Artist hosts a look back
Gallery features a retrospective on the life and work of Phyllis Kirk, 1977totoday
There will bean opening reception of the Phyllis Kirk Retrospective show at the Kawartha Artists’ Gallery and Studio ,420 O’ Connell Rd. on Sunday, August 7 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m ., with artist present and refreshments served. Kirk will be exhibiting selected works from 1977 to the present, as well as launching her new book. The show runs unti lAugust31.
Phyllis Kirk started taking painting classes in grade school from a friend’ s motherin1967.
“In 1977 I started thinking of myself as an artist and submitted a painting to the ‘First Biennale for Quebec Artists’ and was accepted, to my surprise ,” says Kirk.
Kirk has attended workshops at Vermont Studio, in Johnson, Vermont, at the Saidye Bronfman Centre in Montreal and was accepted to Emma Lake Artists workshop in Saskatchewan. She has been represented by Dominion Gallery and Gallery D’ Avignon for many years and has had many group and solo shows. She also makes jewellery from beads around the world, gathered during hertravels
Kirk works in multimedia consisting of acrylic son canvas, assorted drawing materials and objects, such as window frames, toys, and more. She has combined clay figure son canvas to work together as“one .” She also worked with old sewing mannequins in a series entitled Greeting Gals.
At the show, Kirk will be launching a new book about a collaboration in mixed media, called Sensenomake Circus.
“I started writing some years after painting and I have used words in different ways in painting. I collaborated with another artist for three years and wrote a book about that experience that I am launching along with my art work at the show ,” she says.
Kirk has always been fascinated by the human form and has used it as an inspiration in many ways. She is inspired by the postures and philosophy of yoga and has done many portraits and abstractions of heads as a result.
She is also interested in painting animals, after visiting the Galapagos Islands six years ago.
Kirk has been a member of KAGS since she moved here 16 years and has taken many drawing classes and has sat at gallery shows.
When asked why she likes to create, Kirk says that she has a need to create art whether any one wants it or not, or buy sit or not.
“After I finish a work, I feel like as though I’ ve accomplished something and I do believe that I have something to say about ‘us and our world’,” she says.
Kirk’s advice to budding artists is “to make sure you learn how to promote yourself properly. That’s the hard part if you are interested in selling.”
The gallery is closed for a summer break until Aug. 2 for maintenance activity. All open weekly sessions are cancelled for those weeks. However the Outdoor Painters group may still be seen pain tinge np le in air at various locations throughout Peterborough andtheCounty.
The K aw art ha Artists’ Gallery and Studio is a not-for-profit artists’ cooperative, exhibiting original art by its members since 1990. For further information about future shows, open studios, workshops and artists’ galleries, please call 705-7412817, emailevents@kawarthaartists.org, visit www.kawarthaartists.org, or like the Kawartha Artists’ Gallery and Studio on Facebook. Admission is free.
Mapleridge
Mapleridge Recreation Centre, 1085 Brealey Dr. is an activity club operated by staff and volunteers whose mission is to provide friendship, programs and opportunities for adults aged 50 and over to enjoy social, recreational, and educational activities.
The many activities offered at Mapleridge include line dancing, Tai Chi, yoga, cribbage, euchre, bid euchre, bridge, shuffleboard, darts, billiards and more. Some drop-in programs are taking a break for the summer but most regular and instructional programs continue throughout the summer.
Many activities are taking place throughout July and August. Lunch es continue on Tues days from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and Wednesdays from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at a cost of $7 with menu information available at mapleridgerecreationcentre.com.
Friday night supper and game nights continue on Friday evenings at 4:30 p.m., with tickets available at the door for $7 which includes a main course, dessert, tea and coffee, along with bid euchre, horseracing game, and Mexican train game.
There will be mini-bucks bid euchre on Saturdays July 30 and August 6 and 20 with doors open at 11 a.m. and cards starting at 12:30 p.m. at a cost of $5, no beginners please. Homemade sandwiches and pies available to purchase.
There will be Huge Bingos on Sunday, August 14 at 1 p.m. with a jackpot of $250 at a cost of $15 for 11 games, including light refreshments.
Membership in the centre is $20 per year, which runs from March 31 to April 1. A current membership card is required to register for programs. For more information, please call 705742-1481orvisit www.mapleridgerecreationcentre.com.