Art Gallery

Prior Exhibitors

Southlake’s Art Gallery has displayed the works of some of our regions most talented artists. Please take a moment to learn more about these artists by clicking on their names below.

If you are interested in purchasing any of the works displayed during these times, please contact Corporate Communications at 905-895-4521, ext. 2541.

Displayed from November 21 – January 2, 2012
ABCD: Art Building Children’s Dreams

Displayed from October 11 – November 20, 2011
Wendy Ferguson

Displayed from August 30 – October 9, 2011
Alicia Wishart

Displayed from July 18 – August 28, 2011
Doane House Hospice

Displayed from June 5 – July 17, 2011
Jennifer McLeod

Displayed from April 29 – June 5, 2011
Kathleen Coyle

Displayed from March 13, 2011 to April 24, 2011
Josée Savaria

Displayed from January 31, 2011 to March 13, 2011
Marianne Broome

Displayed from December 17, 2010 – January 30, 2011
Katja Van den Enden

Displayed from November 15 - December 19, 2010
ABCD – Art Building Children’s Dreams

Displayed from October 4 – November 14, 2010
Nathalie Bertin

Displayed from August 23 - October 3, 2010
Henna Kim

Displayed from July 11 - August 22, 2010
Ralph and Margarete Brunner

Displayed from May 31 – July 11, 2010
Vicki Carruthers

Displayed from April 17 – May 30, 2010
Alicia Wishart

Displayed from March 7, 2010 - April 18, 2010
Kathleen Coyle

Displayed from January 27, 2010 - March 7, 2010
Marianne Broome

Displayed from December 13, 2009 - January 17, 2010
Josée Savaria

Displayed from November 15, 2009 - December 13, 2009
ABCD: Art Building Children’s Dreams

Displayed from October 18, 2009 - November 15, 2009
Raine Davis

Display from September 6, 2009 to October 18, 2009
Katja Van Den Enden

Displayed from July 30, 2009 - Sptember 6, 2009
Henna Kim

Displayed from June 14, 2009 to July 26, 2009
Aurora High School Student Exhibition – Grades 9-12

Displayed from May 4, 2009 to June 14, 2009
Kathleen Coyle

Displayed from March 29, 2009 to May 3, 2009
Adubi (Dubi) Akinola

Displayed From February 8, 2009 to March 25, 2009
Alicia Wishart

Displayed From December 8, 2008 to February 8, 2009
Robert Pow

Displayed From October 31, 2008 to December 8, 2008
ABCD Art Building Children's Dreams

Displayed August 27, 2008 to October 31, 2008
Angela Brennan

Displayed August 27, 2008 to October 31, 2008
Janis Vilks

Displayed June 12, 2008 to August 27, 2008
Kathleen Coyle

Displayed April 24, 2008 to June 12, 2008
Raine Davis

Displayed February 24, 2008 to April 21, 2008
Adubi Akinola

Displayed December 18, 2007 to February 22, 2008
James Liao

Displayed October 22 to December 17, 2007
Josée Savaria

Displayed August 28 - October 21, 2007
Pauline Holancin
Jake Mol

Displayed April 1 – May 31, 2007
Joan Chalmers
Stanley C. Sandbecka
Christine Valentini
John Walmsley

Displayed February 1 and March  31, 2007
Steven Brown
Akinola Adubi

Displayed December 1, 2006 – January 31, 2007
Kathryn Bury
Maureen Joyce
Deb Tucker
Stella Wadsworth

Displayed October 1 – November 30, 2006
Ralph and Margarete Brunner

Artists A to Z

ABCD Art Building Children's Dreams
‘ABCD: Art Building Children’s Dreams’ is a York Region based registered Canadian charity which is fundraising to pay the education costs for 47 very disadvantaged children from ages 7-20, many of whom are AIDS orphans, in the Kilimanjaro Region of Tanzania, Africa.

The beautiful creative artwork of the children in this exhibition is displayed for the purpose of raising funds for their education.

This exhibition celebrates the hopes, lives and the potential of these 47 children and asks that you help them to achieve their dreams. Even though the children love to be in school, it is a hardship for their families to afford the school costs.

