Artists spring back
The Women’s Art Association is back at the Art Gallery of Hamilton until mid-June
It’s all about bouncebackability.
After a short pandemic-caused absence, the Women’s Art Association of Hamilton is back at the Art Gallery of Hamilton with their annual exhibition. This one, the 126th, is aptly titled Resilience.
The WAAH, a non-profit organization, began in 1894 with the aim of encouraging local female artists to work, learn and exhibit together. The tradition continues. This year’s exhibition comprises 27 gorgeous works by about 20 local painters, printmakers and photographers, both well-established and emerging. Subjects include landscape, still life and an occasional abstract composition.
Patty Lynes, who has been painting wonderfully vibrant landscapes for more than 30 years, was awarded Best in Show for “Stormy Sky.” Fiery clouds race across the sky, almost overpowering the hills and water below.
But “Grounded,” her other submission, is even more dramatic. The lower part of a tree dominates the centre. The roots contribute to an uneven ground, making our entry into the painting uncertain. And yet, a sunny landscape beckons in the distance.
In painting the roots in broad vibrant strokes, Lynes adds a strong sense of movement. And depicting only part of the tree makes it look big and powerful.
Honourable mention went to Maria Sarkany for “Power Play,” a painting she created three years ago of five cats sitting on cushions.
“The cats are not my cats,” Sarkany says. “They represent people with power, politicians. The pillows they sit on are the countries’ flags they represent.”
Other winners include Nikola Wojewoda, Karen Logan and Stephanie Sikma.
And, of course, there are many other great works in this exhibition.
Both Franca Marazia and Zorica Krasulja took to nature close up.
Marazia, who excels at capturing serendipitous moments with her camera, tapped into nature’s flexibility and fragility in “Waking Up.” Her composition is succinct: two space-taking verticals, one of them part of a tree trunk from which a leaf emerges.
Spoiler alert: the story behind this photograph has a sad little ending.
“I photographed this in early spring. I have a beautiful silver maple tree in my front garden. I noticed this fresh green leaf sprouting out of the middle of the tree trunk. No branch. Just a red stem,” Marazia says. “I was intrigued. Perhaps the new sprout, waking up after a long winter’s nap, popped out to check the location? But, after a few days, the young leaf was gone.”
Krasulja is a painter, printmaker, creator of children’s books, and art teacher. For “Cosmos Resurrection,” she found a couple of magenta cosmos blooms and some citronella leaves and made an eco print, a process that requires time and patience.
“I really enjoy making these works as they’re always a surprise up until the end,” she says.
She bound and pressed the flowers and leaves between two pieces of watercolour paper and simmered everything in water for an hour. The next day, she pulled the papers apart, revealing a reversed set of images.
“I look forward to creating more this year, especially since spring is here and I use locally found plant materials.”
Robbin Pulver-Andrews opted for a wider view of nature. A painter of landscapes, still lifes and abstracts, she has been exhibiting her work for almost 15 years.
Serenity rules in “StandingTall.” Water in the foreground leads to a rocky shore on which three evergreens manage to thrive. Andrews paints the lake and its reflections in narrow horizontal strokes dominated by blues and greens. Softer diagonal strokes in the sky provide contrasting pattern and movement.