The Featured Artists in this year's Studio Tour are archived in alphabetical order by their surname.
Featured Artist: June 30th
Painting has been a passion for much of her life but she made a serious commitment to watercolour in 1982.
While she has had formal training in the field of art, much of her technique can be attributed to years of experience and a few talented mentors. Her paintings can best be described as detailed impressions, with strong use of colour and design.
Over the last eighteen years she has held nearly 30 exhibitions and her paintings have been displayed and sold in numerous galleries and exhibits across Ontario and the UK. In 1997 she was proud to be elected to the Canadian Society of Painters In Watercolour (CSPWC), and she is a silver signature member of the Toronto Watercolour Society (TWS). She derives great pleasure from sharing the joy of this wonderful medium through teaching regular classes , jurying shows and teaching workshops.
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/barbara.wayne
My biggest mosaic art inspiration comes from Julio Menossi, a
master Italian mosaicist.
What colour best describes your personality?
I think the colour purple best
describes my passionate personality.
Featured Artist: June 30th
Susan Chater
Contact: 905 881 2497 or susanloves2paint@rogers.com
Painting has been a passion for much of her life but she made a serious commitment to watercolour in 1982.
While she has had formal training in the field of art, much of her technique can be attributed to years of experience and a few talented mentors. Her paintings can best be described as detailed impressions, with strong use of colour and design.
Over the last eighteen years she has held nearly 30 exhibitions and her paintings have been displayed and sold in numerous galleries and exhibits across Ontario and the UK. In 1997 she was proud to be elected to the Canadian Society of Painters In Watercolour (CSPWC), and she is a silver signature member of the Toronto Watercolour Society (TWS). She derives great pleasure from sharing the joy of this wonderful medium through teaching regular classes , jurying shows and teaching workshops.
Where were you
born?
I was born in UK
If you could have an
art related vacation anywhere in the world where would you go and why?
I love Europe - for its sense of continuity
What’s your favourite
thing to create and why?
Anything that shows beauty - both natural or manmade
How did you get your
start in the world of art?
Started as a child winning several national competitions in elementary school.
Do you have go-to
paints/colors that you love to use in your art work?
No specific colours - just colour
Who has been your
biggest inspiration as an artist?
The impressionists
What have been some of
your crowning achievements?
Election to the Canadian Society of Painters in Watercolour
If you could have three
wishes as an artist, what would they be?
More time to paint, more time to paint, more time to paint
What is the best advice
that you have received as an artist?
Be yourself
What colour best
describes your personality?
Purple
Featured Artist August 20th
Alexandra K Conrad Website: www.akconradart.com
Contact
What’s
your favourite thing to create and why?
Jette Knudsen Cott came to Canada from Denmark with her parents and siblings in the 1950s. All her life, she has been passionate about the beauty of the world around her and what she could do to make it more so.
Since 2001, when she retired from her long career as a creative stylist in the hair and fashion fields, Jette has been devoting her time to painting. She works primarily in acrylics and water colours.
Jette draws much of her inspiration from everyday visions such as nature’s scenery, children at play, florals and still life. Her craft brings her incredible joy and the she enjoys the enthusiasm for her work of those who collect it.
She has shown her work at the Mill Pond Gallery in Richmond Hill and participates annually in a variety of juried, group and solo shows. She has been selected in juried shows in Toronto, Aurora, Oakville, Uxbridge, Port Perry and East Gwillimbury. Jette has received numerous awards including ‘Best in Category’.
Where were you born?
Odense, Denmark
What’s your favourite thing to create and why?
I love painting floral portraits. Closeups. Animal portraits. Reason is
I have had the most success with this. I tend to stay with realism, but
occasionally venture into representational abstract images. From still
life to landscapes.
How did you get your start in the world of art?
I did not start fine art until I retired from hairstyling. (1961 to 2001) By chance I came to The Mill Pond Gallery for a weekend show, and signed up to be a member. I'm still there and loving it.
Who has been your
biggest inspiration as an artist?
My sister who did decorative painting for years. Also the wonderful local art teachers I have taken art classes and workshops with. I love Robert Bateman's work. Helen Lukas's and Bobbie Burgess fabulous florals.
What have been some of your crowning achievements?
Winning twice "best in category" in acrylic
painting in Aurora was exciting. However, above that I value most the
process of learning art techniques, and finding my own path in the art
world.
If you could have three wishes as an artist, what would they be?
Creating a real body of work.
More time to paint.
On location (painting trip), anywhere warm.
Depends on the day. I'm a rainbow of colours, with lots of sunshine dominating.
Friday, 9 August 2013
Don's
enthusiasm for the outdoor world is conagious and he enjoys sharing
his passion for nature and photography with children and adults alike. So let's find out more about Don.
Blue with splashes of orange!
Alexandra K Conrad Website: www.akconradart.com
Contact
akcmail@akconradart.com
905 883
5539
Alexandra
K. Conrad, an honours graduate of OCA (OCAD University), has also Master of Science Degree in Geography and is registered
Professional Engineer of Ontario in the discipline of Mineral Engineering.
In
her professional journey, after working in engineering projects, she moved to
the field of arts, doing designs and illustrations (commercial and medical) as
well as fine art paintings. She paints in various media but mainly in acrylic
and oil. Subjects of her paintings include landscapes, cityscapes, nature,
visual interpretation of music, abstract and portraits. Doing portraits is her
most successful work, with the greatest clients appreciation.
In 2007 she was accepted as a member of the Portrait Society of Canada (PSC), based on her work on portraits. She is a member of Richmond Hill Group Artists (RHGA) as well as associate member of the Society of Canadian Artists (SCA).
In 2007 she was accepted as a member of the Portrait Society of Canada (PSC), based on her work on portraits. She is a member of Richmond Hill Group Artists (RHGA) as well as associate member of the Society of Canadian Artists (SCA).
“Yonge St in Richmond Hill”
Medium: acrylic
on canvas
Size: 18 x 16
inches
Where were
you born?
I was born in Gostynin, Poland, which is
the town located north - west from Warsaw.
I was there only for four years after I lived and studied in Warsaw.
I was there only for four years after I lived and studied in Warsaw.
I came to Canada in 1976
and stayed here since then.
If you could have an art related vacation anywhere in the
world where would you go and why?
I
have two places where I would like to have an art vacation.
One place is:
Tuscany, Italy is my dream destination for art related vacation.
