FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Gallery in the Garden: Oh Joy!
Paintings and Sculptures by local artists - Sherway Gardens until January 9, 2010
Etobicoke, Ontario – Sherway Gardens’ (Hwy 427 & the QEW) current Gallery in the Garden exhibit entitled Oh Joy! celebrates local artists, most of whom have previously exhibited works in the Gallery in the Garden. On display until January 9, 2010, artists Sue Archibald, Nancy Cuttle, Susan Dain, Diane Gartlan, Kathleen Haunts, Irene Hunchak, Kim Kho, Jennifer Koivu, Angela Lynch, Ian Maynard, Eileen Menzel, Karen Morgan, Cheryl Mount, Rita-Anne Piquet, Rose Robertson, Elizabeth Strathdee, Neil Whitworth, and Janice Ykema have created paintings and sculptures with a positive image, celebrating the joy in life. Call 416-621-1070 or visit www.sherwaygardens.ca for more information.
Gallery in the Garden: Oh Joy! exhibits works about the holidays, the seasons, nature in the wild and on the farm, women and the home, a sculpture that celebrates the joy of music and paintings that celebrate the act of painting. The media in which these works were created varies from the delicacy of watercolour to the tactile surfaces of mixed media, the expressive surfaces of clay and porcelain and the traditional surfaces of oil and acrylic on canvas or paper.
About the artists:
Mississauga’s Sue Archibald graduated in Fine Arts from the University of Guelph in 1980, specializing in painting, drawing and printmaking. Her studies continued with Grant McEwen School of Design in Alberta, The Toronto School of Art, Haliburton School of Fine Arts. Sue’s main focus has been painting in acrylics. Her interest lies in exploring landscape and still life in a way that reflects what is seen either in the mind’s eye or in nature, but finds much pleasure in being cognizant of paint application and how it is manipulated around the subjects.
Milton’s Nancy Cuttle has been communicating through her art for almost three decades. In the mid nineties, her focus shifted away from painting and drawing when she discovered her gift for sculpting. Working in several sculptural mediums including clay, stone, glass, steel and cement, she has won numerous awards in premier juried exhibitions in the Greater Toronto Area and has exhibited her landmark sculpture series in celebration of Canadian women in the 20th century in the Hall of Honour of the Parliament Buildings in Ottawa, an honour never previously bestowed on an artist. A strong advocate for the value of the arts to the community, Nancy is President of Arts Milton and serves on the Fine Arts Society of Milton and Milton Historical Society boards. More of Nancy’s work can be seen at www.nancycuttle.ca/
Toronto’s Susan Dain received a Bachelor of Science degree in Studio Art and Art History from Skidmore College in Saratoba Springs, N.Y. and has taken graduate art courses in both Germany and Mexico. Originally from New York, Susan moved to Toronto in 1976 and has been a practicing artist in Canada for 25 years, while raising her two children with her husband of 28 years. Susan decided to make a full-time return to her career in art in the early 80's. Since then, she has exhibited extensively and has become a multiple award winning artist, best known for her figurative and abstract works. Today, she is a well respected artist who is represented in corporate and private collections throughout North America.
Etobicoke’s Diane Gartlan was born in Armagh, N. Ireland. She has studied at Etobicoke School of the Arts, Loyalist College, Haliburton School of the Arts, Open Studio and the St Louise School. Diane says that her inspiration to paint may begin with a shape, colour, or reflection.
Kathleen Haunts’ love of watercolour dates back to her youth when she designed and painted posters for church and school activities. She began to paint seriously in the early 70's after a summer workshop with OCA, and has since studied with many renowned artists and participated in numerous shows. Kathleen is a member of Neilson Park Creative Centre, Central Ontario Art Association, Associate Member of The Canadian Society of Painters in Watercolour and has served as President of Humber Valley Art Club since l996.
Oakville resident Irene Hunchak is a member of such diverse organizations as the Creative Sugar Artists who create sculptural works in sugar and the Botanical Artists of Canada and includes the scientific illustration done by that organization in the many forms of art she enjoys. Her whimsical sculpture of two unlikely types sharing their love of music shows her amazing attention to detail. Irene is a member of Artworx in Oakville.
