Rubina Panjwani: Jewelry Artist

Rubina Panjwani will be at the Oak Ridges Community Center on the 17 and 18 of October for the Richmond Hill Studio Tour and this is her blog post.

I am a creative person and familiar with a variety of crafts. With respect to jewelry design, I am very interested in wire wrapping techniques, which is a technique that dates back thousands of years. Wire wrapping requires the use different kinds and shape of wires, cabochon, beads,and an array of tools.

This is a piece of jewelry as it is being created.

Here it is completed.

My motivations come from Mother Nature. A hoping frog, Fall colours, trees in the winter-time, colourful flowers, majestic birds, and beautiful butterflies - anyone of these sights can prove inspiring. When I make jewelry, I don't usually draw first. In the past I have tried that, but drawing a pre-set notion of what I want to create often feels restricting. When I just follow my train of thoughts and let my hands keep up, the wire-wrapping takes me in unique directions, and then I add-in beads or work on cabochon. Perhaps that is one of the reasons why I never repeat my designs. All my designs come from my heart and soul, and a place of freedom. In fact, I do my best work when I too am happy and at peace. Making jewelry is certainly not as easy as it may seem. You require imagination, yes - but it also needs patience, effort, hard-work and persistence. An important piece of advice for aspiring wire-wrappers is to remember that wire has a soft nature. When you stress wire, it becomes hard and stiff; it refuses to listen to you and bend to your whims and becomes difficult to work with. Be gentle in your approach.

Looking forward to seeing you this weekend. Please click here to see the brochure so that you can visit the Richmond Hill Studio Tour artists this weekend.

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!

Featured Artists: Nikolai Petrov and Wendy Emery

Nikolai Petrov

Nicolai creates sculptures and 3D-paintings in carved, assembled and painted wood under the signature ArtPetrovNik. His style gracefully combines art and mathematics. His work fulfilled with the restless, thrusting energy, abstraction, expressionism, symbolic power. www.artperovnik.com

Wendy Emery

Wendy has a background in a variety of media, however her passion is working with stained and fused glass. She embraces the unpredictable and surprising results produced when glass is heated to extreme temperatures. She is also inspired by the uninhibited playful nature of children and strives to capture this quality in her work. For Wendy, glass has been a means of expression for over twenty years and there’s no end in sight. www.glassicalart.ca

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.

Our Richmond Hill Studio Tour artists have been busy creating this week. Here is just a small sample of the beautiful work they have produced.

The first is by Grace Tetelbaun

Momin Wassim Khan created some beautiful rose watercolours

and Rubina Panjwani made this awesome piece of wired jewellery.

Several of the Studio Tour artists will be at the new ROUGE CREST PARK OFFICIAL OPENING  this coming Tuesday. August 4, 2015 at 147 Rothbury Road, Richmond Hill, Ontario (west of Yonge Street, south of Gamble Road, north of Brookside Road) from 6–7:30 p.m. Come and see them at work and some examples of what they create.

Featured Studio Tour Artists: Nancy Falconi and Alice Chik

Nancy Falconi

Nancy Falconi is an artist, speaker and creativity coach, who discovered her creative talents and true calling half way through her life.   She studied business, worked in the banking industry, worked in various Corporate HR Management positions,and was a professor at York University & Seneca College.Her transition to the creative life began with her rediscovery of a childhood passion for photography. Marked by a sense of childlike wonder, Falconi’s photographic work has been described as authentic, connected, inspiring, and emotive. Her strength lies in her ability to capture the essence of a moment or a person in an instant. 

In 2002 Falconi started a commercial and editorial photography business, which developed an international clientele, including Entrepreneur magazine, Yoga Journal, and Canadian Living and many more. Her photographic vision is the foundation of the many creative aspects of her work as an author, painter, photographer and filmmaker. www.nancyfalconi.com

Alice Chik

To Alice, beads are forever. She intends to make it more whimsical and create an intricate and never-ending story with her imagination. www.alicebeads.ca

Tell us what you think of the works of art on display here, in the comments below! 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.