I have always been enchanted with its scenery seen in the movies and photo books.
I love to see Tuscany’s landscape with the hills and nature, especially cypress trees and olive groves, the winding country roads, fields, architecture of towns and the remarkable light constantly changing the scenery.
I have always been enchanted with its scenery seen in the movies and photo books.
I love to see Tuscany’s landscape with the hills and nature, especially cypress trees and olive groves, the winding country roads, fields, architecture of towns and the remarkable light constantly changing the scenery.
The other place is:
South of France including Arles where Vincent van Gogh was creating his fantastic
paintings. His use of colours,
application of paint – the strong and interpretive brush strokes
I always admire. I would like to see the actual places, which he interpreted in his paintings.
I always admire. I would like to see the actual places, which he interpreted in his paintings.
I
particularly enjoy painting portraits. When creating a portrait, besides
portraying likeness, catching the person’s feeling and expression is my biggest
challenge and accomplishment. In my portrait painting I am not after a
photographic representation of the person, but rather showing my impression of
the individual and his/her overall physical and emotional gesture. To capture
this gesture I am not looking only for the special facial expression, which has
tremendous importance in the portrait, but also, for overall pose, including
the position of the hands and legs. All these gesture elements contribute to
the intimate expression of the individual and represent the “soul of that
person” in that moment.
Quite often, in the
portraits, which I have done, the eyes of the person stare straight at the
viewer and his/her gaze follows the onlooker when he/she moves from side to
side looking at the painting. This creates the additional emotional connection
between the portrayed person and the person looking at the painting.
“Mrs Elefteria
with Kenjisan”
Medium: Oil on
canvas
Size: 24 x 36
inches
Besides portraits I paint other themes, which inspire me.
(landscape, cityscape, nature, abstract).
“David Dunlop
Observatory in the Fall”
Medium:
watercolour on paper
Size: 20.5 x 14
inches
How did
you get your start in the world of art?
I always liked to draw
and paint however my professional art career started later on in life. My other business engagements did not leave
too much time for art creation. However, whenever possible I have been drawing
and painting since young age and finally I dedicated more time for art.
Professionally I have been engaged in art for approximately 20 years, after
graduating from the OCA (OCAD
University).
Do you
have go-to paints/colors that you love to use in your artwork?
Red and all sun related colours I use quite often in
my artwork.
“Red Poppies”
Medium: oil on
gallery canvas
Size: 16 x 20
inches
Who has
been your biggest inspiration as an artist?
From my early years, my
mother influenced my love to art and art creation. She admired paintings of the
Impressionists especially Vincent van Gogh and Pierre-Auguste Renoir.
What have
been some of your crowning achievements?
Painting
portraits is my most satisfying work of art so far. Clients’ appreciation and
satisfaction bring me a lot of pleasure.
I
received positive comments from the art professionals about my work on
portraits.
One of them is a long time art professor Stefan Stankiewicz – Fine Art University in Gdansk, Poland. He encouraged me to allocate more time in my art creation to painting portraits.
One of them is a long time art professor Stefan Stankiewicz – Fine Art University in Gdansk, Poland. He encouraged me to allocate more time in my art creation to painting portraits.
: “Caribbean Girl”
Medium: oil on
gallery canvas
Size: 14 x 11
inches
“Asia”
Medium: pastel on
paper
Size:
14 x 15 inches
If you
could have three wishes as an artist, what would they be?
I
wish that I had more time for painting, a spacious studio and
to have a growing number of friends artist.
to have a growing number of friends artist.
What is
the best advice that you have received as an artist?
Paint what you feel and the way you see it. Paint
and draw a lot.
What
colour best describes your personality?
It
is difficult to say, however I like red, which I use for accents in almost
every painting.
I am trying to be optimistic in various life situations and red is a happy colour,
so I guess that is my colour.
I am trying to be optimistic in various life situations and red is a happy colour,
so I guess that is my colour.
“Elora Walk”
Medium: oil on
gallery canvas
Size: 36 x 36
inches
July 6th Featured Artist
Jette Cott
Website: www.jetteknudsencott.com
Contact: jettecott@gmail.com
Jette Knudsen Cott came to Canada from Denmark with her parents and siblings in the 1950s. All her life, she has been passionate about the beauty of the world around her and what she could do to make it more so.
Since 2001, when she retired from her long career as a creative stylist in the hair and fashion fields, Jette has been devoting her time to painting. She works primarily in acrylics and water colours.
Jette draws much of her inspiration from everyday visions such as nature’s scenery, children at play, florals and still life. Her craft brings her incredible joy and the she enjoys the enthusiasm for her work of those who collect it.
She has shown her work at the Mill Pond Gallery in Richmond Hill and participates annually in a variety of juried, group and solo shows. She has been selected in juried shows in Toronto, Aurora, Oakville, Uxbridge, Port Perry and East Gwillimbury. Jette has received numerous awards including ‘Best in Category’.
Where were you born?
Odense, Denmark
What’s your favourite thing to create and why?
How did you get your start in the world of art?
I did not start fine art until I retired from hairstyling. (1961 to 2001) By chance I came to The Mill Pond Gallery for a weekend show, and signed up to be a member. I'm still there and loving it.
My sister who did decorative painting for years. Also the wonderful local art teachers I have taken art classes and workshops with. I love Robert Bateman's work. Helen Lukas's and Bobbie Burgess fabulous florals.
What have been some of your crowning achievements?
If you could have three wishes as an artist, what would they be?
Creating a real body of work.
More time to paint.
On location (painting trip), anywhere warm.
What is the best advice
that you have received as an artist?
Stick with what you do best.
What colour best
describes your personality?Depends on the day. I'm a rainbow of colours, with lots of sunshine dominating.
Don Downer
Website: www.donsnaturephotography.
Website: www.donsnaturephotography.
Online Gallery: Fine Art America
Contact (phone
or e mail) donsnaturephotography@gmail.
Where were you
born?
Penetanguishene, Ontario
If you could
have an art related vacation anywhere in the world where would you go and why?
I would go to Madagascar or the Galapagos Islands because of all the
unique animals that are there – and I haven’t been there yet.
What’s your
favourite thing to create and why?
My favourite thing to create is a moving and inspiring photograph of
nature.
How did you get
your start in the world of art?
I’ve always loved to take photographs and when I retired, an
artist-friend of mine, suggested that I should be showing my work to other
people and so we started doing shows together.
