M.A.G - Marten Arts Gallery

From the heart - The Post - Ontario, CA

2009-11-14T14:36:00.001-05:00

From the heart - The Post - Ontario, CA

Article about Tony Luciani and his new exhibition.

Craft in America | PBS Video

2009-10-19T12:02:00.000-04:00

Craft in America explores the vitality, history and significance of the craft movement in the United States and its impact on our nation’s rich cultural heritage. Capturing the beauty, creativity and originality of craftsmanship, the film highlights artists and explores the inter-relationship of what they do, how they do it and why they have chosen a life of creating art

Craft in America PBS Video

Exhbition - Robert Kelly - Heirloom Decoys

2009-10-12T21:53:00.005-04:00

GALLERY WALL EXHIBITION
Robert Kelly
Heirloom Decoys

Oct 2 - Oct 30, 2009

ROBERT KELLY
" I've been approached by many people to expand my business, but I always opt to keep it a small mom and pop operation -- with no regrets. This way, every decoy and bird in flight is individually carved, a one-of-a-kind piece. I take great pride in each carving, knowing it will be cherished for many years to come." Robert Kelly
This exhibition features a selection of Roberts Classic Decoys and his Magnum Decoys. Birds types include: Printails

Canada Goose
Cinnamon and blue winged Teals
Common Loons
Gadwalls
Green Winged Teals and others
Harlequin s
Mergansers
Malards
Wood Ducks
Grebes

The birds are carved from Canadian White Pine and finished with semi-transparent stains which allow the natural grain and warmth of the wood to show through. They are then sealed and sprayed with a water based finish. Eyes are inserted and each piece is signed and dated.

The Classic Decoys are standard sizes and extra detailing around the wings, tail feathers and beaks.
The Magnum Decoys are the largest and most detailed birds, especially with the extra feathering definition. These are among my finest decoys. Some models even have raised primaries! All are finished in lifelike colors, with an accurate profile of the species.

Exhbition - Robert Bateman

2009-10-12T21:42:00.005-04:00

EXHIBITION

Robert Bateman
Wild by Nature

Main Gallery
Oct 2 - Oct 30

Biography

Born in Toronto, Robert Bateman has been a keen artist and naturalist from his early days. Bateman painted wildlife and wilderness in a representational style until his teens when he began to interpret nature using a variety of contemporary styles, including post-impressionism and abstract expressionism. In the early 60’s, Bateman rediscovered realism and began to develop the style that would make him one of the foremost artists depicting the world of nature. In the 70s and early 80’s, Bateman’s work began to receive critical acclaim and began to attract an enormous following.

Since his first one-man show in 1967, Bateman has had numerous sell-out exhibitions in Canada, the United States and Great Britain. His work is in many public and private collections, including several art museums. He was commissioned by the Governor General of Canada to do a painting as the wedding gift for HRH The Prince Charles from the people of Canada. His work is also included in the collections of HRH The Prince Philip, the late Princess Grace of Monaco and Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands. Bateman has had many one-man museum shows throughout North America, including an exhibition at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C.; most of these shows have drawn record-breaking crowds. H is honors, awards and honorary doctorates are numerous he was made Officer of the Order of Canada, that country’s highest civilian award. He has also been the subject of six films. Two books of his art The Art of Robert Bateman and The World of Robert Bateman, have made publishing history; they have sold more than a half million copies. A third book of his art Robert Bateman: An Artist in Nature, focuses on his work both as a painter and a conservationist.

With a degree in geography from the University of Toronto, Bateman’s art reflects his commitments to ecology and preservation. Since the early 6Os, he has been an active member of naturalist clubs and other conservation organizations. This involvement has increased in recent years and is now on a global scale. He has become a spokesman for many environmental and preservation issues and has used his artwork and limited edition prints in fund¬raising efforts, which have provided millions of dollars for these worthy causes. He says, “I can’t conceive of anything being more varied and rich and handsome than the planet Earth. And its crowning beauty is the natural world. I want to soak it up, to understand it as well as I can, and to absorb it. And then I’d like to put it together and express it in my paintings. This is the way I want to dedicate my work.”

