From the Editor…
Even if our days have been unusually warm this autumn, long nights invite us to light fires and share cozy times with loved ones.
When you do wander our way from hearth and home you will find our face is changing! We are now most of the way towards becoming fully wheel chair accessible, with a new ramp in place and the widening of our doors complete. The township did a wonderfully sensitive job of incorporating the ramp into our historical building and Irene Osborne led the team to renovate our garden beds in order to accommodate the change. Two beautiful clematis plants with trellises were donated to the gallery by Caudette and Bill Cowan, honouring our beloved former member Alison Seale. We thank all who were involved in this work!
As well, Claus Heinecke is close to installing his large sculpture, entitled “Empathy” at the front of our building. He has been busy working on the piece this past summer and we anxiously await its arrival.
Stop in at the gallery soon to see these with all of our other, latest creations.
Winter Show and Sale
Please mark Nov. 20 on your calendars! This is the opening day of our annual Winter show at the gallery called, ALL THINGS BRIGHT AND BEAUTIFUL. We will have a limited number of tiny canvasses by members of the gallery, for sale on opening day. These will be perfect gifts or ornaments or an artistic embellishment for on top of a gift. All proceeds from the small canvasses will go to the gallery.
There will also be an array of artwork for sale, small to large, as well as ornaments and individual, one-of-a-kind cards. The show runs until Sunday December 19.
Please join us in celebrating the festive season ahead.
Why Empathy?
The sculpture due to be erected before the Colborne Art Gallery is entitled "Empathy". Two interlocking cylinders echoing each other in size and shape seems an apt metaphor for the idea of empathy. On the one hand I prefer to let people to find their own meaning in the aesthetics of a piece, while on the other hand I feel good about suggesting my vision in this case as an entry point. "Empathy", that most human of characteristics, is quality to be fostered by society for the sake of peace and harmony. It is about walking in another's shoes, it is the root behind "do onto others as you would have them do onto you"; an important sentiment in any age but especially importance in a time when the survival of humanity is not at all assured. This may sound pretentious but I believe it to be no less significant and if this sculpture calls into awareness the need for empathy it will be a significant symbol as well as a bold image.
Claus Heinecke
Birth Announcement!
When I asked our jeweler Monika Becker to tell us about the birth of her new son, and how it is affecting her life as an artist, she revealed that she typed it with one hand while holding Finn with the other. “Just one of my new mothering skills!”
On August 24, I gave birth to a beautiful baby boy, named Finn. My husband, Terence Devine and I are thrilled with becoming new parents. So far, looking after our little boy has kept us busy full-time, but I'm eager to discover the new creative channels that motherhood will open up for me and my family. On a spiritual level, Finn has already elevated my consciousness to greater heights than I thought possible. I look forward to introducing him to the world of creative expression, especially that found at the Colborne Gallery, and discovering the many ways that the love for my family will find expression through my own art.
LESLEY HARRIES-JONES
I am very pleased to announce the addition of our newest member, Lesley Harries-Jones, who hails all the way from Peterborough. She writes of her (beautiful!) work:
Currently my medium of choice is encaustic painting. I create paintings that reflect my way of seeing nature. The sculptural and transparent qualities of encaustic capture perfectly my impression of landscape. Depicted in my paintings are dramatic landscapes defined and described by light and the effect light has on transforming what we see around us. The abstract images describe the vibrant colours and texture often overlooked as we interact with our environment.
What emerges from my compositions are the elements of nature that regardless of the time of day, night or season reveal the remarkable splendour of nature at work.
I am fascinated by the physical and technical processes of painting. I love the challenge of taking an idea; an impression, or ordinary image and transforming it into a visual language that describes my interpretation of the subject depicted, evoking for the viewer an emotional impression of what the painting means to them.
When Did You First Really Know You Were an Artist?
I have a little fascination about how certain people are called artists. At some point in life we identify ourselves this way and at others the identification can become eclipsed, but I think the essence remains and nothing can really take the artist out of us. I put the question out there for the whole group – one that my 24 year old son recently asked me – "when did you first know you were an artist"? The response was delightful, as you will see…
“I don't recall consciously deciding that I was an artist. As a young girl I loved to make things, sewing, knitting, baking, sandbox cities! My preferred activity was doing something creative and this has continued through out my life although I was never encouraged to pursue it professionally. When I was 35 I decided to give myself permission to go to art school. I loved the experience and have since done whatever I needed to do to maintain a creative life.”