Do you have
go-to paints/colors that you love to use in your art work?
I like oranges, especially sunsets – because I don’t see many sunrises –
especially now that I am retired. I also
am very fond of all the blues – especially water blues.
Who has been
your biggest inspiration as an artist?
Probably the
work of Robert Bateman has been my biggest inspiration.
What have been
some of your crowning achievements?
I have had several successful shows and I was asked to provide two pieces
of photography from Georgian Bay as a memorial which now are on permanent
display in the hospice in Penetanguishene, Ontario.
If you could
have three wishes as an artist, what would they be?
That people would buy my work!
That I didn’t have to any work on the computer;
That I had more time to take photographs.
What is the best
advice that you have received as an artist?
Be true to your own inspiration, and, keep it simple.
What colour best
describes your personality?
May 29th Featured Artist
Contact : 905 939 2077
web site: http://www.rhga.ca/m_pearl.html
On canvas and on paper, Pat paints to find the light, colour, and mood of what she sees and feels all around her as it is so generously provided by Mother Nature. Much of her inspiration comes from her perspective from the pillion of our motorcycle as she travels with her husband Jim around the Ontario countryside and beyond. Her camera is always with her and her brush interprets what she has seen. Yearly trips to South Carolina to paint under the tutelage of well known American artists also provide a source of inspiration and new ideas. She enjoys painting with both acrylics and watercolours, but watercolours especially appeal. She loves the freshness of the medium, being able to apply and pour colours right on the paper, and watch the painting evolve beneath her brush. She enjoys the constant challenge to keep the white of the paper and to use the transparency of watercolours, ultimately striving to make the painting ‘glow’.
June 24th Featured Artist
Valerie Kent is an experienced artist and teacher who paints en plein air and in the studio. She studied in Montreal at Ecole des Beaux Arts and Concordia University, in Toronto at York University, University of Toronto, Ryerson University and Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, in Nova Scotia at St. Francis Xavier University and at the University of Iowa.
Valerie paints in watercolours, acrylics, oils and mixed media. She enjoys diverse subject matter, experimenting with mixed and multi-media and incorporating found environmentally friendly materials.
June 4th Featured Artist
Sandra MacPherson
Do you have go-to paints/colors that you love to use in your art work?
What is the best advice that you have received as an
artist?
19 July 2013
Contact (phone or e mail) olenalopatina@yahoo.ca
How did you get your start in the world of art?
June 11th Featured Artist
Mari Nicolson
Website: marinicolson.com
If you could have an art related vacation anywhere in the
world where would you go and why?
Using the skills and sensibilities she developed through her background in architecture, artist Karen Pasieka has revitalized a beloved childhood pastime, and found her creative outlet in polymer clay sculpting. Her passion for detailed work is expressed through her miniatures: delicately sculpted floral jewellery, ornaments and figurines, and most recently her framed artwork.
Where were you born?
Contact: maryam.sadrolhefazi@gmail.com
May 22nd Featured Artist
Barbara Wayne
Patricia Earl
Contact : 905 939 2077
web site: http://www.rhga.ca/m_pearl.html
On canvas and on paper, Pat paints to find the light, colour, and mood of what she sees and feels all around her as it is so generously provided by Mother Nature. Much of her inspiration comes from her perspective from the pillion of our motorcycle as she travels with her husband Jim around the Ontario countryside and beyond. Her camera is always with her and her brush interprets what she has seen. Yearly trips to South Carolina to paint under the tutelage of well known American artists also provide a source of inspiration and new ideas. She enjoys painting with both acrylics and watercolours, but watercolours especially appeal. She loves the freshness of the medium, being able to apply and pour colours right on the paper, and watch the painting evolve beneath her brush. She enjoys the constant challenge to keep the white of the paper and to use the transparency of watercolours, ultimately striving to make the painting ‘glow’.
Where
were you born?
Toronto Ontario
If
you could have an art related vacation anywhere in the world where would you go
and why?
France
and Italy to paint! On my bucket
list!
What’s
your favourite thing to create and why?
I
love to paint landscapes, florals and birds!
How
did you get your start in the world of art?
I
started taking drawing/painting classes when my children were babies.
I
was an at home mom after my second child was born. I had three children under
3.
Being
able to take a few hours away from the hectic schedule of family life and
dedicate it to being creative was very therapeutic for me. J
Do
you have go-to paints/colors that you love to use in your art work?
I do tend to use the same colours/palette in
my paintings, Windsor Newton typically.
What
have been some of your crowning achievements?
Being
invited to participate in the Richmond Hill Studio Tour as well as the Studio
Tour King 2013. Also just having
received the Town of Richmond Hill award for my painting “Bird’s Eye View’ in The Richmond Hill Group of Artists Juried
Show. The painting is going to hang in
the Town of Richmond Town office.
If
you could have three wishes as an artist, what would they be?
1. Never stop learning and
experimenting
2. Become more disciplined as
an artist
3. Take the time to paint more
regularly
What
is the best advice that you have received as an artist?
Paint
everyday!
June 24th Featured Artist
Name of
Artist
Valerie Kent
Website: www.valeriekent.com
Facebook Page
valeriekentworkshops
Blog: www.valeriekent.com
Contact (phone and e
mail)
Valerie Kent is an experienced artist and teacher who paints en plein air and in the studio. She studied in Montreal at Ecole des Beaux Arts and Concordia University, in Toronto at York University, University of Toronto, Ryerson University and Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, in Nova Scotia at St. Francis Xavier University and at the University of Iowa.
Valerie paints in watercolours, acrylics, oils and mixed media. She enjoys diverse subject matter, experimenting with mixed and multi-media and incorporating found environmentally friendly materials.
Where were you
born?
I was born in Tokai, Hungary which is wine growing country and is famous for the Tokai wines.
If you could have an
art related vacation anywhere in the world where would you go and why?
I have been to
the south of France several times leading artist workshops, and it is definitely my
favourite place so far. It is famed for
its beautiful light and its
extraordinary land forms, such as the Verdun Gorge and the beautiful rivers, the
quaint stone villages in the Luberon Mountains such as
Le Baux, and the many
little markets with their colourful and fresh produce. It is an artist’s
paradise: there is something for
everyone, stunning landscapes, people
watching and painting, and still life galore.
What’s your favourite
thing to create and why?
