Five days of painting in Killarney Park
This is another in a series of articles profiling artists and artisans in the Otonabee Ward.
A member of the Kawartha Artists’ Gallery and Studio, Keith Thirgood remembers creating art as a child, but dropping it due to lack of encouragement by his parents and teachers. But a little over ten years ago, he took it up again, and is now active in the art world by painting, teaching workshops, organizing art retreats, and as president of the Ontario Plein Air Society.
“I teach workshops for various art groups across the province as well as giving workshops in my Peterborough studio,” says Keith Thirgood. “Plus, I run a number of art retreats around the province each summer. Earlier this year I was in the Ottawa Valley. This month, I’m taking students to the Kawartha Highlands Provincial Park for five days of canoeing and painting. And in September I will run a five-day retreat in Killarney.”
Thirgood paints landscapes most often using acrylic, and occasionally oil.
“My most important instructors have been Don Cavin and Mike Svob,” he continues. “My Influences, apart from these artists, are the Group of Seven, Vincent Van Gogh, Tom Thomson, and the Impressionists.”
Thirgood has been a member of the Kawartha Artists’ Gallery and Studio for two years, and volunteers there as needed.
When asked why he likes to create art, he says, “I like the challenge. I have always felt that there was a creative person inside me who wanted out. I get secret amusement when I tell people I’m a fulltime artist, as many people are often amazed that there are professional artists.”
Thirgood was born in a Toronto hospital and raised in a hamlet called Langstaff, which has now been absorbed into Vaughan and Markham, where he lived until he was 19 years old, when he left home.
“I’ve been a factory worker, an office worker, a taxi driver, a professional scuba diver, ran my own handyman business and then at 29 went back to school to Ryerson University to study film and photography,” he says. “I graduated and opened my own business as a photographer, writer, designer and marketing advisor, a business I ran for 25 years.”
Information about Thirgood’s retreats can be found at www. wilsonstreetstudios.com.
The Faces and Figures show is on now at the Kawartha Artists’ Gallery and Studio, 420 O’Connell Rd. until September 10 at the gallery which is open from Wednesday to Sunday from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., closed Monday and Tuesday. For more information, please call 705741-2817 or visit www.kawarthaartists.org.
Brock Mission
Last Wednesday was the first official announcement of a donation to the Brock Mission Capital Campaign. The $2,000 cheque was contributed by Merrett Home Hardware Building Centre, 1460 Lansdowne St. W. The Brock Mission has launched a campaign of $1 million to build a new men’s shelter with transitional housing.
“We are so excited and grateful for Merrett Home Hardware Building Centre’s kickstart to our Brock Mission men shelter’s ReBuild capital fund. Local heroes such as Drew Merrett, will make our $1 million goal possible,” says Bill McNabb, director of operations.
Another next cheque presentation will take place on Friday at 11 a.m. at Lifestyle Sunrooms, 944 Crawford Dr.
Brock Street Mission is a registered charity and welcomes donations of all amounts. Please make your cheque payable to “Brock Street Mission” and note Capital Campaign in the memo, or donate online at www.BrockMission.ca, tax receipts will be issued. For more information, please contact Brock Mission at 705-748-4766 or visit www.brockmission.ca.