Robert Bateman and Marten Arts Support Bayfield and Area Trails

During the Robert Bateman ‘Wild by Nature’ exhibition at Marten Arts Gallery , 17 Main St, Bayfield from Oct.2 until Oct 30, raffle tickets will be sold at Marten Arts and participating stores for $10 each or 3 for $25 , giving you the chance to win this valuable, signed publishers proof (only twenty are in existance) Bateman print entitled ‘First Arrival– Killdeer’

All proceeds from the raffle will go to the Trail association for trail development. As an extra benefit, renew your Trail Association Membership before October 31, 2009 and you will be entered into the draw for the print.

The support of local businesses Like Marten Arts ensures that our local trail system will grow and make Bayfield a better place to live and visit now and in the future.

David Grieve - Through the Trees

2009-08-17T13:51:00.004-04:00

Through the Trees

August 21- Sept. 9

David Grieve was introduced to oil painting at a young age. As a child, he would often accompany his mother to a group oil painting class. It was at the young age of nine that he created his first oil painting, and his love of creating blossomed throughout his adolescence.
David was the recipient of the Michael Scotchmer scholarship, studying Fine Arts at the University of Guelph. As a student, David was given the opportunity to display his work in the Zavitz Galley in Guelph, Ontario, receiving positive reviews and giving him the opportunity to meet and connect with collectors.
His inspiration comes from walking along pathways through protected natural areas. Recalling the sense of tranquil beauty, David says, "The path itself is like a metaphor for life. It is a journey from beginning to end, with ups and downs and twists along the way. The sun shines brightly through the open spaces in the canopy of trees, while in other areas, dark shadows are cast across the pathway. One thing is certain, however: the end of the path opens into an expansive field, akin to Heaven, as our journey of life inevitably comes to an end."
The landscape paintings often focus on a solitary tree in an open space. His technique of cropping sections allows the observer to focus more carefully on one area without taking the entire piece for granted. The use of rich, organic, autumn colours represents the maturity of the tree in the cycle of life, providing the observer with a strong sense of change as the landscape ages and decays. The beauty found in aspects of time and change is the ever-present theme underlying his paintings.

Surrounded by trees and fields, David's home studio in Brantford, Ontario, Canada, keeps him close to his wife and three young sons.

www.martenarts.com

Tsunami Glassworks - wisp

2009-08-17T12:40:00.002-04:00

Wisp

August 21- Sept. 9

Tsunami Glassworks Inc. combines the talents of husband and wife glass artists Eva Milinkovic and Kriston Gene, specializing in designing and producing one-of-a-kind sculptural and functional blown glass pieces, production cast vessels, corporate awards and gifts, and architectural sand castings.

Kriston's father, the well-known stained glass artist and owner of Kabuki Design and Art Glass Ltd., in Windsor, Ontario, uses the tsunami wave as his company emblem. The couple decided to take the name Tsunami Glassworks four years ago, loosely tying the two family operations together. The studio is located centrally in Windsor, Ontario, Canada, and is the first of its kind in the Windsor area. It serves as a unique gathering place for local glass artists and is an important cultural resource for the Windsor and area community.

Kriston and Eva are partners in business and in life, working together to create unique glass pieces in engraved and hot glass techniques. In addition to assisting one another in the studio, the partners refine their designs with each other as well. Currently, they are creating a sculptural body of work which joins Kris and Eva's patterns together; the work is designed and made in the hot shop by both of them. The pieces titled incalmo vases, which means 'to join together,' refers to the the technical process. It also defines the marriage between Eva and Kriston and their goals for the future.

Danuta Tydor - Interlace - Eclectic & Whimsy

2009-07-23T16:56:00.003-04:00

New ceramics by Danuta Tydor. This Exhibition presents recent work, combine whimsical teapots and shoe sculptures as well as eclectic cones and soaring high vessels.
All work is hand built and original in concept. Tydor works in porcelain stoneware and earthenware.

Joe Sampson - Cool Water (oil painting)

2009-07-23T16:50:00.001-04:00

I graduated from The Ontario College of Art in 95 with a specialization in illustration from the commercial design department. After OCA I began freelancing as an illustrator and also painting scenic imagery. The images I chose to paint ranged from portraiture to cityscape and landscape.