I very much enjoy
painting while under a shady tree, outdoors by a rushing river or a waterfall. I love the sounds of it and like painting the
moving waters.
How did you get your
start in the world of art?
I started selling
paintings at age 5 because my cousin had a beauty salon where I would hang out
and paint little ballerinas. The clients
were nice and to humour me they would
buy my artwork for a penny. It was quite
an incentive because 5
pennies got me an ice cream cone.
Do you have go-to
paints/colors that you love to use in your art work?
There are a few
newer colours that I have added to my palette which I did not use, or mixed
my own versions. I love perylene green
which is a dark green, almost black and
red oxide which I have used as an underpainting for my acrylics and
oils.
Who has been your
biggest inspiration as an artist?
My father painted dream scenes of his childhood and
my mother loved to design clothing. They
were always encouraging me to do
drawings and to paint. My father used to tell me stories about his father who
painted the scenes in churches. He was
known for that.
What have been some of
your crowning achievements?
Some of the
really fun things that I loved to paint have been painting during the moose era in
Toronto when I did two of the moose, Wolfgang Amadeus Moosart and The
King (the Elvis moose). I have been in
huge art shows in Korea and
Japan and I liked that. Now I am
painting a piano in art deco style for
the Five Senses Festival at the Richmond Hill Centre for Performing Arts in
Richmond Hill for August 16 and 17. I also truly love to
teach art courses and workshops and love travelling
to teach them here,
around Ontario and around the world.
If you could have three
wishes as an artist, what would they be?
I am very
satisfied with my life as a practicing artist.
No matter how busy I get, what
sadness comes and what joys follow, having my art to go to is what I
wish for everyone. It is not really all
about selling the work, but having
the power to create which is a wonderful feeling. I wish that I would
always continue to appreciate the process and have
friends and students to paint with.
What is the best advice
that you have received as an artist?
I think the best advice is never to judge your painting until it is finished. Give each work a chance
and if it does not come out right start a new one. John G. Roberts,
once a head of the Famous
Artists School in New York and Amsterdam, told me, if you get one out of ten that works, that is really great. This way you can experiment, be free to make mistakes, or use materials or see things in new ways and not worry about having to create a masterpiece every time you do a
new
work.
What colour best
describes your personality?
I think red is my accent colour. When I get excited about an artwork and love doing it I feel red or I am teaching a class and
everyone is working on their art
so well, I feel
red. At my best when I am very outgoing
and happy I am very red.
Featured Artist August 2nd
Hope you enjoy learning more about Ona in the following answers.
Do you have go-to paints/colors that you love to use in your art work?
If you could have three wishes as an artist, what would they be?
Featured Artist August 2nd
Ona Kingdon CSPWC, PWS, NWWS, BWS
Website: www.onak.ca
Ona works primarily
in transparent watercolour and loves the luminescence of this medium.
She enjoys building up the depth and variation of colour
through multiple glazes one pigment at a time and preserves the white of
the paper to create highlights.
Ona began painting in watercolour seriously in late 2008 and, over the last few years, has won many awards both locally and internationally.
Ona began painting in watercolour seriously in late 2008 and, over the last few years, has won many awards both locally and internationally.
Where were you born?
I was born in the
south west of England.
If you could have an art related vacation anywhere in the
world where would you go and why?
I like places where there are interesting people because I love painting human emotion. I also enjoy
meeting my art friends from around the world and visiting the big watercolour
exhibitions so my ideal art vacation would have to include one of these too.
What’s your favourite thing to create and why?
I like creating art
that captures elements of the emotions of life. Something that makes people
smile, cry, feel sad, feel longing or pure joy.
How did you get your start in the world of art?
When I was small I would go with my mum to drama events. She
would give me some pencils and a sketch pad to keep me amused and I would get
lost in a colourful imaginative world where a simple scribble could become a
tree, a few shapes a friendly giant and a triangle a mountain far on the
eastern horizon. My mum would tell me the names of three objects and I would use them to
create a story in my mind and then illustrate the story on paper.
Things didn’t always go to plan though. Once, when I was about three years old I was with my mum in a very old Victorian theatre with a sloped floor. I dropped my pencils in the middle of a very serious and tragic scene on stage. The pencils rattled noisily on the wooden floor all the way from the back of the theatre where I was sat, to the front of the stage. As they rolled clattered and everyone in the crowded audience bent their heads to see what the noise was. It looked just like an inverted Mexican wave. I guess, even from an early age, that I was destined to be noticed as an artist :)
Things didn’t always go to plan though. Once, when I was about three years old I was with my mum in a very old Victorian theatre with a sloped floor. I dropped my pencils in the middle of a very serious and tragic scene on stage. The pencils rattled noisily on the wooden floor all the way from the back of the theatre where I was sat, to the front of the stage. As they rolled clattered and everyone in the crowded audience bent their heads to see what the noise was. It looked just like an inverted Mexican wave. I guess, even from an early age, that I was destined to be noticed as an artist :)
Do you have go-to paints/colors that you love to use in your art work?
I am in love with
the Daniel Smith Quinacradone range of colours and use at least a couple of
them in every painting I do.
Who has been your biggest inspiration as an artist?
There are several watercolour artists that I really admire
such as Paul Jackson, John Salminen, Jane Freeman and Birgit O’Connor and I
love the work of Dali too but I have to say my biggest inspiration as an artist
has to be the deaf children that I taught for over 15 years. This experience
helped me to develop a strong understanding of how feelings, emotion and
knowledge can be communicated visually and the many children that I supported
over the years really taught me how to see the more subtle aspects of how
emotion can be conveyed.
What have been some of your crowning achievements?
Becoming an Elected
member of the Canadian Society of Painters in Watercolour, a signature member
of both the Pennsylvania Watercolor Society and the North West Watercolor
Society.
Winning Awards for
the last two years In the Transparent Watercolor Society of America’s National Exhibition
and several other big international exhibitions
Being chosen as one
of the top 10 one’s to watch in 2012 by the Watercolor Artist Magazine
If you could have three wishes as an artist, what would they be?
To inspire others to have a go
To connect emotionally in some way to people through my art
To rise to challenges in the art world and keep growing and developing as an artist
To rise to challenges in the art world and keep growing and developing as an artist
What is the best advice that you have received as an
artist?
Be you and be proud
of being different. This way the work you produce comes from the heart and will
have so much more meaning.
What colour best describes your personality?
