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| This is Maya Strelnikova, modelling one of her original sweater designs. |
Thursday, 26 May 2016
Introducing Maya Strelnikova
One of the wonderful aspects of the studio tour, that many visitors have commented on, is the diversity of arts and handiworks that are included in each tour. This year, Maya Strelnikova, a gifted knitter and designer of beautiful knit works is joining the tour.
This year, the Studio Tour will be taking place on the weekend of October 15th and 16th. Subscribe to our blog, to learn more about this year's artists!
Thursday, 19 May 2016
Haleh Dehlavi: Just Be Present!
Our featured artists this week is Haleh Dehlavi. She kindly shares with us the meaning and inspiration behind her work.
Born in a family of musicians, poets, and visual artists, I’ve been deeply enriched with different forms of art. The most inspiring is my mother's talent in drawing and painting, which was in addition to her career as a professional musician. From a very young age watching my mother's paintings enticed me toward finding my passion in visual art. Now my goal in creating artwork is exploring endless endless ways of creation, working with colours, motifs, shapes and textures.
My work is expressive and imaginative. By fostering a deep sense of connection to my inner world, I transform the energy of my thoughts and feelings to heartfelt lines of wires, shades of colours and textural surfaces. I consciously immerse in the sensation of "Being" and devote my presence to the momentum of creation. I simply improvise; I don't plan, I let my soul lead me to select materials, shapes, textures and colours until the entire composition unfolds.
As a mixed media contemporary/abstract artist, I enjoy working with different materials and textures; however, wire is my signature element. The idea for working with wire came to me as I visualized interesting shapes in my fallen strands of hair.
The title of my collection is “JustBe” and this phrase is imbedded as a hidden message in each piece of this collection. “JustBe” is an indication of “Being” as the essence of living and ascension of mindfulness. My motto is: Just Be Present! Pause, Feel, and Embrace the Moment You Are In to truly experience the Life Within!
Born in a family of musicians, poets, and visual artists, I’ve been deeply enriched with different forms of art. The most inspiring is my mother's talent in drawing and painting, which was in addition to her career as a professional musician. From a very young age watching my mother's paintings enticed me toward finding my passion in visual art. Now my goal in creating artwork is exploring endless endless ways of creation, working with colours, motifs, shapes and textures.
My work is expressive and imaginative. By fostering a deep sense of connection to my inner world, I transform the energy of my thoughts and feelings to heartfelt lines of wires, shades of colours and textural surfaces. I consciously immerse in the sensation of "Being" and devote my presence to the momentum of creation. I simply improvise; I don't plan, I let my soul lead me to select materials, shapes, textures and colours until the entire composition unfolds.
As a mixed media contemporary/abstract artist, I enjoy working with different materials and textures; however, wire is my signature element. The idea for working with wire came to me as I visualized interesting shapes in my fallen strands of hair.
My education
and work experience in Textile Design and Printing (BA) has enhanced my ability to
employ various themes and techniques that create rhythmic and balanced
compositions and are instrumental to designing fabrics.
The title of my collection is “JustBe” and this phrase is imbedded as a hidden message in each piece of this collection. “JustBe” is an indication of “Being” as the essence of living and ascension of mindfulness. My motto is: Just Be Present! Pause, Feel, and Embrace the Moment You Are In to truly experience the Life Within!
This year's studio tour is on during the weekend of October 15th and 16th. Make sure you subscribe to our email list, on the right side of this post, so that you don't miss any of the featured artists!
Thursday, 12 May 2016
Katie Argyle: It's All in Black and White, Prints and Pots
This week's featured artist is Katie Argyle. She is sharing with us her exciting prints and pottery, and some of the thinking and inspiration that leads to her wonderful work.
I love black and white. The challenge of communicating colourful, complicated images using only black and white is an exciting thing to me. For this year's studio tour I will be featuring relief prints as well as my hand built pots.