Terrie MacDonald
“My mother discovered my “artistic” talent when I, being about three years old, drew pictures on the freshly painted kitchen wall. Strangely enough, she did not preserve this early artistic expression of mine, but she screamed at me and even spanked me, and called a man to repaint the kitchen.? It did not destroy my “need” to express myself. I only become wiser in the choice of materials on which I was drawing.“
Jirina Marton
“I think it would be sometime in the early eighties when after several years of instruction with Peter Kolisnyk and he was giving one of his class critiques he said " well, we all know Wilson can draw " I was so proud and thought maybe I can become an artist!! “Anne Wilson
“For as long as I can remember I was drawing and creating things. I thought that "real' artists were those who had their works in books or public galleries and worth great amounts of money. When someone bought my first painting and others called me an "artist" it felt premature and a misplaced title. Now I've come to believe that anyone is an artists when being creative.”
Irene Osborne
“As a four year old sitting in my luxurious space created out of a large box, I was going to create homes………then at five, armed with needle, thread, fabric and a Barbie in dire need of a wardrobe, I was going to be a fashion designer. Years later, still using needle and thread, still somewhat obsessed with boxes and houses (and dolls), all have been combined. Childhood dreams do become reality!”
Veronica Derry
“The memory that comes to mind for me is from about age 5. I made myself a "camera" out of a shoe box, then proceeded to take pictures of my family with it. I had stashed crayon drawings inside of each family member, that I then produced as the developed photos my brother, who is 3 years older than me, was sure that I had help with the drawings, they were "too good" for a 5 year old. I think that's when I knew I had a talent that was different than others in my little world, though it took me many more years to be able to call myself an artist.”
Barbara Buntin
“My mother always packed a fun bag when we went away camping. I loved to draw in my scrapbook and create. In grade seven my mother gave me lino tools and I was so excited to get started. Just never stopped.“
Avril Bull-Jones
“I loved the names of the crayons like "sea foam green", and did my first "painting" of a Viking ship on a piece of brown paper towel when I was about eight. At my grandmother's, the sight and smell of her oil painting table was irresistible, and although never invited to use her materials, I was always fascinated by them”.
Heather Roy
“I too always "knew" I was to be an artist, and had huge encouragement from my artist father. Growing up I drew and painted everything around our garden: tools, bikes, pets, wheelbarrows, chicken coops etc. Upon my father's untimely death I rebelled against art school and went into nursing. Finally at my early retirement, I went straight back to being an "artist" as if I'd never stopped!“
Judith Kreps Hawkins
“I'm not sure this answers when I knew I was an artist but I refer to it as the origin of my path in art. As a preschooler I amused myself by filling untold numbers of scribblers with drawings, many of which where copies of things my dad drew for me. By the time I got to kindergarten I drew better than most of other the kids. My drawings drew praise from the teacher and were a source of pride to me. This skill advantage I enjoyed has fed my interest in art ever since.”
Claus Heinecke
When I was twelve I wanted to supplement my allowance so I decided to make Christmas Corsages and sell them door-to-door. I ordered my material from Regal Stationery and made about four dozen corsages, each one different from the other. I sold them all. I loved making them and I knew from that time on I would always be involved in some creative process.
Mary Lou Burnside
I can't say exactly when I knew I was an artist, but probably at about age eight. I decided it was preferable to becoming someone famous and glamorous. It was much more fun for me to make glamorous things. My father loves working in metal and has dabbled in jewelry making, my mother taught me needlecrafts as a child and is now an accomplished quilter, so the two of them can take the credit for sparking my desire to create jewelry art.
Monika Becker
I’ve always known I was an artist, but it wasn’t until the age of eight that I found out not everyone thought I was a child prodigy. I entered a drawing contest at my elementary school, my first contest ever, and I didn’t win first prize – what a rude awakening that was for me! I didn’t stop being an artist, but I’m still nervous when I enter juried shows.
Pat Stanley
COLBORNE ART GALLERY
SHOW SCHEDULE 2010-2011
NOV 20——–DEC 19, 2010 All Things Bright and Beautiful
JAN 29——–MAR 6 Eileen Menzel
MAR12——–APRIL 17 group show
APRL 23——-MAY 29 Pat Stanley
JUNE 4———JULY 10 Wood Fired Potters
JULY 16——-AUG 21 Heather Roy
AUG 27——–OCT 2 Irene Osborne
OCT 8 ———NOV 13 Veronica Derry
(NOV 19——-DEC 23 Bright and Beautiful 2011)