While teaching drawing and painting at a performing and visual arts school I began to show my work at a variety of art shows, galleries, and art related events. At present my work is comprised of landscape painting and variety of scenic imagery, but landscape has been the captivating the majority of my artistic time. I believe a strong background in drawing and painting a variety of subject matter has enabled me to develop into a well rounded artist. I constantly challenge myself to explore different subjects, techniques, and compositions this I believe to be one the most imperative reasons I continue to grow and be inspired.

I noticed my landscape paintings having a common theme throughout; whether it was winter, fall, summer or spring the majority of my paintings have water in them. I find myself drawn to shorelines, beaches, lakes and oceans to enjoy soothing repetitive movement and sounds of water. I believe water to be one of the most challenging subjects to capture its constantly moving and changing shape and colour. A dynamic composition and an understanding of colour and light and shadow are my artistic goals. Creating a mood and feeling help me achieve my ultimate goal, which is capturing a moment in time and holding it forever.

Joe Sampson

www.martenarts.com

Doug Magrath wood bowls - Au Naturel!

2009-07-13T15:54:00.001-04:00

Doug Magrath's works are primarily bowls and platters in local hardwoods, but he also produces elegant decorative burl bowls, hollow forms, vases, and other smaller items.

This exhibition is featuring some exquisite bowls and hollow forms from domestic and exotic woods such as:
Black Locust Burl
Ambrosia Maple
Red Mallee
Sugar Maple Burl
Horse Chestnut Burl
Ash Burl
Cherry Burl
Honduras Spalted Rosewood Burl

The bowls are all turned from green logs; first rough-turned to a basic form, then dried in controlled conditions in a wood drying dehumidifier, and finally finish-turned when the wood is stable.

www.martenarts.com

Fiona Hoop - Interludes

2009-07-13T15:52:00.001-04:00

Mary Kennedy and Michele Woodey began working together in the year 2000. They worked together on commissioned site-specific installations, which led to a successful partnership. From here they began to explore collaborative painting; a concept which has its roots in the early Surrealist artists technique of passing a piece of work back and forth. Each artist contributes an element in turn, blending seamlessly and harmoniously.

www.martenarts.com

TRAVEL WITH THE BAYFIELD BUNCH: ASTRONOMY vs ASTROLOGY

2009-06-22T15:59:00.000-04:00

TRAVEL WITH THE BAYFIELD BUNCH: ASTRONOMY vs ASTROLOGY

Just stummbled accross this Blogg. It was nice to see so many pics of our gallery. Sound like a great adventure they live.

it's about time.... Roger Woods

2009-06-14T10:52:00.001-04:00

THE ARTIST

Roger Wood creates with time in mind. Yet even though the clock can be a consistent element of his work, it’s often secondary to its creation. Whether it’s a curious timepiece or a unique assemblage, Wood thrives on working with an immeasurable array of findings from the tarnished and forgotten to the odd or intriquing. He is a devoted collector of usual and unusual objects with one thing in common, a history.

The source of his inspiration lies in the hundreds of curiously labelled drawers and boxes brimming with artifacts of all description that line the shelves of his Toronto studio. Wood orchestrates an arrangement from his myriad of treasures until the precise moment that it feels right. Then he quickly glues them all down so they can’t escape.

Playful, wondrous timepieces emerge that take flight on cherubic wings, float and sway on fine wires, or appear frozen mid-explosion with flying springs and cogs that bounce at the touch.
This definitive merging of objects and ideas has brought Wood much critical acclaim across Canada. Shows at galleries, museums and awards at several exhibitions are ongoing testaments to his freedom of imagination. Just as his single signature feather at the tip of the second hand quivers magically through time, Roger Wood's creations continue to fascinate.

Artech: the quintessential glass

2009-05-13T13:32:00.005-04:00

Terry Craig and Jennifer Wanless-Craig are a dynamic glass-blowing couple, creating beer glasses and pitchers from recycled beer and liquor bottles.

This dynamic duo rounds out their glass collection with hand-blown stem-less glassware, including martini, wine, scotch and shot glasses.

Terry Craig has been working with and teaching blown glass for more than fourteen years. He has worked in many of North America's premier glass studios.

A graduate of Sheridan College School of Craft and Design and a former resident of The Harbourfront Centre Glass Studio in Toronto. Currently Terry is an instructor and studio technician at the Haliburton School of the Arts.

