Artist’s first solo exhibit coming
Suzanne Moreau always wanted to paint. But it wasn’t until she retired that she could really focus on it.
“It was timing, I think. When I was working full time, there was just no time for it.\' she said.
So she scaled back to working two days a week and took that time to learn about her art at the Toronto School of Art.
“It took me six years to complete a diploma in fine art,” she said.
Now retired, Moreau prefers to use oil paints, as opposed to watercolour or acrylic paints.
“I’ve always loved oils. It’s more forgiving,” she said.
She is now getting ready to have her first solo exhibit in East City. ‘People in the Workplace’ opens Jun. 25 at Ashburnham
Ale House, and runs until Jul. 29.
There is also an opening reception slated for Jul. 15 from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.
The popular restaurant is an ideal location for Moreau’s art.
“They do feature local artists. It also goes well with the people in the workplace theme,” said Moreau.
Having the paintings hang in a restaurant as opposed to an art gallery also exposes more people to Moreau’s art.
“People are not coming just for the art,” she said.
Moreau is in the process of selecting which paintings from the workplace series will fit the venue space.
“There will be 16 paintings in the exhibit,” she said.
Moreau started painting the series last spring, averaging one painting a month and has completed more than 16 medium and large canvasses in her studio.
For the last year, she has been working on a series of paintings depicting people in a variety of professions, from firefighters to fitness instructors.
“It started with people at the YMCA,” she reveals.
She asked a fitness instructor if she could take photographs of her, who agreed. Working from photos is a time-saving alternative to having someone sit for a painting.
“I turn the photos into black and white to distinguish shades and that is how my paintings come about,” she said.
Moreau found some of her subjects quite by accident, but a quick trip home to pick up her camera resulted in photos of a female worker clad in safety gear. Moreau created a painting from the photos of that chance meeting.
She also created a collage series, which is very different from her current workplace series, using mixed media techniques. But even that series had origins in paintings.
“They started with paintings I had done,” she said.
I the meantime, Moreau will continue to paint in her home studio. She also takes part in workshops at Kawartha Artists Gallery, where she is a member.
“It gives me pleasure to do it and if it gives other people pleasure, that’s my goal,” she said.
Strawberry Supper
Mark Street United church hosts a strawberry supper Jun. 26 from 5 to 7 p.m.