I am someone who thrives on the process involved in creating an object. I want to know my materials. I strive to master my process: from the tools I use (sharp gougers, ceramic carving loops, metal scribes, rubber rollers) to the materials I need to make the thing (clay, underglazes, glazes, wood blocks, linoleum, printing ink).
Mastery takes time. It requires patience and diligence. It's a slow process. Neither of my preferred mediums, ceramics and printmaking, are about instant gratification. At every stage there is work that needs doing, to progress to the next state and then eventually to the end. Sometimes, the work doesn't make it there. Is it a loss? No! For me, the goal is never to hurry or to make something to sell. That does not motivate me at all. I am internally driven to learn something new, to challenge myself, and always to make the thing I have never seen before.
And sometimes, I just want to make myself laugh.
Come see my work at The Burr House stop of the studio tour. during the weekend of October 15th and 16th. Until then, my work can also be found on my website, katieargyle.com and I blog at plasticmasters.blogspot.com. In person I can be found on the weekends at two local markets this summer. Check my website for locations and dates.
I love black and white. The challenge of communicating colourful, complicated images using only black and white is an exciting thing to me. For this year's studio tour I will be featuring relief prints as well as my hand built pots.
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| Self Portrait Wtih Door (woodblock print 11x14) |
I am someone who thrives on the process involved in creating an object. I want to know my materials. I strive to master my process: from the tools I use (sharp gougers, ceramic carving loops, metal scribes, rubber rollers) to the materials I need to make the thing (clay, underglazes, glazes, wood blocks, linoleum, printing ink).
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| Upgrade (woodblock print, 18" x 40") |
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| Kitchen Wizard (ceramic platter with black underglaze, sgraffito, approx 14" diameter) |
Mastery takes time. It requires patience and diligence. It's a slow process. Neither of my preferred mediums, ceramics and printmaking, are about instant gratification. At every stage there is work that needs doing, to progress to the next state and then eventually to the end. Sometimes, the work doesn't make it there. Is it a loss? No! For me, the goal is never to hurry or to make something to sell. That does not motivate me at all. I am internally driven to learn something new, to challenge myself, and always to make the thing I have never seen before.
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| You Are Here (test: You Are Here - linocut - 4" x 6") |
And sometimes, I just want to make myself laugh.
Come see my work at The Burr House stop of the studio tour. during the weekend of October 15th and 16th. Until then, my work can also be found on my website, katieargyle.com and I blog at plasticmasters.blogspot.com. In person I can be found on the weekends at two local markets this summer. Check my website for locations and dates.
Friday, 6 May 2016
Happy Mother's Day from the Richmond Hill Studio Tour
Sharing art and culture with Richmond Hill and surrounding communities, is one of the purposes of the Richmond Hill Studio Tour. In honour of Moms and the special people in our lives who love and nurture us, today we are sharing some inspiring and beautiful artwork and some ideas for art related activities you can enjoy with your mom.
You can see some of Victor Molev's work at Reversion 2016 Superwonder Gallery at 876 Bloor Street Toronto.
Sue Forester is having a lovely exhibition this weekend, called "Strokes of Paint", check out this website for details.
If mom is busy brunching this weekend, then consider sharing art together, by participating in a floral inspired collage workshop on May 28th. This collage workshop is with studio tour artist Sharon Kirsh and is geared to all levels. You can read about it here, The course code is 563066.
This year's studio tour will be on the weekend of October 15th and 16th. Make sure you are subscribed to this blog to learn more about the amazing artists participating this year.
You can see some of Victor Molev's work at Reversion 2016 Superwonder Gallery at 876 Bloor Street Toronto.
Sue Forester is having a lovely exhibition this weekend, called "Strokes of Paint", check out this website for details.
If mom is busy brunching this weekend, then consider sharing art together, by participating in a floral inspired collage workshop on May 28th. This collage workshop is with studio tour artist Sharon Kirsh and is geared to all levels. You can read about it here, The course code is 563066.
This year's studio tour will be on the weekend of October 15th and 16th. Make sure you are subscribed to this blog to learn more about the amazing artists participating this year.
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