For a minimum donation of $80 you can support a specific child in their dreams for their futures. You will receive as a recognition gift one of the beautiful plaqued posters on display. Every penny of your donation will be used to fund the education of the child. Your donation will go towards:

• school lunches (sometimes the only meal the child gets)
• school uniforms, shoes and supplies
• personal care items such as soap, skin cream, toothpaste
• tuition fees for secondary school

Multiple supporters are welcomed to share in the support of a specific child, and for your continued donations, you will be kept updated annually about the child’s progress.

If you wish to make a general donation to ABCD: Art Building Children’s Dreams, or a donation for a specific child, please do so at the gift shop. Tax receipts will be sent in January for any donation greater than $20.

It is the goal of ABCD: Art Building Children’s Dreams to ensure that all of these children can attend school and graduate at the end of their secondary education. We plan to help them even further to post-secondary education, apprenticeship or employment. Visit ABCD’s website: www.abcdreams.ca for further information.

Adubi Akinola
Akinola Adubi (Dubi) was born on July 15, 1970 in Kitchener, Ontario, where he lived for a few years before moving with his family to Nigeria, West Africa.

He started playing with “B” pencils and paper at the age of seven years. Even though his parents tried to discourage him from spending so much time on his drawings, he persevered and became a freelance artist—painting and drawing portraits of people, animals, and buildings.

In 2001, he returned to Canada where he trained to become a certified personal support worker. He worked in several group homes as a residential counsellor before joining Southlake in 2004.

In 2007, he held his first exhibition in Southlake’s Art Gallery.

Aurora High School Student Exhibition – Grades 9-12
With the help of co-op student and Southlake volunteer Natallie Carrick, the grade 9 to 12 students of Aurora High School have worked together to create an impressive assortment of artwork to contribute to the Art Gallery at Southlake. The collection features unique pieces including acrylic on canvas and boards, chalk pastels, digital prints, and mosaics, all which inspired by nature and enhanced by their imaginations.

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Nathalie Bertin

Born in Toronto, Canada, Nathalie Bertin's work has been described as luminescent and energetic. Nathalie has a keen sense of observation and a fondness for strong colours and textures. She draws much of her inspiration from the beauty of the natural world and focuses on their essence. She has been influenced and inspired by such greats as Matisse, Monet and the Group of Seven, and by contemporary Aboriginal and Métis artists such as Leland Bell, Maxine Noel, Linus Woods, Terry McCue and Christi Belcourt.

In June 2010, Nathalie was selected as one of eight Artist Ambassadors representing Canada during the G20/G8 Experience Canada event held at the G20 Media Centre in Toronto, ON. Nathalie's work has been acquired by the Government of Manitoba, Government of Alberta, Métis Nation of Ontario and by private collectors across Canada, the US and Europe.

Nathalie currently works from her home studio in Newmarket, Ontario and home-away-from-home in Muskoka, Ontario. www.nathaliebertin.com

Marianne Broome
Marianne was born in England but spent much of her childhood in Malaysia. The stunning scenery and abundance of exotic animals and plants heightened her love of nature and keen interest in drawing and painting. Her artwork was selling in local galleries and department stores while she was still a teenager. Marianne settled in Canada in 1980 and lives in Schomberg, Ontario.

As a full time artist and a sought after art instructor Marianne travels extensively. She is never without her sketchbook and camera, always looking for new subject matter for her stunning close-up paintings of flowers, ethereal landscapes and abstract images. Marianne also enjoys taking on commissions of subject matter that she may not otherwise paint. Some of these have been commissioned for publishing purposes.

Marianne’s art education in England has been furthered by studies at The Halliburton School of the Arts and courses and workshops with many respected artists.

Marianne’s work has been exhibited in many juried exhibitions in which she has received numerous awards. The most recent are three Best in Show awards, Best Watercolour in Show, The Franklin

Carmichael Award, The Marianne Crone Award, 2nd prize in the COAA Virtual Juried Show, Juror’s Choice, Honourable Mentions and several People’s Choice awards.

Her work can be found in private and corporate collections in Canada, U.S., England, Australia, South Africa and Malaysia.

Artist’s statement

For me, painting is a celebration of the endless beauty to be found in the natural world and an expression of my concern for its preservation. My hope is that my work will inspire in the viewer an appreciation of nature’s gifts and contribute to a greater collective environmental consciousness so that we may tread lightly on this earth of ours.