He owns and operates his own glass studio, Artech Studios in Tory Hill, On just east of Haliburton. Pushing the limits of the traditional blown glass cup, Terry creates beautiful, one-of-a-kind vessels born from the functional craft of glassblowing.

Drawing on historical pieces, Terry creates contemporary, funky work that appeals to the individual. From recycled beer glass to high-end sculptural pieces, glass is molded, shaped and blown by a skilled gaffer.

Jennifer Wanless-Craig is an installation and multi-disciplinary artist. Images created in glass, pencil, photo image and found objects are arranged in a space to create an atmosphere, a nostalgic feeling with glass as a metaphoric material.

A graduate of Toronto School of Art and Sheridan College School of Craft and Design, she has been teaching art for more than twelve years at such institutions as Oakville Art Galleries, MacLaren Art Centre (Barrie), Mississauga Living Arts Centre, Cordella Art School (Toronto), to name a few.

Besides making and teaching art Jennifer is the owner and curator of (k)nave Gallery of Contemporary Art and Fine Craft in Tory Hill, Ontario. She also co-owns Artech Glassblowing Studios, a successful glassblowing studio with her partner Terry Craig.

Dan Werstuk: Soft Pastels

2009-05-13T13:18:00.000-04:00

Dan Werstuk comes to us with his soft pastel drawings that have a photo-realism quality about them.

Growing up in Northern Ontario has given Dan an appreciation of Muskoka, Algonquin and other points further north, all which he uses for inspiration. The mist, the sunrises and sunsets and forests all come to life in his pastels. The flowing landscapes, warm colours and soft tones Dan uses give his drawings a calming and serene effect

Artist Statement

Like most artists, I’ve used the traditional art mediums of oil, acrylic and watercolour. It wasn’t until I saw a number of contemporary paintings in pastel that I moved toward that medium.

The richness and purity of colour caught my attention and I saw the possibilities. The first painting I did in pastel was a winter scene of a bridge over the Black River, a fishing spot that was a favourite of my father-in-law. In making that painting I learned a number of lessons. Pastel is a forgiving medium. I can stop and start painting any time as there’s no waiting for paint to dry. It’s a dry medium with colours that can be blended and manipulated on the surface. It was a eureka moment: I had found my medium. Within a short period of time I was able to achieve the kind of representational painting to which I aspired.

Garden scenes and wildflowers, antique boats built in Muskoka and scenes taken from travels with my family have all made there way onto my easel. I grew up in Gravenhurst on Lake Muskoka just up the bay from where many of the wooden boats were made. Some of those boats are antiques now and you’ll still see them throughout the summer cruising up the lake. The warmth of the wood, the brilliance of the chrome, flags waving and the waves abstracting the reflections make for dynamic compositions. I will often sharpen the edge of the pastels to get those fine details. The details take extra care and much more time but I love painting them.

Algonquin Park has been the source of inspiration for most of my painting. The magic of rising mist, glorious sunrises and sunsets, waterlilies, their stems disappearing into the depths are some of the images that I like to present. I’ve been told that a lot of my paintings have a calming effect or meditative quality. I like to think it flows from the great appreciation I have for the northern Ontario landscape.

Biography

Dan Werstuk was born in Ontario in 1949 and grew up in Gravenhurst on Lake Muskoka. He attended the Ontario College of Art from 1969 to 1973 and continued to paint and draw from personal interest while working in the printing industry until 1990.

Since 1990 Dan has made painting and drawing his career. In his exploration of different mediums of expression, Dan found that pastel was ideally suited to him. He can paint and draw in the same composition, blending and layering colour in his highly realistic landscape paintings.

Dan’s art reflects his appreciation of Muskoka, Algonquin and points further north. His paintings evoke the feelings of peace and tranquility and focus on the impact of changing light and weather on sky and water and scenery through the day and through the seasons. He lives in the village of Midhurst near Barrie where he has the country out his back door. These vantage points are captured in his paintings: from the grand vistas of Algonquin Park only accessible by canoe to the antique boats cruising the lakes to floral compositions from the backyard garden.

Dan’s paintings are available through the artist or through The Framing Place in Huntsville, Scott’s of Muskoka in Bracebridge, and the Koyman Gallery, 2121 Carling Avenue, Ottawa, Ontario.