I don’t think I am a
single colour but more of an analogous section of the colour wheel from the warm
blues through the purples and violets and into the cooler pinks.
The color blue is reserved, thoughtful and
quiet and likes to do things in its own way quite like I do. The color
indigo reflects great devotion along with fairness and impartiality. It
also stimulates creative activity which I love. The color purple links
to imagination and
spirituality allowing us to get in touch with
our deeper thoughts. I love running with my imagination and seeing where
it
takes me and tend to think a lot about things. The color pink is
compassion, nurturing and
love. It is affectionate, thoughtful and caring and has
gentle loving energy. I guess this is my motherly side although caring
and
compassion do tend to come across in many of my paintings too.
Sandra MacPherson
Website: www.watercoloursbysandra
Online Gallery:
www.watercoloursbysandra
Also on Fine Art America
e mail:
watercoloursbysandra@gmail.com
Sandra
MacPherson has been working with watercolours since 1992. Largely
self-taught, she has studied at the Ontario College of Art & Design
and with various professional artists. Her portfolio of watercolour paintings includes landscapes, buildings, floral, still life, and figurative works.
Where were you born?
Toronto, Ontario
If you could have an art related vacation anywhere in the
world where would you go and why?
I would go somewhere where the light is radiant and there is
lots of blue and white like Greece.
What’s your favourite thing to create and why?
I love painting pictures of century homes, children,
landscapes, and flowers – because all of those images fill my imagination with
stories of days gone by, the innocence and wonder of children, and the beauty
of the world around us – when we stop long enough to look.
How did you get your start in the world of art?
I have always loved to draw – since I was a child. Making pictures is like telling stories. I learned to paint in watercolour as an adult
– simply from following pursuits that interest me.
Do you have go-to paints/colors that you love to use in your art work?
I love all the shades of blue and pink and yellow. I like Windsor Newton paints best – but there
are some Lucas paints I can’t do without.
Who has been your biggest inspiration as an artist?
There are many – AJ Casson and all the Group of Seven;
Andrew Wyeth, Christopher and Mary Pratt, and Helen McNicoll to name a few.
What have been some of your crowning achievements?
Getting a painting accepted into the juried permanent
collection at the Heintzman House in Thornhill.
Serving as President with the Willowdale Group of Artists
Having my own shows
Participating in Studio Tours
in Coldwater, and in Richmond Hill
& Newmarket, Fall 2013
If you could have three wishes as an artist, what would
they be?
To become a better artist
To be able to paint every day
To make a living doing art
In a documentary
about AJ Casson, he said that he always thought “the next canvas will be
better”. This inspires me – because even
the best artists always strive to create better work.
What colour best describes your personality?
I am a rainbow.
19 July 2013
Contact (phone or e mail) olenalopatina@yahoo.ca
Where were you born?
Ukraine
If you could have an art related vacation anywhere in the
world where would you go and why?
I will go on trip around Canada. I love Canadian Landscape
What’s your favourite thing to create and why?
My favorite always was and is now landscape. Nothing as perfect and so inspirational as nature.
How did you get your start in the world of art?
I started painting on mirror with butter when I was a baby. Russian
words for oil and butter are same - 'oil'. And my mom always telling me
that I start paint with oil from birth.
Do you have go-to paints/colors that you love to use in
your art work?
I like warm colors. And even if my work doesn't look warm, they about light and light always warm.
Who has been your biggest inspiration as an artist?
My biggest inspiration is my mom. She never become a professional artist but she has talent.
And later I found many others artists who became my teachers in art indirectly.
What have been some of your crowning achievements?
To talk about my crowning achievements is like writing memoirs . I am not ready for this yet.
If you could have three wishes as an artist, what would
they be?
I wish that all art will be a happy art. Happy art makes people happier.
What is the best advice that you have received as an
artist?
There are no bad colors, there are bad artists.
What colour best describes your personality?
blue-green
12 July 2013
Where were you born?
Leningrad, Russia
If you could have an art related vacation anywhere in the
world where would you go and why?
Romania. I love mountains of Old Karpaty
What’s your favourite thing to create and why?
I love to create art fantasy because I like to be philosophical.
How did you get your start in the world of art?
I saw the sculptures of Erzia in Museum.
Do you have go-to paints/colors that you love to use in
your art work?
I love the colors of a rainbow
Who has been your biggest inspiration as an artist?
November 8 1876 – 24 November 1959
If you could have three wishes as an artist, what would
they be?
Love, happiness and understanding
What is the best advice that you have received as an
artist?
Analyze your own mistakes.
What colour best describes your personality?
Ocean blue
Mari Nicolson
Website: marinicolson.com
E mail: mari99@me.com
Mari works in a variety of mixed media, including painting with hot bees
wax (encaustic), using super high gloss epoxy resin, and a variety of
acrylic mediums and photo transfer processes. All of Mari’s artwork is
made from the highest quality materials. All of the encaustic
(beeswax) media is made by hand, and the paper ephemera and other
objects are original antiques, or pieces found in nature or on Mari’s
travels. Since Mari is also a professional photographer, many of the
images used in the work are from personal collections.
Where were you born?
Toronto
I have always wanted to go to Japan. I love so much about the culture and the
historical woodblock prints, ink paintings, and more recently some incredible
contemporary artists who work in many types of media. The architecture and landscape is beautiful
as well, and it is always inspiring to be in a culture, both physically and
philosophically, that is different than your own.
What’s your favourite thing to create and why?
I love working with photographs, antique and collected
ephemera, and a variety of mixed media, which I incorporate into encaustic or
resin paintings. Both the encaustic
(wax) and resin have similar properties, as both have a base in tree resin,
which adds a lustre and depth to any materials combined with them. I love to travel, and I am constantly
collecting evertything from birch bark to postage stamps to use in my
work. They are some kind of narrative,
many about places I’ve been or people I’ve met.
How did you get your start in the world of art?
I am lucky to have
come from a very artistic family. My
great uncle and my grandmother were very accomplished painters, and my mother
is still painting and showing her work.
I completed an Honours B.F.A. at York University, and then completed a B.Ed to share my
passion for art with others, which I have been doing for 23 years now.
Do you have go-to paints/colors that you love to use in
your art work?
It seems I am always
attracted to either turquoise and greens, or gold and burgundy. I am not sure how this happened, but when I
look back at my body of work of the years, it seems to be true.
