Last night I was privileged to have some of my paintings hang in the Fraser Cultural Centre in Tatamagouche, Nova Scotia for the opening event of this year’s Tata Fest “Expressions of Soil, Soul and Society”. The exhibition runs until the 4th September.
The Tata Fest is a 10 day festival of the arts, social justice, sustainability and down-home hospitality, with workshops, performances and engaging conversations in a beautiful seacoast setting.
When I was asked if I would like to exhibit in the show, I wasn’t sure which paintings to choose but chose these 4 paintings because of their relationship to the earth.
Among the flowers was a painting that I was learning new techniques with all the time, like how to create the blended background, and how to load the brush with different colours to create the different lines within the petals. Also, how the highlights at the end of the painting really bring it all to life. My friend Sheila and I had decided to paint our own versions of the same photo so we could learn together.
The Garden Fence supports the beautiful Delphiniums that grow up in front of it. The fence itself is getting ready for a new coat of paint and the dappled light on the lawn behind is from the sunlight shining through the thick hedge of trees beyond.
Drawn to the Light is a mystical forest where the moonlight shines on the pathway through the forest and draws you in! Where does it lead to? Only you will know! I used only 3 colours to paint this one, Liquitex Ivory Black, Liquitex Titanium white and Liquitex Dioxazine Purple.
Lily Burst is a study of flowers from our garden when we lived in Wentworth. The lilies came up every year and were absolutely beautiful. I didn’t know the exact variety they were, but here is a photo that I used to paint from... and below is the painting when I first started with a real flower in front of it. I used my ‘artistic license’ to make it more abstract with the orange background. I wanted to hang it on a wall that was painted chocolate brown; yes I know what you’re thinking! It’s all a matter of taste!!
With metal sculptures, photography, pottery and ceramics, oil paintings, graphite drawings, acrylic paintings, fabric arts, graphics and illustrations there are so many wonderful works of art at the show, its well worth a visit to appreciate the talent we have in our area.
Unfortunately I don’t know all of the artists names who are exhibiting at the Fraser but those of us there at the opening last night had our picture taken together below.
And I was so pleased to see some friends who came along to support me in my first show here in Tatamagouche.
Thanks to the Northumberland Arts Council for putting on the show, the Fraser Cultural Centre and all the volunteers who make anything like this possible.
