Oak Hills Studio Tour

Yesterday, I went on the Oak Hills Studio tour. It is a relatively new artists' tour and is mostly situated between Foxboro and Stirling in Hastings County. It is not too big, so you can get round it in an afternoon without much trouble. Painters shared their studios with potters or jewellry makers, and sometimes two or three of them shared a space, so one could kill several birds with one stone. For example, Dona Bonin shared her house with potter Barb Chappelle. The painting shown is one of Dona's.

There were several new venues added this year, so the tour is gradually expanding.

Robert Huffmans Show "Pushing Paint" at Gallery Art Plus

I attended the opening of Robert Huffman's show at Gallery Art Plus in Belleville yesterday evening. It was a great show, and the artist, who lives in Hastings County was present. By the time I left, at least one large painting had been sold. The prices were quite reasonable for quite large sizes, gallery canvases painted in a darked colour round the edges. Prices were mostly in the $1500 range.

Examples are shown here. Robert loves to paint tulips and birchtrees in a bright, impressionistic style with lots of colour and great use of darks and lights.

Expression Show 2010 WInners

Laurie Near won the jurors choice award (photo courtesy of the Quinte Arts Council). She just gets better and better.

Andrew Innes (above) won two awards, one for best water colour, and the other for one of his innovative works using plexiglass. Congratulations Andrew and Laurie!

The judges were artist Doug Purdon and Joan Murray who is the curator of the MacMichael Museum and an expert on Canadian art and the Group of Seven.

Very few paintings were selected for this show as the jurors may not have realised that more than one room was available. There were about 145 entries so only about one in ten pieces were accepted.

Of course, the QAC Expressions show is not just about paintings. There are also sculptures, mixed media objects, weavings and other fibre art, pottery, glass and jewelry. Photography, according to some people I talked to, was over-represented.

The outer room of the John M. Parrott gallery is home to an exhibition of sculptures this month (May) .

Tina Osbourne has some wonderful art jewellry in the corridor cases and the prices are very reasonable. I bought a necklace and matching earrings.

Music as Muse

Well, as I didn't get into the QAC Expressions show this year-I think it is the first time that I haven't got anything in since I first started entering- I am going to put a couple of pieces into the John M Parrott gallery annual juried show. This year the title is "Music as Muse" which should be interesting. This show runs for most of June at the library gallery on Pinnacle Street, Belleville.

I haven't been to the Epxressions Show which is on for all of May, but I plan to go soon, and will report back.