The translucency and unpredictability of watercolours and the rich colours of acrylics both afford exciting ways to express the fragility of a flower, the ethereal nature of a landscape or the drama of a stormy sky. With delicate washes or deep, rich colour they lend themselves to the portrayal of the diverse moods of nature and my emotional response to the wonders around us.

www.naturesedgestudio.ca

Steven Brown
A local, self taught artist, Steve has been painting for over 30 years. A full-time member of Southlake’s Food Services Department, Steve paints during his spare time and has exhibited his works locally and in Haliburton County. His paintings are enjoyed in private collections throughout Ontario and abroad.

Angela Brennan
Angela grew up in the beautiful county of Shropshire in England. Surrounded by rolling hills and green valleys, Angela began to explore the natural world through drawing and painting. She continued her studies at Shrewsbury College of Art, concentrating mainly on painting and printmaking. Angela worked in the gallery and picture conservation department at the World Heritage site Ironbridge Gorge Museum before moving to Toronto in 1998. Enjoying the energy of the Toronto art scene, she continued to paint and develop her art. Painting from personal photographs, she portrays scenes of nature, landscapes, and images from her travels. Angela resides in Newmarket, where she continues to paint and raise her family.

Ralph and Margarete Brunner

Second Exhibit Displayed from July 11 - August 22, 2010
First Exhibit Displayed October 1 – November 30, 2006

Ralph Brunner, APSA and Margarete Brunner, EFIAP are highly reputed photographers. Well known for their high standard in making prints, their works have been published in several books, magazines, and calendars. They have hosted numerous highly successful print exhibitions not only in Canada but also in Germany and Austria. In fact, they were among the first photographers invited to showcase their prints at the Hummingbird Centre in Toronto as part of an Art Show. Ralph and Margarete also excel in creating audio visual presentations in an artistic manner.

Ralph is internationally known for his outstanding nature photography. He was honoured by the Photographic Society of America with a PSA Associate Ship for his contribution to photography at the individual, national, and international levels.

Margarete’s interest in photography goes way back to her roots in Germany. In her hometown, she was an active member of a Culture and Art Circle, and for ten consecutive years, she was president of the local Camera Club. Margarete is especially known for her sensitive interpretation of landscapes and the painterly quality of her images. In 1992, the Fédération Internationale de l’Art Photographique (FIAP) rewarded Margarete for her achievement in photography by making her an Associate, and in 1996 she was honoured with the title of an EFIAP for Excellence in Photography.

In December of 2007, the Brunner’s donated over thirty prints of their photographic art works to the Hospital, where they are on display in the Medical Arts Building at Southlake. In addition to enhancing a number of patient care areas, the collection serves as a permanent exhibition and copies of the pieces in different sizes can be purchased by contacting the Gallery 15516 at 905-727-5270 or by e-mail at rbrunner@aci.on.ca

Over sixty pieces of work are on permanent display at Gallery 15516.

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Kathryn Bury
Inspired by its changing beauty, Kathryn expresses her love of nature through her landscapes. She has exhibited in juried and non-juried shows and is an acclaimed “Award Winning Artist”. Her paintings are enjoyed in private collections in Canada and the United States. Kathryn is also known for her award-winning floral arrangements and use of dried flowers in her collages. Her work is currently on display at the Georgina Art Centre. 

Vicki Carruthers
I start each painting with a “splash” of red…then the fun begins and the images appear—shapes emerge—all in preparation for the journey of colour to begin”………………..

 “Green”, “Yellow”, “Red…….” Houses”, “Triangles”, “Trees”

I may not have followed a traditional path as an artist but I know I have brought a lifetime of experience to my creative voice, “follow your dream”, “follow your heart”. I have found great joy in my surroundings and in my life. I favour bright colours, lively shapes and lines, with an attention to the whole space of the canvas.  I love to push and pull the image as I play with paint, colour and composition – constantly adding, changing and taking away. Landscapes, neighbourhoods and cities provide wonderful subjects as they naturally provide the range of colours, shapes and patterns I enjoy most. My paintings are an expression of the world I see around me.  To embrace in the positive, to live life with a smile on your face. This is my goal………….and I wish for my paintings to bring that joy to you.

