Visual Art in Belleville

"North of seven" show at the Belleville Library Gallery

2012-01-08T14:17:00.002-05:00

Sorry I haven't posted anything for a while. However, yesterday I went to the opening of a new show at the Belleville Library Gallery. It was put on by a group of artists from "north of seven" meaning north of highway seven in the Madoc area of Ontario. I assume it is a play on words from the famous Canadian "group of seven" painters who also loved to paint "en plein air".
The group consists of Lee Mitz, who started the group by inviting some local artists to paint with her, outside at her farm. They then branched out to include other scenic areas in Hastings County. Poul Thrane is a well-known local artist who paints mostly on location outside. He is in his eighties, but that does not seem to slow him down at all. Above is a recent painting he has done. I think it is Lee Mitz painting in the background.
Other members of the group showing their work at the John M Parrott gallery are Jan Coombs, Cynthia Solomon, Sandi Warren Marrow, and Kim Klaver. I hope I haven't missed anyone.

Susan Holland, the gallery curator, did an amazing job of hanging the works so that they blended very well and one work led you on to the next .

Belleville Art Association Annual Juried Show

2011-10-07T19:35:00.002-04:00

I went to the opening of the BAA annual juried show last night. The show runs for the rest of the month at the John M Parrott gallery, Pinnacle street, Belleville, Ontario.

I shared the Juror's choice award with Claudette Boulanger who did an amazing painting/drawing of a dinosaur being captured in a net by a lot of little people. My piece was a felted fibre art composition of pears in a bowl-quite boring in comparison. The title ofthe show was "Perspectives" so with my feeble attempt at humour, I labelled my picture "Pearspectives". Really bad, I know!

This painting is "Sunset Bay of Quinte" by Tina Osborne:

Other prize winners were Sharon Bower, Tina Osborne, Marg Ray, Jean Kapusta, Ilona Mayer and Dona Knudsen. I am sure I have left out a few more.
There was wine, cheese, fruit, and a vegetable tray which disappeared before I could get near it.
Quite a few people were present at the opening. Even the mayor was there. He made the same faux pas as last year when he said he had paintings hanging in his office thanks to the BAA. Unfortunately, these were courtesy of the Quinte Arts Council and not done by BAA members! People are always confusing the Arts Coucil with the Art Association. Guys, they are not the same thing!

Painting "plein air"

2011-09-03T10:36:00.000-04:00

Now the weather is not so hot, I have been doing some watercolour painting in "plein air", meaning outside. You don't have top go far or to exotic locations to find subject matter. This is just up the road in a neighbours front garden. Next week I may go to O'Hara Mill near Madoc, Ontario. It has a collection of old homesteaders' houses, school house, lumber mill, etc.
Here is a list of materials that you need when painting "on location" with watercolours:

Watercolour Plein Air Painting Checklist:
• Watercolour paintbox or selection of tubes
• At least one brush
• Pencil and eraser
• Four (rustproof) clips or pegs for keeping your paper in place when it's windy
• Paper towel or cloth for wiping brushes on
• Bottle of water
• Cup for washing brushes
• Watercolour paper
• If necessary, an empty bottle for pouring dirty paint water into, for disposable back home.
Tips: • A largish zippered pencil box or toiletry bag is ideal for putting your brushes etc. in.
• Retractable brushes take up minimal space.
• One of those blocks of watercolour paper where the paper is 'stuck down' is ideal because you don't need to stretch it, but you will need something sharp to separate off a sheet once you're done.
• Consider buying a watercolour field set – a small box of paints complete with retractable brush; some even have waterbottles.