Who has been your biggest inspiration as an artist?
Robert Rauschenberg has constantly amazed me with his ability
to combine very disparate materials into a cohesive and beautiful artwork. As I travel to galleries around the world and
see more of his unpublished work, I am never disappointed. He is also a very accomplished photographer
which I admire.
What have been some of your crowning achievements?
As an artist, I guess it has been some of the very well
known and influential people who have purchased my work for collections in
other countries. That is really exciting
to think about where the works are, and who is enjoying them. As a parent, it is seeing the exceptional
photographic and film work of my daughter Caitlin.
If you could have three wishes as an artist, what would
they be?
That I could have a very large, well ventilated studio.
That I could only deal with making the art, not promoting,
selling or cataloguing, etc.
That I could be a
full time artist without having to pursue other forms of income.
What is the best advice that you have received as an
artist?
That you should make
the art that you want to make, and that speaks to you. Never try to make what you think will sell
well, or what other people want.
What colour best describes your personality?
I guess Indigo. It is a deep intuitive colour, with a rich
and fascinating history.
Saturday, 7 September 2013
Featured Artist Karen Pasieka
Website: www.subtledetails.ca
Online Gallery : www.subtledetails.etsy.
Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/subtledetails
Contact : 416-931-8598, karen@subtledetails.ca
Using the skills and sensibilities she developed through her background in architecture, artist Karen Pasieka has revitalized a beloved childhood pastime, and found her creative outlet in polymer clay sculpting. Her passion for detailed work is expressed through her miniatures: delicately sculpted floral jewellery, ornaments and figurines, and most recently her framed artwork.
“I find myself continuously inspired by colour,
whether from nature, fashion, or the new combinations that call out to me from
my stores of clay. I’m captivated by the
contrasts between the singular, finely shaped flower, and the much bolder looks
that result from the power of multiples.” - Karen Pasieka
Where were you born?
Richmond
Hill, born at York Central Hospital. Lived here at my house (that my
husband and I purchased from my parents) from the day I was born!
If you could have an art related vacation anywhere in the world where would you go and why?
Europe.
I lived in Nice France for 4 months for a study abroad program when I
was studying architecture at the University of Toronto. Some of my
favorite places were Venice, Rome, & Prague. I'd love to revisit
some of those favorites with my husband Peter, as well as catch some of
the places I missed the first time. I loved the lifestyle and being in
places so rich in history and architecture.
What’s your favourite thing to create and why?
My framed art pieces because, unlike my jewellery or ornaments, the subject matter is so free, I can go anywhere with them!
How did you get your start in the world of art?
I
have a B.Arch, but have always been artistic. I think in my heart I
have always needed a more free creative outlet...I believe I've found
that in my work with polymer clay.
Do you have go-to paints/colors that you love to use in your art work?
I have one that I blend that I like to call ochre-orange, but greens I think will always be my favorite.
Who has been your biggest inspiration as an artist?
So
tough to say. Since high school I have always adored DaVinci and
Jacques-Louis David (specifically The Death of Marat). I had the
opportunity to see Adoration of the Magi at the Uffizi in Florence...I
sat in front of it for probably close to an hour. I think it's the fact
that it's incomplete, it's the promise of what it could be that I find
so intriguing. I love the sharp contrasts, the shadows that are so
brooding, so deep with meaning, which is kind of ironic because my own
work is nothing like that...most being quite lighthearted and whimsical.
What have been some of your crowning achievements?
One of my necklaces was worn by Lisa LaFlamme during her coverage of the 2010 Summer Olympics, that was pretty exciting!
If you could have three wishes as an artist, what would they be?
1. To live, really live, off
the revenue from my art, though I think that's every artists dream, if
they don't already live it!
2. To create a new studio for work, teaching, and display. I'm currently working out of my basement that was finished by my dad...nostalgic, but not very conducive to productivity or inspiring.
3. To have the time to work uninterrupted, in peace and quiet. As a parent of two little children (right now 34 months & 14 months), this is a fervent desire! I will have to wait until they are a little older I guess, but I so long for a time when I can let my creative juices flow.
2. To create a new studio for work, teaching, and display. I'm currently working out of my basement that was finished by my dad...nostalgic, but not very conducive to productivity or inspiring.
3. To have the time to work uninterrupted, in peace and quiet. As a parent of two little children (right now 34 months & 14 months), this is a fervent desire! I will have to wait until they are a little older I guess, but I so long for a time when I can let my creative juices flow.
What is the best advice that you have received as an artist?
Selling your art is a business.
Green. It can be cheerful, calm, serene...quiet. July 27th Featured ArtistWhat colour best describes your personality?
Maryam Sadrolhefazi
Online Gallery: www.strikingly.com/
Contact: maryam.sadrolhefazi@gmail.com
Like many people today, Maryam has a fond love of the visual arts. She says...
This
is probably a result of my growing up in Tehran, Iran where I was
surround by a beautiful and vibrant culture. When I came to Canada, I
decided to pick up a hobby to pass the time while raising my two kids. I
had always been interested in stained glass. After a bit of research
and a lot of support from my husband I gave it a shot, slowly teaching
myself the techniques. After a couple of years I did the same with
mosaic art. The rest as they say, is rock and roll history....
Today I have turned what started off as a hobby into a business.
Aside from my studio work, I teach stained glass and mosaics courses for
the town of Richmond Hill. I also run a series of elementary school
mosaics programs called "Mosaic Club".
Where were you born?
Tehran - Iran
If you could have an art related vacation anywhere in the world
where would you go and why?
I’d go to Italy for the
beautiful architecture
What’s your favourite thing to create and why?
Paisleys because they are a
flexible shape that can be designed in many ways
How did you get your start in the world of art?
It started off as a simple hobby
and evolved into a career
Do you have go-to paints/colors that you love to use in your art
work?
I love the colours of fall
What have been some of your crowning achievements?
Working with the Art Science
Collective Canada
What is the best advice that you have received as an artist?
Never
say you can’t do something
Sunday, 1 September 2013
Josephine Sherman
Website: www.josephinesherman.com
Josephine has been sketching and painting for over 20 years, with her body of work
including a wide variety of techniques and media. Recently, her work
has focused on the use of watercolour, charcoal, and soft pastel to
translate and interpret elements of the North American wilderness
landscape.
Where were you born?