“Colour was not given to us in order that we should imitate nature, it was given to us so that we can express our emotions”  Henri Matisse

www.vickicarruthers.com

Joan Chalmers
A native of Toronto, Joan was born in the “beach” area.  She grew up becoming aware of the city’s architecture and many of those artists who painted it.  This piqued Joan’s interest in art, and later, her career choice.

During a life long career in advertising art, Joan continued to paint and travel, often painting with several well-known Canadian and American artists.  Later she established her own art company and directed JJ Commercial Art Inc, for two decades.

Joan has shown her art in many venues and galleries throughout Toronto and Ontario.  She has received various awards and her work was purchased for display at the Region of York Administration Office.

She has instructed and generously shared her extensive knowledge with her students.  When not painting commissioned works, she is always experimenting with new ideas and new medias.

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Kathleen Coyle
Currently residing in Georgina, Kathleen has been working with stained glass for the last eighteen years and with mosaics for the past thirteen years. Kathleen creates many of her own pieces and does some reproductions in mosaic glass, of work that inspires her old and new. Kathleen can apply mosaic stained glass to any flat surface using table top, old windows, wall, floor, stairs and more.

The 2009 Junction Arts Festival Scholarship winner.

To contact Kathleen, please email her at emeralddragon@rogers.com

Raine Davis
RECOLLECTION: Lost and found

In an ever deepening search for creative authenticity, mixed media artist, Raine Davis, explores the inner journey, using metaphors in an emotional response to life's sweet offerings and past imaginings. Portraying intuitively with colour, texture and layers, Raine views her works as a captured moment in time.

...Inspired by everyone around her and every twist and turn in her life, Raine’s journey with Art began in her native England, where in 1985, she gained a B.A. honors degree in Fine Art. Raine has since pursued a varied career as a freelance artist both in England and for the last twelve years in Ontario, Canada.

Doane House Hospice Art Therapy Program
The titles and descriptions of this collection are representative of the healing work that takes place in the Art Therapy Program at Doane House Hospice.  There are a wide variety of images, including “Mummy’s Cancer Dress,” drawn by a four-year-old tot anticipating the loss of his mother from breast cancer.  Others include “I’ll Miss That Hug,” drawn by an adult Caregiver, as well as paintings created by adults in the Newly Diagnosed and Bereaved Art Therapy Program. 

The work that takes place in individual and group art therapy sessions is rooted in the belief that there is a restorative power at the heart of all creative work. This restorative power is about discovering and exploring a way of being. It has nothing to do with ideas such as talent or special abilities.   No formal training in art is required and every participant enjoys a process that is personal, spontaneous, challenging, and fun.  The art therapy experience is supported through the use of basic art materials such as paint, clay, and oil and chalk pastels – the joys of our childhood.  Through a non-directive approach and the beauty, complexity, and intimacy of creative expression, participants can document their emotions in profound and empowering ways.

Alison Jane, Art Therapist, has worked with children and families in many settings as they processed the challenges associated with difficult circumstances.  She considers this work to be among the most profound and humbling experiences of her life, and credits the courage of these people as her greatest teacher.  Her interdisciplinary approach to the arts has also guided her work.  As Wordsworth notes in “Tintern Abbey,” the creative process awakens dormant creative abilities, develops a new language of the sense, and produces the deep power of harmony and joy that allows the artist to see into the life of things and connect the landscape with the quiet of the sky. 

“Blessed are they who see beautiful things in humble places where other people see nothing.” – Camille Pissarro

For further information on Doane House Hospice Programs, please contact
Juliet Irish, Executive Director at 905-967-0259 or visit www.doanehospice.org.

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Wendy Ferguson

Wendy Ferguson was born and raised in Newmarket, Ontario and graduated in 1993 with a Bachelor of Fine Art from University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario.  She excelled in drawing and painting while studying under Tony Sherman and Margaret Priest. 

After university she travelled extensively by moving to Europe then, Vancouver, British Columbia returning to Ontario to complete graduate studies in Museum Management and Curatorship. After settling in the Niagara region in 1998, she worked for a local Municipality successfully managing several museums and cultural institutions. In 2008 Wendy returned to Newmarket to raise her young family and concentrate on her art.