Kim Lee Kho was born into a family of artists: her mother painted figurative watercolours; her grandfather, landscapes in oils. By age 15 Kim knew that being an artist was her calling, and she worked very seriously at it until her early 20s, when she embarked on a lengthy side trip into the world of graphic design. In 2003 Kim resumed her work in visual art, focusing first on re-building old skills. Establishing a professional practice began in earnest in 2006, leading to being accepted into her first artist’s residency. The work from that formed the foundation for Kim’s solo show in Fall 2007. In 2009 Kim was engaged in the Prairie North Creative Residency with Adrian Stimson and Monica Tap, travelled to the Yukon and returned to teach in Ontario.
Etobicoke’s Jennifer Koivu grew up in Etobicoke, drawn to music and visual arts, but pursued a business career after obtaining a B.A. from the University of Western Ontario, B. Education from University of Toronto and a M.B.A. from the Schulich School of Business. Jennifer currently divides her time between painting and property development. Jennifer has been a member of Neilson Park Creative Centre and The Etobicoke Art Group for six years.
Etobicoke’s Angela K Lynch describes herself as primarily a self-taught painter. She has worked and painted with some of Canada’s finest painters. For Angela, beginning in watercolour was the most natural and comfortable medium as it had always attracted her eye. While translucency and flow of paint and water is unmatched in other mediums, it is the unexpected and unpredictability that makes watercolour exciting & challenging to her. There is also the desire and curiosity to explore new territory which she is currently doing in acrylic. Angela is expanding the landscape from paper on to canvas as her emotional statement and her expression of how she sees nature. Angela is currently President of the Humber Valley Art Club, and a member of The Toronto Watercolour Society and Associate Member of the Canadian Society of Painters in Watercolour. More of Angela’s work can be seen at www.babewithabrush.com
Etobicoke’s Ian Maynard’s story starts with early public school art, plus oil painting classes from a farmer’s wife back in Chatham, Ontario. He attended the Ontario College of Art from 1961 to 1965 specializing in Interior Design, subsequently enjoying a long career in that field with the Ontario Government at Queen's Park. It was only upon retirement some twelve years or thirteen years ago that he returned to watercolour painting as well as pen and Ink drawing. Ian joined the Neilson Park Creative Centre in the fall of 2007 and attends weekly Wednesday morning studio painting with The Etobicoke Art Group. Ian particularly enjoys reproducing farm barns, the intricacies of various varieties of trees and, recently, flower subjects, all in Pen and Ink with touches of colour! He is an avid gardening with a particular love of peonies. He also enjoys the pastime of model railroading
Eileen Menzel was born in Leicester, England and is now living in Etobicoke. She has a BFA from Durham University and a B.Ed from the University of Toronto and taught Visual Art and Special Education for the Toronto District School Board. Eileen currently studies art history and theory, studio painting, life drawing and professional level life - painting with Toronto artist John Leonard. Eileen finds the theme of “opposites that attract” a fascinating vehicle that has helped drive and shape her work for many years.
Cheryl Mount majored in Fine Arts at Concordia University, studied printmaking at McGill University and then pursued studies at the British Columbia Institute of Technology, Federation of Watercolour Artists, and Emily Carr College of Art. Later Cheryl continued her Interior Design studies at Sheridan College in Oakville. Cheryl also has a BA from the University of Toronto and taught for the Halton District School Board. Cheryl left teaching to continue her creative pursuits: design consultation, designing for renovations and then entering into a period of professional development involving painting. Cheryl has studied with Wilma Stamml’er, with the Oakville Art Society, Dundas Valley School of Art, John Leonard, the Etobicoke Art Group, Neilson Park Creative Centre, Haliburton School of Art, and Harold Klunder. Her work has been exhibited at Woman in Oakville, ArtSpace Oakville, the Muskoka Place Gallery, Peaks & Rafters (Port Carling), Etobicoke Civic Centre, Neilson Park Creative Centre, CJ’s in Bronte, Oakville Art Society, and the Oakville Arts Council.
Etobicoke’s Karen Morgan is a Toronto based painter who enjoys painting abstracted landscapes. She is committed to creating joyful paintings full of fun, energy and vibrancy. A member of Neilson Park Creative Centre and the Etobicoke Art Group, Karen has studied at Haliburton School of the Arts and worked with a number of artists to find her own creative path.