I
was born in a small village called Pisterzo (near Rome) in Italy. I
came to Canada with my family when I was 4 1/2 and lived in the northern
community of Timmins, Ontario. After that, I moved to Toronto and
received a BFA (Bachelor of Fine Arts) from York University, a Bachelor
of Education from the University of Toronto, and attended OCAD (Ontario
College of Art) for three years. I currently live in Richmond Hill and
teach visual arts in an elementary private school, as well as teaching
adult art classes and conducting workshops for various art groups.
If you could have an art related vacation anywhere in the world where would you go and why?
In
the last number of years, I have enjoyed travelling to places that are
remote, serene, and inspirational. I have been to the High Arctic,
Newfoundland, P.E.I., Nova Scotia, Alberta, British Columbia, Algonquin
Park, Texas, and most recently New Mexico. If I could go anywhere in
the world, I would wish to go back to Ellesmere Island, in the Arctic.
The surroundings are so surreal and beautiful. I would also like to go
to Italy and spend more time in New Mexico. I love the rocks, the
mountains and the colours you can experience in those places.
What's your favourite thing to create and why?
I
love creating images of places that move and inspire me . In those
places one gets a sense of self and a sense of oneness with the
universe.
How did you get your start in the world of art?
I
remember receiving an award at school in grade 3 for a painting of
mountains with trees and a stream running through it. I guess I have
always been drawn to nature and to those places. My mom also bought me
an oil paint-by-number set when I was in grade 3 and I remember enjoying
filling in the tiny spaces with colours which in the end produced a
remarkable scene.
Do you have go-to-paint colours that you love to use in your artwork?
I
especially love mixing grays from the primaries and I make sure to have
a lot of my favourite primary colours in my paintbox. I use Winsor
Newton Watercolour paints.
Who has been your biggest inspiration as an artist?
I
have always enjoyed Picasso's classical period, Matisse's line, Georgia
O'Keefe's simplicity of shape and colour, Lawren Harris's spirituality,
Franklin Carmichael's contrasts, and Vermeer's use of light and dark.. I
have also been inspired by several local artists and teachers over the
years.
What have been some of your crowning achievements?
My
teaching has been very rewarding and I enjoy hearing my students tell
me that they have come to appreciate and observe nature in a way that
they did not before. I have also won several awards including "Best in
Watercolour" at the Aurora Juried Art show, "Best Transparent Colour" at
the Toronto Watercolour Society Juried show, and People's Choice Award
at the Bayview Watercolour Society Juried show. One of my paintings has
been reproduced in a book entitled "Connecting With Nature" and I have
had another painting included in "The Bruce Trail Calendar", both of
which have raised funds for the conservation and preservation of our
local environment.
If you could have three wishes as an artist, what would they be?
I
would wish to be able to devote my full time to my art, to have a
studio with lots of windows, and to be able to keep on painting for as
long as possible.
What is the best advice you have received as an artist?
To draw, sketch, or paint a little every day.
What colour best describes your personality?
Gray - as it is a mixture of all the colours.
May 22nd Featured Artist
Barbara Wayne
Barbara creates beautiful mosaic art.
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/barbara.wayne
Contact (phone or e mail) barbara_wayne@rogers.com
Where were you born?
I was born in Toronto.
If you could have an art related vacation anywhere in the
world where would you go and why?
I would travel to Italy, since
there are spectacular byzantine mosaics in that country!
How did you get your start in the world of art?
I was born
into a creative hands on family of women, and my mom was my inspiration.
She was a very talented dressmaker.
Do you have go-to paints/colors that you love to use in
your art work?
I love to work with jewel tone
colours.
Who has been your biggest inspiration as an artist?
What have been some of your crowning achievements?
My crowning achievement is to still have the
ability to physically create mosaics, in spite of a severe accident,
entailing me to have a wrist reconstruction.
If you could have three wishes as an artist, what would
they be?
As an artist, my wish is
to have as many people as possible to meet and view my work, to be
respected by my colleagues in
themosaic art world in particular, and to bring as much joy to my
viewers and patrons.
What is the best advice that you have received as an
artist?
My best advice is to stay true to my muse, and
express myself with valid emotion.
Featured Artist June 18th
Lezlie Winemaker
Website: www.dreamglass.ca
Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/dreamglassbylezlie
e mail: lezlie@dreamglass.ca
The story of Lezlie Winemaker begins 21 years ago when she dreamed
about combining her expertise in fashion with her formal training at art
school - OCAD, York University, Parsons School of Design in New York
City. She soon created such wonders in metal, glass, leather and
mix-media sculpture that before long, Lezlie's beautiful jewelry,
sculpture and accessories gained her a reputation as being one of
Canada's most inspired and renowned creators of "wearable art".
Today, Lezlie displays and sells her art at selected craft shows,
galleries and boutiques in Canada, the USA and the UK. An
internationally renowned expert in the field, she travels the globe,
speaking about her art and presenting workshops, her artistry featured
in many popular magazines, art publications and national newspapers such
as the Toronto Sun and National Post.
Where were you born?
Toronto
If you could have an art related vacation anywhere in the
world where would you go and why?
Murano and Venice,
Italy. I love Italy! I have been to Italy
twice and never been to the city where the technique of lampworking (and my
greatest creative passion) was born. I
would love to study with one of the Masters like, Luccio Babacco, Vittorio
Constantini, Gianni Toso….
What’s your favourite thing
to create and why?
I mostly create beads and sculpture depicting
images and stories of fantasy, love, good wishes and humour. Life can be challenging at times and I like
to add light and hope with stories of love, peace and strength all inside a
small glass bead!
How did you get your start in
the world of art?
I have been creating art
since I was born. As a child I was
happiest drawing, beading, making things out of wood and macramé. We even had our own dark room for photography
growing up! I studied visual arts at
college and university and then apprenticed for a talented leather craftsman,
David Trotter who was a great mentor and taught me about the business of art as
well as the craft. I then went on to
have my own business creating wearable art and sculpture which I feel so
blessed to have been able to do all these years. The inspiration and ideas are unending!!!
Do you have go-to
paints/colors that you love to use in your art work?
I love colour! The technique I use is called lampworking or
flameworking. I melt coloured glass rods
with a torch blending and layering these
colours, opaque and transparent to create images and then my miniature worlds
in glass. My use of colour is as diverse
and colourful as I see the world.
Sometimes it’s bright and sparkly and other times very earthy. This really appeals to my wide variety of
customers because I have something to suit every colour preference!