Wendy’s love since childhood is painting.  Her paintings feature a hard-edge style with bold colours, pure themes and expression. Her vivid and whimsical images are a reflection of her fun personality and need to push the boundaries.  Wendy’s pieces are inspired by German Fauvists, folk art, modern expressionism and abstract movements.

Wendy Ferguson accepts commission work and is represented in private and public collections across Canada, the United States, Iceland, the United Kingdom and Bermuda.

email: wendyfergusonart@gmail.com

website: www.wendyferguson.ca

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Pauline Holancin
Born in Gatineau, Quebec, Pauline’s early interest in art and talent for drawing and painting were fostered by classes at the National Art Gallery in Ottawa. As a result, the Canadian landscape tradition strongly influenced her choice of style and subject matter.

Now living just north of Toronto, Pauline is an active artist and art instructor. A dedicated on-location painter, nature is an unfailing source of inspiration for Pauline. Proficient in oils and watercolour, Pauline’s work can be found in many private and corporate collections in Canada and abroad. In recent years, her studio work in still life and florals has also attracted a loyal following.

Pauline teaches classes for many Ontario Art Groups and is a summer instructor for the Haliburton and Blue Mountain Schools of Art. She shares with students her love of painting, as well as her skills. Pauline continues to study with prominent artists in Canada and in the United States. As active member of several Ontario Art Associations, she has won many prizes and awards over the years. Pauline is an elected member of the Canadian Society of Painters in Watercolour.

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Maureen Joyce
Maureen Joyce was employed by the McMichael Canadian Art Collection for 21 years, which provided her the opportunity to meet such acclaimed artists as A. J. Casson and Doris McCarthy. In 1999, Maureen had to face the difficult challenge called cancer. It was a turning point in her life. Maureen now devotes her full time to painting and has entered her work in a number of juried and non-juried shows. Her paintings are enjoyed in private collections across Canada. 

Henna Kim
Kim says, “Painting the sensation of spiritual and emotional climax brings me a self-awareness of my existence, as well as a heightened perception of my inner senses. When I look deeply inside myself, I feel the spiritual resonance that is breathing and pulsing throughout me like a silent vibration in a huge vacuum. My whole body becomes a free soul-spirit that floats like a feather. While painting, I trace this endless vibratory movement of the spiritual voyage. At that moment, my spiritual sensation becomes so vivid that I can ultimately encounter with the way, the truth and the life. Sometimes, it feels as if I’m walking through a secret garden in a dewy morning or lying on the surface of the tranquil sea under the warm sunshine.”

For the series of work, “I Come to the Garden Alone”, Kim especially experimented on traditional Korean paper with water colors. Since creating the depth of spiritual vibration is the key expression in her artworks, she glued oiled traditional Korean paper and applied transparent resin on waves of colors for the effect of texture and layers.

Originally from South Korea, Henna Kim currently resides in Canada. She received a B.F.A. from Korea University and a M.R.E. from Knox College, University of Toronto. She has also studied Fine Arts at several universities in Canada. An emerging visual artist, Kim has actively exhibited her works throughout Korea and Canada. www.hennakimArt.com

James Liao
James Liao was born in China in 1972. James worked in Traditional Chinese Painting for more than 12 years before he ventured in oil painting in 1999. Benefitting from his Eastern culture background and combination of two different media, James is committed to making each piece of his artwork individually unique.  As a full-time computer science engineer, James devotes all of his space time to developing his art. In the future, James hopes to showcase additional oil paintings and Traditional Chinese Painting in Southlake’s Art Gallery.

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Jennifer McLeod
Jennifer McLeod grew up in the Eastern Townships of Quebec. After decades living in New York City, she has moved back to Canada and settled in Newmarket, Ontario.

As well as exhibiting in numerous galleries and alternative venues in New York and elsewhere,  Jennifer has undertaken many public and private commissions, and given demonstrations and workshops. Her work is in the Channel 13 (PBS) Collection and the Morris County Museum of Arts and Scienc, as well as in the private collections of Liv Ullmann, Sigourney Weaver, Margaret Wente and Michael Ondaatje, among others.  In addition to her gallery pieces, her work has included such diverse challenges as biographical mixed media pieces, mural creation and restoration, soft sculpture display pieces, theatre costume design and the design and execution of the many stage costumes worn by the pop group “The Monkees” in their 20th Anniversary  reunion tour (about which one reviewer wrote "The costumes alone are worth the price of admission."

