Jumping-off points
Artists in the Autumn Group Show at the Cornwall Library Art Gallery take their inspiration from wide variety of sources
A walk through the Autumn Group Show at the Cornwall Library Art Gallery reveals a few of the things that inspire P.E.I. artists.
Whether it’s “Glow of the Sunset”, a winter scene by Millie Kikkert that inspires viewers to take a walk in the woods; “Sahara”, a photograph by Giselle Déziel that captures the excitement of train of camels crossing the desert or “Skyline”, a watercolour painting by Donna Clow that captures a dreamy landscape, the artists in the exhibition are quick to share how they found their muse.
For instance, artist Kathy Stuart found her inspiration for “Reflecting on Fishing” right in front of her when she visited Souris Harbour, during the 2018 Points East Plein Air Festival.
“The water was just like glass and I felt I had to capture the reflections on the water.”
Stuart was also intrigued with the variety of fishing gear along the sides of the dock.
“I focused on their shapes and how they reflected in the water,” says the Meadow Bank artist.
Focusing on childhood memories inspired artist Jason Johnson to create “Sunny Cottage Stove”, a wood-burning piece.
It’s a country kitchen scene, where pots of carrots and potatoes simmer on the wood stove and a child relaxes cozily in a nearby cot.
“The inspiration for this came from my grandmother’s home in Harbour Breton, Newfoundland,” says the New Dominion resident.
She lived next door and always looked forward to his Sunday visits.
“She’d always put on a big dinner for us. She would be cooking chicken or a Jiggs dinner. And there would always be a cup of tea to wash it down.”
The creative spark of that memory was ignited when Johnson visited the Sunny Cottage Heritage Centre. Situated in Harbour Breton, it used to be merchant’s mansion in the 1920s. Now it’s a museum and bed and breakfast.
“I took my kids on a tour there last summer. It reminded me so much of the woodstove that my grandmother used to have that I took a photograph.”
When he got home he decided to turn his memory into art and submit it into the group show.
“Last year I entered a painting. This year I decided to do something new. So, I did it as a wood burning.”
Ideas for new paintings are always popping into Alexis RossSteeves’ mind.
“I’ve painted places (by sight) before, but I find everything flows so much easier when I pull it from my imagination,” says the Cornwall artist.
A case in point is “Greenfields”, the oil/acrylic work she has entered in the Autumn Group Show.
It’s a country scene, featuring fluffy, white clouds moving across a blue sky as streams of sunlight enliven the grassy meadow.
“I wanted to draw viewers into the back of the painting and take them for a walk in the field.”
And if the viewer reflects on it long enough, the painting takes on a three-dimensional feeling.
“I paint it in layers. The oils go on first because they have to dry. Then I add the acrylics and I build it up from there. The layers give it a nice translucence.”