lovely people!

 Just a sampling of some of the lovely work.

And here is a sampling of a lovely artist.

Check out our brochure for the studio tour which will be held on the weekend of October 17th and 18th.

A Delicious Art Weekend

In addition to tasting all the wonderful food, and enjoying the festivities, Studio Tour Artists Ona Kingdon, Josephine Sherman, Victor Molev and Momin Kahn shared art with visitors to this wonderful event.

Ona Kingdon was Snap'd by Snap'd Richmond Hill sharing her technique for creating such beautiful and emotive faces.

Josephine Sherman, a talented acrylic painter was demonstrating some of her painterly technique.

Victor Molev was capturing the imagination of event attendees with his fanciful and fantastic illustrations.

Momin Kahn paints brilliant and vivid watercolour paintings, and we wonder if the young girl is watching him create, or is the subject of his creation. What do you think?

 This year, the studio tour is on the weekend of October 17-18. For more updates on what Studio Tour Artists are creating, visit our Facebook Page! https://www.facebook.com/richmondhillstudiotour

This Sunday: Studio Tour Artists at Tastes of the Hill

Join some studio tour artists at Richmond Hill's Tastes of the Hill. Some of the artists participating, and demoing their work, include, Ona Kingdon, Momin Kahn, Victor Molev, Josephine Sherman and Sharon Kirsh. They will be located between the Community Pavillion and Boynton House.

Maybe this is some of the art work they will be sharing....


By Victor Molev...

 

 

 Work by Ona Kingdon.

Work by Momin Kahn.

 

 

This year, the studio tour is on the weekend of October 17-18. For more updates on what Studio Tour Artists are creating, visit our Facebook Page! https://www.facebook.com/richmondhillstudiotour

Featured Artists: Katie Argyle and Vera Samarkina

This week we are featuring the work of Katie Argyle. Have a look at her lovely, and unique ceramic pieces. Another new artist to this years' studio tour is Vera Samarkina. We are sharing some of her paintings and photographic works. 

Katie Argyle

Katie Argyle is a graduate of the three year Fine Arts Diploma Program at the Ottawa School of Art. She also holds a BA(Hons) Interdisciplinary Studies, Medieval Art History/Medieval History and a Diploma in Broadcasting. She works in several mediums using the unique properties of each to sift out the essence of our daily lives. Inspired by narratives within our culture, she seeks to depict them in a direct, and often, humorous manner. www.katieargyle.com

Vera Samarkina

Being an artist gives absolutely new perspective to life and multiple visual tools to express appreciation of every single moment of it. Taking pictures, playing with paint on canvas or experimenting with other media brings happiness and sense of purpose in my life. www.nuvango.com/verasamarkina

 This year, the studio tour is on the October 17th, 18th weekend! Would you like to stay up-to-date, with what our artists are creating? Then please follow us on Facebook!

Summer is here!

Our Richmond Hill Studio Tour artists have been busily creating with the theme of summer in mind this week.  Here are a few of the beautiful pieces of art they have made.

 Sharon Kirsh painted a wonderfully vibrant floral that almost feel like floral fireworks welcoming the warm weather.

 Rubina Panjwani created delicate Swarovski pearl Sterling Silver Earring. Beautiful for accesorizing that special dress on a summers day
 

and  Karen Pasieka created these beautiful polymer clay summer flowers.

If you'd like to learn more about the Richmond Hill Studio Tour, which will be held on October 17th and 18th, 2015, check out our Facebook Page.