Articles about Jennifer have been featured in "Women Today", the New York "Daily News", "Crain's", "People" and “Futureale” magazines.

Jennifer can be reached at mcleodarts@hotmail.com

Jake Mol
Born in the Netherlands, Jake arrived in Canada in 1952 as a teenager, continuing his art education at several Ontario Colleges such as Central Tech, O.C.A and others, while also continually taking part in art workshops with prominent North American artists.

Jack first received public interest across North America in 1964 with a published portrait of J.F. Kennedy. Since going public in 1969, Jake has received many awards in Juried Shows, and by 2003 had participated in over 60 Solo/Duo and numerous Group shows.

Jake is an Elected member of the Canadian Society of Painters in Watercolour, a Signature member of the Toronto Watercolour Society, a Charter member of the Vodka Painters of Canada and a member or associate member of numerous North American art societies.

Jake is a well liked, respected and sought after Painter, Instructor and Juror. His charcoal painting of Chief Joseph is displayed in the Crazy Horse Museum of South Dakota.

Jake loves the outdoors and the Canadian Shield. Northern and world wide scenes can be found in Jake’s many on location paintings.

Jake’s work can also be found in many private and corporate collections in North and South America, Asia, Australia, Europe, etc.

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Robert Pow
From a very young age, Robert Pow demonstrated a love and fascination with the natural world around him, but more specifically with living creatures which inhabit it. Robert took his love of nature and began expressing it through drawing; a passion he could not escape.

Since his career as an artist, which began over 40 years ago, Robert has been sought after for interviews, magazines, and has been featured on radio and television programs. Robert’s art has been displayed in galleries all across North America. To date, Robert has sold thousands of limited editions and originals to private and corporate collectors worldwide.

Stanley C. Sandbecka
Stan, the son of proud Scandinavian emigrants, was born in Toronto in 1933.  Times being what they were, Stan was introduced into the workforce at a very young age where he learned the carpentry and cabinet making skills of his craftsman father. 

As time and money permitted, Stan studied architectural drafting where he learned to marry the technical know how with his love of design, and in 1959 launched a successful general contracting business in Richmond Hill. 

Stan’s enormous energy, imagination and innate sense for the use of form, line, colour and texture not only became the cornerstone of his success as a builder, it also became the foundation of his life long interest in, and passion for, painting.  While Stan has experimented with a number of mediums over the years, he mostly enjoys working with acrylics, and despite being largely self taught, his landscapes and cityscapes in particular have attracted a devoted following.

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Josée Savaria
‘’The View from Here’’ is a collection of recent paintings which explores the dynamic boundary between sea and land: the place where the human world meets the marine world and the animals that live there.  These fanciful, stylized and often playful depictions of the world are a very personal view which I feel privileged to share with the viewer.

I project my imagery in a bold, colourful style using a variety of media and techniques which include pencil, crayon, block printing and stencilling, oil pastel, ink and whatever medium strikes my fancy. The relationship between colour and shape is of great importance to me and serves as a great source of inspiration to my creative process. The juxtaposition of large blocks of vibrant colour with areas completely transformed by extensive block printing helps to portray the dynamic potential within the static. The textured blocks of colour which I employ to depict the terrestrial world possess a textile and quilt-like character and contrasts, yet complements, the subtle form and hues of the adjacent aquatic realm.

I hope that my work instils in the viewer a small measure of the joy and wonder that I feel when marvelling at the natural world!

www.joseesavaria.com

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Deb Tucker
Deb Tucker taught herself to draw as a child, using a series of “How To” books. As an adult, her interests turned to watercolours. Benefiting from the teachings of various artists, including Chuck Witter, Donna Cameron II and at Loyalist College, Deb spends at least one week each year painting “en plein air” and has won several awards. Deb has exhibited her acrylic, watercolours and mixed media pieces in a number of open and juried shows. Much of her work is now in private collections in Canada and England.  

Christine Valentini
Born in Vienna, Austria, Christine settled in Canada in 1964.  Her love of the Canadian landscape and her European background influence all aspects of her art.