Rita Vindedzis: Selected Landscapes

2008-08-01T12:17:00.000-04:00

Rita Vindedzis' current show of landscape paintings reflects her work over the past four years. The soft focus effect that she favours is achieved through subtle blendings and overlays of colour, in addition to the application of textured moulding paste.

Vindedzis is inspired by the natural world around her. Her palette is largely comprised of reds, greens, golds, greys, and muted blues.

End of Summer depicts a field of golden grasses in the foreground. A brilliant silvery-white stream is the meandering line that cuts the composition on the diagonal, leading up to a soft blue-grey sky.

In Northern River, another silvery-white river line moves directly away from the viewer and disappears into the distant deep greens and shadowy reds of coniferous trees on the horizon.

Vindedzis says, "I feel that our lives have become so fast-paced and hectic that in looking at one of my paintings, I want the viewer to feel and enjoy the clam and serenity that I have painted."

Leslie Bergeron - Raku Fired Ceramics

2008-08-01T10:59:00.000-04:00

Leslie Bergeron's ceramic work has been inspired by her years of exploring the technique of raku. The basic forms she incorporates are circles, squares, triangles and spirals. These may be the sculptural elements of a piece, or they may be decorative elements.

Bergeron uses contrast to wonderful effect: soft blended colours in her glazes reside next to bold black and white graphics; sharp lines penetrate soft areas; rough textures lie beside smooth surfaces.

Her confident use of classic forms provides a welcome contrast to her application of whimsical spiral forms. These formal elements are found in Vertical Triangle Box and in Triangle Platter, among other pieces.

Bergeron has said that she challenges herself with the form "before allowing the fire to make its indelible imprint upon (her) highly designed surfaces.

Sail and Canvas

2008-06-20T15:44:00.001-04:00

Artistic Statement

I see hidden beauty in Hamilton’s aging structures. Historically an industrial city, the effects of nature on my hometown have eroded the buildings and transformed them greatly. I don’t regard my work as melancholy, but there is a kind of sadness in my pieces. That sadness is key to me, and through it I try to challenge the traditional and narrow view of what is beautiful.
Geometry features prominently in my work; I strive to keep the composition uncluttered, relying on layered areas of complex colour to complement the simplicity. Although people rarely appear in my paintings, I’m always conscious of the impact that these places have on working class lives. I let the buildings take centre stage and allow the “presence” of man to be felt through his mark on the architecture - and its decay.

Generally I use dry media (pastels, pencils, charcoal, conte), then create a ‘wash’ by brushing over the paper surface with solvent or distilled water. My colour palette is vivid and earthy like the subjects I paint - using very few colours to achieve the results I am after. Influences are drawn from colourists like Henri Matisse and his genius for composition, shape, colour and spacial planes.

My latest series is entitled “Favelas” and in particular focuses on the working class strata in Hamilton. A “favela” in Brasilian Portuguese, means literally shantytown, and the images I’ve grouped together are mostly found in the lower-income section of Hamilton’s immigrant community. Colour, shape and line are the unifying elements in this group - look for the flattening of shapes and organic colours throughout this series

Sail and Canvas

2008-06-20T15:30:00.001-04:00

Marzena Kotapska

Artistic Statement

I believe in traditional skills: drawing, composition, the use of colours. Techniques are vital, like knowing the language. My work combines vibrant colour and detail in the creation of cityscapes and landscapes, my favourite themes. It has primarily been based on observation.I paint year round, in and around the Toronto area. I love hustle and bustle of busy city. I love buildings, city markets, churches and nature.

In composing a piece, I think of the subject as the setting for a drama of light and shadow play. I’m drawn to scenes that have strong light/dark elements or that have intricate patterns. I am especially fascinated by how illumination lends an aura of significance to objects, transforming the ordinary into the extraordinary. I want to freeze those moments when we catch a glimpse of something breathtaking and preserve that feeling on canvas.

My work has primarily been based on observation and photo-imagery. I carry my camera with me constantly, and I take lots of pictures. I try to record with my camera; objects, situations that draw my attention or that I find aesthetically captivating and of significance to me. Later on, I will process and store them in my computer. Afterwards, during the viewing and processing, I will choose the ones that are of interest to me, and that in some way ‘speak to me’. Those will become the basis for my paintings. I sometimes manipulate my photos, in order to convey a certain feeling or emotion, or for purely aesthetic reason.