The botanical and floral works of Toronto Artist Rita-Anne Piquet attests to an affirmation of life, both in its strength and fragility. Prior to embarking on botanical work, Rita-Anne was developing her artistic abilities and career through various genres of painting from abstraction to landscape and people. She has exhibited widely in Ontario, both in solo and group shows. In Toronto, she is represented by John A. Libby Fine Art. She is an elected member of the Society of Canadian Artists (SCA). Rita-Anne’s paintings have appeared on the covers of A New Anthology of Canadian Literature, published by Oxford University Press, The Canadian Treasurer Magazineand The Canadian Journal of Women’s Health Care. In 2004 she was Artist-in-Residence at the Masterworks Foundation in Bermuda. Her painting of a Bird of Paradise Tree won 3rd Prize in the SCA’s 2009 Juried Exhibition in Toronto. At Plein Air Canada’s Oakville exhibit and ‘paint-out’ in 2007, she was awarded 1st Prize, the HSBC Award of Excellence. She has received grants from both the Ontario Arts Council and the Canada Council for the Arts.
Rose Robertson has had a lifelong involvement with art and began painting in watercolour in the 1990’s at the Franklin Carmichael Art Centre. She is presently a member of the Toronto Watercolour Society, Humber Valley Art Group and is on the board of directors for Neilson Park Creative Centre. She has studied with a wide variety of artists in workshops throughout Ontario. A retired teacher and special education consultant with the former City of York Board of Education, she is enjoying her newfound freedom to pursue her enjoyment of painting.
Elizabeth Anne Strathdee was born and raised in Toronto and now lives in Etobicoke. She graduated with a Primary Specialist degree from the University of Toronto. The spontaneity seen in the work of young children has influenced her outlook and her art. A love of patterns in nature and its changing moods can be seen in Elizabeth’s watercolours, acrylics and mixed media. Elizabeth notes that painting is an adventure much like riding must be on a magic carpet…the destination is unknown and is always a challenging surprise. A member of Neilson Park Creative Centre, Humber Valley Art Club, Elizabeth’s work has been exhibited at OCAD, University of Toronto Faculty Club, Montgomery’s Inn, and many local Toronto venues.
Neil Whitworth was born in Montreal and as soon as he was able to hold a pencil, he had an interest in art. He studied at the Montreal Museum of Fine Art and other private art schools in the Montreal area. Now, after 40 years in retail advertising for Eaton’s, Holt Renfrew, Simpsons and the Bay, he has time to paint his favorite subject… the varied Canadian landscape. Neil’s paintings are found in private collections in Canada, USA and Great Britain and in corporate collections including Honeywell and Inco. Neil is an elected member since 1998 of the Canadian Society of Painters in Watercolour (CSPWC) and The Etobicoke Art Group.
Janice Ykema was raised on the outskirts of the picturesque town of Niagara-on-the-Lake. Her interest in art was firmly established by the age of thirteen. At the tender age of seventeen she attempted the rigorous juried entry process of the Ontario College of Art and was accepted into their first year program. She finally obtained her B. DES at Ontario College of Art and Design in Toronto in 2005, having delayed her dream of art in order to raise a family. Janice never lost sight of her initial goal. One could never say her paintings fit into a straight jacket of a single, particular 'style'. Her paintings produce a multi-layered, refreshed vision of the world expressed as either realistic, abstract or something in between. Janice’s need to express her artistic vision has set a new life path starting in 2006, resulting in an explosion of creativity that immediately resulted in successfully exhibiting in juried shows, culminating in awards for three of her pieces at their respective first showings. Janice is a member of Visual Arts of Ontario, Visual Arts of Mississauga, Artworks of Oakville, Streetsville Artists Co-op, Neilson Park Creative Centre and The Etobicoke Artists Group and founder of the Waterford juried show for young people.
About Sherway Gardens’ Gallery in the Garden:
Sherway Gardens’ Gallery in the Garden was established to showcase local artists. The Gallery in the Garden operates all year round and each exhibit is on display for approximately 6 weeks. The Gallery in the Garden is located at Sherway Gardens’ door 3 entrance.
About Sherway Gardens:
Sherway Gardens is owned and managed by Cadillac Fairview, one of North America's largest investors, owners and managers of commercial real estate. With a portfolio valued at over $15 billion, the company and its affiliates own and manage over 83 properties, including some of Canada's landmark developments. Cadillac Fairview is wholly-owned by the Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan. For more information about Cadillac Fairview, visit www.cadillacfairview.com.
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For further information contact:
Peter Ashworth/Ashley Lloyd; Ashworth Associates Inc.; 416-603-6005;
peter@ashworthassociates.com / ashley@ashworthassociates.com
Elena Price; Senior Marketing Director; Sherway Gardens; 416-621-1071 ext. 7020;
pricee@cadillacfairview.com
Kathleen Haushalter; Curator, Sherway Gardens Gallery in the Garden; 647-403-6779
GalleryIntheGarden@gmail.com