Christine works in all media, but prefers oil, watercolour, india ink and mixed media.  Encouraged by the beautiful countryside in northern Ontario many of her works are executed as detailed nature scenes and florals.  Her miniature oil paintings are executed with a palette knife only.  This technique is very suitable for the rugged Canadian landscape and makes each piece of artwork unique.  The mixed media art combined with her detailed work gives her paintings an unusual contrast.

Her interest in art and drawing led to attending classes in Germany and at the Agincourt and Wexford Collegiate Art Centre.  Painting trips have taken Christine to Europe, the United States, eastern and western Canada; leaving northern Canada yet to be explored.  She participates actively in a cultural and artistic life, though most of her works come to life at her Haliburton retreat.
Entering art shows at many public and juried art exhibitions, including the McMichael and Varley Galleries, her art has won many awards of excellence.  Her works are included in private collections in Europe, Japan, the United States and Canada.

Associate memberships: Visual Arts Ontario, The Algonquin Arts Council, Scarborough Arts Council, The Art Guild of Scarborough and The Society of York Region Artists.

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Katja Van Den Enden
The paintings by award winning artist Katja Van den Enden were inspired by song lyrics, as well as great painters such as Gustav Klimt, Hieronymus Bosch and Sue Johnston.   Katja layers acrylics and resin to create a three dimensional, almost holographic feel. Her work is an expression of the subconscious.

Katja studied in Germany with Professor Jochen Zellmann but is mainly self-taught. She has worked as a full-time artist for over 10 years, and currently lives and works in her studio in Newmarket, Ontario. www.katjavandenenden.blogspot.com/

Janis Vilks
Janis was born in Hamilton, Ontario and grew up in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. He attended Nova Scotia College of Art and Design where he earned his Bachelor of Fine Arts. Whilst there, he studied under artists such as Eric Fischl, Ron Shuebrook and John Clarke. In 1985, Janis moved to Toronto and continued painting large works in oil, moving from abstract art to appropriated images from the media. In 1987 his paintings earned him a place in the Visual Arts Program at Banff Centre School of Fine Arts. From this environment, his work developed a more personal style, using images from his own life experiences.

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Stella Wadsworth
Following a successful career in healthcare, Stella changed her dream of painting into a reality. She started watercolour classes in the fall of 2003 and has since explored painting with acrylics and ink and wash. She has also participated in  workshops through her membership in the Society of York Region Artists (SOYRA), and recently returned from a painting trip to France.

John Walmsley
John received his art education in the UK at Manchester Regional College of Art and Manchester University.  He has worked in several art studios including Photo Engravers Ltd Toronto.  There he was head illustrator and company artist; later he became partner in JJ Commercial Art Inc.

A lifelong interest in Aviation led to being a member of the Canadian Aviations Artists Association of which he is a chartered member.  He is also a member of the American Society of Aviation Artists.  His work has been exhibited at the National Aviation Museum in Ottawa, and the Air Force Museum in Trenton.  He has also had his art published in several books and magazines.

John has instructed for the Leaside Group, the City of Scarborough and the York Region School Board.  His work is included in the Bowman Collection – Newmarket Public Library.

Alicia Wishart
Alicia was born on January 22, 1977 by the usual method of adding water and shaking vigorously. She attended the normal institutions during her youth, having educators optimistically commenting that she would achieve great things if she only applied herself. Great things aside, drawing silly pictures and building things out of cardboard held far more potential in her mind.

It was said by her mother on a number of occasions that Alicia was born in a barn which may be one possible reason why she was always drawn to animals. An unexplained love for fish resulted in hoarding like enthusiasm and she was never known to deny a cockatiel a shower and a blow dry. From giving a hippo a gum rub, to wet kisses with a giraffe, to holding hands and chatting with an elder spider monkey, there wasn't a mammal, reptile, fish or bird that she wasn't interested in getting to know. Except crunchy bugs, Alicia doesn't do crunchy bugs.

While pondering the question “what came first, the chicken or the egg”, Alicia decided to side with the chicken and paint a picture of its glorious frock. It turns out that she was right because the chicken did come first in a long list of animals whose portraits were painted in the years after that. And so, with her purpose realized, she applied herself and achieved great things.

www.aliciawishart.com

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