Who has been your biggest
inspiration as an artist?
I do not have one single inspiration but I must
say my family always supported and encouraged my creativity, my children
continue to inspire me throughout every phase of life they enter. The people that I consider mentors like David
Trotter and Peter Norton from Nortel Manufacturing because he has helped me so
much to develop every hair brained idea I come up with, because of his vast
knowledge in building torches, tools. and equipment.
Then of course there is Loren
Stump and Patti Walton who’s beads I saw in magazines and inspired me to figure
out the technique of lampwork and not be afraid to push the boundaries of
glass.
Lastly masters like Gustav
Klimpt
What have been some of your
crowning achievements?
To me, my greatest
achievement is that I have raised 4 wonderful children as a single mother as a
working artist!
Being the first lampworker in
Canada
and having to teach myself a technique that no one here knew anything about.
Inducted into the Hall of
Fame at the One of a kind Show.
Receiving an Ontario
Arts council grant for creative development.
Teaching and sharing all the
knowledge I have acquired over the years to very appreciative students.
What colour best describes
your personality?
RED!!! Passionate about Life!
I think this is my best achievement and I am very proud of it.
Monday, 26 August 2013
Featured Artist Yvette Daou-Yacoub
Website: www.yvettesjewellery.ca
Facebookpage: www.facebook.com/RH.beaded.
e-mail: yvette86@bell.net
Yvette Daou-Yacoub was born into a family with five uncles who were fine
high end jewellers and Goldsmiths. She inherited her passion for
jewellery from her uncles.
Growing up as a little girl she had two big dreams: to study law and to design jewellery and accessories.
Finally, after much perseverance, one of her dreams is coming true…Yvette is now designing jewellery using gem stones, pearls, and crystals just like she used to dream as a little girl.
Growing up as a little girl she had two big dreams: to study law and to design jewellery and accessories.
Finally, after much perseverance, one of her dreams is coming true…Yvette is now designing jewellery using gem stones, pearls, and crystals just like she used to dream as a little girl.
Where were you born?
Beirut, Lebanon
Immigrated to Canada in 1986
If you could have an art related vacation anywhere in the world where would you go and why?
Paris & New York
Both cities understand Fashion and art wears, they enjoy accessorizing any wardrobe and any outfit for any occasion.
How did you get your start in the world of art?
Since
I was a child I loved jewellery and accessories, I don’t remember a
time that going shopping with my mom and not coming with new bracelet or
a pair of earrings.
That
was my dream since I was a child that when the time is right I would
love to start my little business of designing and creating jewellery and
accessories to fit every budget and every occasion, no matter how big
or small that could be. I understood from my childhood years that not
every woman can afford to wear diamonds and rubies, that broke my heart
every time I hear a lady saying I wish I could afford that, or even men
walking in my uncles’ jewellery store, looking at all the beautiful
necklaces made of diamonds, rubies, Safire, pearls etc… taking a deep
breath and telling my uncles: I would have loved to buy this for my wife
or my daughter but unfortunately my budget does not allow it…
And,
that I promised myself since then that I will create a line of
jewellery that every woman, old or young, should be able to wear and
enjoy, and feel very proud. I always believed that everyone deserve to
have what their heart desires and there should be a market for it…
So,
after researching and investigating for alternatives, I discovered
beading and that got me started 10 years ago, I felt I was ready for it
and I started taking courses and enrolling myself in all kind or
workshops until I reached to the standard I am pleased with. My first
course was with Canadian Jewellery Association, and it was about pearls.
It is my favour it until now, my certificate is posted on my website.
What’s your favourite thing to create and why?
I love designing jewellery: Necklaces in particular, because they complement the face and the posture of the wearer
Do you have go-to paints/colors that you love to use in your art work?
I
love using opaque colours like blue turquoise, black onyx, red jasper
and natural colours of pearls. They are easy to match them with any
other transparent gems and crystals, and they complement any skin tone
Who has been your biggest inspiration as an artist?
My
uncles, I come from a five uncles high end jewellers, they are
Gemologist and Goldsmiths, they design their pieces and sell them to
high ranked government agents and politicians. I have 2 of them in
Washington, DC USA
I have worked
in their stores for few years when I first came to Canada back in the
80’s and early 90’s, and every time one of those millionaire personality
call to set up an appointment to see my uncle because he wanted a
custom design piece of jewellery for his wife or his daughter for that
special event…or a Galla…I remember having the butterfly in my stomach, I
would get so excited to see what design my uncle would come out
with….it was the most exciting time for me…I realized then, this is I
wanted to do in my life too….Trust me if I say until now I get the same
feeling and the same excitement every time I receive a phone call or an
e-mail from someone who is looking for custom design pieces for wedding
or any other special occasions….
What have been some of your crowning achievements?
8
years ago, I submitted the beading program to the town of Richmond
Hill, and I have beading teaching beading workshops ever since, and
every season I create new beading monsters in Richmond Hill, I like to
share my passion to beading….and now I have established a Richmond Hill
Beading Artists, I have around 25 members in my group and we do exhibit
and sell twice a year. What makes our Beaded Art show and sale special
is that every Show and Sale supports a local charity. Our next Show
& Sale is in November 21,22,23,24, 2013 and this our 3rd
Fall Beaded Art Show and Sale, in this show we will supporting the
Alzheimer Society of York Region.
I think this is my best achievement and I am very proud of it.
If you could have three wishes as an artist, what would they be?
I
wish I can spread more of my passion and enthusiasm of my hobby to more
of people, because I would like them to have that joyful feeling that I
get every time I am beading or wearing them.
I
wish people would look at beading as a work of art and not only just a
craft to kill time, there is a lot of art in designing and creating that
perfect necklace. You need to have a good taste of colour and good
imagination to create a one of a kind item.
I
wish people would appreciate the benefit of beading. It is very
therapeutic, it calms the nerves, rejuvenate the soul, and refresh the
brain. Therapist and Psychologist encourages their patience in their
treatment to have a hobby that involves working with their hands and
distracting them from their bad thoughts so they can get out of their
depression and anxiety. Beading is the perfect fit for that, because
gemstones and crystals carry good and positive energy that can be
transmitted to you while touching them and playing with them…
What is the best advice that you have received as an artist?
To continue with what I am doing, and never give up
What colour best describes your personality?
Red, because it is vibrant and very passionate
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