Art has allowed me the opportunity to express and share my personal vision of the world that, to me, is both aesthetically beautiful and personally meaningful. I truly enjoy the process of creating. My brush strokes are broad and energetic. I enjoy the materiality of paint and the surfaces of my paintings are rich and textural. I’m fascinated by the sheer ability of putting paint on the surface of the canvas. To me painting has a life; a life of its own. Each painting has a personality, character, it talks, it breathes, narrates a story. I truly enjoy being part of this creation.

Painting is poetry on canvas. For me it is about the spirit of a place or an object, about the way I felt. I paint simply because I can't imagine not painting.

ARTIFICE Exhibit : Floyd Elzinga

2008-06-01T14:42:00.000-04:00

ARTIFICE

Floyd Elzinga from Artifice, has put together a very interesting show entitled Potential and Resilience. An unusual adaptation of media that crosses sculpture with painting. Floyd has managed to create deliberate impressions of landscape and textures by literally painting with rust (oxides) on steel and utilizing bead welds. The pieces are bold and dramatic as well as organic and natural.

An abolute must see is Floyd's new fountain that was featured in Canada Blooms recently. It stands about 9 feet tall and is made from stainless steel and thousands of bead welds. We will attempt to get this piece photographed but for now it will just have to be a surpirse.

See more information here.

Joe Sampson Exhibition : Water's Edge

2008-06-01T13:45:00.000-04:00

Joe Sampson - Water's edge

Our next journey brings us to the water's edge with a series of paintings by Joe Sampson. Joe has had much success already with a number of high profile collectors, including Darryl Sittler.

"I find myself drawn to shorelines, beaches, lakes and oceans to enjoy soothing repetitive movement and sounds of water. I believe water to be one of the most challenging subjects to capture its constantly moving and changing shape and colour."

See more information here.

Joe Sampson

Water’s Edge is the title of Joe Sampson’s current show of paintings at Marten Arts Gallery, and the title aptly describes the subject of Sampson’s recent artistic practice.

Sampson’s oeuvre has always been varied, and water is a frequent theme in his current focus on landscape painting. He is inspired by the shorelines and beaches of lakes and oceans, and the realistic renderings of these sites rise to the challenge of capturing the transitory qualities of light and shadow on moving water.

Moods are evoked through colour and composition. Silver Cloud places the viewer above the clouds, providing a glimpse of water far below. Rolling Waves depicts only a touch of sky on the horizon, while a large expanse of water in varying blues and greens leads up to a gentle wave curling on the sand in the foreground. Turbulence fills the canvas in Beach Foam, and one can practically hear the wave breaking in Glass Wave. One’s perspective is always changing.

It is fitting that this exhibition can be viewed at Marten Arts Gallery in Bayfield, Ontario, situated within earshot of Lake Huron’s shore.

I graduated from The Ontario College of Art in '95 with
a specialization in illustration from the commercial design department. After
OCA, I freelanced as an illustrator and also painted scenic imagery. The
images I chose to paint ranged from portraiture to cityscape and
landscape.

While teaching drawing and painting at a performing and visual arts school, I
began to show my work at a variety of art shows, galleries, and art-related
events. At present my work is comprised of landscape painting and a variety of
scenic imagery, but landscape captivates the majority of my artistic time. I
believe that a strong background of drawing and painting a variety of
subjects has enabled me to develop into a well-rounded artist. I constantly
challenge myself to explore different subjects, techniques, and compositions.
I think this is the most important reason for my growth and
inspiration.
My
landscape paintings have a common theme throughout; whether it is winter,
fall, summer, or spring, the majority of my paintings have water in them. I find
myself drawn to shorelines, beaches, lakes, and oceans to enjoy the soothing,
repetitive movement and sounds of water. I find water to be one of the most
challenging subjects: to capture its constant movement and changing shape and
colour. A dynamic composition and an understanding of colour and light and
shadow are my artistic goals. Creating a mood and feeling help me achieve my
ultimate goal, which is capturing a moment in time and holding it
forever.
Joe Sampson